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Author

Topic: When was your first Cruise?

joe at travelpage
Administrator
Member # 622

posted 08-12-1999 05:58 PM

It seems we have quite a variety of people on the board. It might be interesting to see which of you was the first to take a cruise or cross an ocean.

Tell us what year you took your first cruise and the name of the ship you sailed on. Your age at the time might be interesting as well.

Joe at TravelPage.com

Posts: 29976 | From: Great Falls, Virginia | Registered: A Long Time Ago!

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 08-12-1999 06:13 PM

First cruise was on the Volendam in 1981 - for our 25th anniversary- very young.
Re picture - Now that is an ocean liner. What is the name of it?

[This message has been edited by sympatico (edited 08-12-99).]

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99

CTrail
First Class Passenger
Member # 64

posted 08-12-1999 06:40 PM

My wife's first cruise was on the QE2, 1958, she dosen't remember much, she was only one year old.

Carryoncarryingon :-)

Posts: 332 | From: Kitchener, ON Canada | Registered: Apr 99

corinne at travelpage
First Class Passenger
Member # 537

posted 08-12-1999 07:48 PM

My first cruise was my honeymoon in 1990 with Joe (the ship nut). We sailed transatlantic on QE2 in Princess Grill class -- and I was forever hooked (both husband and cruising). Now we take our 3 yr old and 5 yr old kids with us - and they love it too. This summer we took the Cape May-Lewes Ferry and when we got on deck our 3 yr. old said "Let's go to our Cabin" and when told that we did not have a cabin she asked "Are we going to have to sleep on deck?" Joe was beside himself with pride.

Posts: 48 | Registered: A Long Time Ago!

Bailey
Just Boarded
Member # 31

posted 08-12-1999 08:36 PM

Our first cruise was in 1993 on the Majesty of the Seas. I was 35 and I was hooked. We have managed to take a cruise every other year now, with our son who is 10. His first cruise was on Carnival's Festivale when he was 6. He saw the Majesty in the port of San Juan and when we told him that was the ship we had previously sailed all he could talk about was the next cruise and how it would have to be on that big one! Needless to say, we planned it on the airplane on the way home!

Posts: 4 | From: Houston, TX | Registered: Aug 99

Green
First Class Passenger
Member # 171

posted 08-12-1999 09:12 PM

My first ship experience was when I was about 3 years old. With my Mother and I travelled from Stranraer, Scotland, to Larne, Ireland. The North Channel of the Irish Sea or perhaps the North Atlantic Ð IÕm not sure . It was an overnight trip and (IÕm told) extremely rough. Mother was so sick that our Cabin Stewardess had to look after me - all I really remember is that her name was Peggy and she fed me ice cream!
The next experience was in May 1939 Ð we sailed from Greenock, Scotland to Montreal on the R.M.S. Duchess of Richmond. I know for sure that I was very sick for the first couple of days on that trip! Our return to Scotland in August that same year was on the R.M.S. Duchess of York from Montreal. I beleive both ships were sunk during the war. I really think thatÕs when I got my sea legs! Since then IÕve crossed the Atlantic many times and never again been sick. The most recent crossing was on the Rotterdam V1 this April. Ships have certainly changed since those days.
My husband also loves the sea and we thoroughly enjoy Holland America Line - over the last 20 years I guess we've cruised on all the 'dam' ships - this November it's going to be the Statendam.

Posts: 2913 | From: Markham, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 99

Green
First Class Passenger
Member # 171

posted 08-12-1999 09:14 PM

On reading over my post, notice a few typos - please excuse.

Posts: 2913 | From: Markham, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 99

DAMBROSI
First Class Passenger
Member # 100

posted 08-12-1999 11:06 PM

Thank you for the pic of the QUEEN
MARY to start this with. My first
cruise was in May 1981, on the
SS DOLPHIN, when it was with the
PAQUEST/ULYSSES LINE. I won't forget my first taste of chocolate
mousse, nor has it been my last.
I was 21, and with cruises number
41 and 42 coming up, i don't see
any let up soon. WE LOVE CRUISING.

Posts: 2554 | From: Florida, USA, Where the Legend SS NORWAY sailed from. Moving back to FL next yr. | Registered: May 99

scotto
First Class Passenger
Member # 766

posted 08-12-1999 11:23 PM

My first cruise was in September 1980 on Carnival's Festivale. I was amazed at how good a time I had and how the whole ship was full of camaraderie. Looking back on it, the ship would be considered 'obsolete' by today's megaship standards, but certainly the memory of it isn't obsolete. I was about 30 at the time. Say what you will about Carnival, but that cruise hooked me on cruising.

Posts: 28 | From: florida | Registered: Mar 99

Barryboat
First Class Passenger
Member # 33

posted 08-12-1999 11:54 PM

Being an ocean liner and cruise ship enthusiast since 1977, it was long overdue, but my first cruise was on the Caribe I in 1984, now the Regal Empress. It was a very short cruise though...only from St Thomas to San Juan, and I was a stow-away. First trans-Atlantic was on the QE-2 in 1987 (I paid for this cruise).

[This message has been edited by Barryboat (edited 08-17-99).]

Posts: 1851 | From: Bloomington, Minnesota (Home to the Mall of America) | Registered: Mar 99

MagnmPI
First Class Passenger
Member # 299

posted 08-13-1999 12:07 AM

1980 on Sitmars's Fairwind in the Caribbean. I was 10.

[This message has been edited by MagnmPI (edited 08-13-99).]

Posts: 545 | From: San Francisco Bay Area | Registered: Aug 99

mrblanche
First Class Passenger
Member # 714

posted 08-13-1999 08:12 AM

Our first cruise was purely accidental. Oh, we'd been fans of "Love Boat," just like tens of millions of other people, but we always thought it was too expensive, not our style, etc.

But things change. We went to work driving a truck as a team. Hey, we moved to Arkansas, and after 6 months of enjoying Bill Clinton's economy there, we had to do something to pay the bills, even though I'd sworn I'd never drive a truck again.

By 1993, we'd been in every state in the contiguous U.S. Dottie (my wife) had lived in Nome, Alaska, as a child when her dad was stationed there in the Army. So the only state we couldn't claim was Hawaii. When we were approaching the end of our first year at our current company, in 1993, we decided to go to Hawaii. I told Dottie to contact a travel agent and get some info on it. We received a stack of brochures, and one evening Dottie was looking through them.

"THIS is what I want to do!" she suddenly shouted.

"What, what?" I asked.

"There's a cruise around the Hawaiian islands, and since we don't know where we want to visit or what we want to see, let's do this!"

"OK, call the agent and book it tomorrow!" I replied.

And she did. She booked us for a week on the dear departed Constitution.

We knew nothing much about cruising and approached it with some trepidation, but by the end of the week, Dottie was so in love with it that I thought I would have to fill her up with Mai Tais and use a wheelbarrow to get her off that ship!

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Posts: 308 | From: Cedar Hill, TX | Registered: Aug 99

Gerry
First Class Passenger
Member # 168

posted 08-13-1999 09:44 AM

My first taste was on a "cruising" ferry on the river Mersey when I was 2. I went to sea when I was 16 in 1978 and have been cruising ever since (37 now). Mind you I've never paid for any of them .......

Posts: 315 | From: Miami, Florida, (originally from UK) | Registered: Jun 99

Cruiselvr
First Class Passenger
Member # 96

posted 08-13-1999 09:53 AM

My first cruise was in 1994 as a belated honeymoon (we were married in 1990). We cruised on Celebrity's Zenith to the Western Caribbean and fell in love with cruising immediately. Originally we were going to go to Hawaii as my husband had no interest in cruising, but I managed to convince him that a cruise was not only less expensive in the long run, but that it would be much more relaxing. Fortunately, I wasn't wrong and we're now planning our 6th cruise with our 5th already booked!

Posts: 34 | Registered: Apr 99

moocow
First Class Passenger
Member # 712

posted 08-13-1999 10:47 AM

My first cruise was with my husband. We took a 3 day cruise on the Carnival Carnivale in 1988. My husband was sick with the flu the whole time. We are now planning our 2nd cruise with NCL on the Norwegian Sea for October 31st. So with all the years that have passed this really feels like our first cruise. We are so exicited.

Posts: 13 | From: Conroe, Texas USA | Registered: Jul 99

Patrick
First Class Passenger
Member # 364

posted 08-13-1999 01:23 PM

My first cruise started on 22 Agust 1985 with Black Sea Shipping Company´s TARAS SHEVCHENKO. That time, the ship was under charter to Germany´s Touropa Seereisen (TUI) and a very good quality of this ship (such as on all Russian / Ukrainian ships that time) was a very high comfort with excellent service at a very modest price. Luxury lines like Cunard or Hapag Lloyd for example were too expensive and the cheap lines like Costa, Chandris or Intercruise for example could not yet offer the same comfort level like the Russians.
As well the itinerary was a nice one. Out of Rotterdam we went to Leningrad, Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Calais, Dover and back to Rotterdam.
And the ship is still sailing under its original name. Even though the image of BLASCO might not be a good one for many people, and the conditions changed a lot today, I´d not hesitate one second to go back onboard and sail with them.

Posts: 1680 | From: OSC Luxembourg | Registered: Nov 98

vanman
First Class Passenger
Member # 819

posted 08-13-1999 02:27 PM

Our first cruise was on the Sky Princess from San Francisco roundtrip Alaska in 1992.
Have been cruising ever since twice yearly.
Van from Texas (20 cruises world-wide)

Posts: 18 | From: El Paso, Texas, USA | Registered: Jul 99

Jamman
First Class Passenger
Member # 197

posted 08-13-1999 02:42 PM

My first cruise was on Carnival's Holiday in 1985. That hooked me! I was 30 at the time.

Posts: 17 | From: Somerset, NJ, USA | Registered: Jul 99

10X
First Class Passenger
Member # 2

posted 08-13-1999 02:43 PM

My first cruise was in the fall of 1989. I won the cruise as first prize in a pistol match. We were on the Caribe I to the western Caribbean. We asked for a got a table for 2 and enjoyed ourselves immensely. We were hooked. We set up a separate savings account for future cruises and saved money from each paycheck. We were able to go again in 1992 (Mexican Riviera) 1996 (southern caribbean, Barbados route), and 1999 (southern caribbean,Aruba route). I retired in 1997 and took another job and with the extra income we now plan to go annually. We are repeating the western caribbean in 2000, Tahiti in 2001, and Hawaii in 2002. I'm open for suggestions after that.

Posts: 51 | From: Lansing, MI USA | Registered: Mar 99

Paddy
First Class Passenger
Member # 357

posted 08-13-1999 03:23 PM

My first real cruise was only in 1997 on the Airtours Seawing when I was 13 and ever since I eat, sleep, and drink cruises, even though there was a howling gale and I was as sick as a dog sailing from Palma to Roms

Posts: 763 | From: Belfast, Ireland | Registered: Aug 99

corinne at travelpage
First Class Passenger
Member # 537

posted 08-13-1999 03:34 PM

Barryboat...How did you "stow-away"?

Posts: 48 | Registered: A Long Time Ago!

MagnmPI
First Class Passenger
Member # 299

posted 08-13-1999 06:13 PM

Yeah Barryboat, that sounds like a great story!

Posts: 545 | From: San Francisco Bay Area | Registered: Aug 99

Shipshape Shipmate
First Class Passenger
Member # 422

posted 08-14-1999 12:36 AM

My first shipboard experience was in 1974 on the old France crossing from LeHavre to New York. I subsequently crossed on her as the Norway in 1981. I found her cuisine as the France superb but her decor as the Norway more pleasing to the eye. In 1983 my mother and I crossed on the Q.E. 2, (the first of 20 crossings) from Southampton to New York. I met my future husband on the Q.E. 2 on a crossing in 1988; we were engaged one year later on the Q.E. 2 and have made several "anni-
versary" crossings since. This year we are about to embark on ships of two companies with which we have not yet sailed: HAL's Maasdam and Radisson's Seven Seas Navigator.

Posts: 26 | From: Boston, MA | Registered: Mar 99

jeff
First Class Passenger
Member # 614

posted 08-14-1999 05:28 AM

my first cruise was aboard the "nieuw amsterdam" back in 1988 from vancouver to L.A. for a 5 day repo. that was the cruise i met my a friend now boyfriend and we've kept on cruis'in, that's when i was 24....jeff

Posts: 180 | From: vancouver,b.c.,canada | Registered: Jun 99

sabine
First Class Passenger
Member # 759

posted 08-14-1999 09:59 AM

Apart from several forgettable ferry crossings over the English Channel, I got married to an Australian in England and instead of a honeymoon we returned to Sydney via the U.S. in 1968, cruising from L.A. via Honolulu, Japan, Hongkong and Manila on the old P & O "Arcadia". At that time, it was still a 2-class ship, with everybody trying to squeeze their deckchairs into the meagre deck area at the back, whilst a handful of first class passengers sat indoors sipping the cocktails we couldn't afford then. I remember trying to do some washing and wondering why the soap powder didn't last - they used seawater in the tubs at the bottom of the ship - and getting seasick the moment the ship sailed. Also people had to be married to share cabins in those days - and the bathrooms were forever "engaged" with couples catching up on a bit of "snogging" as the English called it. I am glad ships are all one-class now and am still enjoying cruising.

Posts: 32 | From: Bella Vista NSW Australia | Registered: Jun 99

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