I had heard that Carnival discontinued the placemats(picture of the ship and crew signatures) that you receive at the end of your cruise? Is that true? I loved the placemats!
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Fascination-September 2007 Key West and Cozumel
Spirit-August 2010- Alaska
I didn't get one on our last Carnival cruise, nor the one before. In fact, I can't remember the last time I got one. I have my hat from HAL and my tile from them as well, ship shape t-shirts from RCCL, Dive-in t-shirts from NCL, wine tasting glasses from Princess, nothing from Costa, and nothing from Carnival (recently). Maybe they're changing over to the itinerary pictures? I really like that idea, we've purchased them on our last 4 cruises.
On my last cruise (Sept. '08), everyone received a copy of a painting of the cruise ship. It was actually kind of nice. It's about the size of a placemat.
On some cruises they have been on the table as placemats the last night of the cruise. I don't have one with any crew signatures though. I hope I am talking about the same thing.
We received placemats on Carnival Victory in 2006, but only after asking for them. I had noticed other pax (but not all) leaving the dining room with placemats, and our waiter had already said goodnight to us without offering them.
Neither those, nor the ones we got on Carnival Destiny in 2000, were signed. They look lovely framed, though.
Our cruise on the Glory we had to ask and I think we only got them because our crew member family was with us. We did not get one, did not ask either, from the Destiny just several weeks ago. It is my impression they are being cut as a cost saving measure, but if they still have them on board you can get them if you ask. Those we did get were signed by our waiters. We liked them also.
I hope the returning guest pins are not next on the cut list. They tried cutting the cast down the dancers survived but the ship's band did not. You might notice the bands are getting smaller. 11 pieces on my first Carnival Cruise but just 6 on the Destiny. (trumpet, Sax, Keyboard, Drum set, Bass guitar and rythm guitar) The trombone player had just signed off and he was not to be replaced. Had I brought my "slushpump" perhaps I could have sat in.