Key Aspects:
- A guest has asked if Carnival’s onboard fitness centers could be open earlier than 7 a.m.
- Gym hours are typically 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., but do vary slightly across the Carnival Cruise Line fleet.
- John Heald has explained that instructors must be present whenever the gym is open for guests.
The early bird may get the worm, but onboard a cruise ship with thousands of guests, the early bird can get the best choice of fitness equipment.
Just how early can Carnival Cruise Line guests use the gym for their morning workouts? For one guest, it isn’t quite early enough and they’ve reached out to John Heald, Carnival’s brand ambassador, with a request.
“On all three of my Carnival cruises, the gym opened at 7 a.m. I get up very early. I’d love it if the gym opened at 6 a.m.,” the guest explained.
With many fitness centers being open 24/7 for members, it’s not unreasonable to wonder why a cruise ship’s gyms have more limited hours.
“I know you have never seen the inside of a gym John Heald but maybe you can ask for all of us who do care about our health and fitness if the gym can open at 6!” the guest continued.
While the guest’s request may be a wee bit rude, Heald frequently pokes fun at his own weight and health.
He does respond with the explanation for the fitness center hours, though his reasoning could lead to a bit more confusion.
“The reason we do not have the gym open at 6 a.m. is that there has to be a gym instructor present when the gym is open,” Heald explains. “So as they already (there are three instructors) work from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. we really cannot open any earlier.”
It makes sense that it is necessary for an instructor to be present whenever the gym is open to supervise activities and to be on hand for assistance or emergencies.
What is unclear, however, is why three instructors are necessary for full daily shifts with the same or very similar hours. It might be possible to further stagger shifts to accommodate much longer hours.
For example, if each instructor could work just an 8-hour shift, perhaps the first individual could work from 4 a.m. until noon. A second instructor could work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while the third’s workshift could be from 4 p.m. until midnight.
This would have the fitness center closed from midnight until 4 a.m., during which time extra cleaning or maintenance could take place.
Of course, gym instructors also offer a variety of exercise classes, personal training sessions, and fitness lectures, so their on-shift time can’t all be directed toward supervision or overseeing guests using the equipment.
Are Longer Gym Hours Really Necessary?
Given that the gyms onboard Carnival cruise ships are open for 14 hours every day (though the hours do vary slightly across the fleet), are longer hours needed?
I’ve only used the onboard fitness equipment a couple of times myself, so longer hours would not matter for me. Don’t judge, I’m on vacation!
Depending on individual guests’ fitness needs and preferences, however, longer hours could be useful.
Read Also: Carnival Cruise Line Pays Tribute to Beloved Fitness Icon
For example, ships may arrive at ports of call as early as 7-8 a.m. depending on the exact itinerary and destinations. If guests prefer to work out early in the day, they may not be able to do so within the existing hours if they have planned a shore tour for that port visit.
Not all tours offer later departure times, and it wouldn’t always be possible for a guest to simply choose a different tour to explore a port of call.
Furthermore, Carnival ships offer a full schedule of activities throughout the day, including trivia contests, dance lessons, craft projects, game shows, bingo games, comedy, production shows, karaoke, and more. An early morning workout can be the best option for a traveler to keep up on their fitness routine.
It should be noted that most ships also have an outdoor jogging track that is always available to guests unless the wind or weather creates unsafe conditions out on deck.
