Of all the things cruise passengers could potentially get upset about, the free towels that are automatically provided in all staterooms is one of the last things one would expect. 

Even so, one future passenger felt strongly enough about not wanting to use the provided towels to write to Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald on his public Facebook page. 

Despite the fact that all towels are washed before being redistributed to new guests, and that housekeeping is happy to replace dirty towels throughout the voyage, some future passengers, who will be sailing onboard Carnival Venezia, were disgusted by the free option and requested to bring their own. 

“We hate to use towels that have been used by who knows how many people on the cruises before ours. We will want them laundered. Will there be a charge? If you say yes, why is that? Give me some real talk on this John! I don’t want to have to schlep extra towels,” the anonymous guest-to-be wrote to Heald. 

The cruise line ambassador didn’t advise on cost, but advised that bringing towels from home isn’t necessary.

“Our towels have been and always are washed to the highest of standards so there really is no need for her to bring her own,” reads Heald’s reply, in part. 

Since the cruise line provides and washes towels for free, there likely would be an extra charge not for bringing towels from home, but for using the ship’s laundry services. 

According to Carnival’s website, cruisers can do their own laundry for a low cost or pay extra for a valet service, which is handled through the stateroom attendants. 

Self service laundry is the most reasonable, starting at $3.50 per washer load and $3.50 per dryer load. Valet prices range from $15 to $50, depending on how quickly guests need their clothes returned and if they would like them to be folded or pressed. 

How Much Do Guests Worry About Free Toiletries?

John Heald followed up the post from the towel-bringing guests with a poll on his Facebook page. The brand ambassador was curious not just about the towels, but about other toiletries, such as the provided bar of hand soap. 

The poll gave Heald’s over 500,000 Facebook followers four options, and he encouraged them to select all that applied to them. As of the time of publication, the poll had received 24,629 votes. 

“The towels for the bathroom to dry off with after a shower are absolutely big enough for me” was the most selected option at 12,920 votes, which equates to 52%. 

Meanwhile, an additional 25% say that they “use the wash line in the cabin shower” and 21% indicate that they “use the hand bar of soap in the cabin bathroom. I like it.”

Read Also: What NOT to Do When Choosing Your Cruise Cabins

Notably, the option of “bring my own towels” received zero percent of the votes – with many commenting that they would never even have thought of bringing their own towels on both of Heald’s posts.

“I’ve never brought my own towels. I don’t even bring a beach towel. I wonder if these same people pack bed linens too. Some people are just down right ridiculous with how picky they are. It might be easier for them to just stay home,” wrote one Facebook user, which sums up the general sentiment in the comments section.

Cruisers were most likely to bring their own soap or shampoo and conditioner – which is primarily done out of personal preference.

Ultimately, the crew members do clean the staterooms from top-to-bottom, including washing towels and linens, so bringing towels from home is truly unnecessary.

But the action is not forbidden if it makes guests feel more comfortable – and it’s up to each cruiser to decide what will allow them to have the best vacation possible.

Cruise crew members are hard-working, dedicated individuals who often go out of their way to ensure that passengers not only have a great vacation, but that they experience memorable moments that will last a lifetime.

It is natural for guests to want to acknowledge those crew members and offer them something extra, but not all extras are permitted.

Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald addressed such a situation recently when a guest hoped to reward a dedicated bartender but wasn’t allowed to do so in the way they wanted.

“I have a complaint about the lack of compassion from the Captain or whoever,” the recent guest stated in reaching out to Heald. “I met a bartender at the Alchemy who made me and my [sister-in-law] laugh so much. [He] was really, really attentive.”

This sounds great, and Heald is always pleased to hear accolades from happy guests noting which crew members have gone above and beyond to deliver spectacular service. The guest, however, wanted to do something special that was not allowed.

“I had heard/read that it was possible to invite a crew person to dinner at the steak restaurant – so we asked,” the guest explained. “He had to clear it with his boss (the bar manager and captain) but told me he was denied the request. … I was wrong in thinking that Carnival cared about their workers. This proves they do not. Why was this not allowed!”

While this was a kind and generous gesture from the guest, there are different reasons why such invitations cannot always be accommodated.

“To say that we ‘don’t care’ about the crew is just silly,” Heald responded. “The reason that the Staff Captain and Department Heads say ‘no’ to this kind of request is that to take a crew member out of work will most likely have a big impact on the service we can provide the rest of the guests.”

A dinner at a specialty restaurant such as the onboard steakhouse, for example, would mostly likely take two or more hours, especially if that the crew member might need to return to their cabin and change both before and after.

This means that other crew members would have to cover that portion of a planned shift, or there may not be adequate service for other guests.

Furthermore, the evening hours when such a dinner would take place are undoubtedly some of the busiest times at popular venues, such as the vintage-themed Alchemy Bar with its specialty cocktails. This is exactly when all bartenders will be needed at their posts to ensure service is swift, smooth, and entertaining.

“We just don’t have spare bartenders to put there. Everyone is working at these busy evening times,” Heald said.

It is also possible that crew members don’t want to accept these types of invitations, for several reasons.

“While perhaps not always the case I have to say this, respectfully, sometimes the crew member doesn’t want to go to dinner,” Heald noted. “They want to keep working and while they may feel comfortable behind the bar, sitting for a dinner for two hours with a guest may simply not be something they would enjoy.”

Crew members may be humorous and outgoing while they perform their duties, but in their off time they may much prefer their privacy or time away from guests and they don’t want to appear rude by refusing a nice invitation.

It is also possible that any loss of income or tips from unexpected time off might not be something an individual crew member is comfortable with.

Finally, a crew member may simply not want to dine at a given restaurant, perhaps for dietary concerns or interactions with other crew members at the venue (think of a “teacher’s pet” type of scenario!).

What to Do Instead of a Dinner Invitation

Any cruise passenger who wants to reward the attentive service and outgoing personality of a specific crew members has many ways they can do so. Offering an extra gratuity is always welcome and gives the crew member the option to spend the cash any way they wish.

Read Also: What a Cruise Ship Cabin Steward Really Does – And How You Can Help!

Another great way to acknowledge excellent service is to note the crew member’s name and position and share that information and any praise on the post-cruise survey Carnival Cruise Line provides to many past guests.

If travelers do not get such a survey, they can contact John Heald through his Facebook page to give props and kudos to the crew member. Heald passes those accolades along to the appropriate department heads onboard individual ships as well as in the corporate hierarchy.

This type of acknowledgement can help with crew members’ performance reviews and the possibility of bonuses, promotions, and other official recognition.

A steak dinner may be a great treat for one night, but the ongoing praise and what it can do for a crew member’s career is far more long-lasting!

John Heald, the official brand ambassador for Carnival Cruise Line, is addressing one onboard controversy once and for all. 

Apparently, some of Heald’s 585,000 Facebook followers have developed a fixation on how the crew members onboard Carnival’s 27 ships monitor alcohol consumption onboard – with some suggesting that cruisers who purchase the Cheers! Drink package are treated differently. 

While guests can purchase drinks a la carte during their sailing, many opt in for the Cheers! Drink package, which starts at $70.74 per passenger and is available to guests over the age of 21.

The program allows guests to consume up to 15 alcoholic drinks per day (i.e., wine, cocktails, beer) and unlimited non-alcoholic beverages (i.e., soda, water bottles, energy drinks, coffee, tea). 

Of course, the cruise line keeps track of drink consumption for guests in this program to make sure they don’t exceed their daily limit, but this definitely does not mean the crew members don’t keep an eye on passengers drinking a la carte – and Heald shared a statement from Chief Communications Officer Chris Chiames affirming as much. 

“We monitor the alcohol consumption of all guests.The actual consumption is combined with other monitoring tools where servers, bartenders and security are trained to look for behavioral signals that a guest has reached his/her limit of safe consumption,’” reads the statement, in part, which Heald posted on Facebook. 

As Chiames points out, “not all consumption is equal.” Indeed, everyone metabolizes alcohol differently depending on factors like their height, weight, and how much they’ve had to eat that day.

People who become too intoxicated risk becoming a nuisance, or even a danger, to themselves or others – which is why it’s important to keep tabs on guests who choose to consume alcoholic beverages. 

Because guests can order alcohol in a variety of different locations and ways, such as buying a bucket of beers or a full bottle of wine that may or may not be shared, the security team onboard joins the bartenders and restaurant staff to make sure everyone drinks responsibly. 

“That’s why we use a combination of factors to monitor consumption. Now some guests might be creative and figure out ways to drink and never or rarely interact with a server or bartender. That’s why the security team is also part of this plan,” continued the statement. 

Fellow cruisers are also encouraged to notify the onboard security team if they have concerns about another guest’s alcohol consumption. 

Signs to look out for that may indicate someone is heavily intoxicated include mental confusion, difficulty remaining conscious, loss of coordination, slurring words or losing the ability to speak, or becoming physically ill. 

Should Carnival Change the Daily Drink Limit?

No one needs to worry about going thirsty on a Carnival Cruise – and passengers would likely have to try to become dehydrated. 

The 15 daily drinks (per person) included in the CHEERS! Package is generally seen as a good amount, especially considering guests who go over their limit still have the ability to enjoy non-alcoholic drinks like water, iced tea, juices, and coffee. 

Even so, there are always going to be guests who think the limit is too high or too low. In response to Heald’s post, some were calling for Carnival to eliminate the daily limit altogether.

“An unpopular opinion I’m sure, but this is the exact reason why Carnival needs to eliminate the daily limit on the Cheers package,” commented one Facebook user.

“Most people (myself included) rarely or never hit the daily limit, but in Chris’s own words, everyone handles their alcohol differently. If all of the practices are in place, an unruly passenger due to overconsumption will be taken care of,” the comment continued.

Per Carnival policy, cruisers who appear too intoxicated may be cut off before they reach the daily drink package limit – with many in the comments saying it had happened to them on past sailings. 

Read Also: How to Stay Safe and Enjoy Your Cruise Vacation

But the commenters calling for the drink limit to be lessened or eliminated are likely still in the minority – perhaps only coming out of the woodwork due to the theme of alcohol safety. Earlier this summer, Heald was actually fielding many requests to raise the daily limit. 

As an example, one person commented: “The 15 drinks a day maximum on your drink package is for amateurs. I’m a professional so can we please get an upgrade.”

Heald addressed the barrage of comments he got demanding the limit be increased with the following post on his Facebook page:

“We are not changing anything despite the barrage of requests I have every week. We will stay at 15 drinks in a 24 hour period (unlimited non-alcoholic drinks) and despite requests like this I wanted to save you the trouble of writing to me and say again we will not be changing anything,” Head wrote. 

The brand ambassador made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that Carnival’s alcohol policy won’t be changing anytime soon. Whether guests agree with this decision or not, it’s important for passengers to know their limits and to drink responsibility.

Every cruiser knows that itinerary changes can happen for a variety of reasons, whether ports must be cancelled or times adjusted for different operational reasons.

Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to guests booked on four different upcoming sailings of Carnival Paradise to alert them to such changes.

Fortunately, all four sailings are only having port times adjusted, and the Fantasy-class ship is still scheduled to visit each port of call on her various itineraries.

The impacted cruises are all departing from the Port of Tampa in September 2024, and the same itinerary change notice has been sent to booked guests on each sailing.

“We have made adjustments to the itineraries for the following cruises, which include yours,” the notification read. “Port times for the destinations listed below have been modified.”

The first cruise impacted is Carnival Paradise‘s September 2 departure, a 6-night Western Caribbean sailing with visits to Key West, Montego Bay, and Grand Cayman. While the Key West call is unaffected, port times for both Montego Bay and Grand Cayman have been adjusted.

Up next is the ship’s September 16 departure. That cruise is a 5-night voyage to Grand Cayman and Cozumel, and only Cozumel is being changed.

The third affected cruise is the September 21 departure for a 5-night Western Caribbean sailing to Roatan and Cozumel. For this cruise, Cozumel remains the same, but the times in Mahogany Bay, Roatan, have been changed.

Finally, the fourth impacted sailing is the September 30 voyage. This 6-night sailing is scheduled to visit Belize, Roatan, and Cozumel. Both Roatan and Cozumel are unaffected, but the first port of call – Belize City – is being adjusted.

To clarify, Carnival Paradise will still visit each port of call on her planned itineraries, but the selected ports now have their times adjusted. The exact time adjustments – 30 minutes, an hour, two hours – will be posted on Carnival Cruise Line’s website as soon as they are finalized.

If guests have already booked and paid for shore tours through Carnival Cruise Line for their destinations, those excursions will be automatically adjusted to the new port times if needed. Because tours leave at different times of day, however, not all excursions may be changed.

Any travelers who made independent tour plans for the ports, however, will need to contact their tour operators to see if adjustments are possible or needed once port times are confirmed.

The 71,925-gross-ton Carnival Paradise is homeported year-round from Port Tampa Bay, offering 4-, 5-, and 6-night sailings. While most of her cruises are Western Caribbean itineraries, the ship does have the occasional Bahamas voyage as well.

In fact, in summer 2025, Carnival Paradise will be one of the first ships to visit Carnival Cruise Line’s new private destination, Celebration Key, with her August 28, 2025 departure. For that special 4-night Bahamas cruise, Celebration Key will be the ship’s only port of call, but it will certainly be something to celebrate as travelers are among the first to enjoy the new Bahamian hotspot.

Why Port Times Can Change

While Carnival Cruise Line has not offered any detailed explanation for the changes in port times for the four different cruises, there could be a variety of reasons.

Many cruise lines are seeking to lessen their environmental impact by slowing speeds for better fuel efficiency, which in turn lowers emissions and reduces pollution. Even just a slight change in port times could make this worthwhile.

It is also possible that port congestion is impacting how Carnival Paradise will be able to arrive and depart these ports of call. With multiple ships visiting these destinations, there needs to be sufficient port staff, including pilots, to accommodate each vessel on a smooth schedule.

Read Also: What Does a Ship Pilot Do?

Fortunately, booked guests will still be enjoying each port of call with only minimal time changes, and hopefully they will not notice a significant impact on the amount of fun they’re able to have during their cruise vacations.

Carnival Paradise – one of the last remaining but much beloved Fantasy-class ships still in service – can welcome 2,124 guests at double occupancy. The ship is also home to more than 900 international crew members who work diligently to ensure everyone enjoys a taste of paradise on every sailing.