My wife and I surpassed the 100 cruise day mark on this cruise, and are Platinum members with Carnival. For the last few years every time we have cruised Carnival they have discontinued small things that separate the top of the line company from we just want your money company. First no mints on your pillow, second no condiments package. Then no linen and proper place setting in the main dining rooms except cruise elegant nights. While I am on cruise elegant night we just finished a Premier Cruise on the Carnival Splender. It should have been called Redneck elegant, tee shirts, blue jean shorts and base ball caps were the norm in the Black Pearl dining room. The matre'd said they trying to conform with the times, and cruise elegant was only a suggestion, give me a break!!!! It was a very lame excuse for him not doing his job properly. Also the food in the Black Pearl dining room was bordering on bad. The grilled chicken was hard cut with a knife(sent back), the flat iron steak was tough also but had a good flavor, the Jamaican style shrimp was bland and the shrimp so small you almost needed a magnifying glass to find it, the jumbo grilled shrimp should have been 15 to 20 count size but it was 30 to 40 count size, you get the idea. I will get off my soap box now. I know these things seem petty but they are the difference between a great company and a below average company. On a final note not enough can be said about the hard working behind the scenes employees on Carnival Cruise ships, the room stewards, the dining staff, etc, etc. Always tip them extra when it is appropriate.