Some random observations on our 1st (and last) 5 night cruise on Destiny

[BooBooMonkey]

You know what, Boo? THIS is the most eloquent, well spoken, and pointed post on this whole thread. I think that McCain and Obama could hire you to do their speeches!! Bravo!!

 

McCain and/or Obama? LOL! Funny you would say that Vanessa! I am sitting on the fence, so to speak, about the election! I would love to be a speech writer for either of these guys though! Thanks for the compliment. I really appreciate it.

 

Boo

[AFuncruiser]

The only different thing was that African Americans markedly outnumbered Caucasians.

 

Interesting...Glad to see cruising include middle class Afro Americans..it's about time!

 

Dennis

 

195 days at sea

22 cruises

11 cruise lines

T/P, T/A, Hawaii, Central & South America, New Zealand & South Pacific

Booked

Carnival Fascination back to back 4 nights 10/09/08 & 5 nights 10/13/08

Celebrity Century T/A 14 nights 12/1/08

[caribbeanchickie]

.........would it have been better if I told you in my experiences......... I see a lot of FAT PEOPLE on my cruises........now you can take offense over that too....:rolleyes:

:rolleyes:

[Vanessa L]

McCain and/or Obama? LOL! Funny you would say that Vanessa! I am sitting on the fence, so to speak, about the election! I would love to be a speech writer for either of these guys though! Thanks for the compliment. I really appreciate it.

 

Boo

 

Hey, both those guys need all the help they can get, LOL! You're welcome ;)

[MaryAnn261]

The debark was our best ever with the new airport style carousels. Just great.

 

What is this? I've never heard of it. Details please.

[Xplode]

I can't believe this was an issue...it was a simple observation by the OP that is all.

 

I can' believe how many times I see "the crowd was younger than I expected..." but nobody makes a fuss when it comes to age?!

 

As a younger person I am going to BLOW THIS WAY OUT OF PROPORTION from now on you bunch of AGEIST!

 

*steps off of soapbox*

[Kurbanfan]

I don't get the correlation. Why would people on a shorter cruise be more rude than those on a longer cruise?

 

I believe it is because most shorter cruises are pretty much party cruises. Although we have never experienced this on 5 dayers only 3 dayers. There will be more partiers and some people don't care to be around that. They are offended by that also:cool:

 

 

.........would it have been better if I told you in my experiences......... I see a lot of FAT PEOPLE on my cruises........now you can take offense over that too....:rolleyes:

 

Oh yeah that will help lol!

[halos]

When I first read the OP's post, I thought the same thing as many have said here...why bring it up if you don't care? However, after some thought on the matter, I think the OP was just making a point that it was a different cruise experience than he/she had in the past and part of the reason it was different was because black passengers were in the majority.

 

I am black. My parents were a mixed couple, and I have very light skin. However, I have learned from experience to pretty much smell a racist before I even see them (since I look “white” racists are more likely to show their 'true colors' with me). Also, let me preface this post with the fact that I prefer the term “black” to “African American”, so please don't take offense to my political-incorrectness. I have never been to Africa, and neither had my father or his predecessors for at least 3 generations. I'm not into the PC thing. Plus, it is just easier to say “black” or “white”. :)

 

 

Anyway, I did not get the feeling from the OP that he/she is racist. I might have said the same thing, but in the context of a much longer review, and not just one sentence in the middle of a post. I would have noticed that the passenger mix was much different than I had experienced before. I probably would have remarked on how much better the cruise was because of the diversity of the passengers, and then gone on to give examples. Our last cruise was on Costa (an Italian cruise line owned by Carnival) and only about half the pax were US citizens, with a good bit of Europeans and Canadians, and many did not speak English. I am ashamed at the reaction of the US passengers to being “forced” to travel with others for whom English is not their first language and who had different cultural ideas about things such as waiting in lines, volume of talk, dress, etc. However, if you write a review of a cruise where that is the case, you would be doing a disservice to the readers of the review not to mention that fact. It creates a “different” cruise experience...not better or worse, just “different”. Reviews should give the reader an idea of what to expect.

 

That said, my first cruise was with my parents on the “Carnivale” in 1978. I have great memories of my first cruise! We and the rest of our party (we and one extended family) were the only black families on the cruise. I don't remember any overt racism, but I was pretty young at the time. I have been on about 6-7 cruises since 2000 or so, and I have never been on a cruise where black people outnumbered whites. I think it is worth mentioning. It would definitely be a different cruise experience for me. If many on this board (other than the OP and others on his/her sailing) have been on a cruise where blacks outnumbered whites, I would be surprised! I also wonder whether many of those voicing offense here are actually black?

 

 

Trying to think of a way to say this so people will understand and not flame me for it! It is not about race, but the whole environment. Once, DH and I took our kids on a 10-day camping trip into a part of the US that was very beautiful, but not a place where there were any people of colors other than white. We had a great time! Everyone was nice, no one did anything to make us feel discriminated against, etc. However, there was one morning in a little diner for breakfast where I felt uncomfortable and it took me a while to realize the problem was I hadn't seen another black person in days. Mind you, probably no one knew I or my children were not white (DH is white, and we all “look” white). I had no real reason to feel threatened at all, but it was a new experience for me!

 

 

I guess my point is it is OK to notice racial differences without being a racist oneself! Give the OP a break. And, if you've not actually been a victim of racism, give it a rest already, will ya? I hope this thread doesn't go "poof" because it is important to discuss these things.

 

 

 

Boo

 

EXCELLENT post!

Thank you for your perspective. I have to admit that when reading the OP's post I felt like Trock. The sentence just made my squirm uncomfortably. I just didn't see how it was necessary.

We all seem to walk on the raw eggs of political correctness these days. We're all confused about what is right or wrong to say when speaking anymore because none of us wants to offend anyone. It makes life a little difficult since we are dependent upon verbal communication and words sometimes fail us in relaying what we really mean or feel. It was nice reading your perspective. It made me feel a little more comfortable and I thank you for your insight.

[Socref124]

When I first read the OP's post, I thought the same thing as many have said here...why bring it up if you don't care? However, after some thought on the matter, I think the OP was just making a point that it was a different cruise experience than he/she had in the past and part of the reason it was different was because black passengers were in the majority.

 

I am black. My parents were a mixed couple, and I have very light skin. However, I have learned from experience to pretty much smell a racist before I even see them (since I look “white” racists are more likely to show their 'true colors' with me). Also, let me preface this post with the fact that I prefer the term “black” to “African American”, so please don't take offense to my political-incorrectness. I have never been to Africa, and neither had my father or his predecessors for at least 3 generations. I'm not into the PC thing. Plus, it is just easier to say “black” or “white”. :)

 

Anyway, I did not get the feeling from the OP that he/she is racist. I might have said the same thing, but in the context of a much longer review, and not just one sentence in the middle of a post. I would have noticed that the passenger mix was much different than I had experienced before. I probably would have remarked on how much better the cruise was because of the diversity of the passengers, and then gone on to give examples. Our last cruise was on Costa (an Italian cruise line owned by Carnival) and only about half the pax were US citizens, with a good bit of Europeans and Canadians, and many did not speak English. I am ashamed at the reaction of the US passengers to being “forced” to travel with others for whom English is not their first language and who had different cultural ideas about things such as waiting in lines, volume of talk, dress, etc. However, if you write a review of a cruise where that is the case, you would be doing a disservice to the readers of the review not to mention that fact. It creates a “different” cruise experience...not better or worse, just “different”. Reviews should give the reader an idea of what to expect.

 

That said, my first cruise was with my parents on the “Carnivale” in 1978. I have great memories of my first cruise! We and the rest of our party (we and one extended family) were the only black families on the cruise. I don't remember any overt racism, but I was pretty young at the time. I have been on about 6-7 cruises since 2000 or so, and I have never been on a cruise where black people outnumbered whites. I think it is worth mentioning. It would definitely be a different cruise experience for me. If many on this board (other than the OP and others on his/her sailing) have been on a cruise where blacks outnumbered whites, I would be surprised! I also wonder whether many of those voicing offense here are actually black?

 

Trying to think of a way to say this so people will understand and not flame me for it! It is not about race, but the whole environment. Once, DH and I took our kids on a 10-day camping trip into a part of the US that was very beautiful, but not a place where there were any people of colors other than white. We had a great time! Everyone was nice, no one did anything to make us feel discriminated against, etc. However, there was one morning in a little diner for breakfast where I felt uncomfortable and it took me a while to realize the problem was I hadn't seen another black person in days. Mind you, probably no one knew I or my children were not white (DH is white, and we all “look” white). I had no real reason to feel threatened at all, but it was a new experience for me!

 

I guess my point is it is OK to notice racial differences without being a racist oneself! Give the OP a break. And, if you've not actually been a victim of racism, give it a rest already, will ya? I hope this thread doesn't go "poof" because it is important to discuss these things.

 

Boo

 

Well said...:D

[trock]

EXCELLENT post!

Thank you for your perspective. I have to admit that when reading the OP's post I felt like Trock. The sentence just made my squirm uncomfortably. I just didn't see how it was necessary.

We all seem to walk on the raw eggs of political correctness these days. We're all confused about what is right or wrong to say when speaking anymore because none of us wants to offend anyone. It makes life a little difficult since we are dependent upon verbal communication and words sometimes fail us in relaying what we really mean or feel. It was nice reading your perspective. It made me feel a little more comfortable and I thank you for your insight.

 

 

You are soooo nice :)

 

I just dont see it as being PC.. I see it as being normal.. I was raised to judge people how they treat me and themselves.. nothing else..

So it was weird to read.. but after a good nights sleep and rereading the thread.. I take the OP at her word that it was just an observation.. one I personally would never notice, but she did and so be it.. ;)

[Caliber1]

All you have to do is say "boo" and people get offended nowadays.........

 

BOO.......hiya K.:D

 

When I first read the OP's post, I thought the same thing as many have said here...why bring it up if you don't care? However, after some thought on the matter, I think the OP was just making a point that it was a different cruise experience than he/she had in the past and part of the reason it was different was because black passengers were in the majority.

 

I am black. My parents were a mixed couple, and I have very light skin. However, I have learned from experience to pretty much smell a racist before I even see them (since I look “white” racists are more likely to show their 'true colors' with me). Also, let me preface this post with the fact that I prefer the term “black” to “African American”, so please don't take offense to my political-incorrectness. I have never been to Africa, and neither had my father or his predecessors for at least 3 generations. I'm not into the PC thing. Plus, it is just easier to say “black” or “white”. :)

 

 

Anyway, I did not get the feeling from the OP that he/she is racist. I might have said the same thing, but in the context of a much longer review, and not just one sentence in the middle of a post. I would have noticed that the passenger mix was much different than I had experienced before. I probably would have remarked on how much better the cruise was because of the diversity of the passengers, and then gone on to give examples. Our last cruise was on Costa (an Italian cruise line owned by Carnival) and only about half the pax were US citizens, with a good bit of Europeans and Canadians, and many did not speak English. I am ashamed at the reaction of the US passengers to being “forced” to travel with others for whom English is not their first language and who had different cultural ideas about things such as waiting in lines, volume of talk, dress, etc. However, if you write a review of a cruise where that is the case, you would be doing a disservice to the readers of the review not to mention that fact. It creates a “different” cruise experience...not better or worse, just “different”. Reviews should give the reader an idea of what to expect.

 

That said, my first cruise was with my parents on the “Carnivale” in 1978. I have great memories of my first cruise! We and the rest of our party (we and one extended family) were the only black families on the cruise. I don't remember any overt racism, but I was pretty young at the time. I have been on about 6-7 cruises since 2000 or so, and I have never been on a cruise where black people outnumbered whites. I think it is worth mentioning. It would definitely be a different cruise experience for me. If many on this board (other than the OP and others on his/her sailing) have been on a cruise where blacks outnumbered whites, I would be surprised! I also wonder whether many of those voicing offense here are actually black?

 

 

Trying to think of a way to say this so people will understand and not flame me for it! It is not about race, but the whole environment. Once, DH and I took our kids on a 10-day camping trip into a part of the US that was very beautiful, but not a place where there were any people of colors other than white. We had a great time! Everyone was nice, no one did anything to make us feel discriminated against, etc. However, there was one morning in a little diner for breakfast where I felt uncomfortable and it took me a while to realize the problem was I hadn't seen another black person in days. Mind you, probably no one knew I or my children were not white (DH is white, and we all “look” white). I had no real reason to feel threatened at all, but it was a new experience for me!

 

 

I guess my point is it is OK to notice racial differences without being a racist oneself! Give the OP a break. And, if you've not actually been a victim of racism, give it a rest already, will ya? I hope this thread doesn't go "poof" because it is important to discuss these things.

 

 

 

Boo

 

Thank you Boo, post of the day right here.

[cw4splendor]

ok!!!

 

Hey, depending on how you read this post, the white guy is really lucky (3 wives), an Asian one, a Hispanic one and a white one:p . Hope he was rich!

 

I'm signing on from the UK and this post was one of the funniest I have read since finding these boards.

[Jacky4]

My thoughts exactly.. if it wasnt a problem why would you even notice such a thing????:confused:

 

And you live on Long Island????? In a bubble???????? I am just trying to figure out what was so 'clearly different'...

 

How do you know the poster isn't African American? They are making an observation.

[bankerbabe]

OK, I'll throw my two cents worth in. For whatever it's worth (probably about 2 cents) :)

 

I don't see anything wrong with the OP's statement. It was a different statement than most of us would make, but she was just stating an observation.

 

While we're on the subject, though: What is wrong with noticing the color of someone's skin? Do I notice a "black" or "African American's" skin color when I see them? Sure. How can you not? I've always admired the different shades of skin as beautiful in their own unique ways. Some of the darker skins I just would love to touch, because they look so beautiful (I'm ghosty white myself).

 

Where racism begins, in my opinion, is when we stop recognizing and APPRECIATING our differences. We all come from different backgrounds, different cultures, and we all have unique perspectives on life, we all look different. Trying to pretend otherwise is essentially saying that it is wrong to be different or that it is wrong to come from a different background.

 

And I too would notice if there were more blacks (or whatever PC word you prefer), Italians, New Yorkers, fat people, skinny people, young people, whatever people on a cruise. It wouldn't impact my enjoyment of the cruise, I'd just notice. The same way I would notice if there were more of one kind of fish in a tank than another. Or if my corn outnumbered my beans. Or if there were more stripes going in one direction than the other in my plaid bedspread. You get the point.

[Kurbanfan]

OK, I'll throw my two cents worth in. For whatever it's worth (probably about 2 cents) :)

 

I don't see anything wrong with the OP's statement. It was a different statement than most of us would make, but she was just stating an observation.

 

While we're on the subject, though: What is wrong with noticing the color of someone's skin? Do I notice a "black" or "African American's" skin color when I see them? Sure. How can you not? I've always admired the different shades of skin as beautiful in their own unique ways. Some of the darker skins I just would love to touch, because they look so beautiful (I'm ghosty white myself).

 

Where racism begins, in my opinion, is when we stop recognizing and APPRECIATING our differences. We all come from different backgrounds, different cultures, and we all have unique perspectives on life, we all look different. Trying to pretend otherwise is essentially saying that it is wrong to be different or that it is wrong to come from a different background.

 

And I too would notice if there were more blacks (or whatever PC word you prefer), Italians, New Yorkers, fat people, skinny people, young people, whatever people on a cruise. It wouldn't impact my enjoyment of the cruise, I'd just notice. The same way I would notice if there were more of one kind of fish in a tank than another. Or if my corn outnumbered my beans. Or if there were more stripes going in one direction than the other in my plaid bedspread. You get the point.

 

 

Personally speaking, you are right on............excellent point!

[madaamt]

This whole thread is just stupid. On my last cruise it was mostly hispanic's Who cares. We cruise to relax not to count how many different races are on the ship..:confused:

[Ms Belvedere]

What is this? I've never heard of it. Details please.

 

I'm not the OP but I believe they're talking about the same set up we had in Miami last month. Instead of the luggage being arranged by disembarkation number in a big warehouse for pick-up by the pax, it goes around and around on a conveyer belt like at the airport. The passengers have to pull it off as it goes by or wait for it to come around again.

HTH!

Ms B

[halos]

BOO.......

I am highly offended. :p

 

I'm signing on from the UK and this post was one of the funniest I have read since finding these boards.

 

LOL...stick around. :p

 

You are soooo nice :)

 

I just dont see it as being PC.. I see it as being normal.. I was raised to judge people how they treat me and themselves.. nothing else..

So it was weird to read.. but after a good nights sleep and rereading the thread.. I take the OP at her word that it was just an observation.. one I personally would never notice, but she did and so be it.. ;)

 

I was raised not to judge people on color as well, but I would have noticed the different ratio of balck to white on the ship since I have never seen that before. I wouldn't have posted it though...out of fear of sounding racist, which I am not.

This whole issue sheds a lot of light in my opinion. This walking on eggs stuff does justice for no one.

 

This whole thread is just stupid.

 

You don't have to think it's an intelligent conversation...but if you don't like it, just leave. I have found it quite enlightening.

[dreaminofsun]

OK, I'll throw my two cents worth in. For whatever it's worth (probably about 2 cents) :)

 

I don't see anything wrong with the OP's statement. It was a different statement than most of us would make, but she was just stating an observation.

 

While we're on the subject, though: What is wrong with noticing the color of someone's skin? Do I notice a "black" or "African American's" skin color when I see them? Sure. How can you not? I've always admired the different shades of skin as beautiful in their own unique ways. Some of the darker skins I just would love to touch, because they look so beautiful (I'm ghosty white myself).

 

Where racism begins, in my opinion, is when we stop recognizing and APPRECIATING our differences. We all come from different backgrounds, different cultures, and we all have unique perspectives on life, we all look different. Trying to pretend otherwise is essentially saying that it is wrong to be different or that it is wrong to come from a different background.

 

And I too would notice if there were more blacks (or whatever PC word you prefer), Italians, New Yorkers, fat people, skinny people, young people, whatever people on a cruise. It wouldn't impact my enjoyment of the cruise, I'd just notice. The same way I would notice if there were more of one kind of fish in a tank than another. Or if my corn outnumbered my beans. Or if there were more stripes going in one direction than the other in my plaid bedspread. You get the point.

 

You are right and it is perfectly normal/natural to notice those things. I think what has got people fired up is that the statement was made in conjuction with other statements that were complaining about the cruise and saying that they would never do that cruise again so it came off as another reason they didn't enjoy the cruise. The whole post came off kind of snobby to me (sorry OP, but it did). They didn't like being on board with mixed race, casual dressers!

[Handsome58]

I am a 50 year old Black male. Everyone has their own opinion. I was not offended by the statement. Seems as if it was stated in a way of just drawing a picture. There was nothing attached to the statement that would make me believe one way or the other that it came from a racist. But I wish I could tell because I am tired of downlow, undercover racism.

Be what you are, stop with all this PC stuff, let me know how you feel about me, because you sure will know how I feel about you. I judge people by the content of their character, and how they treat people and me in general. I do not care about skin color, job title, bank account etc.

Where is your heart, how do you treat kids, elderly...your parents and family. BE YOU.....that way we can all move forward and let the racist be known and maybe the others of us can start to heal.

[madaamt]

quite Enlightening or entertaining??

 

 

 

I am highly offended. :p

 

 

 

LOL...stick around. :p

 

 

 

I was raised not to judge people on color as well, but I would have noticed the different ratio of balck to white on the ship since I have never seen that before. I wouldn't have posted it though...out of fear of sounding racist, which I am not.

This whole issue sheds a lot of light in my opinion. This walking on eggs stuff does justice for no one.

 

 

 

You don't have to think it's an intelligent conversation...but if you don't like it, just leave. I have found it quite enlightening.

[madaamt]

Ditto..

 

 

I am a 50 year old Black male. Everyone has their own opinion. I was not offended by the statement. Seems as if it was stated in a way of just drawing a picture. There was nothing attached to the statement that would make me believe one way or the other that it came from a racist. But I wish I could tell because I am tired of downlow, undercover racism.

Be what you are, stop with all this PC stuff, let me know how you feel about me, because you sure will know how I feel about you. I judge people by the content of their character, and how they treat people and me in general. I do not care about skin color, job title, bank account etc.

Where is your heart, how do you treat kids, elderly...your parents and family. BE YOU.....that way we can all move forward and let the racist be known and maybe the others of us can start to heal.

[halos]

quite Enlightening or entertaining??

 

I found it enlightening, as I stated. If I had found it entertaining, I would have said so.

[emod20]

What is this? I've never heard of it. Details please.

 

Does this new leggage system maybe seperate luggage by the color of the suitcase:p :D LOL just kidding

[madaamt]

EVERYBODY SMILE THIS SITE IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN.