NCL getting rid of towel animals? is that true or april fools day.

[spanishguy1970]

I was happy years ago when they got rid of the chocolate buffet. I found the buffet kind of gross, people being wasteful etc but the towel animals? that does not cost them anything. I for one think is a silly, cute thing they do, and children of a certain age like it. If its true then is a shame.

[hallux]

There's another thread in this forum with discussion of this.  One reason given is the environmental impact, due to the water and detergent needed to clean the extra towels.  Of course - it also saves the room stewards time by not having to make them in every room.

 

Here, found it - 

 

[mdsgu]

I’m sure it’s an April Fool’s post, but, knowing NCL, it really wouldn’t surprise me to find out it’s true!

[hallux]

58 minutes ago, mdsgu said:

I’m sure it’s an April Fool’s post, but, knowing NCL, it really wouldn’t surprise me to find out it’s true!

They started a few days early then, look at when the post I linked was started (last Wed.).

[OCruisers]

1 hour ago, hallux said:

There's another thread in this forum with discussion of this.  One reason given is the environmental impact, due to the water and detergent needed to clean the extra towels.  Of course - it also saves the room stewards time by not having to make them in every room.

 

Here, found it - 

 

 

Would no longer having the "animal towels" be a big deal to you?  

[hallux]

1 minute ago, OCruisers said:

 

Would no longer having the "animal towels" be a big deal to you?  

Me?  Not really.  It's a neat treat to come back to the room to but it's not my primary focus on the trip.

[markf]

we  had  them on the  Gem 10  days  ago

[Action Dave]

I would be a little dissapointed if they discontinue the towel animals.. it was a nice treat to see what they came with on returning to our room..having said that it wouldnt be the end of the world either...

[Nclgetawaymenhoney]

Current bird travels thread on the escape showed his towel animal first night ( yesterday) may just be something trying out on star only

[banjineer]

I posted the Star towel animal thread.  Not an April Fool's Day joke.  We were on the Star last week.

 

The Star Hotel Director confirmed to my wife that the Star was not doing towel animals any

more starting last week (3/23/19 sailing) due to environmental concerns of cleaning the

towels used for towel animals  (and probably room steward time).    Don't know if it is just

a trial on Star - the HD did not say.

 

Multiple people we talked with on the cruise confirmed they did not get towel animals.  Some missed

them and some didn't.

Edited April 2, 2019 by banjineer

[newmexicoNita]

OK, my take on this: many of us who have been sailing since the 1980 s didn't know what towel animals were until years after we started. When we saw our first one, most of us loved it and looked forward to what would be in our cabin the next night, but never did it really make a huge difference. Now, if they do discontinue  them it won't make a difference either. certainly no one can really think animal towels make a huge difference in anyone's cruise experience and think of all the towels that have to be laundered after these animals are looked at and thrown to the side? Think of the time it takes each cabin steward to make them and the clutter they also make, especially in some of the smaller cabins? I understand people getting upset about some changes, but anyone being bothered by the lack of towel animals must get bothered with life pretty easily. 

[myjillian]

13 minutes ago, newmexicoNita said:

OK, my take on this: many of us who have been sailing since the 1980 s didn't know what towel animals were until years after we started. When we saw our first one, most of us loved it and looked forward to what would be in our cabin the next night, but never did it really make a huge difference. Now, if they do discontinue  them it won't make a difference either. certainly no one can really think animal towels make a huge difference in anyone's cruise experience and think of all the towels that have to be laundered after these animals are looked at and thrown to the side? Think of the time it takes each cabin steward to make them and the clutter they also make, especially in some of the smaller cabins? I understand people getting upset about some changes, but anyone being bothered by the lack of towel animals must get bothered with life pretty easily. 

Ditto

 

[Rookieretired]

A post from current Escape cruise has shown animals each day so they are still being made on the Escape. Personally I enjoy seeing the animals when I enter the room but the effect probably lasts for less time than it takes the staff to fold the animal. If eliminating them reduces water consumption, reduces cleaning time, and reduces amount of detergent used I can live without them.

[hallux]

One post in the thread I linked suggested that rather than using towels JUST for the animals, your "resupply" towels could be used to make the animals, then you break them down to use them.

 

Maybe that's too savage for some?

[thetaro]

I would rather have a free bottle of water or some chocolate over some towel animals. I feel bad breaking it and don't really know where to put it. 

Edited April 2, 2019 by thetaro

[dcipjr]

I can live without them.

 

They're cute, but after a couple cruises, you've basically seen them all. Plus we always feel bad when we have to move them to sleep, and the head inevitably falls off and never looks right when you try to put it back.

 

I'm fine with NCL saving water consumption, detergent, and most of all, the time of the cabin stewards. I'm sure they won't be sorry to see the towel animals go; if it were I were on staff I would probably be cursing the unknown cabin steward that came up with towel animals years ago.

[krazykohns]

Next from NCL: Premium Towel Animal package starting at $49.95  for a 5 night sailing....

 

Kinda bummed that my next sailing is on my birthday and I will admit to looking forward to see what I got on that day... But this change won't cause us to cancel our cruise or tip my steward any different during our vacation...  And I would TOTALLY buy the package if it did come out. 

[bluesea777]

Wished it was an April Fools but I guess it's become a reality.

 

After 22 NCL cruises we still loved them. Especially on the last cruise (19 days Jewel) our magnificent room stewardess created them out of either face or hand cloth and those were the little critters we had never seen before!

 

One cruise one night in Haven we got an elephant - really swell - crafted with a pillow and some hand cloth.

 

Well, adios to them, been really swell knowing them, we will miss them 😢

[ColeThornton]

It's a tough life, isn't it?

[tomk3212]

We're on the Getaway for a Transatlantic cruise on 4/27 so we'll report back after that re: towel animals.

 

They usually have a class or seminar in the Atrium on a sea day showing everyone how to make a towel animal.  Since we'll have seven sea days on this transatlantic cruise I can't imagine them canceling a class like this or running it with the disclaimer, "Oh, yeah, and our room stewards no longer make towel animals due to environmental concerns.  But we'll show YOU folks how to do it so you can wreck the environment yourselves...lol"!!"

Edited April 2, 2019 by tomk3212
delete repeated phrase

[shof515]

https://cruiseradio.net/cruise-line-cuts-back-on-nightly-towel-animal-service/

[bob brown]

I have always thought of them as 'cute', and a way for the cabin stewards to entertain their passenger's, but otherwise a waste of clean towels, and cabin steward's time.   

The first time I would find them in my cabin, I would politely thank my steward for making it, but request that they not make any more.

 

So I am glad to hear that they will discontinue the practice.

[YVRBassElectric]

My husband got sick on a cruise, so we didn't have turn down service twice, the steward made towel animals for us in the morning - even though I said no - while she was asking if hubby was feeling better, she was amazingly fast at making them. In the Haven we often get fresh towels twice a day (even though we hang them up & don't want new), I think that is more of a waste of water!

[jaja]

4 hours ago, bob brown said:

I have always thought of them as 'cute', and a way for the cabin stewards to entertain their passenger's, but otherwise a waste of clean towels, and cabin steward's time.   

The first time I would find them in my cabin, I would politely thank my steward for making it, but request that they not make any more.

 

So I am glad to hear that they will discontinue the practice.

 

 

I totally agree.  While a nice touch,  I feel the steward would appreciate the extra time for other things and always told them so on day one.

[trex-de]

2 hours ago, jaja said:

 

 

I totally agree.  While a nice touch,  I feel the steward would appreciate the extra time for other things and always told them so on day one.

 

There will be no extra time. This is a “Lean” move and they will cut the total number of stewards. Slippery slope.