Although I can see how the promotion ceremony is pretty much worthless, and can understand why it's been removed, I for one have have never missed one on any toon on either Holodeck or Tribble.

Farewell pomp and circumstance, you shall be missed.

Will the NPC's just hanging around still salute at least? ;-(

It will be back. I am will to beat they plain to tie something to it. a bouns item, title, accolade, unlocking to a speical dalie, etc.

I think the ship tokens should stack and not be rank-based, so if you decide to not have a new ship let's say at Commander level, you should have a reserve token for Vice Admiral instead. That would be great. And then it also makes sense if you don't have to fly back to Earth Space Duck to actually be promoted.