The carnival explains its rules regarding tattooed crew members

While some brands are more stringent than others, most companies that serve guests – on land and at sea – have a dress code they deem appropriate for their employees.

For Carnival Cruise Line, this typically means wearing a uniform while on the job, practicing good personal hygiene and hygiene, and wearing appropriate attire even when off-duty in guest areas.

However, one recent guest felt this wasn’t enough and wanted to know Carnival’s stance on tattoos, which this particular person felt should not be seen by guests.

“I’m intrigued by the tattoos in Carnival’s employee handbook… Many of the crew members – even our head waiter – were covered in tattoos. Does Carnival allow its employees to have tattoos that are still visible?” – the guest of the Brand Ambassador asked John Heald on his public Facebook page.

“People in America remove tattoos before applying for jobs because most employers do not want their employees to have them. They are intimidating to older people, which is a lot of Carnival Cruise Lines’ customers.” – the guest continued, clearly expressing his position against tattoos.

Possibly to the passenger’s dismay, Heald confirmed that crew members can show off ink as long as the tattoos are not offensive, such as containing vulgar words or depicting violent images.

“We allow crew to have tattoos and as long as they are not offensive in any way, they do not have to cover them. In my opinion the tattoo does NOT change the service or fun the crew will give you,” Heald replied.

This inclusive attitude was appreciated by many people who expressed their opinions in over 2,000 comments – and certainly by members of the tattoo-wearing crew across a fleet of 27 ships.

Cruise guests celebrate tattoos

For many who choose to get tattoos, their ink commemorates an important event or person in their life. Another way to think about it is that body art is a representation of their history.

About 40,000 crew members currently work on Carnival cruise ships, coming from 120 countries around the world, and tattoos have special significance in some cultures.

For Heald and many cruise guests, tattoos are a source of fascination and intrigue – the brand ambassador asked about tattoo etiquette in a later Facebook post.

“As a person who doesn’t have a tattoo, I have never dared to get one. Can I ask this question to people who have it? Is it okay to ask someone what a tattoo means, what its meaning is, or is it too personal a question?” Heald asked.

Across over 1,000 comments, there was a consensus that it was OK to respectfully ask about tattoos, as many people said they would like to discuss the meaning behind their designs.

“Tattoos are a facial expression and usually have a significant meaning behind them. They are works of art. They are expensive. They are an investment in ourselves. Ask!” – replied one enthusiastic Facebook user.

Read also: A carnival guest’s choice of footwear raises sartorial controversy

Ultimately, crew members have enough rules to follow without having to be punished for their tattoos, and cruise lines certainly run some demanding ships (pun intended).

Not only do they no longer have to adhere to dress codes specific to their role and rank, but they also have strict rules they must follow regarding where they can relax and unwind on board and when and how they interact with guests.

Crew members must adhere to strict rules regarding the gifts they can accept from guests and may not necessarily become too friendly with passengers in the name of appropriate behavior and professionalism.

For example one a guest recently complained to Heald because the bartender they had become friends with couldn’t join them for dinner.

Between the strict rules and the hardships of working long hours and being away from loved ones for months, tattoos are one thing crew members can bring from home and be proud of without fear.