Carnival’s Towel Animal Mystery Revealed?

For many people, the highlight of returning to a Carnival stateroom is not just a tidy cabin, but the cheeky towel animal left behind by their steward.

From elephants to swans, these folded creations have become one of the cruise line’s quirkiest traditions.

But one passenger recently stumbled across what may be the secret to keeping the tradition alive.

TikToker Matt Kortelainen, sailing aboard Carnival Adventure from Sydney to Moreton Island, discovered a stash of ready-made towel animals tucked under his bed.

Sharing the discovery online, he compared it to learning Father Christmas wasn’t real, a comment that struck a chord with viewers.

His post quickly spread, with fellow cruisers chiming in to say they had made similar finds on past voyages.

@mynamesmattt Oh my goodness Carnival! 😂 #carnival #carnivalcruise #towelanimals #cruise ♬ original sound – Matt

The revelation may surprise some, but it’s not hard to understand why. On a full ship, thousands of towel animals need to be delivered daily.

Pre-making them ensures that stewards can keep up with the demand while still managing the many other tasks required to maintain cabins.

Rather than being disappointed, Kortelainen embraced the discovery.

He unpacked the animals and arranged them around his cabin as a tongue-in-cheek gesture for his steward to enjoy.

Carnival’s Prior Towel Animal Rumours

Carnival’s towel animals have been the subject of speculation before.

In late 2023, chatter on social media and cruise forums suggested that stewards would no longer create them due to workload concerns.

The speculation was swiftly shut down by Carnival brand ambassador John Heald, who labelled the claims “100% false” and reassured fans that towel animals remain a cherished part of the onboard experience.

Although some argued removing them could save crew time, the line pointed out that stewards are experts in towel folding, so the time gained would be minimal.

For guests who want to learn the skill themselves, many cruise lines offer towel-folding demonstrations – allowing passengers to recreate their favourite animals at home.