Cruise shirts...yay or nay?

[ed01106]

2 hours ago, pacruise804 said:

 

I think the difference with Disney is that basically everyone there is a tourist, while ports of call are for both tourists and locals.

 

I don't personally do one-time use shirts, but it doesn't bother me that others do.

In the areas that most cruisers go on a port call, almost everyone is either tourist or a tourism employee.  There are exceptions but for the most part.

[hrhdhd]

I avoid this issue by traveling alone or with only my DH, who is so busy rotating through his Clemson T-shirts he couldn't fit another shirt in the mix. ☺️

 

 

[pacruise804]

2 hours ago, ed01106 said:

In the areas that most cruisers go on a port call, almost everyone is either tourist or a tourism employee.  There are exceptions but for the most part.

 

Why are there so many articles about not dressing/acting like a tourist if everyone knows that everyone is a tourist?  We've only sailed in the Atlantic (and one Western Caribbean), but probably 1/2 of our ports have had independent communities with locals visiting the same areas we did.  

[ed01106]

1 minute ago, pacruise804 said:

 

Why are there so many articles about not dressing/acting like a tourist if everyone knows that everyone is a tourist?  We've only sailed in the Atlantic (and one Western Caribbean), but probably 1/2 of our ports have had independent communities with locals visiting the same areas we did.  

Because people repeat things without thinking....how many times have you heard the days get shorter in the winter and longer in the summer?  Well that is wrong too.  Dec 21 is the shortest day of the year.  Every single day in the winter is longer than the day before it, true in the spring as well.  Until we reach summer when the days start getting SHORTER.

 

But I digress.  Unless you have become CIA training level of fluency in the local language and customs as soon as you open your mouth everyone is going to know you aren’t a local, there is little point in trying to pretend you are.  

 

[cruisemom42]

7 hours ago, ed01106 said:

In the areas that most cruisers go on a port call, almost everyone is either tourist or a tourism employee.  There are exceptions but for the most part.

 

Not true if one travels outside tourist areas like the Caribbean.

 

 

4 hours ago, ed01106 said:

Unless you have become CIA training level of fluency in the local language and customs as soon as you open your mouth everyone is going to know you aren’t a local, there is little point in trying to pretend you are.  

 

 

Perhaps, but often you don't have to open your mouth when you are walking through a crowded area where someone might target you to pick your pocket. If you blend in and look aware of your surroundings, you are less likely to end up as that target. On the other hand if you've got matching t-shirts, are wearing your lanyard with cruise pass (or your shore excursion sticker) and are wandering aimlessly while trying to read a map, then good luck.

[clo]

8 hours ago, ed01106 said:

In the areas that most cruisers go on a port call, almost everyone is either tourist or a tourism employee.  There are exceptions but for the most part.

That why we go in the absolute opposite direction of those people.  Usually up a side street.  And, "Americans" don't wear white tennies - it labels you as a tourist 🙂

[clo]

6 hours ago, ed01106 said:

But I digress.  Unless you have become CIA training level of fluency in the local language and customs as soon as you open your mouth everyone is going to know you aren’t a local, there is little point in trying to pretend you are.  

 

I NEVER try to pretend I'm a local but we tend to be very well accepted.  In Latin America I speak a teeny bit of both Spanish and Portuguese.  And in Western Europe anyway, almost everyone under the age of 50 speaks some English.  I know for a fact that being nice and smiling and humble and ???? makes an enormous difference.  

[pjwaz]

On 8/12/2019 at 2:42 AM, 2BACRUISER said:

No. No. NO!

My DH goes gets changed if we happen to wear the same colors by accident! When we were on a trip we had to buy a couple of rain coats and even then he made me have a different color to him!

Same with my DH. I personally don't like the fit of t-shirts or polos on me, so I would never do it.  

[ger_77]

On our first family cruise with our 3 adult children and a son-in-law, I made them each a t-shirt in a different colour that I asked them to wear on our anniversary on the ship.  They said "Mom likes ME best".   They loved them, and wore them even after our anniversary off the ship in ports where we stopped.

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

[PurpleHays]

Hubby and I wore matching shirts one time. Both simple gray with "breadwinner" on the back of mine and "retired" on the back of his. It was the cruise we took the day after he retired. I wear mine in rotation with all my other tshirts, but I don't think he's ever worn his again.

[dancingfish]

I made t-shirts for my hubby, my Mom and Dad for our Alaska cruise. But we only wore them while getting on the ship.. We were celebrating our 25 anniversary and my parents their 50th. So it said 25-50 Anniversary Cruise . and under it said Alaska.. 

 

I have never worn that T again (I generally don't do graphic T's) but it was an awesome day when we did! 

 

 

[Loodlow]

Interesting question! Isn't it fascinating how different people are? 

 

I made 28 tie-dye Mickey shirts for a huge make-a-wish trip at Disney World about 10 years ago. Everyone was a good sport and wore them and we all treasure the pictures. Of course there is always one....she reminds me of some of the people who have responded here. "Humiliated." She couldn't stand wearing a man's t-shirt and cut off the hem, sleeves, neck and did her best to look sexy in it. Instead she stood out as a (I'll let you choose lol)

 

The more I cruise, the more I enjoy wearing clothes I would never wear at home. I am developing a more Boho attitude, especially on the water. The bottom line is, whatever makes  you happy and is fun! 

[ducklite]

On 9/18/2019 at 2:49 PM, Loodlow said:

Interesting question! Isn't it fascinating how different people are? 

 

I made 28 tie-dye Mickey shirts for a huge make-a-wish trip at Disney World about 10 years ago. Everyone was a good sport and wore them and we all treasure the pictures. Of course there is always one....she reminds me of some of the people who have responded here. "Humiliated." She couldn't stand wearing a man's t-shirt and cut off the hem, sleeves, neck and did her best to look sexy in it. Instead she stood out as a (I'll let you choose lol)

 

The more I cruise, the more I enjoy wearing clothes I would never wear at home. I am developing a more Boho attitude, especially on the water. The bottom line is, whatever makes  you happy and is fun! 

 

I wouldn't cut it up, but I would be uncomfortable with it.  I suspect some of the others were as well, but just didn't say so.  How does it feel to make people do something you know they are uncomfortable with?  Why the insistence on everyone matching?  Do you not respect that some people aren't comfortable wearing things like tie-dye?  Why not find a different and less obtrusive way to signify the group?  It seems like you were a bully in forcing your way on everyone. 

 

Did you even bother to ask before you made a "group decision?"  Don't you think the photos would have been cherished regardless of what people were wearing?  I find it sad that you think that they are cherished due to a stupid shirt that obviously not everyone was thrilled about.  

 

If on your next group someone made the decision that all the women were going to wear bumble bee striped string bikinis and the men would be in matching Speedos, would you go along with it?  

Edited September 22, 2019 by ducklite

[sailing canary]

8 hours ago, ducklite said:

 

I wouldn't cut it up, but I would be uncomfortable with it.  I suspect some of the others were as well, but just didn't say so.  How does it feel to make people do something you know they are uncomfortable with?  Why the insistence on everyone matching?  Do you not respect that some people aren't comfortable wearing things like tie-dye?  Why not find a different and less obtrusive way to signify the group?  It seems like you were a bully in forcing your way on everyone. 

 

Did you even bother to ask before you made a "group decision?"  Don't you think the photos would have been cherished regardless of what people were wearing?  I find it sad that you think that they are cherished due to a stupid shirt that obviously not everyone was thrilled about.  

 

If on your next group someone made the decision that all the women were going to wear bumble bee striped string bikinis and the men would be in matching Speedos, would you go along with it?  

 

Well said! I just can't understand this 'hive mentality' attitude.

[geocruiser]

On 9/18/2019 at 2:49 PM, Loodlow said:

Interesting question! Isn't it fascinating how different people are? 

 

I made 28 tie-dye Mickey shirts for a huge make-a-wish trip at Disney World about 10 years ago. Everyone was a good sport and wore them and we all treasure the pictures. Of course there is always one....she reminds me of some of the people who have responded here. "Humiliated." She couldn't stand wearing a man's t-shirt and cut off the hem, sleeves, neck and did her best to look sexy in it. Instead she stood out as a (I'll let you choose lol)

 

The more I cruise, the more I enjoy wearing clothes I would never wear at home. I am developing a more Boho attitude, especially on the water. The bottom line is, whatever makes  you happy and is fun! 

The point  made  "The bottom line is, whatever makes  you happy and is fun"!   The bottom line was it did not make that one person happy and it was not fun for them.  So, I guess her happiness and fun did not count.

Something to think about in the future is happiness for all.. 

Edited September 23, 2019 by geocruiser

[aknguyen]

I don't particularly care one way or another, but I am surprised at how much these shirts are hated. A question to the mothers on here - would you refuse to join your children on a school sponsored outing if you were required to wear a t-shirt? The reason I ask is that it is absolutely required that all chaperones and children wear matching t-shirts for outings in my district. And the t-shirts are often brightly colored, decorated with childish logos and writing, cheap quality, and men's sizing. I wouldn't choose them for myself but I do it so that I can participate.

[clo]

43 minutes ago, aknguyen said:

I don't particularly care one way or another, but I am surprised at how much these shirts are hated. A question to the mothers on here - would you refuse to join your children on a school sponsored outing if you were required to wear a t-shirt? The reason I ask is that it is absolutely required that all chaperones and children wear matching t-shirts for outings in my district. And the t-shirts are often brightly colored, decorated with childish logos and writing, cheap quality, and men's sizing. I wouldn't choose them for myself but I do it so that I can participate.

Totally different IMO.  That was certainly done for security, ease in spotting, etc.

[Loodlow]

9 hours ago, sailing canary said:

Did you even bother to ask before you made a "group decision?" 

Yes, it was voluntary lol. The mother of the dying child asked me to do it. I did not make a group decision. 

[ducklite]

4 hours ago, aknguyen said:

I don't particularly care one way or another, but I am surprised at how much these shirts are hated. A question to the mothers on here - would you refuse to join your children on a school sponsored outing if you were required to wear a t-shirt? The reason I ask is that it is absolutely required that all chaperones and children wear matching t-shirts for outings in my district. And the t-shirts are often brightly colored, decorated with childish logos and writing, cheap quality, and men's sizing. I wouldn't choose them for myself but I do it so that I can participate.

Big difference.  Apples to oranges.  When my son was in school parents wore whatever and kids wore paper name tags safety pinned on.  I guess I'm dating myself.

[sailing canary]

4 hours ago, Loodlow said:

Yes, it was voluntary lol. The mother of the dying child asked me to do it. I did not make a group decision. 

 

If you read the replies carefully, it wasn't me who made this comment. But obviously at least one person in your group wasn't happy about the 'group decision'.

 

[ReneeFLL]

I can see why someone would want to wear a shirt for a certain event such as a reunion, anniversary etc. I can't imagine why someone would want to wear one with every port name. For some reason to me it just screams "look at me".