Anonymous wrote:

Queen Mary II? Yes.

My in-laws treated us all to a cruise on the Queen Mary II for their 50th wedding anniversary.

Trashy, but with english accents.

Same hordes of people as any other cruise, but no outdoor space, because it's cold and windy because you're crossing the freaking Atlantic!

You have to pack wintery clothes and dress attire for formal dinners. Not great in a small cabin.

We had a rough crossing and most of our family got motion sickness. Both my SIL and nephew got sick in the hallway trying to get back to cabin.

Smoking allowed in the pubs!

Well, for one, they trash the oceans. They are absolutely horrible for the environment. There's no denying that.

https://www.popsci.com/environment/why-cruise-ships-are-bad-for-the-environment/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesellsmoor/2019/04/26/cruise-ship-pollution-is-causing-serious-health-and-environmental-problems/?sh=3277432b37db

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jul/08/massive-tax-exempt-cruise-ships-damage-environment

I don't know if it's the "what" so much as the reaction that I'm interested in . . .

Why do we call other people/people's interests that bring them joy trashy? What does that say about us? Why do we feel the need to distinguish ourselves from others and assert our superiority?

I'm not saying I don't turn my nose down at things . . . I can't imagine ever wanting to go to Vegas because gambling and shopping aren't my things, and the desert is the last place I'd go voluntarily. But I don't really need to get worked up about how other people find joy in this, do I? This whole idea of things being trashy seems to reveal some insecurity on the part of the person casting the judgment. It sounds to me like a person who gets their identity from their supposed social caste.

FWIW we're not really cruise people but we've done two Disney Cruises (Alaska, the Mediterranean) because the grandparents wanted to have all the grandkids do it. There are aspects to it that aren't ideal (very small quarters, eating at the same restaurants over and over) but having happy kids while you see beautiful parts of the world could certainly be a lot worse.

They are a little trashy. Doesn’t mean they can’t be expensive or fun though! If you’re curious, OP, try one out. They can be a lot of fun

It’s the type of people cruises attract. Fanny pack wearing never travel much types who tend to fit stereotypes and can be ignorant.

I grew up wealthy and we went on some very lovely cruises. We would never have thought of them as trashy. There weren’t nearly as many commercial options then, and I think it was more of a wealthy vacation option at the time.

Air travel used to also be more of an event. It has just gotten more commercialized and there have been more affordable options introduced to the market. Cruising is the same.

I grew up LMC and my family never flew let alone went on a cruise.

I’m now UMC and have travelled a lot, it’s a passion. I wouldn’t go on a cruise because l see where the cruises let people off for excursions. I lived / worked in Costa Rica for 6 months and traveled all over. In Costa Rica the big cruise ship stopped at the ugliest part of the country, and when people got off they were met by an ugly market full of made in China tourist crap.

Another example - Tallin is a wonderful small historic city. It’s a great place to visit and walk around to the sites and shops, except when the giant cruise ships dock and it becomes overrun.

So, l would not enjoy a large cruise. I don’t need to label it trashy though.

I’ve done a “blue cruise” in the Mediterranean from Turkey but it’s a very small boat, up to about 20 passengers, so when you stop on a tiny island it’s not overrun and you can go for a nice walk and a midnight swim.

I don't if they are trashy, but some don't appeal to me. Buffets and Vegas-like shows, 5000 other passengers, 12 hour stops in the tourist traps of the Caribbean isn't my thing.

A smaller ship with 80 people going around the Aegean with a professor of ancient history? Yes. That's appealing.

A sailing ship around the islands near Rio? Yes. A ton of fun.

Queen Mary II? Yes.

Must be fun to be married to OP and to be told you are trashy all the time. BTW, LMC folks are not vacationing on cruises.

My parents are cruisers -- but high end lines. In their older age they have settled on Oceania line and only their midsized ships. We have now joined them on a few. I don't think I could ever cruise on another line. The food alone is the best. But their excursions? Amazing. My mom and I went on one this summer to the Baltics and the only thing she wanted to do was their market/cooking class excursions. We had a blast and it was a perfect way to see a part of the world I will probably never go back to. Now could I do a Carnival out of Miami with my teens. Sure! I would just need a room with a veranda and they can go have a blast.

Anonymous wrote:
I am born and raised UMC and love cruising. Most, but not all, of the stigma is perception. As others have said, there is a range, but assuming you are talking about the vast majority of cruises that fall inbetween Carnival and Regent:

It is true that:
They are crowded. Lots of people in a confined space. That can feel very cramped for people.
They are manufactured experiences- you don't go on a cruise to get an authentic feel for wherever you are traveling to. You can get "small tastes" but for those who like to spend two weeks immersing themselves in another culture on vacation, this ain't it.

But I enjoy them because:
I love staring at open water, can't get enough.
They require no planning, no carrying of money, no nothing. Stress free
And now that I have tweens/teens, it keeps them occupied and happy and balances quality family time

Agree. I grew up spending my summers in Europe (and the Hamptons) and I think cruises can be lots of fun.

I am born and raised UMC and love cruising. Most, but not all, of the stigma is perception. As others have said, there is a range, but assuming you are talking about the vast majority of cruises that fall inbetween Carnival and Regent:

It is true that:
They are crowded. Lots of people in a confined space. That can feel very cramped for people.
They are manufactured experiences- you don't go on a cruise to get an authentic feel for wherever you are traveling to. You can get "small tastes" but for those who like to spend two weeks immersing themselves in another culture on vacation, this ain't it.


But I enjoy them because:
I love staring at open water, can't get enough.
They require no planning, no carrying of money, no nothing. Stress free
And now that I have tweens/teens, it keeps them occupied and happy and balances quality family time

Anonymous wrote:Some cruises are more upscale than others. I think it’s important to remember that sometimes things that are trashy are also very fun.

This. It’s like Vegas, it can be super trashy yet super fun!

Because it's fake travel to places, big booze fests, a legal loophole bonanza with shitty employee treatment.

Anonymous wrote:Cruises have changed a LOT in the last 30 years. Of course it’s more classy to stay at your home in the Hamptons. For the rest of us there are cruises at every price point.
Some are actually a better way to see things. Viking for older people. Certain cruises for kids. Alaska cruises. Don’t be a snob and miss out. BTW I have been on 3 never sick for a minute.

That’s the thing though, for wasps it’s not about money. A umc wasp likely doesn’t own a summer mansion in the hamptons but they would likely choose renting a home on the coast for a week in the summer over telling people they are going on a cruise. The latter would be actively embarrassing.