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Reiseberichte - CARNIVAL TRIUMPH, Fun Cruise


CARNIVAL TRIUMPH 2003
Fun Cruise - Kreuzfahrt-Spaß in der Karibik auf amerikanisch.
by Earl of Cruise
CARNIVAL zielt mit seinen Fun-Schiffen auf die untere und obere Mittelschicht der USA. Deren Mitglieder wollen in kurzer Zeit viel Spaß haben und viel erleben. Für uns Europäer sind "ganze" 11 Tage Urlaub kaum vorstellbar.
Man braucht schon einen gewissen "Amerika Enthusiasmus", um dieses Spaßkonzept als Europäer zu verkraften ... besonders vor dem Beginn des 3.Irak Krieges der USA, unter George W. Bush ...
Wir Europäer an Bord der CARNIVAL TRIUMPH wurden argwöhnisch von den mitreisenden etwa 3.200 US Amerikanern beäugt. Teilweise wurden wir auch ganz im Stil von Donald Rumsfeld negativ angesprochen. Einem Zeitgenossen musste man erklären, das ein amerikanischer Nationalheld, General von Steuben, im Grunde ein preußischer, deutscher, Militär und Adliger war, welcher zusammen mit einem anderen Helden, auch noch Franzose!, Lafayette, eigentlich Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis La Fayette, einem gewissen George Washington die ungeordnete Siedler Armee organisierten damit sie ihre Kolonialherren, die Briten, in Unabhägigkeitskrieg überhaupt besiegen konnten.

Joe Farcus war lange als Chef Designer für die Ausstattung der CARNIVAL Fun-Cruiser zuständig. Was er an Bord schuf, ist etwas, dass der angestrebten Zielklientel, "lower american middle class", auf den Schiffen Luxus suggeriert oder vorspielt. Es ist sehr viel Plastik verbaut, Farbe verteilt worden. Von dem verwendeten "Stil Mixer" einmal abgesehen ... In unserer Kabine fanden wir dann alle Schattierungen von Pink vor. Ganz so, als ob sich ein Flamingo etwas zu viel Futter gegönnt, und es bei der ersten Schiffsbewegung nicht mehr bis zur Reeling zum "Fische Füttern" geschafft hatte ...
Dagegen hat Las Vegas "Stil".
Bei den auch auf CARNIVAL Schiffen angebotenen Gala Diners konnte man beobachten, wie einige Gäste ganz im Stil der ehemaligen TV Serie LOVE BOAT gekleidet hatten - Rüschenhemden, Schlaghosen, ausladende Kragen ... Ein 70ties Revival der besonderen Art. Nicht uncharmant!
Erschreckend war für uns Europäer allerdings der nationalisische Patriotismus der US Bürger, die durch die Busch Administration und die Presse den bevorstehenden Irak Krieg "verherrlichte". Man war zuweilen geneigt an den Enthusiasmus der Menschen zu denken, welche zu Beginn des 1.Weltkrieges Blumen in die Gewehreläufe steckten ... Vielleicht war es aber ein Pfeifen im Walde ... 
Wir alle kennen das Ergebnis ...
Wer sich von stündlichen Verkaufsdurchsagen, Bargain Ankündigungen, US amerikanischem Snobismus, dummen Fragen ("Habt ihr in Europa Strom? Man sieht keine Leitungen ... und ähnlichem), untertemperierten Speisen, fehlenden Weinen, überfreundlichem "Hi Guys!", "Have Fun!", "Freeze Frame"[1], etc. nicht abschrecken lässt, kann mit CARNIVAL schöne Destinationen entdecken.

[1]  hier: eingeforenes Lächeln, das sofort verschwindet, wendet man sich ab

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