Your first cruise ship

[Copper10-8]

Our first cruise was on the Emerald Princess which my wife had to twist my arm to go on,but we enjoyed it so much that I now book all the cruises and our next one will be in the Mediterranean on the new Regal Princess.We really enjoy seeing something different every day that only a cruise can bring.Happy Cruising.

 

 

Princess Cruises' Emerald Princess

Edited August 16, 2016 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

Carnival Paradise and we are waiting to debark right now :)

 

 

 

 

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Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Paradise; sailing for CCL since 1998

[Copper10-8]

My first was on the Celebrity Zenith in 1993. In 1996 I sailed on a 10 day Southern Caribbean on the Statendam.

 

Zenith is my first love and Statendam is my second. They were so very similar. Small, cozy and gracious. Tramp that I am I loved them both almost equally.

 

 

Celebrity Cruise Line's Celebrity Zenith (1992-2007); from 2007—2014 sailed for Spain's Cruceros Pullmantur as Zenith, and since 2014 for France's CDF Croisières de France, still as Zenith

[Ofmyheart]

Our first and second cruise ships are now both sitting at the bottom of the ocean, one off Africa the other off India!

 

No I wasn't hooked at first and am only moderated reeled in now. Husband is hooked!

[Sequim88]

The first cruise ship I "saw" up close was MS Achille Lauro in Sydney.

 

First cruise ship I was "on" was MS Veendam in 2002 for our 25th anniversary. Hence next year for our 40th doing MS Amsterdam. Looking at Amsterdam right now on Juneau Harbor Web Cam. :cool:

[Copper10-8]

Our first and second cruise ships are now both sitting at the bottom of the ocean, one off Africa the other off India!

 

No I wasn't hooked at first and am only moderated reeled in now. Husband is hooked!

 

 

Epirotiki Line's Oceanos; Delivered in 1953 as 'Jean Laborde' to France-based Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes (MM). In 1970, she became the Greek ferry 'Mykinai' and was placed on the Patras to Ancona service. In 1971, she was converted into a car ferry, renamed 'Ancona', and operated by Greek Efthymiades Lines. In 1974 she was chartered by Helite Hellenic Italian Lines SA and used on the Singapore to Fremantle, Australia run under the name 'Eastern Princess'. In 1976 Epirotiki purchased her and gave her the name MTS Oceanos.

 

On the afternoon of August 3, 1991, Oceanos set out from East London, South Africa, and headed for Durban under charter to the TFC Tours company from Johannesburg. A bomb threat had delayed the ship and she was on a tight schedule. The weather up coast was rough - she headed into 40-knot winds and 30 foot swells. That evening, Oceanos began to take on water, lost power, and went adrift in the Indian Ocean. Eventually, an SOS was sent.

 

The South African Navy along with the South African Air Force launched a seven-hour rescue mission in which sixteen helicopters (thirteen of which were SAAF SA330L Pumas, the remaining three Alouettes) were used to airlift 225 passengers and crew off the deck of Oceanos and safely to shore. On August 4, 1991, Oceanos rolled over and sank within sight of the shore, off the coastal village of Coffee Bay, coming to rest about 300 feet below the surface

Edited August 17, 2016 by Copper10-8

[blizzardboy]

NCL's MS Skyward, 1982. 7 days in the western Caribbean to start our honeymoon. My travel agent got me a last minute deal on a suite, but I didn't realize what a great deal we were getting. I had no clue or concept that it was one of only 8 suites on the ship. It was on the Lido Deck, about 50 feet down the passageway from the pool. The experience set the tone for how we still like to travel.

[Copper10-8]

Carnival Victory was my first cruise in 2003 <<< Thats when the addiction set in and I have been addicted ever since!! :D Always looking for the next Cruise Fix.......LOL

 

 

Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Victory

[Copper10-8]

1969. Franconia to Bermuda with a group of Boy Scouts. "C" deck that cost each of us $78.00. Had to earn our fare. Loved that midnight buffet.

 

 

Cunard Line's RMS Franconia; Delivered in 1955 to Cunard Line as RMS Ivernia for trans-Atlantic crossing to Canada. Rebuilt for full-time cruising in 1963 and renamed RMS (Royal Mail Ship) Franconia. In 1973 she was purchased by the Soviet Union's Dal'nevostochnoye morskoye parokhodstvo / Far-Eastern Shipping Company (FESCO) and renamed Fedor Shalyapin. She received an internal transfer in 1980 to the also Soviet Black Sea Shipping Company. Yet a third transfer occurred between 1989 (the beginning of the end of the Soviet Union) and 1994 to the Odessa Cruise Company. After a period of lay-up, she was eventually sold as scrap and in 2004 she sailed to Alang, India as Salona and met her end

[Copper10-8]

Our first cruise was on Home Lines, Atlantic also in 86 or 87 R/T to NY to Bermuda. I remember docking next to the Homeric in Bermuda and even being allowed to go on board to tour the sister ship. No one allows that anymore.

 

 

Home Line's Atlantic; delivered in 1988 as 'Atlantic' for Italy's Home Lines. She sailed for them until 1988. That year, she was purchased by U.S.-based Premier Line, at one time the official cruise line of Walt Disney World, who renamed her 'StarShip Atlantic' and sailed her until 1997. Her new owners that year became Italy-based MSC Cruises, a subsidiary of Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A., who renamed her 'Melody', and operated her until early 2013 when she was laid up in Castelmare di Stabia, southeast of Naples, Italy.

 

In November 2013 she was purchased by India-based Sahara India Pariwar who renamed her 'Qing'. In December 2015, she sailed to Goa, India where she entered the West Indian Shipyard in order to convert her into a floating hotel accommodation. The work on her never commenced however, and on June 29, 2016 mv Qing, now owned by Trinity Leisure Private Ltd., developed a severe list, partially sinking in Mormugao Harbor in Vasco, India, a sub-district of Goa. It is unknown what the future holds for the former Atlantic but it can't be too rosy

Edited August 18, 2016 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

NCL's MS Skyward, 1982. 7 days in the western Caribbean to start our honeymoon. My travel agent got me a last minute deal on a suite, but I didn't realize what a great deal we were getting. I had no clue or concept that it was one of only 8 suites on the ship. It was on the Lido Deck, about 50 feet down the passageway from the pool. The experience set the tone for how we still like to travel.

 

 

Norwegian Cruise Line's Skyward; operated for NCL from 1969 until 1991. From 1991 until 1992 she sailed as casino cruise ship 'Shangri-La World' out of Singapore for Johnson Sembawang Ship Management, becoming 'Asean World' in 1992 and 'Fantasy World' between 1992 and 1993. From 1993 until 1995 her ownership was changed to Queenstown Investments. Since 1995, she continues to sail gambling/casino cruises from Batam, Indonesia to Pulau Tekam, Malaysia and back as 'Leisure World' for New Century Cruise Line with a heavily modified stern

 

[Copper10-8]

First cruise was my honeymoon- Sept 11, 1977,

upgraded to a suite on the Pacific Princess.

 

A 10 day Mexican Riviera- Ixtapa, Zihuatenajo, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Acapulco.

 

(I wasn't aware it would become TV's "The Love Boat.")

 

 

Princess Cruise Line's Pacific Princess; started live in 1971 as 'Sea Venture' for Flagship Cruises. In 1975 she went to the then brand spanking new Princess Cruise Line and became their 'Pacific Princess' and in 1976 became "the Love Boat" on the TV series. She stayed with Princess until 2002 when another ship, taken over from bankrupt Renaissance Cruises, became the new Pacific Princess.

 

In 2002, the 'old' Pacific Princess wound up at Spain's Cruceros Pullmantur as just 'Pacific', coupled with periods of charter to Brazil's Viagens CVC. In June 2008, she went to Spain's Quail Cruises, still as 'Pacific'. In November 2008, she arrived at the San Giorgio Del Porto Shipyard in Genoa, Italy for a dry-dock however, after financing problems developed, was promptly "arrested" by Italian authorities. In March 2012, she was sold to Turkish shipbreakers for scrap and given the new name 'Acif'. She arrived under tow at Aliaga, Turkey in August 2013 where she was broken up (see below)

 

[Copper10-8]

First cruise (crossing) was in 1951 on the American export Line's LaGuardia- a converted WW2 troop ship.No private cabins or bathrooms but great fun.On the way back to NY I was on Home Line's Atlantic which,I think,preceded a later Atlantic.

 

Ellie

 

 

American Export Lines' ss LaGuardia; built in 1944 as General R. M. Blatchford (AP-118) in Kearney, New Jersey but renamed USS General W. P. Richardson (AP-118) prior to delivery to the U.S. Navy as a troop transport ship. After her war-time duty, she was decommissioned at New York on 14 February 1946 and returned to the Maritime Administration for peacetime operations as an Army transport until 10 March 1948.

 

From 1949 until 1951 she was renamed ss LaGuardia and was operated under charter by American Export Lines. After U.S. Army service during the Korean War and a period of lay-up, she became 'Leilani' for Hawaii Steamship Company from 1957 through 1959. In 1960 her new owners became American President Lines and she was renamed 'President Roosevelt'. Ten years later, Greek-based Chandris Lines took ownership and renamed her 'Atlantis'. Another change of ownership and name occurred in 1972 when she became 'Emerald Seas' for Ares Shipping Corporation/Eastern Steamship Lines/Admiral Cruises.

 

Greek-based Festival Cruises purchased her in 1992 and renamed her 'Sapphire Seas'. In 1998 she became 'Ocean Explorer 1' and, after duty as a hotel/accommodation ship, was chartered by the Canada-based World Cruise Company for which she sailed a world cruise (1999-2000). After more periods of lay-up, she was sold for scrap in 2004 and broken up at Alang, India in 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Al54]

MS Litva, Morflot, a sovietic liner/cruiseship in 1976. This ship was a mediterranean/black sea regular liner from Marseille to Odessa and back. It was a very "exotic" cruise, with (genuine!) sovietic food and ship-orchestra totally stopping to play music 15 mn every hour for the legal Musicians' Union pause! We crossed a very bad weather in the Black sea, but ship was steady, itinerary and excursions were gorgeous, and cabins were large, for a very, very low price.

 

 

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[Copper10-8]

MS Litva, Morflot, a sovietic liner/cruiseship in 1976. This ship was a mediterranean/black sea regular liner from Marseille to Odessa and back. It was a very "exotic" cruise, with (genuine!) sovietic food and ship-orchestra totally stopping to play music 15 mn every hour for the legal Musicians' Union pause! We crossed a very bad weather in the Black sea, but ship was steady, itinerary and excursions were gorgeous, and cabins were large, for a very, very low price.

 

 

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Litva; built in 1960 as Litva, one of 19 ships of the Mikhail Kalinin-class, at the Mathias-Thesen-Werft, in Wismar, then East Germany, for the Soviet Black Sea Shipping Company (BLASCO). BLASCO, officially the Black Sea Steamship Line of the Ministry of Sea Transport of the USSR, belonged to Morflot, subordinate to the Soviet Ministry of Merchant Marine and responsible for all international shipping operations as well as an extensive network of ports, research institutes, ship repair yards and schools. Litva , operated mostly in the Black Sea, Mediterranean and Aegean. She was refurbished for cruising in 1973. In 1990, she was renamed 'Boguchar' and was used on a service between Odessa and Istanbul.

 

Chinese Hong Kong interests, Fu Jian shipping, purchased her in 1993 and renamed her 'Fu Jian' for Far East cruising. In May 2000 she became 'Green Coast' for Hong Kong-based Green Coast Shipping Company. In 2001 she wound up in Luanda, Angola with plans to convert her into as a workers accommodation ship. In November 2006 after a fire onboard, she capsized after local firefighters pumped a bunch of water in her in order to extinguish the fire

 

[highscar]

Empress of France. June 3 1953. Liverpool to Montreal. Lots of "woops daisies"

[highscar]

Empress of France. June 3rd 1953. Liverpool to Montreal. Lots of "whoopsie daisies". First class cabin. Yes there were classes those days.

[Copper10-8]

Our first cruise was Vancouver to Alaska and return on the Princess Patricia of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The "Pat" was a converted ferry boat - but the CPR had lovely ferries, especially those used in overnight service. During conversion the car deck was replaced by cabins. But most of the cabins were original and ranged from small rooms with upper and lower berths and no facilities to lavish staterooms with attractive wood panelling. The dining saloon and other public areas were panelled in a variety of woods. The Princess Patricia was charted by Princess Cruises as their first ship.

 

Yes, we were hooked by this cruise. Three-quarters of our voyages have been on liners, but we like the occasional cruise. Our first Holland America cruise was in 1974 on the previous Rotterdam.

 

 

Canadian Pacific Railway Coast Service/British Columbia Coast Steamships (BCCS)' ss Princess Patricia (II), delivered in 1949 to CPR after having been built as a car ferry at the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Ltd in Glasgow, Scotland. She was christened by Lady Patricia “Patsy” Ramsay, the former Princess Patricia of Connaught, granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Upon her arrival in Vancouver, BC, she would provide day passenger service on CPR's famous "Triangle Route" with service between Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria. In the early 1960s, CPR took the "Princess Pat" out of service and converted her from essentially a day boat into an excursion steamer where it replaced the nearly 40-year old Princess Louise in 1963 to southeast Alaska on the Vancouver-Skagway-Juneau run.

 

For two seasons, 1964-1965 and 1965-1966, Princess Patricia was chartered to Stanley McDonald, a Canadian-born businessman/entrepreneur, for seasonal (winter only) cruising between Los Angeles and Acapulco during the winter thereby becoming the very first ship for the eventual Princess Cruise Line. Initially known as Canadian Pacific Cruise Lines, McDonald chose to name his new company Princess Cruises after the venerable Princess Patricia.

 

The Princess Pat would continue her Alaskan run until October, 1978. She served as a hotel ship for the 1986 Vancouver Expo. Eventually she was sold to a Taiwanese company to become a ferry in Macao but this fell through. In 1995 she was scrapped at Kaohsiung,Taiwan.

 

 

[JOHN 57]

My first cruise for me and my wife was aboard the Carnival Conquest, 7 Dec 2008, which was out of Galveston, Texas. Some friends persuaded us to go, and I was critical at first. But, I liked the service, and best of all there was no movment from hotel to hotel, it was all there. I was hooked, and have been on 6 cruises since. My job, was a problem, butnow that I am retired, I am ready to go. Did 1 on Royal Caribbean, 5 Carnival. Trying out Holland America Oosterday out of San Diego on 2 December 2017 for Hawaii.

[dag144]

My first cruise was a transatlantic from Cherburg to NY on the Q E I. This was the second to the last transatlantic crossing prior to her final run to Hong Kong. I was returning to the

USA from a job in France and Switzerland (banking) and was out of money. My bank sprung for a second class cabin. I had a fantastic time.

 

But being the jerk that I am, from 1968 I did not sail on another cruise until 2000 when I took a 10 Mexican Riviera cruise on the Statendam. I have been making up for lost time at the rate of 3 or 4 cruises per year since then.

[Copper10-8]

Just celebrated 20 years of cruising with first cruise in 1994 on the Costa Allegra -- built in 1969 as a container ship, and was “stretched” and converted to a cruise ship in the early 1990s: photos and details here...

http://www.travelingwiththejones.com/2014/02/04/celebrating-20-years-of-cruising-what-has-changed-versus-what-has-stayed-the-same/

 

 

Costa Crocier's Costa Allegra; delivered as container ship 'Annie Johnson' to Sweden-based Rederi AB Nordstjernan in 1969. After two failed deals (1986 as 'Regent Moon' to Regency Cruises and 1988 as 'Alexandra' to Compania Naviera Panalexandra), Italy-based Costa Crocieri came calling in 1990 and had her converted to cruise ship 'Costa Allegra' (cheerful or lively) at the T. Mariotti S.p.A. shipyard in Genoa.

 

She sailed for Costa from 1992 until February 2012 when a fire erupted in her generator room which left her with a total loss of power and adrift some 200 miles southwest of the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean. Allegra was eventually towed to Mahe, the largest island in the Seychelles group, where all of her passengers were flown home. In September 2012, she was sold to Turkish breakers and sailed to Aliaga, Turkey under the name 'Santa Cruise'. Upon arrival at Aliaga one month later, she was scrapped

[Al54]

 

 

 

Litva; built in 1960 as Litva, one of 19 ships of the Mikhail Kalinin-class, at the Mathias-Thesen-Werft, in Wismar, then East Germany, for the Soviet Black Sea Shipping Company (BLASCO). BLASCO, officially the Black Sea Steamship Line of the Ministry of Sea Transport of the USSR, belonged to Morflot, subordinate to the Soviet Ministry of Merchant Marine and responsible for all international shipping operations as well as an extensive network of ports, research institutes, ship repair yards and schools. Litva , operated mostly in the Black Sea, Mediterranean and Aegean. She was refurbished for cruising in 1973. In 1990, she was renamed 'Boguchar' and was used on a service between Odessa and Istanbul.

 

 

 

Chinese Hong Kong interests, Fu Jian shipping, purchased her in 1993 and renamed her 'Fu Jian' for Far East cruising. In May 2000 she became 'Green Coast' for Hong Kong-based Green Coast Shipping Company. In 2001 she wound up in Luanda, Angola with plans to convert her into as a workers accommodation ship. In November 2006 after a fire onboard, she capsized after local firefighters pumped a bunch of water in her in order to extinguish the fire

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks a lot, very happy to know what happened to "my" first ship, even if nothing good ever happens to old ships!

 

 

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[WINEMANVISALIA]

now known as MS Empress of the Seas is a cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International. She was formerly operated by Pullmantur Cruises as Empress. The ship was ordered by Admiral Cruise Lines and was intended to be called the Future Seas and join the other Admiral ships, the Azure Seas and the Emerald Seas. However, when Royal Caribbean merged with Admiral in 1987, the Admiral brand was dissolved and the newbuild (still under construction) was incorporated into the Royal Caribbean fleet. A few signature Royal Caribbean brand elements were added, including the Viking Crown and Windjammer Cafe.

 

The ship was originally named Nordic Empress and was the final Royal Caribbean ship whose name did not end with "of the Seas" until the name was changed to match the rest of the fleet following an extensive rebuilding that ended on 8 May 2004.

 

MS Nordic Empress, featuring her original Royal Caribbean livery, anchored off the Cayman Islands in late March 2004

Nordic Empress was the first mainstream cruise ship especially designed for the 3 and 4 day cruise market. Her initial itinerary was a short cruise to the Bahamas, which was then combined with 3 and 4 day cruises from San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1999, following the sale of the Song of America, the Nordic Empress took over the New York to Bermuda route.

In 2000, Royal Caribbean announced that the Nordic Empress would be undertaking a series of cruises in South America. Shortly after these cruises were put on sale, Royal Caribbean decided to replace the Nordic Empress with the Splendour of the Seas on the South American itineraries, leaving the Nordic Empress in the Caribbean.

Edited August 22, 2016 by WINEMANVISALIA

[Copper10-8]

If it does, this is the right board to post it on - my family sailed from NYC to Le Havre on a Holland America "steamship" (my parents' word), which I think must have been the Nieuw Amsterdam, since it was the only HAL ship back then, in the Fall of 1950. I'm afraid I have no recollections of the crossing, although I occasionally remember snippets from the 3 months we spent in Paris.

 

Sure it does! ;)

 

 

Holland America Line's Nieuw Amsterdam II, Delivered in 1938 to Holland America Line after having been christened by HRH Queen Wilhelmina one year prior. She was put to work on the trans-Atlantic route from Rotterdam to NYC and became known as the "Darling of the Dutch". During WWII she was converted into a troop transport including the installing of 36 anti-aircraft guns. During this time, she sailed under Cunard-White Star management with a Dutch crew and while flying the Dutch tri-color.

 

After the war and a refit, she went back to her pre-war trans-Atlantic service and in 1956 received the gray hull color of that time. In 1971 she sailed her final TA crossing and then went into full-time cruising. Her last cruise was in December 1973 and later that year, she was sold for scrap. She arrived in Kaoshiung, Taiwan in Februar 1974 and was subsequently broken up

 

[St Pete Cruiser]

Thanks again, Copper, for posting the pics and history on this popular thread. You're the best!

I was on a HAL ship a few years ago where I met the dining room manager who was ready to retire after 50 years with the company. I asked him what was his favorite ship that he had been on.Without hesitation he said Nieuw Amsterdam. I asked, oh, the present one or the 1984 one? He replied the 1938 one! I wanted him to expand upon that, but he just smiled and said she was his best. The darling of the Dutch and of this Indonesian man, too.