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Topic: What made you choose your first cruise?

gizmo
First Class Passenger
Member # 972

posted 04-30-2000 06:11 PM

I know a lot of you cruised as children and you got hooked , but for others I was wondering what made you choose a cruise vacation.
My answer is easy. I won the cruise by throwing a paper airplane at a car, in between periods at a hockey game. It was 7 days on the Norway and was fantastic.

Posts: 686 | From: Kennesaw Ga. (origianlly from Philly) | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 04-30-2000 07:22 PM

My husband was in the Canadian Navy Reserve while in University in the early '50's and always wanted to go on a cruise - he loved the sea. As our 25th wedding anniversary was approaching he gave me the choice of a fur coat or a cruise. I took the fur coat as we live in cold Canada and thought the cruise would come and go but with the coat I would always have - still do and also I had a fear of being seasick. A couple of months later he decided he still wanted to go on a cruise. I had talked to a gal who had just come back from the Volendam and was raving about it, so I got the best of both worlds, the cruise and the fur coat! I have a lot of fond memories of our 33 cruises together.

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

gizmo
First Class Passenger
Member # 972

posted 05-01-2000 03:06 PM

sympatico,
You sure did get the best of both worlds.

Posts: 686 | From: Kennesaw Ga. (origianlly from Philly) | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

eliz
Just Boarded
Member # 1212

posted 05-01-2000 04:34 PM

Actually, I didn't really choose my first cruise. I was 8 years old when we sailed out of New York to move to Colombia, South America (I believe it was called the Grace Line, and the ship the Santa Maria). My father was with Standard Oil at the time and had taken a new position in Barrancabermeja, the "oil capital" (at least then) of Colombia. I can vividly remember so many details of that first ship and the excitement I felt. We arrived in Cartagena on my 9th birthday. I've loved being on the sea ever since and would cruise several times a year if it were up to me. I'm hoping to get back to Cartagena on a 10 day southern Caribbean cruise someday. It's almost impossible to imagine what has happened to that beautiful country since my family lived there. I always thought I would be able to go back and take my children but cruising into Cartagena will be the only way. I've had the opportunity to cruise several times in the past few years with my family, as well as my parents and siblings. We all love it!! Last year it was the Grand Princess, next January the Millennium. None of us can wait!!!!

Posts: 7 | From: Illinois | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

Mary Ann
First Class Passenger
Member # 317

posted 05-01-2000 10:26 PM

We're going on our first cruise this summer for our 25th anniversary. We considered a tour of Europe, but after considering riding in a bus or train for hours and having to switch hotels almost every day, a cruise seemed the perfect solution. No cramped buses or trains and no switching hotels! Then came the really hard part - deciding which cruise line and which destination. In the end after much research, we decided that HAL fit our tastes best. Weighing costs, destination, and cabins, we decided for a mini-suite on the new Zaandam in the Caribbean.
I think that ever since I saw Love Boat on TV, I have hoped to take a cruise one day but considered it too expensive. With the celebration of our 25th anniversary as an event worth going into debt for, it became a possibility.
Now, after booking more than a year ahead of time, we now have 102 days left and counting! I'm pretty sure we're hooked as we've already talked about when we might take a second cruise!

Posts: 32 | From: Texas, USA | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged

Guest
First Class Passenger
Member # 1157

posted 05-01-2000 10:34 PM

My parents had booked us (family of 4) on a 11 night cruise on the Cunard Crown Monarch. The cruise was from Darwin to Sydney and this was to be my first cruise. However the Crown Monarch was de commissioned. Cunard Crown told us that the company's flagship - QE2, would be coming to Australia in February of that year and that we should consider taking a family voyage on her. My Dad booked this cruise, a 6 night voyage from Auckland to Sydney in February of 1995.

He came home that night and when he told us we were going on the QE2 my Mum did not believe him, and I almost died o excitement. I started my cruising career with the best of all time!

QE2 has been my favorite ship form that cruise!

Posts: 1888 | From: Earth | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged

mrblanche
First Class Passenger
Member # 714

posted 05-01-2000 11:01 PM

Funny story. As truckers, we had been in all 48 of the mainland states. My wife had lived in Alaska as a child. So, the only state we hadn't seen was Hawaii.

When it came close to vacation time in 1993, we started talking about going to Hawaii, but we didn't know just how to go about seeing what we wanted to see. My wife called a travel agent in the infamous Mena, AR, and she sent us a stack of brochures. Somewhere in that stack was a brochure for American Hawaii Cruises. My wife said, "Hey, I think this looks like a good idea!" I said, "Book it, Danno!"

As the time drew nearer, she was afraid she might have made a mistake. However, by the end of 7 days aboard that ship (the dear departed Constitution), I thought I was going to have to get her drunk and use a wheelbarrow to get her off the ship!

And the rest, as they say, is history.

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

LizKiddo
First Class Passenger
Member # 1167

posted 05-02-2000 01:14 AM

December 2, 1999 - My boss calls in sick...and goes on long term disability.

March 1, 2000 - My boss tells us he is not coming back.

In between those dates and since then, I have been covering the western region of our company alone. The "powers that be" granted me a week of back vacation and I had a choice of going to my brother's house and babysitting the nephew or cruising...

Catalina and Ensenada on Carnival's MS Holiday was a wonderfully relaxing break...

Posts: 33 | From: Pasadena, CA, USA | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged

PC
First Class Passenger
Member # 1191

posted 05-02-2000 01:17 AM

My mother brought me on a 4 or 5 day trip from Tokyo to Hong Kong in 1954 on a liner called Vietnam. The seas were so rough, I spent almost all days in the room sick in bed. In 1960, I took a 7000 ton freighter called City of Colombo of Ellerman Lines from Tokyo to London, then an old Liberty type freighter of American President Lines from London to Boston, to begin university. Those two trips took two months, stopping at many ports on the way, and as a young man, I learned about life from the crew and their shore excurstions. It wasn't until 1993 that I took a real cruise vacation on an Abercrombie & Kent arranged Nile River cruise of about 7 days. This type of cruise is very relaxing as the pace is slow. Luckily no terrorists to shoot up or kidnap tourists then.

Since then, I've been on the Crystal Harmony in South America, Royal Princess in the Baltic area, and twice on QE 2 from Sydney to Hong Kong, and HK to Tokyo. Ship voyages and cruising leave such distinct memories. What next? From all that I've read on this site, I'd like to try the Norway, and then a RTW cruise on the QE 2, and of course, the new Queen Mary when it comes out.

Posts: 102 | From: Hong Kong, SAR | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged

Elizabeth
First Class Passenger
Member # 142

posted 05-02-2000 04:35 AM

We tried to book a plane to the US and our travel agent said the flights around that date were all booked out. We saw an ad in the paper for the QE2 for the same time so we thought, why not? It was the best decision we ever made!! We have cruised ever since.

Posts: 177 | From: New England Region N.S.W. Australia | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Mercy
First Class Passenger
Member # 322

posted 05-02-2000 11:42 AM

I LOVE all your stories!
Mary Ann... My husband and I are also celebrating our 25th Anniversary in June! Ours is June 14, 1975.
My husband and I dated in High School. Way back then, he always said his dream was to go on a cruise. Our first cruise wasn't until 3 years ago. We finally got our kids raised and had enough money in the bank. Mr. Mercy wanted to go to Mexico. We live on the West Coast. The only ship going to Mexico for a seven day cruise at that time was the Jubilee. I knew from the moment I stepped on the ship, that this wasn't the LUXURY liner I imagined.But we had a wonderful time and made some good friends that we still keep in touch with. As soon as I got home, I cut a slit in a BIG popcorn can and taped a picture of a ship on the front and called it my "Cruise Fund". We were back on a ship in 6 months. Our next ship was Celebrity's Mercury. Now THIS is what I imagined a cruise ship should look like. I am going on my 5th cruise in a few weeks and we are booked for our 6th in Jan.2001. Not bad for three years! It's such and exciting time right now in the cruise industry. All the new ships! So many ships, not enough time! Or money

Posts: 697 | From: Stanwood, Wa. USA | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

Ascendancy
First Class Passenger
Member # 840

posted 05-02-2000 02:23 PM

We booked our first cruise because my brother asked us to go with him. Cruising is so much fun when travelling with friends and relatives. We cruised the Monarch of the Seas and this hooked us big time.

Posts: 354 | From: Aurora, CO | Registered: Oct 1999 | IP: Logged

K&K
First Class Passenger
Member # 1040

posted 05-02-2000 02:48 PM

My wife and I met at a dance in the seventh grade and remained friends until high school when we began dating. We married just before our third year in college. As we vowed not to be a poor as we perceived our parents. I was tring to make my mark in the business world. I was working 6-7 days a week about 14-16 hours a day as I was a pretty naive newly wed I did not notice her yearning to travel or just go somewhere and relax. It was our fifth wedding aniversary, our daughter was just two so the grandparents got to keep her (both sets split the time) I came home from work one day and she had bought tickets on the song of norway (prior to being extended). Well the boss had spoken, I went dragging my feet! It was and continues to be the best vacation for us. Now I drag her. We will be married 27 years on june 23.

Kevin

Posts: 446 | From: Sandpoint,Idaho,USA | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

nathan
First Class Passenger
Member # 720

posted 05-02-2000 03:10 PM

When I was 8, I put a bumper sticker on my Dad's car from a local radio station. He didn't know it was on there, and was driving around town, and a van from the radio station spotted him and the sticker. After some convincing, he pulled over, and won a t-shirt. But, his name was then placed in a drawing for a one week cruise on the TSS Carnivale. As luck would have it, his name was drawn, and, as the one resposible for defacing his car, he took me.

Posts: 534 | From: Knoxville, Tennessee | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged

K&K
First Class Passenger
Member # 1040

posted 05-02-2000 05:37 PM

Nathan; The best one so far I think!

Posts: 446 | From: Sandpoint,Idaho,USA | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Mary Ann
First Class Passenger
Member # 317

posted 05-02-2000 09:44 PM

Mercy-
Congratulations on your 25th! It is quite an accomplishment in this day, and we plan to celebrate it to the fullest on the Zaandam on August 13. You beat us by several years in getting the children out of the house - our youngest is just finishing up her first year in college. Since she got a full tuition scholarship for four years, that frees us up to start cruising - yeh!!!

Posts: 32 | From: Texas, USA | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged

Mercy
First Class Passenger
Member # 322

posted 05-03-2000 08:42 AM

Mary Ann... Thanks! Remember, if 50% of marriages end in divorce, that means fifty percent don't! Congradulations to you too! My kids aren't out of the house yet. They are both in college, and commute from home. They have been on two cruises. With my husband and myself and my mother and me. They are old enough now where we feel comfortable going away. They each got to go on a cruise for a high school graduation present. Have a great time on your cruise!

Posts: 697 | From: Stanwood, Wa. USA | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

jal33406
First Class Passenger
Member # 603

posted 05-03-2000 08:48 PM

We wanted to do something special for our 25th anniversary (this was in 1979), so we booked on NCL's SKYWARD. That cruise got us hooked forever. We did SOUTHWARD the next year. Now, after 45 very happy years, we have 15 cruises behind us and are looking forward to many more. Just got back from a wonderful 14 day trans-Canal on MERCURY.
John

Posts: 35 | From: West Palm Beach FL USA | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 05-04-2000 05:49 PM

I fortunately got hooked at the age of 11.
My parents were Europe bound to see family
and friends. We sailed on the Nieuw Amster-
dam [1938] eastbound and returned two months
later on thr Ryndam [1951]. I was hooked
from the first day and that hasn't changed
after all these years.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

KruzinKat
First Class Passenger
Member # 260

posted 05-04-2000 07:05 PM

Twenty-fifth anniversaries must be one of the most popular times to begin cruising! That's when Renegade4 and I took our first cruise - on RCCL's Majesty of the Seas. We were hooked on our first look at her, even before we boarded! We, too, wanted to do something special and, as we both love the ocean, a cruise seemed like just the thing. We'd only been taking ballroom dancing for a short while, too, and were thrilled that we could actually find other dancers to enjoy our evenings with. This year we celebrate our 30th - but, unfortunately, have to wait until September for the cruise. At least R4 gets to celebrate his birthday at sea, though! (He was 22 when we married - you do the math!)

KruzinKat

Posts: 101 | From: Kingston, MA USA | Registered: Jun 99 | IP: Logged

cruznut6
First Class Passenger
Member # 543

posted 05-05-2000 12:33 PM

Threat of Divorce!!

)) . Actually, my wife and I watched our parents work hard and
sacrifice, hoping to enjoy their golden years after retirement. Unfortunately both of my parents and my wife's mother passed away within 2 years. We both realized that life offers zero guarantees, so we decided to enjoy life now, as well as planning ahead.
Cruising has made our lives so much richer and has allowed us to meet many wonderful people. I don't want this to get too sappy, but cruising really "floats my boat"!

Happy Sailing!

cruznut6

Posts: 161 | From: Mount Laurel, NJ, USA | Registered: Apr 99 | IP: Logged

Janine
Just Boarded
Member # 1103

posted 05-05-2000 11:16 PM

I had earned a lot of membership points with AMEX becuase I was traveling all the time for work. I was saving up the points with no real thought as to what to use them for.

As luck had it, my company told all employees we couldn't get membership points anymore. I had 1 year to use the points. I looked at how many I had and what I could get. Luckily I qualified for cruise for 2.

I just returned from a 4 night cruise on the Nodric Empress to the Carribean. Took a good friend and had a blast

Posts: 8 | From: Cedar Rapids, IA, USA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

JDCasey
First Class Passenger
Member # 1065

posted 05-07-2000 09:13 AM

In 1934, my Grandmother (who came to this country in steerage) took my Mother back to old country. The result was tails of the crossings being fed to me with my pablum. Seriously, my mother impressed me with the thought, "The most beautiful sight in the world, for an American, is the Statue of Liberty from sea". To reward ourselves for surviving a particularly hard year, My wife and I took ourselves on a seven days cruise on the old Home lines Oceanic out of New York.

Mother was right.

Posts: 48 | From: New Jersey, USA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

hooked on cruising
First Class Passenger
Member # 1221

posted 05-15-2000 02:41 PM

cruznut6 My husband and I cruised for the same reason you did. We had a friend who died at the age of 42 leaving behind a husband and two kids the same age as our two. Then my father in law died at the age of 64 never been sick in his life died from lung cancer within 6 months of being told he had it. my husband and I decided we were not going to wait for retirement and went on our first cruise in March break we took our two kids with us we all had a great time and are going back next year. To all out there, don't wait until you retire to live. Do it now even if you have to borrow the money to go. But cruising is not as expensive as everyone thinks it is. Do your self a favour and look into it.Wow I got a lot off my chest there Thanks .

Posts: 243 | From: London,Ontario,Canada | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 05-16-2000 02:29 PM

JDCasey.....

Good to see a posting from an Oceanic
cruiser. We were regulars on Homes Lines
from 1965-1978 or so....sometimes we took
the Homeric but more often the Oceanic. We
particularly liked the deep winter cruises
from NYC that were 12-16 days. The standards
started to slip in the late 70's and we
cruised more often with other companies.
The closest thing we have found to Home
Lines is the Melody.....good prices in the
Caribbean too. In fact the Melody is a
former Homes Lines' ship....the Atlantic.
Happy cruising!!

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

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