Carnival Cruises Bans 'Cougars,' 'Cubs' From Future Trips

MIAMI — Carnival Cruise Lines won't be sailing anymore with a boatload of "cougars" and their willing prey. The Miami-based company has turned down a request from a singles travel group to book another cruise with the cougar theme. The term refers to older women who date younger men.

The singles group says the ban is unfounded. They point to their first cruise on Carnival's Elation in December that drew about 300 women and the men they call "cubs."

Carnival says there were no problems with last month's trip, it's just a business decision. They have no room for groups with that "theme."

Analysts say it's meant to protect Carnival's focus on family fun.

Party planners say they've had no trouble booking with rivals Norwegian and Royal Caribbean.

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Information from: The Miami Herald, http://www.herald.com

Comments

[Cool-headed]

12:17 PM on 01/13/2010

Let's not be naif. The older women pay the younger guys. If not cash then drinks, gifts etc. So that's an extra reason for the ship company not to want them, en masse, on board. It sure would change the identity of the company. Fortunately the story says the women found other ship company where they can take their guiltless cruise and have all the fun they want. It's their money.

[seroquel]

10:34 AM on 01/13/2010

I don't understand this whole "family fun" thing they're talking about. Aren't these consenting adults, paying for the cruise?

Since they are, then the cruise line should treat them like any other customer on the ship. What's the message here?

[AnnfromCA]

10:45 AM on 01/13/2010

It's a group cruise for the purpose of sex.

That harms the identity of the cruise ship.

[nonamesplease]

11:21 AM on 01/13/2010

Sounds puritanical to me.

[seroquel]

12:16 PM on 01/13/2010

Right...I'm sure all the "families" are watching them in action.

Puritanical is right. Again, what's the message? Sex is bad?

Their money not good enough? It's an unintelligent business decision.

"It's a group cruise for the purpose of sex". What, these passengers don't do that in their rooms? Mom and Dad don't have sex either in their rooms?

[Mazzlefizz]

09:28 AM on 01/13/2010

The heading is inaccurate. They didn't ban cougars. They banned massive packs of organized cougars, that were probably making men under 30 an endangered species on those particular cruises.

[essbird]

10:49 AM on 01/13/2010

Yeah, but what a way to go!

[martiniandabotoxchaser]

09:25 AM on 01/13/2010

What is so terrible about older women with younger men....no one bats an eye at an older man with a younger partner. Happiness is a commodity in short supply. If everyone is legal and no one is hurt let the fun begin.

[AnnfromCA]

09:29 AM on 01/13/2010

Nothing. I rather admire some of these women. They have chutzpah, for sure.

[BassMent]

09:49 AM on 01/13/2010

I don't think age should be an issue in relationships between people who find each other attractive. But ageism is a reality in American culture.

And I can assure you, as a 50-year-old man married to a woman half his age, yes, people DO bat an eye. The prejudice runs both ways.

[dakotawoman]

11:59 AM on 01/13/2010

Riiiiiiight.

Like with Hefner and his THREE live in baby dolls?

Come on. Older men and their much younger "trophy" girlfriends/wives are totally accepted by society -- if not by the "ex-wives club".

My sympathies lie with the ex-wives -- AND the cougars.

What's good for the gander, in this case, might be even better for the goose!

[dakotawoman]

12:07 PM on 01/13/2010

HOWEVER, for those couples like yourselves, and like my daughter and her older husband, there are always those who can't get past stereotypes and their notions of what's "appropriate" -- but you have my support, at least.

[martiniandabotoxchaser]

09:22 AM on 01/13/2010

Sounds like family fun to me.

[KarateKid]

08:46 AM on 01/13/2010

I once was lucky enough to have a girlfriend, or should I say, ladyfriend, 13 years my senior. I was 24 and she was 37. Best time of my life, and she taught me a LOT. So, my conclusion is that cougars are a good thing for cubbies.

[AnnfromCA]

09:24 AM on 01/13/2010

That seems like a good age for this type of stuff. I suppose a lot of these so-called "cougars" are women in that age bracket.

It gets a bit odder when you're older. My experience with a younger man was when I was headed into my 50's. He tried to talk me into it, but I'm just not cool.

He just laughed and told me he already knew I was going to say, "No thanks."

I wonder sometimes if cougars are women who don't have sons, too. It was just a bit too close for comfort to me.

[BritishAmerican]

08:39 AM on 01/13/2010

Cougars, keep your hands off my 20 yr old

[AnnfromCA]

09:25 AM on 01/13/2010

I had a friend who was 50 and dating a 20-year-old. He broke up with her, and went into the most teenage swoon over it.

I had exactly the same reaction as you. I was appalled that she'd had an affair with this kid, first of all, nevermind think it was going to last.

[AnnfromCA]

09:30 AM on 01/13/2010

I mean, she went into a swoon over it.

[cucumber]

04:30 PM on 01/13/2010

sorry, that makes me want him more. Where does he live?

[tanya1111]

08:32 AM on 01/13/2010

Ick, nast. The thought alone is too much information. Hopefully the next boat with the aged women with overactive libidos will go the way of the titanic. The picture of this, all confined on a boat and stuff.... I wish I had a less active imagination.

[KarateKid]

08:26 AM on 01/13/2010

What do they call old guys who look for young women?

[BritishAmerican]

08:38 AM on 01/13/2010

Sugar-daddies and "gold-diggers"

[KarateKid]

08:43 AM on 01/13/2010

LOL. Forgot about those terms. Thanks. You have a new fan

[martiniandabotoxchaser]

09:23 AM on 01/13/2010

Hugh Hefner and the playmates.

[AnnfromCA]

09:26 AM on 01/13/2010

I call them creepy. LOL*

But they sure do hit on women 20 years or so their junior.

The ones who don't bother me are clearly those with a game, and they mostly have the attitude, "Can't hurt to ask!"

[KarateKid]

09:37 AM on 01/13/2010

Well, young girls won't have to worry about me. My oldest daughter is 31, the younger one 26 and I can't look at women even a couple of years older. I don't know how some guys can do that. I always preferred older women, ever since I came home from _Vietnam.

[MIKEBC]

07:15 AM on 01/13/2010

Hey neo cons, I think I will take a nice cruise, and that money is for "me" to enjoy, not for the bankers or big insurance robber barrons to enjoy, the rightwing party can't stand seeing guys like me enjoy a good middle class lifestyle!

[DudleysPa]

03:41 AM on 01/13/2010

Perhaps the cougars could charter a boat for a slow cruise off the Somali coast. It's sure to attract some virile young men.

Ransom should be no problem as, after a few days, I suspect the pirates would actually pay, anyone, to take them away. Or as Henny Youngman would say, "Take my hostage...please!"

[cucumber]

04:32 PM on 01/13/2010

40 year old women...just so unattractive, right?

[KLordsha]

02:49 AM on 01/13/2010

"Family..check....teenagers..check.. You three old ladies....stand back."

I wonder if they posted signs of MIL FS with big red X's over the pictures. Unbelievable.

[my whitehouse]

02:34 AM on 01/13/2010

with 10% unemployment still no recovery
hat tip to http://iamned-website.blogspot.com

[iLoveOldNY]

01:51 AM on 01/13/2010

Honestly, What's a cruise without cougars?

[KLordsha]

02:50 AM on 01/13/2010

Peter Pan's boat.

[potrerohillman]

01:37 AM on 01/13/2010

carnival believes in going down with dignity

[cybolt]

02:20 AM on 01/13/2010

Contrary to the cougars, who go down for the heck of it.

[kramereng]

03:39 AM on 01/13/2010

HA!