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Guests sailing on Carnival Splendor this month received an unexpected reminder tucked into their stateroom mail. Ahead of a stop in Lifou, a tribal island in New Caledonia, the ship’s captain, Eduardo Ferrone, sent a brief letter asking travelers to dress modestly while ashore. The notice, obtained by CruiseHive, asked guests to respect local customs and keep swimwear conservative before they left the ship for the day.
“Swimwear should only be worn at the beach or by a pool and should be very modest in nature,” the letter said, according to CruiseHive. “G-strings, thongs, monokinis or mankinis should not be worn (even on the beach), and topless sunbathing is also not permitted at any time.” The letter added that casual clothing was acceptable elsewhere on the island, so long as guests kept cover-ups on hand.
Carnival’s own website spells out why the island gets special guidance. Lifou is described as home to “proud indigenous people whose culture is based on respect,” a community that in many cases is also highly religious. Locals reportedly ask visitors to stick to one-piece or full-piece swimsuits and skip bikini or monokini-style suits at the beach, a request Carnival passes along directly to guests before they go ashore.
What the Letter Actually Says
The letter, a photo of which was also shared in the ship’s Facebook group, made clear the consequences could reach further than one uncomfortable wardrobe change. Non-compliance, it warned, “could severely restrict or compromise” Carnival’s ability to keep Lifou on future itineraries, CruiseHive reported. Guests who ignore the dress code could reportedly be asked to return to the ship early, and repeat violations could put future port calls in jeopardy.
The warning landed as Carnival Splendor, a 3,012-guest ship, sailed an eight-night South Pacific itinerary out of Sydney that departed May 30, according to CruiseHive. Lifou was the first port of call, with the ship docked from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 2. Carnival Splendor and Carnival Adventure each had additional Lifou visits scheduled later in June, with Carnival Encounter following the pair in July.
Carnival has flagged destination-specific dress rules well beyond Lifou. Just days before the Splendor letter went out, CruiseHive reported that brand ambassador John Heald reminded guests that camouflage clothing is barred in certain Caribbean ports, including the Bahamas and Jamaica. The line’s own help page confirms similar restrictions apply in Jamaica, Grenada and Barbados, where camouflage clothing and accessories are outlawed for all visitors rather than discouraged.
How Carnival and Officials Are Responding
A Carnival spokesperson confirmed the guidance is nothing new when reached by Travel + Leisure. “For many years when visiting Lifou, New Caledonia, we have shared guidance with guests about appropriate dress, including avoiding swimwear in public areas, as a sign of respect for the local community,” the spokesperson said. The spokesperson added that travel helps build understanding between cultures when guests engage with local customs thoughtfully.
The message lines up with guidance CruiseHive found elsewhere in the region as well. Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advises visitors to New Caledonia that “outside of tourist areas, standards of dress and behaviour are conservative.” Beaches, though popular with tourists, remain public spaces where local laws apply, and consequences for violations can range depending on the country and the severity of the offense.
Not every cruise dress code shift has landed as smoothly with passengers. In February, Norwegian Cruise Line faced backlash after tightening its dining dress code, with tank tops, hoodies, robes, and jeans with holes or tears now barred at some restaurants, PEOPLE reported. That change marked a departure from Norwegian’s “Freestyle Cruising” concept, which had previously given guests more flexibility around dining and entertainment scheduling.
What’s Next for Travelers Headed to Lifou
Lifou’s appeal is unlikely to fade despite the added packing list. The island sits within an archipelago roughly equidistant between mainland Australia and Fiji, and New Caledonia is home to several UNESCO World Heritage sites, according to Travel + Leisure. The region’s tourism department touts “unspoilt nature,” white-sand beaches, and activities like diving, whale watching, mountain biking, and horse riding for travelers willing to pack accordingly.
Carnival already has more Lifou visits on the books for travelers planning ahead. The line has scheduled New Caledonia sailings for February and March 2027, according to its booking website, as reported by Travel + Leisure. The Australian winter months of June through September are typically the off-season for South Pacific cruises, with more ships arriving during the region’s summer season, from December through March each year.
Other cruise lines, including AIDA Cruises, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, and Holland America Line, also sail to Lifou, New Caledonia, during that busier summer travel season each year, according to CruiseHive. For now, Carnival is asking guests headed to the island to pack modest swimwear alongside the bikinis and save the more revealing pieces for days spent entirely aboard the ship out at sea.