Cruise lines often get accused of nickel-and-diming their passengers.
That criticism is fair in some cases. For example, items like mandatory gratuities are not included in advertised fares even though they are part of the price.
Many passengers also get surprised when they get on board and things like sodas and bottled water cost extra. Some people also do not like having to pay extra for alcohol, specialty dining and other things.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line beverage package change angers passengers
Carnival Cruise Line, however, has an added charge that many passengers truly hate because they aren’t aware of it and get hit with it unexpectedly.
It’s one thing to make a choice to spend extra money and another thing when you learn of a charge after you leave the ship.
This charge might seem nitpicky, as if the cruise line were passing on an expense that might not be real.
Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald explained in a recent Facebook post why the charges are in fact justified.
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Image source: Carnival Cruise Line.
Carnival charges for pool towels
While most hotels provide pool towels, Carnival requires passengers to check them out using their room cards. If people don’t return their towels, they are charged.
The $22 fee is clearly posted in a number of places, but many passengers don’t see it. So often enough they simply leave their towels at a pool or in their room and are hit with the fee.
That seems gratuitous since in that scenario the cruise line did not actually lose the towels. Heald said, however, that that is not why the fee is in place. He explained the reason for the pesky charge in a long story on his Facebook page.
“As mentioned, we took taxis to downtown from the old International Pier," he related. "Now, taxis in Cozumel are mostly the same ones that ferry guests to the beaches and downtown today as they did back in the 90s.
"I love all things cars and I like to think I know a bit about [them. However,] over the years I have tried to work out exactly what make of car they use for Cozumelian taxis. I mean, they have four doors, four wheels, and make a sort of a car noise, but it is as though they have been made by a factory that was too embarrassed to put its name on the [vehicles].
Carnival towels left the ship
“One thing that so many Cozumel taxis have in common is the seat covers because the plastic vinyl in so many of these cars have been replaced with old-style Carnival towels circa early 1990s.
"Now, these were given to guests to go ashore and to use at the [beach. And] remember, there was no charge if they didn’t bring them back."
That lack of accountability led to obvious problems.
“There was no inventory of towels back then," he added. "I cannot imagine how much money we lost in beach towels back then because many of these pale blue towels are still in the taxis of Cozumel."
Heald made a clear connection between Cozumel and the towel fee.
“There are guests who sometimes scoff at the fact that we charge $22 for non-returned towels, but here these cabs are still today, which is proof positive that we are right to do so,” he added.
Royal Caribbean has a similar charge on its namesake brand, but not on the more upscale Celebrity Cruises.
“These towels were left in the back of Jose’s taxi many years ago by a guest from Cleveland, Ohio who had just drunk 7 extra large margaritas and was never going to remember who he was and what ship he was on, let alone remember the towel that Jose’s passengers’ bottoms now sit on,” Heald wrote.
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He added that the new rule has been effective.
“It’s strange, but today, we still have the odd guest who may drink a barrel full of margaritas and, like our 1990s friends, won’t remember their name or cabin number and may even be a 2024 pier runner," he said.
"But as they stagger down the pier, accompanied by the cheers of hundreds of guests standing on the open deck, you can rest assured they will have that towel with them, clutching it as though it had been woven from pure gold, determined never to have to be charged for losing it."
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