Aos Member's Review

[Avidcruiser]

Whenever this topic comes up it always interests me. I have been on 10 cruises, but most recently I just got off the FOS this past Thanksgiving and I sailed on AOS on Thanksgiving of '04.

I think the problem is expectations. People who book on the AOS are not expecting that many Puerto Rican people except maybe if the read these boards. I know I didn't. And it does affect the cruise. The entertainment is different, the crowding is different, the language spoken is different (even the Bingo was called in English and Spanish) I believe Puerto Rican people are good people, but they are a little more passionate, a little louder and they tend to travel in large groups. There's nothing wrong with that and there's nothing wrong with RCCL catering to that group. The problem is that people will book the AOS cruise thinking it's the same as FOS going out of Miami, and I can tell you as someone who has done both cruises it is not the same. There is a huge cultural difference.

[schlannysays]

I rectified the well-off defintion by clarifying that it was intended for the classification of the average American cruiser [I]who has means to travel[/I]. Apparently, we have differing definitions of well-off, but had I said a "white, middle-class American" would you had been so offended? I had redressed this issue in my previous post and again you continue with the "well-off" tirade when my focus clearly was defining the average cruiser. I had no intention on discriminating one's economic status, as all cruisers seem to be pretty well-off, considering they are cruising after all. Puerto Rican or not.

AvidCruiser hit the nail on the head with his description of the difference between the cruises that depart from CONTINENTAL American ports and those that sail from Puerto Rico. There is often a cultural barrier between the cruisers and it makes it difficult to sail on these sailings if you are unfamiliar with the language and people. The barrier at times makes you uncomfortable, that is my opinion. The original review noted the "Pa' que to lo sepas" chant that was common on the cruise. Sure, it made me feel disconnected at times, but that's life.:cool: When I'm on a land vacation the barrier is hardly relevant, but on a cruise you take a vacation as a community. That is why I [I]prefer [/I]the CONTINENTAL American ports. However, I am leaving for San Juan, Puerto Rico in approximately eight hours, so I will give this cruise a second chance and rehash my opinions later. :D

And also, I was under the impression that the majority (not all) of Puerto Ricans were considered Hispanic, which according to the U.S. Census is an option of race. Who knows though, that can be a very hard line to toe. :rolleyes:

[nrdsb4]

[quote name='schlannysays']I rectified the well-off defintion by clarifying that it was intended for the classification of the average American cruiser [I]who has means to travel[/I]. Apparently, we have differing definitions of well-off, but had I said a "white, middle-class American" would you had been so offended? [COLOR=red]I had redressed this issue in my previous post and again you continue with the "well-off"[I] [B][U]tirade[/U][/B][/I] when my focus clearly was defining the average cruiser.[/COLOR] I had no intention on discriminating one's economic status, as all cruisers seem to be pretty well-off, considering they are cruising after all. Puerto Rican or not.

And also, I was under the impression that the majority (not all) of Puerto Ricans were considered Hispanic, which according to the U.S. Census is an option of race. Who knows though, that can be a very hard line to toe. :rolleyes:[/quote]

I made no further discussion of the "well-off" comment, much less a tirade. Please reference the aforementioned "tirade" in my second post.

As to the race issue, there is no Hispanic race according to most experts in anthropology (US census takers notwithstanding), but you are right, it's not necessarily a hard and fast accepted concept. From Wikipedia:

"In everyday speech, race often describes populations[B][I] better defined as ethnic groups[/I][/B], often leading to discrepancies between scientific views on race and popular usage of the term. For instance in many parts of the United States, categories such as Hispanic or Latino are viewed to constitute a race, though others see Hispanic as a [I]linguistic[/I] and [I]cultural[/I] grouping coming from a variety of backgrounds." Personally, when you mentioned going "outside your race" to talk to some Puerto Ricans, I felt that was really a stretch. But perception is 99% of reality, so I'll concede your point since you feel there is such a difference.

[schlannysays]

The definition I had looked up from wikipedia (god bless that site) was very grey in terms of an actual answer, so that's why I noted that it was an edgy subject.

You say ebony, I say black.
(That was not a racial comment). It was the only analogy I could come up with besides a tomato one.

I don't even know why I said tirade, actually. I'm really a pleasant person, honestly. I know that what you said wasn't a tirade. I don't even know why that word came to mind. I guess I forgot to proofread. :o

And let's continue on with this topic, shall we? I'm so tired of arguing and defending on these boards. It's wearisome and frustrating. I just wanted to debate the pros and cons of cruising from San Juan based on personal preference. That's all. :)

Oh and P.S. I'm really not an expert on anthropology. Obviously. Ha. I abhorred that class in college. Perhaps I should have paid much better attention, but somehow I managed an "A".

[Shanafan]

[quote name='scher']When are you going on the Adventure in Feb we are cruising on the 18th I dont remeber seeing you on that roll call but have seen you other places.
Carolyn[/quote]
We are on this cruise........I sure hope we don't have these issues the OP had!

[scher]

[quote name='Shanafan']We are on this cruise........I sure hope we don't have these issues the OP had![/QUOTE]
i completly understand what everyone on here is talking about. I too would feel uncomfortable if this were to happen to me on a cruise. Had I known this I would have booked out of a american port. I did want to explore San Juan so we are staying a few days before the ship leaves. But I do have to say I am very uncomfortable with people around me not being friendly enough to nod or say hi, and I am uncomfortable with big rowdy loud groups, I always try to be quiet and respectful of people around me, I surly hope I am not going to run into this kind of behavior. I might look into wether or not it is too late to change ship and itinerary.