Six-foot ‘Towel Elephant’ Debuts on Carnival Dream

We were surprised and pleased to find a towel animal on the bed in our room every night at the Riu Resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica earlier this week. That—and Bingo in the entertainment area—reminded us a great deal of being aboard a cruise ship. Now there’s an even bigger reason to plan a future cruise. Inspired by Carnival’s highly popular towel animals—an iconic element of the “Fun Ship” vacation experience that greets guests as they return to their staterooms each evening—the line has introduced a six-foot-tall “towel elephant” who has quickly become an on-board favorite.

Currently featured aboard the Carnival Dream, the as-yet-unnamed terrycloth pachyderm frequently interacts with guests along the promenade and makes regular visits to the Camp Carnival play area, posing for photos and keeping kids amused and entertained.

In addition to the Carnival Dream, the towel elephant is planned for five other Carnival ships—Carnival Imagination, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Sensation, and Carnival Magic, which is set to debut May 1.

There’s no word yet about how Fun Ship Freddy feels about the competition; however, in my personal opinion, the towel elephant is certainly cuter and cuddlier, not to mention less scary than Fun Ship Freddy for the littlest kids.

Did you ever wonder how the creation of towel animals came about? Cruise Diva explains the history of these Ultimare Bed-Time Pals.