There seem to be innumerable debates about Carnival Cruise Line dining, on all sorts of unexpected topics – mayonnaise and ketchup brands, the meltiness of melting cake, customizing appetizers, and more.

One of the most long-standing questions, however, isn’t about the food, but about the tables that food is served on – namely, the tablecloths or lack thereof.

Years ago, Carnival featured tablecloths nightly during each dinnertime service (I remember the crumb scrapers well!), or at the very least, for every “elegant evening” to create a more luxurious ambience.

Those freshly laundered and smoothly ironed cloths have long since been discontinued, however.

When questioned about their absence, the cruise line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, is always consistent with his reply – it’s an environmental issue.

Heald has explained that the environmental cost of laundering hundreds of tablecloths during a cruise is substantial. Removing tablecloths reduces water and detergent usage, as well as the power needed for washing, drying, and ironing.

But would cruisers be willing to pay to bring back tablecloths? One guest has reached out to Heald with the suggestion.

“Poll if [passengers] would be happy to pay a premium for a table in the main dining hall with a tablecloth. It makes all the difference,” the guest suggested.

“Just charge an extra $10 per table per night if you want a tablecloth at dinner. People will pay it.”

Never mind the logistical nightmare – would tablecloths only be available during seated dining times, or could it be arranged for Your Time Dining? What if a guest wants a tablecloth one night but not another? What if all guests sitting at the same table don’t agree on tablecloth use?

Still, Heald did offer up the suggestion as one of the questions in his daily Facebook poll to his more than 614,000 followers.

The results are a bit one-sided, and not on the “people will pay it” side. Of the more than 50,500 votes cast, 38% (more than 19,200 votes) firmly state “I am not going to be paying for a tablecloth at dinner.”

Meanwhile, so few votes were cast for “I would pay $10 extra each night to have a tablecloth” that it registers as 0%.

If the Facebook algorithm rounds to the nearest percentage, this means no more than 247 votes agree that the extra charge would be worthwhile.

What Would Guests Pay Extra For?

In recent years, cruise lines have been adjusting select services not only to update operations to guest expectations but also for cost savings, environmental friendliness, and operational efficiency.

So, what items that have been “lost” on Carnival Cruise Line would guests be willing to pay additional fees to get back?

The first thing that comes to mind – one I might actually pay for – would be the return of twice-daily stateroom service. Gone are the days of a morning cleanup and an evening turndown (except in select suites), but that luxury was truly exceptional.

The long-gone pillow chocolates that were once part of the evening turndown service are missed by some, but frankly, I never found the quality to be exceptional enough to warrant any sort of cost that I’d be willing to pay.

How about robes in all ocean view and balcony staterooms? While bathrobes are provided for suite guests to use, other guests can request robes from their cabin attendants, no extra charge needed.

What about the Midnight Gala Buffet? A culinary spectacle of carved fruits, ice sculptures, and artfully arranged meats, cheeses, breads, and desserts, the once-a-cruise event was discontinued long ago to ease food waste. Could a per-passenger fee, perhaps an “admission” charge, bring it back?

Read Also: Get Some Luxury Perks With Carnival’s Faster to the Fun!

What if Carnival Cruise Line began charging for towel animals? While this might send some guests into a frenzy – the towel creations are amazingly popular for all ages – it could be a good option to justify the environmental cost of washing all those now-used towels at the end of every voyage, just as with tablecloths.

With Carnival and other cruise lines being not-so-quietly accused of nickel and diming guests, it is unlikely that any of these once common services will return, even for an additional charge.

Cruise lines are all about service, and it is the amazing service guests can receive that will truly make a cruise vacation spectacular. But there are some services that just aren’t possible, even though they may seem simple enough.

One such impossible service is customization in the Main Dining Room – specifically, the ability to special order changes to established appetizers.

One recent Carnival cruise guest messaged John Heald, the cruise line’s brand ambassador, about their frustration with what could have been a simple appetizer change.

“On the Breeze [back-to-back]! Can I order a shrimp cocktail and a Caesar salad together at the same time? Yes is the answer,” the guest described. “So why can’t I order a Caesar salad with shrimp?”

It might seem like adding shrimp to a Caesar salad would be an easy enough step, but the dining room does not take such customization requests.

Heald did, however, note that ordering both appetizers to create one’s customized salad is certainly an option.

“You will need to order both separately, the Caesar salad and the shrimp cocktail,” he confirmed. “You can then pour the shrimp onto the salad.”

This type of adjustment takes only a second, and surely isn’t worth a complaint. But it wasn’t actually the only complaint this guest had about their dining service.

They shared a photo of their salad with Heald, admonishing its proportions.

“Only four croutons. Pikers!” the guest said.

I do love some crunchy, seasoned croutons, but there’s another easy fix to this that Heald points out.

“You can [ask] the waiter for extra croutons,” he said.

This is similar to other dining “hacks” Carnival guests have shared, such as requesting a side of peanut butter to accompany the famous warm chocolate melting cake.

Why Can’t Appetizers Be Customized?

Heald does not elaborate about why appetizers can’t be customized, but it is important to note that cruise ship chefs are preparing hundreds – even thousands – of meals simultaneously. Interrupting their finely tuned process with special requests can create delays and other problems for many other diners.

The Dream-class Carnival Breeze, for example, can welcome 3,690 guests for each sailing, based on double occupancy. The ship has two main dining rooms, Sapphire and Blush, and therefore, four seated dining times – two early and two late. This means roughly 900 guests may be scheduled for each dining time.

Even if one-quarter of the guests choose to eat either at the Lido Marketplace buffet or any of the onboard specialty restaurants, the chefs are making meals for 675 guests in each dining room for each sitting.

And given that individual guests can order multiple appetizers if they wish – I’ve enjoyed soup and salad together many times – the galley may be preparing well over 1,200 appetizers for each dining time.

Adding in the pressure of special orders, such as putting shrimp into the Caesar salad by request, further complicates an already highly complicated operation.

Read Also: Free Carnival Cruise Dining Options You’ll Want to Know – With Menus!

Furthermore, many cold appetizer selections, such as salads and shrimp cocktail, may be prepared in advance earlier in the day and therefore are ready-to-serve without modification.

Additional guests also pointed out that the shrimp used for shrimp cocktail have their tails left on for proper presentation. The tails would need to be removed to be added to the salad, which takes more time and further interrupts the service.

Similarly, main menu items cannot be extensively customized. While some items – such as a fresh-cooked side – may sometimes be swapped out for allergy concerns, it is more common that servers would urge guests to select a different item to ensure there is no cross-contamination.

With so much delicious food onboard, every Carnival guest can surely find delicious dishes to enjoy no matter what their dining preferences, without any customization necessary.

Cruise guests are always looking for the best deals and ways to get special perks for their upcoming sailings in order to make the most of their oceangoing vacation.

One supposed “hack” to get special privileges, however, is only a scam – and one that Carnival Cruise Line is wise to.

The scam centers around Carnival’s exclusive Havana Retreat, the ship-in-a-ship concept that includes Cuban-inspired staterooms and exclusive spaces for the use of Havana guests.

Guests booked in Havana staterooms are issued silicone wristbands that permit them access into the exclusive spaces. The colorful “Havana Experience” wristbands are an easy way for crew members to check that only permitted guests are allowed into that coveted part of the ship.

John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, has noted that some less-than-scrupulous guests may sell the wristbands on online auction sites. Upcoming guests who purchase them, however, do not get Havana privileges and instead are just scammed out of their payment without any perks.

But how does Carnival know whether the wristbands are legitimate or not? Heald has explained.

“Some very naughty people have been selling their Havana wristbands on Eeeeeeee Bay and other auction sites. These bands are checked by the staff working in the Havana area,” Heald explained.

“Someone silly decided to buy two of these and tried to wear them to get into the Havana area on one of the ships. They were denied and I am sure were embarrassed because the wristband was the wrong color.”

Read Also: Carnival Cruise Line Cabins and Suites – What Are the Options?

Havana wristbands come in various colors, including brown, green, yellow, blue, red, and white. What inexperienced guests may not realize, however, is the colors aren’t just decorative.

“We used to have just two colors for these cabins,” Heald said. “[Now], we have different colors. They are changed at random each cruise.”

Guests who purchased the used wristbands were denied entrance to the Havana area. While Heald noted that they were likely embarrassed by the incident, he doesn’t elaborate if there were any other consequences for trying to circumvent the cruise line’s rules.

A quick perusal of online auction sites does show some Havana wristbands for sale, with prices ranging from just a few dollars to $30 and higher.

Depending on the seller, some are described as used or collectible only, but there is no mention that the wristbands do not guarantee Havana benefits on upcoming Carnival cruises.

Worth Reading: Carnival Guest Warns Others After Being Targeted by Scam

Auction sites are not responsible for the truthfulness of individual listings, as that information is up to the seller to disclose. Furthermore, there is nothing wrong with previous Havana guests selling the wristbands as unique souvenirs, so long as they are not being dishonest and claiming that buyers will receive the benefits.

In addition to the wristbands, Carnival crew members may ask to see guests’ Sail & Sign cards to verify their Havana status, just to ensure the exclusive area remains exclusive.

Is The Havana Worthwhile?

The exclusive Havana area is only available on select Carnival cruise ships. At this time, the premium area is found on Carnival Vista, Carnival Horizon, and Carnival Panorama, as well as all three of the cruise line’s Excel-class ships – Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee.

The Havana features old-time Cuban-inspired decor with a relaxed tropical vibe. Each stateroom – and there are different types available to book, from interiors to balconies to suites – has a branded robes and towels for guests to use.

Guests booked in The Havana also have exclusive access to their own pool or hot tub area (depending on the ship), and plenty of sun-drenched lounging space – without the massive crowds in public areas.

The Havana Bar is also available exclusively for booked guests to use. Previously, that venue was open to all guests during the evening hours, but that policy was changed in recent years and now is only available for Havana guests.

All guests booked in Havana staterooms must be age 12 or older, which makes the area even more desirable to guests who prefer quieter, more adult-oriented spaces.

Have you stayed in The Havana? Share your experiences and tips on the Cruise Hive boards!

Carnival Cruise Line is notoriously family-friendly, but passengers were recently alerted to a change that will transform one voyage into an adults-only journey.

Guests booked on Carnival Magic’s November 1, 2025, sailing received notice that the voyage will now be a Casino Event cruise, part of its Carnival Players Club program.

Carnival Cruise Line’s Players Club is a casino loyalty program that features perks and rewards based on casino play. 

These include free drinks, stateroom upgrades, discounted or even free cruises, and invitations to exclusive events like Casino Event Cruises like the one Carnival Magic is now taking.

These event cruises may include larger casino tournaments and special giveaways. They also require all of up to 3,690 passengers to meet the age minimum of 21 years.

The notice, sent on May 20, 2025, by Colleen Oliverio, VP of guest services, stated, “We have made an operational change for this voyage, designating it as a special Casino Event cruise, dedicated to offering our playing enthusiasts thrilling and unique experiences.”

The change doesn’t impact pricing or perks for those already booked, but guests who were planning to sail with children are now unable to join unless they revise their reservation.

The cruise line did not indicate whether rebooking support or compensation would be provided for passengers unable to cruise.

The notice also said the 7-night cruise, which sails from PortMiami to the Eastern Caribbean to call in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Carnival Cruise Line’s private Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, will “still feature most of our brand-specific offerings.”

It did not specify which offerings may be changed or eliminated, but it’s safe to say the kids’ programing, such as Camp Ocean, Club O2 and Circle C, won’t be necessary.

Guests Weigh in on Change

Of course, without more detail, guests began to speculate about the now Casino cruise. One passenger questioned if it’s a test run. “Seeing how much money it will make over a regular cruise.” 

Another suggested that “if an adults-only cruise sells out quickly, this won’t be the last.”

While some were excited – “I’ve been waiting for an adults Carnival cruise!” – others criticized the planning behind the change.

“Seems like a lack of planning on Carnival’s side. Probably a lot of disappointed customers,” suggested one guest.

Read Also: What Cruise Activities Are Popular for Kids?

But the change is more likely due to the rescheduling of Carnival Magic’s dry dock. The cruise line had blocked some time in October and November for the 130,000-gross-ton ship’s dry dock but recently rescheduled it to spring 2026, meaning the ship would be available to sail after all.

Unfortunately, while new itineraries were added, that rescheduling forced the cruise line to cancel cruises scheduled in April and May 2026.

However, in spite of the uniqueness of an adults-only voyage, Carnival Cruise Line – and others – reserve the right to change and cancel its cruises at any time. Sometimes, a change is the result of a cruise transforming into a chartered event.

Because cruise itineraries are scheduled 2 or even 3 years in advance, it’s difficult to make changes like dry docking or charter voyages without having to reconfigure passengers.

In these cases, cruise lines, including Carnival, do their best to rebook passengers on similar journeys and will most likely offer assistance and financial incentives like Future Cruise Credits to passengers who may no longer be able to sail on November 1, 2025.

Meanwhile, anyone 21 years and older will certainly be discovering some additional activities and entertainment not originally aligned with the Carnival Magic’s traditional itinerary.