Tatts that! Princess crew unhappy after being told to cover up tattoos

• A new Princess policy requires crew members to cover up nearly all of their tattoos.
• Crew members are petitioning against this, as it makes it hard to work in the heat, they have to buy the uniforms themselves, and they believe it limits their personal expression.
• Many cruise passengers also disagree with the new policy.

A new policy from Princess Cruises requires crew members to cover up all of their tattoos while working.

The move has upset many crew members who are now petitioning against the rule, saying it prevents personal expression, incurs costs out of their own pocket and requires them to work in the heat in long sleeves.

After an angry backlash, the policy was slightly relaxed to allow one tattoo, of no more than a “small, discreet tattoo” measuring five centimetres by five centimetres to be visible, but the policy remains largely the same.

This makes life tricky for crew members, as those with tattoos on their arms and legs will now have to wear fully sleeved clothing, even on particularly hot or sunny days.

Furthermore, they will likely face a financial implication, as well as they’ll need to purchase a new uniform. 

It also creates a confusing situation for crew members with tattoos, who were likely hired already having tattoos and were told it was fine at the time, and now will have to adjust their working conditions. 

While some guests may have complained, leading to this new rule, it doesn’t appear that the majority of cruisers share their sentiments.

Tattoos are quite commonplace in this day and age, with about 30% of Australians having at least one tattoo. Leaving one cruiser to comment: “Last I checked, tattoos didn’t interfere with your work ethic.”

Based on online cruise discussions, most comments seemed to fall in line with this, with cruisers writing things like “Ewww, how 1980s of them” and “What year is it, my goodness”.

Other cruisers simply feel bad for the crew members, who will have to battle the heat in long sleeves now: “Cruising in summer is hot, and now you expect crew that have been employed for years to wear long pants and shirts in extreme heat. 

“Tattoos are fine, and if a guest is offended, that’s their problem.”

Other cruisers even pointed out that other Princess employees, such as cruise directors, have tattoos, and it’s not fair that this should only apply to crew members.

“I’m curious how Princess is going to handle visible tattoos on one of their most popular female cruise directors? I sure hope she doesn’t need to replace her extensive evening gown wardrobe because of this new rule!”

Other cruisers simply have worries that Princess will lose high-quality crew members over this policy.

“I don’t have tattoos, but still think this policy might not be doing them any favours. For many positions on board, it’s pretty hard to find qualified and experienced staff these days. And with this policy, they created a reason for many qualified crew to choose a competitor instead.”

Crew members rally against new rules

Crew members previously attempted to petition against this new rule, opening a petition on Change.org. 

The petition questions who these new rules are even for, and points out that many guests themselves have tattoos, reportedly one in three adult passengers. Furthermore, it highlights the difficulties for those working in dining and deck services in hot climates, such as the Caribbean and Mediterranean. Read the text below.

“This change runs counter to the spirit of inclusivity, respect, and growth that Princess Cruises has long claimed to represent. Rather than embracing individuality, this policy diminishes the humanity of employees, treating them as faceless, nameless workers serving an imagined ideal of a “perfect” guest.

“Anyone who spends even a few moments on deck can see that tattoos are common and widely accepted among our guests—nearly one in three adult passengers proudly display them. This begs the question: Who is this policy really for? It certainly isn’t for our guests.”

“Princess Cruises already prohibits offensive or inflammatory tattoos under its existing guidelines. The new restrictions are unnecessary, unfair, and harmful.

“Those most affected will be crew members on deck and in dining services, who would be forced to purchase tattoo coverings at their own expense and wear them while working long hours in the oppressive heat of the Caribbean and Mediterranean. This is both impractical and disrespectful to the people who deliver the world-class service Princess is known for.”

What do you think about crew tattoos? Tell us in the comments below.