So I saw THIS Atlantic article linked on Bluesky and I found myself conflicted, nodding in agreement with almost everything the author wrote, yet simultaneously thinking he sounded exhausting and pretentious himself.
It made me think though, that while this absolutely jibes with everything I’ve thought after hearing from my acquaintances who have gone on them – and from extrapolating based on my own understanding of their personalities – I’ve never really asked “peers” what they think. Have you been? How was it? Why would you agree to be trapped inside a compacted hotel where you will literally die if you leave at the wrong time?
…also I didn’t think I could post the link in [email protected]
EDIT:
After 44 comments, here’s where we stand:
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28 (including me) responding to the questions
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21 have been, 7 (including me) have not.
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Of the 21, 15 liked it, and 6 didn’t (some answers were a bit ambivalent, so I made a judgment call)
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Of the 7, 5 didn’t think they’d like it and 2 implied they might in very specific circumstances. I guess technically I could make 3, but I don’t really want to “camp” on a personal family history reenactment.
So, of those who have been, the vast majority saw value in it. The people who haven’t been either know themselves or have some serious sour grapes; I choose to believe it’s the former, for completely scientifically objective reasons.
To OP’s point, this guy DOES sound pretentious in a very writerly way. However, I felt just like him on my first cruise not too long ago. I reluctantly went with my girlfriend so I didn’t have to “make friends”… but the excess, the hard-working and undervalued employees, and the crowds were just as poignant obvious. The food was fine but not special, a point of disappointment after hearing so much about how great cruise food was. This was very late in the pandemic but the ship was all the way full and the price could have bought us a nicer trip by way of premium economy airline and 4-star hotel. I was one of maybe two or three people i ever saw wearing a mask. Still got covid. My hope is that I never have to go on another cruise.
I suppose there’s some value in seeing that, “yes, it is indeed as bad as you suspect, dear reader,” but I don’t feel like the takes are all that fresh, and the story tells me more about his personality than the cruisegoers’.