Family, memory, and the mixed pleasures of a budget cruise

“But it’s the Walmart of cruises!”

That’s the first line of Elise’s funny and bittersweet reflection on the giant floating mid-range hotels of the sea: Carnival Cruises. Through her own memories and critical reflections, she unspools a beautiful essay on time together and class.

Here’s a teaser: “The thing about cruises is they make a particular idea of luxury—one that defines it as a consumer free-for-all—feel accessible. It’s similar to the feeling behind our love for mid-range hotels. We all seek a sense of comfort and security, and increasingly, for working to middle class Americans, comfort and security have been more a luxury than a reality.”

You can read all of “Floating Hotels & The Possibility of the Greatest Family Vacation Ever” on Substack.