Monique Sheena Platon, a cabin steward on Marella Cruises' Marella Discovery ship, has gained a following for her intricate towel art. Platon creates a variety of animal shapes, including swans, frogs, dogs, crabs, mice, and crocodiles, to enhance the passenger experience.
Platon, who joined Marella Cruises in 2019, aims to bring smiles to passengers' faces by surprising them with new towel designs upon their return to their rooms. While classic shapes like the swan are part of her repertoire, she also focuses on creating less common designs that passengers may not expect. Passengers have shown particular appreciation for her dog and crab designs.
Complex Creations and Swift Skills
The most challenging design, according to Platon, is the crocodile, which requires at least two hand towels and a bath mat. This elaborate creation is reserved for special occasions such as birthdays. Despite its complexity, Platon can complete the crocodile design in three to five minutes when working alone. Other smaller, simpler designs, such as the bunny or spider, can be completed in as little as 15 seconds.
Learning and Sharing the Art
Platon learned her towel-twisting skills through visual learning, primarily using YouTube tutorials to master new designs. She has built an extensive portfolio over seven years, working her way up from housekeeping. She emphasizes that her creations are not impossible for others to replicate and has shared a tutorial for her frog design with the Daily Mail.
For the frog design, Platon uses a large towel for the body and a smaller towel for the head. The process involves folding the large towel in half, rolling it towards the center, and then folding the tube in half. The corners of the rolled towel are pulled out to form the body. The head is created by folding a smaller towel into triangles and attaching it to the body. She also suggests adding eyes to complete the amphibian look. Platon advises beginners to start with simple flannel designs before progressing to more complex towel art.
Passengers sometimes engage in playful interactions with the towel art, guessing the designs incorrectly or arranging towels to create humorous illusions, such as a person hiding under the bed or sitting on the toilet. These interactions add to the overall amusement and enjoyment of the guests.