Do cruises attract lower income passengers?

[Deleted]

I've only been on 1 cruise and it was when I was in 2nd grade, so clearly I don't remember the details. The comment below is a comment from someone in response to the 600 people being sick on a Caribbean cruise now. I know the comments in news articles are almost universally disgusting, but has it been your experience that "standard" cruises attract "people of walmart website" clientele? Or is this person exaggerating?


"I was aboard a cruise ship to the Caribbean this time last year. It was my first. The quality of the amenities aboard surprised me. Food, entertainment, venues, the crew, trips ashore, the ship itself. But the passengers.... it was like being in WalMart constantly. Really. I have no idea how people of that social strata came up with the money to get onto a cruise ship. Astonishing, really. And they didn't let good examples raise their standards. They were determined to treat the crew and other passengers like anyone else in the trailer park. Loud, rude, poorly dressed and socially clumsy. Unclean. I mean really unclean.
In the various men's rooms, I saw many walk straight from the toilet stalls to the door without stopping to wash hands. Many. On their way to the buffet. The crew did their best, spritzing hands and doors with a sanitising solution at nearly every turn, and that is probably the only thing that saved the health of our group.
Should you go, prepare to be underwhelmed by a surprising number of others. And NEVER touch your face or your food until you have thoroughly cleaned your hands."

[Deleted]

I know some people with a whole lot of money that act like that. There are several thousand people are a cruise ship you have a lot of different personalities all in one place.

That said now a days you can get good deals on cruises and it is much cheaper then flying somewhere then spending several nights in a hotel/buying all your food so I think people who can't afford to travel a lot tend to lean toward cruises because they are more affordable, especially Caribbean ones.

[Deleted]

Jan 28, 2014 5:56:34 GMT -5 @kjewell said:

I know some people with a whole lot of money that act like that. There are several thousand people are a cruise ship you have a lot of different personalities all in one place.

I don't know why, but I never realized that cruises held so many people. For some reason, I thought a standard cruise might hold 1,000 people. Not really sure why, but I didn't realize how large cruises could get.

[gt7301b]

I think cruises cater to a wide variety of incomes. Just look at the disparity in the price of a inside room vs. a suite. I went on a cruise to Europe and there were people who lived on the boat, I'm certain they were millionaires.

[mainelyfoolish]

I think there are a significant number of people on cruises who don't have the money for a lot of travel so they save up for a long time and take a cruise as a "trip of a lifetime" because cruises do offer a lot of experience all in one place for a reasonable price. I think there are also plenty of people who save for years and take a land-based vacation but you'd never know about them because you didn't spend a week living with them on a boat.

[mushmouse]

Jan 28, 2014 6:10:42 GMT -5 @wandering said:

Jan 28, 2014 5:56:34 GMT -5 @kjewell said:

I know some people with a whole lot of money that act like that. There are several thousand people are a cruise ship you have a lot of different personalities all in one place.

I don't know why, but I never realized that cruises held so many people. For some reason, I thought a standard cruise might hold 1,000 people. Not really sure why, but I didn't realize how large cruises could get.

This is the final reason I will never take one.  They are not like floating resorts.  Why not just got to a resort?

[rbp]

You can do cruises pretty cheaply if you go on a lower-end line (e.g., Carnival) and book an inside stateroom. We went on one in college because by the time you go somewhere that's warm the first week of March, you can just hop on a seven-night Caribbean cruise for a similar price. I seriously think it was <$500/person (this was back in 2004), you just had to get to Miami.

I don't remember a Wal-Mart clientele on either of the two cruises I've been on. This commenter sounds like someone who hates people in general and probably shouldn't be cooped up with thousands of them for several days LOL. I mostly just remember the hordes of retirees.

[Susie]

I don't think you can generalize to cruises on the whole. Cruises in Alaska, Europe, etc., are a totally different ballgame and a totally different clientele than budget-priced cruises to the Caribbean (like Carnival), which it sounds like the quoted cruiser is talking about. I have been on two, and neither reminded me of Walmart at all. One was a Disney cruise (a bunch of years ago) and one was to Alaska on HAL, a more expensive line.  I have heard horror stories about the super-cheap lines though.

I think cheap Caribbean cruises attract a similar clientele to cheap Caribbean AIs.

[Deleted]

Well, Paul Gauguin or Cunard likely draws a different crowd from Princess or Carnival.

But if you're talking about the big, mass-market companies common among American travelers, then (like all-inclusive resorts), cruises tend to be seen as a very economical/easy/all-you-can-eat way to travel so I think they tend to attract the middle class, looking-for-bang-for-their-buck crowd rather than the luxury travel crowd.

[ssmjlm]

We did a carnival cruise with DH's family, yes it was basically like floating Walmart.

We usually cruise princess and it's a much better passenger group.

Most cruise ships hold 3,000ish passengers.

[Deleted]

Jan 28, 2014 7:57:12 GMT -5 v said:

Well, Paul Gauguin or Cunard likely draws a different crowd from Princess or Carnival.

But if you're talking about the big, mass-market companies common among American travelers, then (like all-inclusive resorts), cruises tend to be seen as a very economical/easy/all-you-can-eat way to travel so I think they tend to attract the middle class, looking-for-bang-for-their-buck crowd rather than the luxury travel crowd.

Yes, that's what I meant by saying "standard" cruise. Those are really the only type of cruises I know or have heard about.

Although I wonder if they're the same economical level as all-inclusives, as the limited research I did for my honeymoon (my ex ended up actually paying and booking for it) was that all-inclusives were more expensive than booking and paying for everything yourself separately.

[nessness]

Wow, that person's comments are pretty gross.

I've been on a Carnival cruise and the people seemed to be solidly middle class. I don't remember anyone being particularly rude, and certainly not dirty. I went over Christmas, though, which apparently attracts more families than their cruises other times of year.

I've also been on a Viking river cruise, which was primarily an older, upper middle class crowd.

[tacom]

I went on a carnival cruise to the Caribbean a couple years ago. I obviously did not meet everyone on the ship, but our dinner table was made up of my mother, a partner at a law firm with a joint JD-MBA from Yale (I admit to googling her later because at some point on the cruise I learned that people sometimes make things up on vacation), and a new private college graduate who was applying to grad schools and celebrating with her mother.

I did not find that all people were the same/fit some stereotype.

[sa]

I cannot roll my eyes enough at that person's comment.

[Deleted]

Jan 28, 2014 7:53:38 GMT -5 Susie said:

I don't think you can generalize to cruises on the whole. Cruises in Alaska, Europe, etc., are a totally different ballgame and a totally different clientele than budget-priced cruises to the Caribbean (like Carnival), which it sounds like the quoted cruiser is talking about. I have been on two, and neither reminded me of Walmart at all. One was a Disney cruise (a bunch of years ago) and one was to Alaska on HAL, a more expensive line.  I have heard horror stories about the super-cheap lines though.

I think cheap Caribbean cruises attract a similar clientele to cheap Caribbean AIs.

I think even in Europe you're going to have differences.  The river cruises seem to attract a different type of traveler from Mediterranean itineraries (which, at least among the people I know, tend to draw novice Europe travelers who want American food and American creature comforts at night).

The Holland America cruise I was forced to go on (grandfather's 80th birthday) was full of olds, not People of Walmart.  Still, never ever ever ever again.  Definitely not my style of travel.

[shortstax]

A few years back DH and I took a Carnival cruise.

Our "tablemates" were probably upper-middle class, better off than us at the time. However, there were a few "extreme" passengers who fit the "people of walmart" type---and they stood out.

Fun fact - on a night after a stop in port, DH and I came to dinner quite drunk. Not sloppy, more silly. The next night, our dinner friends (who were couples younger than us) told us they were Mormon and they asked us EVERYTHING about alcohol. What did it taste like, does it hurt, etc. It was a weird but interesting conversation.

[Deleted]

Jan 28, 2014 8:05:28 GMT -5 @wandering said:

Jan 28, 2014 7:57:12 GMT -5 v said:

Well, Paul Gauguin or Cunard likely draws a different crowd from Princess or Carnival.

But if you're talking about the big, mass-market companies common among American travelers, then (like all-inclusive resorts), cruises tend to be seen as a very economical/easy/all-you-can-eat way to travel so I think they tend to attract the middle class, looking-for-bang-for-their-buck crowd rather than the luxury travel crowd.

Yes, that's what I meant by saying "standard" cruise. Those are really the only type of cruises I know or have heard about.

Although I wonder if they're the same economical level as all-inclusives, as the limited research I did for my honeymoon (my ex ended up actually paying and booking for it) was that all-inclusives were more expensive than booking and paying for everything yourself separately.

Cruises tend to have a lot more costs involved than AIs (excursions, alcohol and other entertainment, etc.) so yes -- I'd expect them to be more expensive generally.  But people get lured in by the 5 days for $199 a person or whatever deals that cruises offer... then they end up paying a lot more when all is said and done.

As far as whether all-inclusives are more expensive than booking and paying for everything separately, that's an impossible comparison because it is all so apples and oranges.  You don't know ahead of time what your non-AI meals would cost, or how many cocktails you'll have that day, or whatever, plus it depends on what non-AI you're comparing the AI to.  But again, they're usually a choice people make because they're good from a bang-for-the-buck perspective (particularly if you're planning on staying on-property -- meals and drinks at resorts tend to be very pricey).  I wouldn't even know how you would begin to compare an AI resort to a non-AI resort unless they're otherwise identical twins and you really know your eating and drinking patterns.

[IrishBelle]

We just got back from a cruise and this was not my experience at all. We were on a Celebrity ship that held about 3000 passengers. We did see people from various classes but nothing to the extent that the person quoted talked about. The average age on our ship was probably early 50s though with a mix of young families and 30/40 somethings in there too.

[Deleted]

Jan 28, 2014 8:24:05 GMT -5 shortstax said:

A few years back DH and I took a Carnival cruise.

Our "tablemates" were probably upper-middle class, better off than us at the time. However, there were a few "extreme" passengers who fit the "people of walmart" type---and they stood out.

Fun fact - on a night after a stop in port, DH and I came to dinner quite drunk. Not sloppy, more silly. The next night, our dinner friends (who were couples younger than us) told us they were Mormon and they asked us EVERYTHING about alcohol. What did it taste like, does it hurt, etc. It was a weird but interesting conversation.

Lol, that's funny.

[IrishBelle]

Jan 28, 2014 8:28:31 GMT -5 v said:

Jan 28, 2014 8:05:28 GMT -5 @wandering said:

Yes, that's what I meant by saying "standard" cruise. Those are really the only type of cruises I know or have heard about.

Although I wonder if they're the same economical level as all-inclusives, as the limited research I did for my honeymoon (my ex ended up actually paying and booking for it) was that all-inclusives were more expensive than booking and paying for everything yourself separately.

Cruises tend to have a lot more costs involved than AIs (excursions, alcohol and other entertainment, etc.) so yes -- I'd expect them to be more expensive generally.  But people get lured in by the 5 days for $199 a person or whatever deals that cruises offer... then they end up paying a lot more when all is said and done.

As far as whether all-inclusives are more expensive than booking and paying for everything separately, that's an impossible comparison because it is all so apples and oranges.  You don't know ahead of time what your non-AI meals would cost, or how many cocktails you'll have that day, or whatever, plus it depends on what non-AI you're comparing the AI to.  But again, they're usually a choice people make because they're good from a bang-for-the-buck perspective (particularly if you're planning on staying on-property -- meals and drinks at resorts tend to be very pricey).  I wouldn't even know how you would begin to compare an AI resort to a non-AI resort unless they're otherwise identical twins and you really know your eating and drinking patterns.

Some cruise lines now offer a drink package so the cruise price isn't that much different than an AI. If you have the package which you prepay for, you order a drink, they swipe your card and that's it.  At the end of the cruise, you get a copy of your statement which shows when and where drinks were purchased but there are no costs.  There was no cost for any entertainment but there were speciality restaurants that were on board that were an additional cost.  We went to the dining room every night where the food and service was amazing.  

As far as food, we've been to AIs were the only choice for dinner is the buffet.  We've also been to ones where there is no buffet at dinner and only sit down restaurants.  Our ship had a choice of the buffet, the main dining room and the speciality restaurants.  The food at the buffet was ok but the food in the main dining room was amazing every single night.  

As far as excursions, those are an option anywhere so it would really depend on personal preferences.  In fact, we spent more on excursions from AIs than we did our on cruise since we just got off in the ports and did our own thing.  

[cutecloud]

I've been on a few cruises and you get all types, from the "People of Walmart" up to people who are obviously pretty wealthy, although many people who have a lot of money probably choose the luxury cruise lines instead. I'm not sure which ship had the Norovirus just now but on older ships and shorter iteneraries the fares tend to be cheaper. And fares are a lot more on brand-new ships. Caribbean cruises tend also to have a lot of European passengers depending where they sail out of. So even the regular/non-luxury Caribbean cruises have a pretty varied group of passengers.

[212]

I've been dragged on one cruise. The people were nice enough, and some of them realllllly got into the ships formal night. Like, prom style. I found it adorable-- it was refreshing to see people get so excited about dressing up. I'm usually excited to NOT have to get dressed. Lol.

Anyway, there was one family that showed up everywhere we were. They were (externally) what many would call "fancy" (mom/daughter wore Loubs, diamonds, Chanel, etc). And wowsa, were they special. At dinner the daughter said (loudly- it was pretty clear she wanted us to hear) the ship was "full of savages." She and her mom sat there drinking white wine (with ice in it), her brother gnawed on a toothpick, and her dad burped at the end of the meal. Money can't buy you klass.

[megs193]

Jan 28, 2014 8:01:08 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

We did a carnival cruise with DH's family, yes it was basically like floating Walmart.

We usually cruise princess and it's a much better passenger group.

Most cruise ships hold 3,000ish passengers.

This is exactly how I felt on Carnival. We will definitely never sail Carnival again.  We aren't huge cruise people but we enjoyed the princess cruise we went on prior to having kids and enjoyed our Disney cruise after having kids.

[msmerymac]

Jan 28, 2014 6:10:42 GMT -5 @wandering said:

Jan 28, 2014 5:56:34 GMT -5 @kjewell said:

I know some people with a whole lot of money that act like that. There are several thousand people are a cruise ship you have a lot of different personalities all in one place.

I don't know why, but I never realized that cruises held so many people. For some reason, I thought a standard cruise might hold 1,000 people. Not really sure why, but I didn't realize how large cruises could get.

It depends on the ship and the route, but 1000 would be really small. I think on our Alaskan Cruise, which was small, there were over 2000. My dad has been on the larger RC ships in the Caribbean, like the Allure of the Seas, which hold 6000 passengers and over 2000 staff members. 

[Deleted]

Ok so it sounds like cruises are like the airport...very good for people watching. No wonder my mom has been trying to get me to go on a cruise for so long, she absolutely loves people watching.

[genet313]

This is a pretty simple equation - different cruise lines cater to different income levels.  There are cruise lines where the ships are small and designed for a true luxury experience (Oceania, Crystal, Seabourne).   And they are $$$.

There are other cruises that cater to the masses and are much more affordable (Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian).

Like almost all things in life, there are affordable options and luxury options and a range of things in between.

[msmerymac]

Jan 28, 2014 7:57:12 GMT -5 v said:

Well, Paul Gauguin or Cunard likely draws a different crowd from Princess or Carnival.

But if you're talking about the big, mass-market companies common among American travelers, then (like all-inclusive resorts), cruises tend to be seen as a very economical/easy/all-you-can-eat way to travel so I think they tend to attract the middle class, looking-for-bang-for-their-buck crowd rather than the luxury travel crowd.

I agree with this, mostly because my dad looooooves cruising, and he's very cheap... I mean, er, um, he likes to get his money's worth. 

When we went on the Alaskan cruise, my husband and I met one of his former colleagues for lunch before we boarded. We boarded at around 1:30. I told my husband that a lot of people would have gotten on the ship earlier and then would have gone and had lunch in the buffet or whatever for "free" rather than eating before getting on the ship, so they could get their money's worth. Personally, we would have rather experienced another restaurant in Seattle before boarding, which is what we did. Come to find out, boarding early to eat "free" lunch is EXACTLY what my dad did, and I was all, "See?!"

But I will say, you can also spend a LOT of money on a cruise. You can pay for photo packages, dining upgrades, expensive excursions (private helicopter rides), and of course suites/room upgrades. We did a massage as well, and the spa packages aren't cheap. It's actually one of the more annoying things about cruises. Even though food and basic drinks and entertainment are included, I feel like they're always hitting you up for more on the lower-end American lines. Perhaps with Cunard that wouldn't be an issue. 

You also have to understand that cruises are an easy way to get from A to B to C. So for people who are older or have mobility issues, or aren't comfortable planning their own travel, or aren't comfortable using public transit or cabs or trains to get around, the ship just takes you from place to place. You travel with a lot of other travelers who are more or less similar to you, so you don't really have to immerse yourself in a foreign culture or - and I don't mean to be offensive here - be really intellectually curious about staying among people who are NOT like you or making your way through a strange city, unlike booking your own flights, hotels and ground transportation in, say, the Yucutan or the Greek Islands or whatever. On the flip side, it's a really convenient way to get to certain places. Especially southeast Alaska, much of which is only accessible by sea or air. 

[mbcdefg]

I've never been on a cruise, but I worked for one of the ports a few years ago and checked in the passengers before they boarded. It seemed like a pretty wide variety of income levels.

It's also the only place where I've seen an Amex Black Card.

[Marmee]

The family members who cruise in my family are working class people (think unions) that were successful. They are not poor by any stretch but not highly educated or super worldly. So I think they see cruising as a vacation where they can see a bit of the world but don't have to plan/stress over it too much. They are older & they don't dress like People of WalMart but sure, I could see a visor & fanny pack being in the mix. Lol

[doobeedoo]

Jan 28, 2014 10:07:04 GMT -5 @booby said:

i haven't been on a cruise but have been plenty of places where there are cruise ports and i definitely get the 'walmart' vibe from a large proportion of cruisers. usually it's the senor frogs t shirts and fanny packs. but you can see a lot of that at many AIs too.

let's just say that i have seen a lot more walmart in cruise passengers and AI dwellers from the cheaper areas (cuba, DR) than you do in places like turks and caicos or st barts. but this is to be expected. so, i guess i agree with the article somewhat, but am confused as to why this is revelation-terriotry.

I agree with this, but unless you frequently cruise or visit AIs in cheaper Carribbean islands, how would you know?

IME, cruises on the major lines noted (Carnival, etc.) are like floating Jimmy Buffett concerts.