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.
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.