Carnival clarifies rules for tattooed crew members

While some brands are stricter than others, most guest-facing companies – both on land and at sea – have dress codes that they deem appropriate for their employees.

In the case of Carnival Cruise Line, this usually comes in the form of uniforms while working, practicing good personal hygiene and grooming, and wearing appropriate outfits even when not on duty in the guestrooms.

However, a recent guest felt this did not go far enough and wanted to know Carnival’s position on tattoos, which this particular person said should not be seen by guests.

“I’m curious about the tattoos in Carnival’s employee regulations… A large part of the crew – even our head waiter – was covered in tattoos. Does Carnival allow their crew members to have tattoos that are still visible? the guest asked Brand Ambassador John Heald on his public Facebook page.

“People in America have tattoos removed before they apply for jobs because most employers don’t want their employees to get them. They are intimidating to older people, which many Carnival Cruise Lines customers are.” the guest continued, making their anti-tattoo stance clear.

Probably to this passenger’s dismay, Heald confirmed that crew members are allowed to show off their ink, as long as the tattoos are not offensive, such as using bad 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. My opinion is that the tattoo does NOT change the service or fun the crew will bring you,” Heald replied.

This inclusive stance was appreciated by many who voiced their opinions in the more than 2,000 comments – and especially by the tattoo-wearing crew members about the fleet of 27 ships.

Cruise guests celebrate tattoos

For many who choose to get tattoos, their ink celebrates a meaningful event or person in their lives. Another way to think about it is that the body art is a representation of their story.

There are also approximately 40,000 crew members currently working on Carnival cruise ships, coming from 120 countries around the world – and tattoos have extra special meaning for some cultures.

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

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

The consensus in the thousand-plus responses was that it’s okay to respectfully ask about the tattoos, as many said they would like to talk about the meaning of their designs.

“Tattoos are expressions and usually have an important meaning behind them. They are works of art. They are expensive. They are an investment in ourselves. Just ask!,” replied one enthusiastic Facebook user.

Also read: The carnival guest’s choice of shoes causes controversy over the dress code

Ultimately, crew members have plenty of rules to follow without their tattoos being policed, and the cruise lines certainly run a tight ship (pun intended).

Not only do they have to adhere to role and rank specific dress codes, but they also have to follow strict rules regarding where they can relax and unwind on board and when and how they interact with guests.

Crew members must adhere to strict rules about what gifts they can accept from guests and must not necessarily befriend the passengers too much in the name of appropriate behavior and professionalism.

For example one guest recently filed a complaint with Heald because a bartender with whom they had a good connection could not join them for dinner.

Between the strict rules and the struggle of working long hours while away from their loved ones for months at a time, the tattoos are something the crew members can be proud of without worry.