Welcome to the new culture of consumption, represented in its fullest by, amongst others, the modern cruise ship. It is a culture of access and expense, all in the pursuit of luxury and most importantly, FUN. The major theme behind cruise ship vacations is just this, to pay for the experience of travel, of seeing new and interesting geographical regions, but with the added bonus (and expense) of leisure in a controlled and pampered environment.

This idea began with the decadence of the wealthy travelers’ voyages abroad early trans-Atlantic ocean liners such as the Titanic, but the cruise ship as it is understood in today popular culture can most accurately be traced to the early 1970’s, the era of The Love Boat and the first of the baby boomer generation looking for getaway ideas. The greatest leap however, in the popularity and cultural ramifications of cruises had happened in the last 10 years, with the advent of “symbolic economies,” and their emphasis on luxury, entertainment and leisure.

It was not until this modern form of conspicuous consumption became a particularly American reality that cruise ships came to have the cultural implications that they do today. This can be seen not only in cruise ships—the cultural and spatial realities of this new economy can easily be shown through modern casinos, amusement parks, shopping malls and themed restaurants.

Sources:

Ritzer, George. "Enchanting a Disenchanted World: Revolutionizing the Means of Consumption."