New article slamming Icon of the Seas...and cruisers in general

[STFMaine]

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/05/royal-caribbean-cruise-ship-icon-of-seas/677838/

 

Curious as to everyone's thoughts on this!

[alfaeric]

I’m not going to read the article, as it’s not going to change anything for me. BUT, if it results in lowering the demand for cruising, we all win. 

[Bocker3]

Why bother posting a story that requires you to sign up for an account in order to read it??  

 

[HBE4]

54 minutes ago, STFMaine said:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/05/royal-caribbean-cruise-ship-icon-of-seas/677838/

 

Curious as to everyone's thoughts on this!

 

I'm curious if you are the author of this article as this is your first on CC?

 

From what I was allowed to read, it looks like satire. Sure to entertain most and maybe infuriate a few. I'll decide later if I want to sign-up for a free trial.  Maybe there will be a copy in the waiting room of my dentist or barbershop & I can read for free.

 

[barbeyg]

1 hour ago, STFMaine said:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/05/royal-caribbean-cruise-ship-icon-of-seas/677838/

 

Curious as to everyone's thoughts on this!

Everyone has an opinion, some are paid for theirs. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Since I won’t cough up my email address to read the whole article, I will just say I hope the opinion piece improves behind the sign up wall. 🙂

 

Welcome to CC. Everyone has opinions here too, some more entertaining than others. 

[mil76]

The article was on my Smart News feed so I didn't have to pay for it.  But for a publication that spends $19000 at the last minute to get a reporter a solo suite on a cruise he didn't want to be on, I don't feel too bad about reading it for free.  

 

The article was mainly a middle-aged guy who hates the idea of cruising going on his first cruise by himself and wondering why there was no one else like him on the cruise.  All of his observations seemed a little too detailed for what a first-time cruiser would notice, as most of what he wrote seemed to be a best-of review of the usual threads we see on here. 

 

Funniest line was when he thought the crew told him "I'm sorry, this is only for pendejos" when they were saying Pinnacles.

[smokeybandit]

I mean it's the Atlantic. They can find a way to write a story to make even Mother Theresa look bad.

[neverbeenhere]

Greatest article, I didn't read.  If it keeps people off my ships, fantastic.  Less demand - better cruising.

[taglovestocruise]

1 hour ago, mil76 said:

The article was on my Smart News feed so I didn't have to pay for it.  But for a publication that spends $19000 at the last minute to get a reporter a solo suite on a cruise he didn't want to be on, I don't feel too bad about reading it for free.  

 

The article was mainly a middle-aged guy who hates the idea of cruising going on his first cruise by himself and wondering why there was no one else like him on the cruise.  All of his observations seemed a little too detailed for what a first-time cruiser would notice, as most of what he wrote seemed to be a best-of review of the usual threads we see on here. 

 

Funniest line was when he thought the crew told him "I'm sorry, this is only for pendejos" when they were saying Pinnacles.

Makes you wonder what the review would be from a reporter that loves cruising... what a joke the Atlantic is.

[notscb]

While I agree with the authors take on the design of Icon overall, I generally dislike opinion based journalism despite it being the most common form of journalism out there these days. This article is screaming "old man yells at cloud" vibes and is just poorly done overall.

[Orsino]

Different people like different things. It is kind of stupid to write about things one doesn’t like. I would say it is even worse to belittle others for liking something he does not. 

Edited April 5 by Orsino

[deliver42]

An idiot like this should never do a vacation article. He just doesn't like people around him. His next cruise should be in a row boat.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

23 minutes ago, Orsino said:

Different people like different things. It is kind of stupid to write about things one doesn’t like. I would say it is even worse to belittle others for liking something he does not. 

Wonder if he didn't have a choice on the topic.  TPTB said "you've never been on a cruise!  We'll pay for one and you write about it!"

[steveru621]

The source is suspect.

[MommaBear55]

I usually like articles in the Atlantic. The hyperbole and disdain in this article make it better suited for the National Enquirer or twitter. And in no way is 51 old. 

[A&L_Ont]

The first paragraph said it all IMO.  I stopped there. 
 

The dramatic writing style, of the one paragraph, reminded me of the woman who wrote a novella about missing the ship in the Caribbean here on CC maybe 10 years ago. Anyone else remember that?

[d9704011]

I now know not to subscribe to The Atlantic.

[Twenty2020]

To be fair... The writer is known for being satirical. I thought it was kind of funny in a dark humor sort of way. Not surprised he wrote for Succession.  Some of you need a little more sense of humor. Like he insulted your child or something. 

 

Edited April 5 by Twenty2020

[Twenty2020]

19 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

I'm curious if you are the author of this article as this is your first on CC?

 

From what I was allowed to read, it looks like satire. Sure to entertain most and maybe infuriate a few. I'll decide later if I want to sign-up for a free trial.  Maybe there will be a copy in the waiting room of my dentist or barbershop & I can read for free.

 

 

It's definitely satire... Or maybe just dark humor. Depending upon your take.

[lovesthebeach2]

Like most here on this thread, I couldn’t read the article in its entirety. Which is fine because I had no intention of reading it anyway. 

Things like that reinforce why I don’t read or watch news stories or TV. All one persons negative inflated opinion just to get attention, and we have much more of that than we need. 

[Cruise a holic]

I do not subscribe to the Atlantic- went on the Icon March 9th.  Not for everyone- but it does have many positives, especially for suite guests.  My DH and I find the Oasis class ships better for us- If you have young children, the Icon is great for families.

[A&L_Ont]

35 minutes ago, Twenty2020 said:

To be fair... The writer is known for being satirical. I thought it was kind of funny in a dark humor sort of way. Not surprised he wrote for Succession.  Some of you need a little more sense of humor. Like he insulted your child or something. 

 

He kind of did, cruising is something we all love to do. Having never read anything by him I took it as serious VS dark/humour, as there are people out there that do not like cruises. 
 

I’ve never stepped on Icon, and don’t like her design.  IMO she’s an ugly child.  That said, I like cruising so don’t she’s ugly “out loud”. It’s more like he insulted you mother in-law, you put up with her but you can’t say what you think out loud about her. 
 

It would have been better if they put him on the world cruise.  If he actually hated cruising that would be hilarious. 

Edited April 5 by A&L_Ont

[LEMJMcC]

13 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

Greatest article, I didn't read.  If it keeps people off my ships, fantastic.  Less demand - better cruising.

Perhaps we all should start maliciously, even if fallaciously, slamming RCI and other cruise lines to deter others from cruising?

[Jetdriver787]

I enjoyed it and found it quite amusing.

[bucfan2]

Ya, google is amazing....find any type of review ya like.  My cousins best friend knows this dude who has a sister who wrote an article on how incredible the ship is, and she hasn't even been on it!