Corporate...how tacky

[Seabee]

can you be. We just returned from the Galaxy which, unknown to us until just before we left, was a Capt Club Reunion cruise.

 

What a great deal that is. Every night we received a gift in our stateroom...it ranged from some sort of coin purse on the low end to a nice bottle of wine in a wine carrier on the high end. received flowers one night. And even received two nice Cruise Journal books. Tours of the galley and bridge were also included as were a couple of wine tastings and lots of cocktail parties.

 

Well done X!

 

Which brings me to my point. There were two "corporate" people on board...who were introduced at the first cocktail party...which was on an informal night. So we were all dressed with at least a jacket on, many men were wearing ties, and these two corporate folks show up dressed very casually. Come on..if you are going to represent X then at least show up in the right dress.

 

The corporate lady came by and introduced herself...she was very pleasant but had been working with X for less than two years. Maybe she didn't know about the dress code. The corporate guy seemed to avoid talking to anyone.

 

OK...I apologize. I didn't mean this to turn into a dress code thread. I just would think that if X is gonna send reps to the cruise ships they ought to represent the product.

 

None of this effected my cruise, it was absolutely fantastic.

[caviargal]

Seabee, I agree that they should have been more polished for an event such as this.

 

Your commentsd reminded me that I had the same impression at a recent trade show where most of the other "better" lines were manned by reps in suit and tie and the X booth staffers were casually dressed. I was a bit taken aback as I expected the opposite.

[AnthonyF]

You are one a cruise.... Why the continual comments. If they show up in shorts and tank tops that is one thing. Also dress often reflects the style and age.

 

The cocktail party was on an INFORMAL NIGHT.

 

I am getting to the point where I will show up for dinner in shorts and a polo shirt just to stick my nose up at these people.

 

I have to dress in the Consulting business appropriately, but often it means to know my client and what they would expect to see me in.

[caviargal]

And that was the point the OP was making as INFORMAL on X calls for a jacket. As an employee, they are representing the company.

 

When I have worked aboard ships, the dress codes were spelled out for the cruise staff explicitly and they were well enforced as staff was expected to set the example and create the atmosphere.

 

As for knowing your client and what they expect to see you in, that is exactly the point being made.

[AnthonyF]

If the Cocktail party was @ say 2:00 pm on a 90 degree day, why dress up formal.

 

I just find it silly unless they showed up dressed like Gopher & Julie from The Love Boat.:)

[BB5953]

The X employees showing up dressed casually is IMO a reflection of how X feels about the dress code. They don't care!!!! They keep a suggested attire posted to keep 1/2 the people happy and don't enfore it to keep the other 1/2 happy.

 

Everyone on these boards (most) know that a few people will dress casually and nothing anyone says will change that.

 

Lets all just focus on our own sitaution and not stick our nose in others peoples business as it does no good anyway.....

[caviargal]

If the Cocktail party was @ say 2:00 pm on a 90 degree day, why dress up formal.

 

I just find it silly unless they showed up dressed like Gopher & Julie from The Love Boat.:)

 

The cocktail parties are in the evenings, generally before early sitting.

 

It may seem silly to you but they even had rules about size of earrings we were allowed to wear, heel height, length of hair, amount of makeup. This was NCL which is most certainly not as formal as X:).

 

JMO but the staff are an integral part of the experience and a coctail party in the evening - as stated by the OP - is not the same as an informal gathering at the pool bar.

[m steve]

they would look like Richard Nixon walking on the beach in a 3 piece suit and wing tips. This might have been the only vacation that the bean counters allowed them.

[Arubalisa]

Come on..if you are going to represent X then at least show up in the right dress.

You are right Seabee. When I was still in the corporate world we called it "dressing for success" or "dressing for business" ;) Working for national retailer (NOT Walmart- so no bashing please), I would never have dreamed of showing up at a business meeting or presentation dressed casually, not even a pant "suit". Women wore skirts and jackets or appropriate dresses. Yes, being retailers, and many of us clothing buyers, we tried to be fashion forward, but always presentable. Do colleges need to start teaching this too?

[tuggers]

Are we sure everyone posting here understands 'Informal'? AnthonyF keeps referring to 'formal' and 'casual' but I'm not sure he understands that Informal calls for a jacket and a tie is optional. Casual is usually khakis and a NICE shirt. Formal is a dark suit and tie or, preferred, a tux.

So if the cocktail party was on an Informal night, the proper attire for a gentleman would be a jacket, dress shirt and/or tie. The lady could have gotten by with a dressy pantsuit or a dress that one would wear to a nice party.

To come in representing X wearing casual slacks for him and maybe even capris for her was not only a slap at the passengers but showed they nave little regard for their jobs.

When we were on Mercury with such poor employees from corporate, I mentioned it to the CS Mgr when I got home. Her response was that she had 2 hours to get two people on a plane and this was what was available. This of course would not be the same thing, but I wonder if the selection process is? Just a thought,

[Texed]

O. T.

 

Gail,

I see you sail in 2 days. Have a great trip.:)

[BB5953]

not even a pant "suit". Women wore skirts and jackets or appropriate dresses

 

As a woman I thank god the world has evolved enough to have rejected that practice. This isn't 1950 as a matter of fact if you look at Forbes list of highest revenue makers they are organizations that accepted an "alternative" environment including casual attire, open floor plans, gyms, daycare and free food.

 

My point.... clothing has nothing at all to do with professionalism. If they employees were helpful, polite etc that is all that matters.

[hajekfam]

I would cut them a little slack - if they were working behind the scenes and just popped in for the party! But if they were, that should have been said when they were introduced. For example: "We'd like to introduce xxxx from Corporate who took time out from putting together all the little goodies that you are getting on this reunion cruise to welcome you."

Otherwise, corporate should be the ones who follow the dress codes and rules to the hilt. They, being introduced as corporate, represent the cruiseline.

[tuggers]

Texed, thanks Ed. I tried to get on right after you posted but got the dreaded 'service unavailable'.

 

BB, I beg to differ. I have not been out of the corporate world very long and while gyms and daycare are progressive, most have started to get away from the truly casual attire. Why? Because maybe the free thinking exec's didn't define professionalism by attire, but most of the world does. So mainstream companies (not your techs and such) who deal with the population at large have found that this does not work for them.

 

I find it to be like the ship's dress code. If you respect your fellow cruisers (in this case X's most frequent cruisers), then you dress properly. If you are some one who only took this assignment because it meant a free trip and could care less about your employer (or God forbid, you are just dumb) then you show up for a cocktail party in your casual clothes.

 

Off soapbox now.