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Anthem Of The Seas - Frommer


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About half those photos are just RC's photos.  I found that slightly amusing.

 

Also of interest is Arthur Frommer, slammed Quantum of the Seas when it came out for essentially not having the same things to do as a ship from 1920. http://www.frommers.com/community/blogs/arthur-frommer-online/_would-believe-roller-skating-rink-sea-bumper-cars-circus-school-basketball-court-controlled-sky-diving-read-weep

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Can I see it both ways and not shunned? :unsure: Though, on balance, I clearly agree with you. :)

Remember, Arthur Frommer comes from a very different generation and a very different philosophy, based on helping people explore our world frugally. He is a pioneer and I am not sure where travel would be without his influence. He helped to take travel out of the hands of the rich, and make it accessible for the masses. In his day, the world was not so small and exploring it was not as affordable as it is today. He also helped pave the way for all travel writers and bloggers. For that, we owe him our gratitude.

That said, I disagree with Frommer when it comes to cruising. Cruising is a hedonism. It's pleasure-seeking. It's fun!!! :D Cruising is not exploration, however. Traveling in order to explore our planet can be, at times, not so much fun, but exploration is always educational, enlightening, and uplifting. And while they may both compete for our vacation dollars, they really are two totally different industries.

While cruises do travel to exotic places, they do not allow for the depth and breadth of exploration that Frommer advocates (and Steves, and others like them - though Rick, I'd say, is more in our camp than Frommer's: http://blog.ricksteves.com/blog/so-is-cruising-really-travel/). However, people do not cruise to Athens just to see Athens. They cruise to Athens so that Athens is a part of a "larger cruise experience." And when they are enjoying that "larger cruise experience," they want more than to just sit and look at the sea. I say that as a person who will spend many of his cruise hours sitting and looking at the sea. I spend the extra money for balconies simply because I feel more at peace than I ever do on land when I just sit and look at the sea. I am a big, big sea guy (though, oddly, not a huge beach guy). And even being the big sea guy that I am, I still want satiating dining experiences, breathtaking entertainment, first-class amenities, and I want to unwind and party a little at the many exciting bars and nightclubs. And while I'm at sea during the day, I want to do more than just read or play bingo! Though I do like the art. ;)

So, maybe Frommer overstepped. And maybe he should have followed Steves's lead: "...I’ve left the cruise-ship rundowns to the industry aficionados..." But, he does have a point. When does it become less about being at sea and traveling to foreign lands than it does about the hedonism? If the Voyager class ships and beyond are all destinations in themselves, why do we need to sail anywhere? To be honest, I'd be fine with that. Sail out to sea, just so I can see the sea, and sit there. Or go to Coco Cay or Labadee. A cruise to nowhere would be perfectly alright by me!

P.S. "About half those photos are just RC's photos." I didn't know that. That's funny! :lol:

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Great analysis, Scott.

 

If you listen to Arthur speak about cruises, he yields no middle ground in the debate.  To him, all these new ships are awful and shame on anyone that chooses to travel on them (listen to his weekly radio show and that is the summary of his opinion).  

 

I love his opinions and advice in other aspects of travel, but in terms of cruises I really feel he is out of touch on this.

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If you listen to Arthur speak about cruises, he yields no middle ground in the debate.  To him, all these new ships are awful and shame on anyone that chooses to travel on them (listen to his weekly radio show and that is the summary of his opinion).  

 

I love his opinions and advice in other aspects of travel, but in terms of cruises I really feel he is out of touch on this.

We, too, will be old, stodgy, stubborn men someday who are stuck in our ways. Let's try to remind each other when we're being too intolerant. Deal?

 

P.S. If you couldn't tell, I'm more of a Rick Steves guy. I feel like he's in Arthur's world, but is far more tolerant. A live and let live, travel and let travel, sort of fellow.

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There are a lot of seasoned cruisers that feel like Frommer.  Their are many who do not like the features of the new ships, the added activities that are drawing families, and the fact that one can be reached at sea via cell or internet as they felt that the charm of cruising was "disconnecting."  Many of the complaints I see on the various message boards are, in my opinion, from traditionalists who don't like the modernization of the cruise industry.

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Hopefully I am far from old and stodgy but I certainly see elements of both sides.

 

The biggest attraction for me when I took my first cruise was being able to tell my boss with a straight face that I would be unreachable for 7 days, period. On too many vacations prior to that I found myself flipping through emails in line for Space Mountain or sneaking up to the room to check my emails on my laptop.

 

The feeling of completely disconnecting was awesome and is the biggest thing I look forward to on a cruise. At this point I have a better boss and I have trained myself to stay disconnected but things like high speed internet are the last thing I want on a cruise. Having people yakking away on their cellphones on the pool deck, etc. are not what I cruise for.

 

The bells and whistles of Q class are largely lost on me, might be worth a try at some point but "getting away" is my biggest reason to cruise.

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There are a lot of seasoned cruisers that feel like Frommer.  Their are many who do not like the features of the new ships, the added activities that are drawing families, and the fact that one can be reached at sea via cell or internet as they felt that the charm of cruising was "disconnecting."  Many of the complaints I see on the various message boards are, in my opinion, from traditionalists who don't like the modernization of the cruise industry.

These are the same sort of people who complained when Root Beer overtook Sarsaparilla. Some people just find things so they won't be happy.

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These are the same sort of people who complained when Root Beer overtook Sarsaparilla. Some people just find things so they won't be happy.

Can't say I remember that, but I do remember people complaining when they change the Coke recipe or how people rejected Pepsi Clear. Traditionalists don't like change. However, if it weren't for the changes that the industry is making, I wouldn't be cruising as there's no way I'd get my wife onboard. The changes are what is drawing a mostly non cruiser in her back to cruising.

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