The pen is mightier than the cruise ship – or is it? While much of our world has gone digital and paperless, having a pencil or pen available to jot a quick note on a cruise is still a useful tip for travelers.
But which writing implement is best? Individuals can be surprisingly firm in their preferences for pens or pencils, which has been brought to the attention of Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald.
A quite emphatic comment was made on Heald’s popular Facebook page, where he answers hundreds of questions every day about different onboard concerns, dining arrangements, celebration requests, cruise line policies, and much more.
“Carnival still provides pencils in the cabin. Really?,” the commenter said. “Carnival pencils are unusable. Every other cruise line in the world gives pens, nice pens to take home. What are we supposed to do with a pencil? I hate pencils & so do most adults. My guess is a passenger is less likely to take one as a souvenir. WE WANT PENS.”
The guest notes that they are currently onboard Carnival Horizon, which is sailing a 6-night Western Caribbean itinerary from Miami, with visits to Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.
As for the writing tools… The pencils Carnival cruise line provides are small golf pencils typically (but not always) in the cruise line’s signature blue. The style can vary by ship and may be with or without erasers or any embossing on the pencil.
Heald responded, explaining the cruise line’s decision to offer pencils rather than pens.
“Yes, we have for some years now replaced the pens with pencils as we work hard to stop single use plastic,” he said. “Respectfully, I don’t have time to ask Uncle Google if ‘every other cruise line in the world has pens in the cabin.’ Something tells me that that this may not be correct.”
It is true that some other cruise lines provide pens in guest staterooms, but other lines offer pencils.
Heald asked his more than 590,000 followers whether or not they use the pencils in the cabins, and many guests responded that yes, they use them for a variety of purposes, both while onboard or after a cruise.
“I may or may not carry a Carnival pencil in my purse at all times…
“Yes, I used the pencil to write my steward a little note every day. If nothing else just to say thank you or great job!”
“I love the pencils! (Also, would like an eraser on them.) They come in handy for the daily puzzles and Sudoku!”
Some travelers do note that pencils aren’t always suitable for writing on luggage tags, as the lead may not be dark enough to be easily legible. Similarly, if pencils aren’t evenly sharpened, they may not be as useful.
Many guests do note that a nice pen would make a fine loyalty gift for Platinum and Diamond VIFP guests. Carnival Cruise Line just recently revealed a canvas baseball cap as the next VIFP gift, but perhaps a pen would be considered as a future option.
Do You Need a Pencil Onboard?
How necessary is a pen or pencil onboard? While in years past, guests reading the paper Fun Times might have wanted a highlighter or pen to mark the activities they were interested in, today, many guests prefer using the Carnival Hub App.
Carnival Cruise Line does provide daily games and puzzles, however, that need a writing tool. Sudoku puzzles, word searches, and crosswords are all available for guests to enjoy at their leisure.
Some of the competitive activities onboard – trivia contests, for example – also require guests to write down answers, and small pencils are provided at those activities.
Read Also: Carnival Cruise Line Addresses Cheating Claims at Trivia
A pen or pencil can also be very helpful for leaving a note for the cabin attendant, such as requesting an extra pillow, blanket, or hangers.
If guests want to tip their cabin attendant or dining team a little extra, a personal thank you note can also be a great touch to accompany that gesture.
Personally, I always try to bring my own pen or pencil just in case, but I don’t have a strong preference for which one to use. Do you? Share your writing implement preferences on the Cruise Hive boards!
