Towel Animals on Cruise Ships Might Soon Become Extinct
Is one of the most beloved traditions of modern-day cruising about to disappear?
Passengers on several Norwegian Cruise Line ships in recent weeks have noticed they’re no longer getting towel animals in their cabins as part of turndown service. The line says it's an effort to conserve resources.
“We are committed to being a responsible corporate citizen by fostering a culture of awareness and respect for our world’s resources,” a spokesperson for the line said Tuesday in a statement to The Points Guy, confirming the change. “Our mission is to continually improve our sustainability culture through fresh innovation, progressive education and open collaboration.”
Norwegian described the cutback as a test that, for now, only involves four of its 16 ships: Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Star and Norwegian Sun.
The line also noted that room stewards on ships implementing the change would still create towel animals for passengers, “upon request.”
Towel animals are made with — you guessed it — towels. These must later be laundered on board ships, and critics have noted this has an environmental impact. Still, many longtime cruisers are smitten with the tradition and don’t want to see it vanish. The test has lit up message boards in recent days at cruise fans sites such as CruiseCritic.com, where cruising regulars are speaking out both for and against the change.
“At Cruise Critic, we saw a fairly mixed reaction from our cruisers,” editor-in-chief Colleen McDaniel told The Points Guy. “Many were sad to see a beloved tradition fading, while others were excited to see a cruise line proactively doing something to help the environment.”
In addition to being environmentally friendly, the towel animal cutback could save money for Norwegian by reducing laundry volume on its vessels and allowing its room stewards to complete turn-down service more quickly.
The tradition of room stewards placing towel animals in cruise ship cabins during turndown service dates back decades, and is a common practice across many brands, including Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line and Holland America.
Room stewards create everything from floppy-eared elephants to monkeys that hang from closet railings using towels that are often embellished with cut-out paper eyes and button noses. They’ll also sometimes incorporate passenger items such as sunglasses or clothing into the creations.
The tradition has become so popular over the years that some cruise lines offer towel animal-making classes on board. The line perhaps best known for its towel animal creations, Carnival, has even come out with a book on how to make 40 of the most popular towel critters. Sold on its 26 ships and at Amazon.com, it’s gone to reprint three times.
Carnival spokesperson Vance Gulliksen told The Points Guy the line has no plans to cut back on the tradition.
“We’re continuing our towel animals as normal,” Gulliksen said. “It’s a signature element and a guest favorite.”
A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean also said the line had no plans to change its policy.
Should cruise lines continue to place towel animals in passenger cabins as part of turndown service, or are these much-adored cotton creatures about to go extinct? And if so, are towel swan arrangements at your favorite resort about to join the endangered list?
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.