Cruising through liquid modernity

Abstract

In this article, we try to make sense of the history of leisure cruising and of recent cruise product and marketing developments by interpreting them in the light of Zygmunt Bauman's concepts of solid and liquid modernity. Our aim is to understand the influence of liquid modernity on the coevolution of cruise demand and supply. We suggest that liquid modernity was a precondition for the cruise sector to grow out of its tiny elitist niche and to become the global business it is today, and that cruise tourism is a manifestation of liquid modernity.

‘In a rush’: Time-space compression and its impacts on cruise excursions

“…The spatial shrinking of our planet through globalization has resulted in a 'global village' (Harvey, 1990: 240) and an increased interdependence between people and places (Mowforth and Munt, 2009: 4). The time-space paths of individuals are desynchronised leading to more consumer segmentation of travel products, a 'compression of eternity' (Vogel and Oschmann, 2013) where time is speeded up (Harvey, 1990;Urry, 1995). For example, in places for mass-consumption or 'playscapes' (Junemo, 2004), such as theme parks, shopping malls and cruise liners (Baumann, 2000;Urry, 1995), 'the world's geography can be experienced as a simulacrum' (Harvey, 1990: 300) that enhances nostalgia (Vogel and Oschmann, 2013) and the feeling of being transported somewhere else (Baumann, 2000: 98).…”

#tableforone: exploring representations of dining out alone on Instagram

“…Within this liquid modernity, social cohesion is replaced by disintegration, tight communities by loosely coupled networks, and solidarity by individualization. Moreover, rather than an establishment of traditions and routines, there is an on-going melting of social structures, communication habits, and personal and work relationships (Vogel and Oschmann 2013). Campbell (2013) argued that the liquefying of institutions and ethical boundaries (e.g., laws, limits, and rules) has been necessary as many of their consequences were profoundly unjust, entrenched with inequality and hierarchy.…”

Selling cruises: Gender and mobility in promotional brochures

“…Generally speaking, major companies, such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruises, highly diversify their cruises in order to reach different targets (cf. Dickinson and Vladimir, 2007;Vogel and Oschmann, 2013). In most cases, the ships, shipboard attractions and shore excursions are designed to activate passengers, particularly by offering them the possibility to engage in a number of activities, from highly dynamic ones (such as water slides) to relatively static ones (sitting in a hall and watching a show).…”

“…Most probably, this is due to the need to emphasise their earnestness, but on a subtler level, this narrative helps in forging a divide between the client and the staff (cf. Vogel and Oschmann, 2013). The client is free to be a sexualised subject and to dream of sexualised subjects, while the staff are assumed to be 'external' to this sphere, being merely made up of 'servants' willing to move in order to satisfy the needs and desires of the clients.…”