From bikers to bankers

[JGB]

I just returned from the 5 day Miracle sailing and there was a significant cross section of Americana. From bikers to bankers, men and women of all stripes. I rarely have an opportunity to get up close and personal with some of these individuals. Having bellied up to the craps table and betting on the right side of the dice I with several others who were covered in paint we hooped and hollered as the dice held for quite a lengthy period, everyone made money! I am as white as can be so there was an obvious contrast. Later on, on the Lido deck I was desperately looking for a table for my wife and I when one of my fellow shooters invited me to join him and his wife. For the next hour we had the best time sharing realities. OK but also On the same cruise during trivia we sat with a family who had a senior analyst at UBS, again great conversation and perspective. Well done to Carnival they must be doing something right.

JGB 

[ninjacat123]

Glad you had a great cruise!👍

[klfrodo]

One of the many reasons I enjoy sailing on Carnival.

[lasvegascruising]

ME TOO!  The people hubby and I have talked to, amazing!  I tell everyone that one of the reasons I love cruising is that every person on the ship is on vacation.  We are all there for rest, fun and enjoyment.  So much enjoyment comes from talking to others that are so different than us.  I can say that cruising from Galveston has been so interesting.  We have talked to dairy farmers, nurses, etc.  One evening, we were at dinner in the MDR and were seated with another couple about our age.  This was anytime dining.  The couple were prepared to pray before dining and asked us if it was okay.  We said "of course" and joined them.  I will never forget that dinner and the conversation we had.  We learned so much about their lives and shared with them ours. JGB, I hope others share some of their stories.  Yours was so nice to read.

[ZoeyVictoria]

We shared one dinner in January with a couple who used to live down the street from us and had later moved to a different area. The new area sounded like a place that would be perfect for us, so we checked it out after the cruise. Now our condo here is on the market and we are getting ready to move to that area. Such a huge change in our lives from one random table assignment on a cruise!  

[staceyglow]

I chuckle when I hear Carnival being called the "Walmart of the Seas". 

 

I can afford to shop at nicer stores than Walmart, but if Walmart has what I want, I am buying it there. Same with Carnival. It has what I want at a very reasonable price.

 

To pay more somewhere else for appearance's sake is just dumb. And it's one of the reasons I can afford to cruise as often as I do. 

 

[MtnSeaGirl]

2 hours ago, staceyglow said:

I chuckle when I hear Carnival being called the "Walmart of the Seas". 

 

I can afford to shop at nicer stores than Walmart, but if Walmart has what I want, I am buying it there. Same with Carnival. It has what I want at a very reasonable price.

 

To pay more somewhere else for appearance's sake is just dumb. And it's one of the reasons I can afford to cruise as often as I do. 

 

There needs to be a LOVE button for this post.  Absolutely.  Exactly.  Dead on Target.  Dead on Center.  RIght there with ya!

[Colorado Beach Bum]

20 hours ago, JGB said:

I just returned from the 5 day Miracle sailing and there was a significant cross section of Americana. From bikers to bankers, men and women of all stripes. I rarely have an opportunity to get up close and personal with some of these individuals. Having bellied up to the craps table and betting on the right side of the dice I with several others who were covered in paint we hooped and hollered as the dice held for quite a lengthy period, everyone made money! I am as white as can be so there was an obvious contrast. Later on, on the Lido deck I was desperately looking for a table for my wife and I when one of my fellow shooters invited me to join him and his wife. For the next hour we had the best time sharing realities. OK but also On the same cruise during trivia we sat with a family who had a senior analyst at UBS, again great conversation and perspective. Well done to Carnival they must be doing something right.

JGB 

Great post.  Goes to show you people from different backgrounds really can get along.  We all really aren’t all that different.  This is one of the things I like most about cruising.  Too bad this doesn’t happen much in the real world back at home these days. 

[scpirate]

WOWZA ! This was really deep .I now have to go to Walmart just to find out what the meaning of life is.

[silvercrikhix]

Thank you for sharing a positive post. it is definitely an opportunity to meet all kinds of people. 
We have met so many people from all corners. We once met a couple from South Africa. The husband had the same career as my husband. His wife told me he was very excited to converse with my husband. They invited us to dinner the day of disembark. We said we were busy so did not go. I’ve always regretted not joining them… 

 

‘One of my best friends is extremely outgoing and talks to everyone.  I do mean everyone. Homeless people, old, young, everyone she meets. Being with her is always a very social time. lol. Took her on her 1st cruise last August. She loved cruising. She still talks/texts to 3-4 people she met. We’re going again this August. I’m looking forward to a great cruise with her. 
 

It’s there if you look for it. We each choose how much we interact. 
 

Edited March 29 by silvercrikhix

[Noledad77]

On 3/27/2024 at 5:54 PM, JGB said:

I just returned from the 5 day Miracle sailing and there was a significant cross section of Americana. From bikers to bankers, men and women of all stripes. I rarely have an opportunity to get up close and personal with some of these individuals. Having bellied up to the craps table and betting on the right side of the dice I with several others who were covered in paint we hooped and hollered as the dice held for quite a lengthy period, everyone made money! I am as white as can be so there was an obvious contrast. Later on, on the Lido deck I was desperately looking for a table for my wife and I when one of my fellow shooters invited me to join him and his wife. For the next hour we had the best time sharing realities. OK but also On the same cruise during trivia we sat with a family who had a senior analyst at UBS, again great conversation and perspective. Well done to Carnival they must be doing something right.

JGB 

Hear, hear! Cheers to starting with what we all have in common, rather than trying to find a happy medium with what divides us. Love hearing positive stories like this. 

[Rudyard]

On 3/28/2024 at 9:50 AM, staceyglow said:

I chuckle when I hear Carnival being called the "Walmart of the Seas". 

I've found that people that use this to describe Carnival are usually people who have only cruised with a cruise line that rhymes with "foil" who...

 

1. Were talked into going on a Carnival cruise by friends or family and went into it determined to have a bad time

2. Got a really good offer for a Carnival cruise that they couldn't pass up and went into it determined to have a bad time

3. Booked a cheap three day cruise on an older Carnival ship without doing any research and had a bad time

4. Never cruised with Carnival but heard how bad it was from their neighbor's brother's sister in law who falls into category 1, 2, or 3. 

 

[klfrodo]

Sounds like DEI works when it comes to running a cruise line. The passengers are diverse, all treated equally, and everyone, from bankers to bikers are included and made to feel welcome on Carnival.

Maybe those cruise lines who market their ship within a ship programs (Yacht Club, Haven, etc) need to step back and re-evaluate the goals of open class distinction.

[PurdueChefAmber]

Love this, I am a banker, my mom is a retired banker, my boyfriend owns a business, my dad is a biker and retired head of HVAC at a nuclear power planet. 

[ChinaShrek]

On 3/31/2024 at 9:39 AM, klfrodo said:

Sounds like DEI works when it comes to running a cruise line. The passengers are diverse, all treated equally, and everyone, from bankers to bikers are included and made to feel welcome on Carnival.

Maybe those cruise lines who market their ship within a ship programs (Yacht Club, Haven, etc) need to step back and re-evaluate the goals of open class distinction.

I think a lot of people who avoid Carnival really want to avoid children.