Have used the "kill the crab in the flare" method from the 146, 320, 733 and the 744 and have NEVER worked anywhere where landing crabbed has been seen as acceptable. Yes, the aircraft are designed to handle it, but it was not viewed as an acceptable landing technique.
Imo the fact that x-wind landings seems to provoke some trepidation is from a lack of exposure prior to airline flying. Where I'm from most pilots have had a reasonable amount of experience from light twins to turbo-props compared to today, with a larger number of pilots coming through cadet schemes then straight onto jets, add the attitude that training is a cost and this is where we end up; pilots feeling knots in their stomachs when faced with x-winds.
It certainly isn't a lack of ability, but training / experience / exposure.