Well, I'm back from my cruise and
have of course made some (very unoriginal) observations about humanity in America.
Please allow me to preface this by saying that I am a veteran cruiser primarily because I thoroughly enjoy the metaphysical experience of leaving land and all the issues which I had to face in my younger years which plague me to this day: family dysfunction, career issues, bad political landscape, and the seemingly endless tragedies unfolding nearly everywhere, reported breathlessly by the media. The nihilistic carefree consumption of alcohol, not to get inebriated because I have a very high tolerance for that, but because it was socially acceptable to begin drinking at 9 A.M. and I could do that with no negative judgements, was my way of flipping the bird at my regimented, very sober daily lifestyle on land.
So I’m a pro at this and came to some not-so-new conclusions during this particular trip:
Gluttony combined with a peculiar form of narcissistic denial has created a whole class of morbidly obese individuals who needed to travel around the ship by electric scooter. One very nice lady to whom I spoke was telling me that she thought she could navigate the ship by walking but that the 900+ foot vessel was beyond her capabilities. And she was right about that: I am certain she weighed more than 350 pounds and was on her third large plate of breakfast food from the buffet. The platters each contained huge amounts of carbohydrates with syrup and as a “cherry on top” many strips of bacon, and not the crispy kind. She admitted she was overeating but “that’s what this is for!”, and I smiled back. She was clearly in Heaven. And she was not alone: there were hundreds of these scooters and similar individuals driving them all over, and as an aside, there were a significant number of vehicular accidents involving “pedestrians”, some fairly serious.
If you’ve ever been on a cruise ship of the giant variety you know that the visual field is one of elongation: in many places, the corridor narrows nearly to a vanishing point and if you looked down the line in the buffet or waiting to go to a show in the giant theater, or embarkation, it is emblematic of our era. Look at similar photos from the 1970’s: a whole different appearance of individuals. And please, many of these people were lovely: friendly, kind, interesting, appropriately inquisitive. But medically, I feel for them and their families. I myself am somewhat overweight but look positively svelte in this context.
The other thing which has always amazed me about America and I’m certain most of the rest of the world is the extreme consumption of alcohol. I previously stated here ton DU that I enjoy social drinking to an extent and in one cruise day I might have a total of 7 or 8 cocktails over an 18 hour day. (If you think that’s extreme, I understand and by the way, just so you know, I may have five alcohol-based drinks in a two week period normally, maybe not even that many.). Some people whom I observed had perhaps 25-30 drinks daily and were clearly severely impaired but “functional” in the sense that they could carry on a conversation and didn’t fall off the barstool. These are the folks who consume a fifth a day easily. Frightening. They go on cruises because one can purchase a plan with no limit relatively inexpensively. The list price for 20 drinks on the ship if you didn’t have the plan would be $300 assuming ordinary brands, not medium or top shelf daily. The package for 12 days which included five premium dinners at their specialty restaurants was $750. The dinners alone, if you went out to similar restaurants would be $400-500. I would say that I probably got $2000-2500 worth of “product” because you can ask for very good brands with no additional charge.
I mention these things because you will never ever hear anyone in media remark that the consumption of an addictive, mind-altering substance is measured locally by railroad tanker car volumes, and nationally by volumes which would be retained by the Hoover Dam. It is nearly incomprehensible but the only way you can really process the import of this aspect of our society is to be imprisoned with 4000 people on a ship. It is jaw-dropping. One full trailer of the 53 foot variety delivered with replacement liquor for each cruise when the ship returns to port.
And yes, we had a great time onboard and at the ports in the Eastern Carribbean and NOT ONE PERSON DISCUSSED ANYTHING POLITICAL (even when we saw the aircraft carrier Gerald R Ford anchored in St Thomas). It was great to take a breather from this nightmare in which we are living. Now it’s back to reality! 😢😢😢😢😢
= new reply since forum marked as read
I love cruises as well, but part of the fun is a daily morning walk top deck to check out the ocean and anything on the horizon. I shoot for two miles before breakfast and doing the rounds on the ship throughout the day definitely totals to around seven miles on my phone by the end of the day. I don’t feel good if I overeat and don’t walk. My body needs to expel gas or I’m very cranky. But yup, cruises are for indulging and as long as I can feel good, I load my plate and wine glass to the brim.
PS - You did hear we threw Trump in jail while you were gone? Yup, all is well. 
observations. I'm glad you had a nice time - you portrayed your observations very sensitively.
Your experience was horrifying to me - we don't like food, drink or people nearly enough to be around any of it. My big pharma career - long business trips - cured me of airports, hotel - travel in general.
I have also heard the Alaska cruises are spectacular.
The last cruise I was on was in the 80s on the SS Norway the former SS France. Quite a large ship in its time but nothing like now with these behemoth Vegas Hotels on a hull. Then there was nobody using those scooters. There was, of course, lots of drinking and the worst alcohol incident was the onboard entertainer Freddy Fender getting kicked off the ship by the captain for getting drunk and harassing at least one woman passenger.
Even though it was refitted for cruising, it still had the elegance of the old ocean liners. Now I wouldn't think of sailing on one of these tacky glitzy floating circuses. Your OP has reinforced feeling I wouldn't enjoy it these days.
I've only seen maybe one or two per ship but everyone's experiences are different.
As for the buffets, I gave up on them on my next to last cruise. Everything looks so good and I would fill my plate so high I would feel stuffed and uncomfortable for hours afterward. I still eat breakfast at the buffet because I don't tend to overeat breakfast food but I now eat dinner in the dining room every night. The portions are a normal size and the food is good and filling. And I feel a lot better when I leave.
I love cruising but can't afford to go as much as I'd like. My last cruise took me 15 months to pay off! I love the Caribbean but it's getting too hot for me. I think the next one will be New England and Canada in the fall.
Thank you for sharing your experience and observations, PCIntern.
I never have gone on a cruise per choice....all family member have...Just realize the gluttony was happening way before the cruise...The cruise just is the buffet style to accommodate the dysfunctional lifestyle...
I understand the gambling opportunity is strong as well...another addiction buffet...
Thank you for sharing your observations and assessment.....keen insight.
We went on a Mediterranean cruise this summer on a smaller ship and it was wonderful. Didn't see too many scooters, but many very obese people. I didn't look at the news once while we were on the cruise and it's amazing how much better I felt and how much more I enjoyed the cruise as a result. It was fantastic to get away from the daily barrage of crap that we are being exposed to by this regime.
We didn't hear any talk of politics, but one time when seated by another couple, they asked where we were from, and when I said, "California," the man looked concerned and said, "Oh, I've heard a lot of bad things about California." I replied, "That's really surprising. It's a wonderful place to live. The people are great, there are so many things to do, we have beautiful places to hike. I love living there." He looked surprised, and said, "Well, maybe I shouldn't believe everything I hear." They were from Florida 
Another time, we were in the back of the bus and the tour guide said, "Where is everyone from?" and someone shouted out, "California!" and the guy in front of us muttered to his wife, "Good luck with that." 
After the cruise, we stayed a week in Denmark with my relatives, where there was LOTS of political discussions, like: "What the hell is going on in the U.S.?" and "We're not coming to visit until he is gone. It's not safe." We met someone at the grocery store who asked where we were from and we told him and he replied, "Oh, the sane state." I didn't have the heart to tell him that we have our fair share of MAGAs, even in my liberal, very blue city.
Especially since COVID, I consider them to be floating petri dishes.
And I don't drink alcohol.
When I read your descriptions, I don't feel like I've missed out on anything at all!