ambassador must take care to cultivate the opposition without offending the incumbents. Calls to civic dignitaries of major cities, newspaper editors, and trade unions are also performed. Naval Naval courtesy calls were common in the 19th century. The American Great White Fleet paid a series of courtesy calls to ports around the world in a show of American naval strength in 1907–1909. United States Navy regulations require that (upon joining a new ship or station) an officer must make a courtesy call to his new commanding officer or commandant within 48 hours after joining. Business In business a courtesy call is a visit or call from a company to customers for the purposes of gauging satisfaction or to thank them for their patronage. References State ritual and ceremonies Etiquette