Two young cruise YouTubers sailing on P&O Cruises’ Ventura say they were ordered to stop filming their ship-tour content after a fellow guest complained to reception.
Josh and Alfie, the duo behind the Young at Sea YouTube channel, were part-way through a four-night sailing from Southampton to Rotterdam when they were told that further filming could lead to “further action” – something they feared might even result in being banned by Carnival UK.
The pair, who routinely film ship tours in the early hours specifically to avoid capturing other guests, said the complaint left them too nervous to record anything at all.
However, after speaking to customer services again a few hours after their initial warning, they were eventually told they were free to film around the ship as long as they avoided zooming in on passengers – advice they say they already follow as standard practice.
Passenger Reaction: Support, Suspicion and a Call For Privacy
Feedback on the pair’s Facebook post was largely supportive, with many commenters suggesting the complaint may have come from someone who didn’t want to be recognised – possibly, they joked, because they were “on the ship with someone they shouldn’t be”.
Others questioned why P&O Cruises would restrict filming when the line typically embraces social-media coverage.
Several people urged the duo to speak directly to senior management or guest services, arguing that one complaint shouldn’t dictate policy.
A few highlighted that other vloggers had experienced similar issues on different lines, and that cruise companies usually apologised once misunderstandings were cleared up.
Not all comments were in favour: some passengers stressed that being filmed on holiday feels intrusive, with one saying: “Accept that not everyone wants to be filmed by complete strangers and show a bit of respect to your fellow passengers.” Another advised the pair simply to “forget the filming and enjoy the cruise”.
Privacy was a recurring theme. One commenter said: “Film, but don’t show other passengers. I wouldn’t want you filming me… it’s an invasion of my privacy.”
Others, however, questioned where the line is drawn, noting that almost everyone takes photos and videos on board and that a blanket ban would be impossible to enforce.
My Take
Running my own cruise YouTube channel, I’ve personally never been asked to stop filming on a ship – though I do know of a couple of creators who’ve faced similar issues.
To me, the balance between privacy and content creation is clear: people’s right not to be filmed comes first, which is why responsible vloggers head out at the crack of dawn (or earlier…!) to film their ship tours while the decks and venues are empty.
As long as you avoid filming anyone, or edit them out if they happen to appear fleetingly, it’s perfectly possible to create useful, respectful content.
Ship tours are incredibly helpful for travellers researching their next cruise, and they offer cruise lines free, authentic promotion.
Hopefully incidents like this don’t lead to a clampdown on creators altogether – because when handled responsibly, filming on board benefits both passengers and the industry.
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