Your first cruise ship

[Stateroom_Sailor]

We're fairly new to cruising, so Carnival Victory 2011.  Intended to be a one off for our honeymoon, we got addicted before embarkation, just eyeballing the itineraries and prices.  I have read that Carnival started slipping around 2009, but we saw no signs yet, and the MDR food and service were phenomenal for the money.  Southern Caribbean cruise from Puerto Rico, waking up in Barbados, the beautiful island and ocean looked magical.

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Copper10-8 said:

Noordam III at Vancouver's Ballantyne Pier (not Canada Place) in 1984. Note the HAL house markings of that time on her funnel.

 

In 1990, we sailed from Canada Place.  I have no memory of the funnel's logo.  

 

One memory of that cruise was that it was not long after Carnival Corporation had acquired HAL.  We were seated in the Main Showroom prior to a performance when a small group appeared near us who were escorted to their seats with "an unusual amount of fuss" being observed by the service staff.  I asked a Steward who was serving us about this group.  He said indicated they were members of the Arison family.    

[amyr]

2 hours ago, cccole said:

This has to be one of my favorite posts.  What fabulous photos of what must have been a fun adventure with your mom.  My first cruise was on the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland in 1955.  Not quite so elegant!!!  But not much has changed, including the jokes.   Cherie

I think I probably had fun, but I'm not sure she did.  It was a rough crossing, and my father spent it in his bunk with Q fever.  I apparently made my mother take me to the mover theater every single afternoon to watch Mary Poppins.  I feel like it was probably a pretty long haul for Mom.😆

[rotjeknor]

First time on a actually moving ship was a short tour on the ss Nieuw Amsterdam in 1966 , when it sailed from the Wilhelminakade , nowadays known as the Rotterdam cruise terminal, to the RDM shipyard on the Heyplaat in Rotterdam where she went into drydock.

Still remember the thrill of being onboard, feeling the trembling of the engines and the lights of Rotterdam on that Saturday evening. My dad was onboard as 2nd engineer at that time.
My first real cruise was on the ss Rotterdam in 1980 , 7 day Bahama’s out of NYC. Cabin on boatdeck .

[RedmondCruiser]

Seeing the Noordam III turned into rebar and razor blades is very sad.  We took nine cruises on her and it will always be our favorite ship.  Lots of good memories.  She looked at her best with a midnight blue hull and never looked good dressed in white. We frequented cabins from the Sun Deck down to A deck.  All things come to an end but this one is personnel.

[cayman09]

Sit Mar Fairwind, 1976.

[DFD1]

11 hours ago, cayman09 said:

Sit Mar Fairwind, 1976.

 

Great picture. Those were the days.....

[Aquahound]

1988.  NCL Sunward II.  Itinerary - Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay.

 

[Yodalicious]

On 8/18/2020 at 12:59 AM, Copper10-8 said:

 

 

HAL's Noordam (1984-present*)

 

*the former Noordam's current name is "Mare," not a good omen since it's the type of name usually reserved as a final name prior to arriving at the breakers (her former "N"-class sister, Nieuw Amsterdam went to her end as "Mare S").

 

Mare was named Marella Celebration and operating for Marella Cruises (the former Thomson Cruises) before her current name change  

It was an elegant ship!  We were in our mid 30’s and felt quite sophisticated!   We were invited to the Captains table one night, an elegant evening.   What a wonderful way to travel.  
We hit a gale, where the waves were breaking over the bow of the ship!  The Captain high tailed it into the Inside Passage, to get into smoother waters.  Our only regret is that we went in Sept.  the only bears we saw, were stuffed and in the Anchorage Hilton!
We loved it, loved the formal nights, a throw back to a kinder, gentler time

 

[earlydiner]

It was in 1990 when the corn seed companies were still giving "rewards" for selling lots of corn seed.  So that year my wife and I went on a 4 day cruise out of Miami, I believe on the SS Norway.

Half of the passengers were seed people like us.  We had a really grand time.  Entertainment was nothing like what we see today and I remember having to step up and over the door thresh holds.  I think there were two single beds attached to opposite walls in our port hole cabin.  

We always say that was the most expensive cruise were ever took.  Yes it was free, but we were hooked and have taken thirty five ish cruises since.  Luckily

we got in 14 days in January on the Nieuw Statendam.  A little different experience than on the SS Norway, but each and every one was wonderful.  

Edited August 21, 2020 by earlydiner

[Copper10-8]

On 8/18/2020 at 5:49 AM, trident said:

DOH  FIRST SHIP WAS THE SS BRAZIL OF MOORE MCCORMICK AND OUR HONEYMOON SHIP  IN 1971 WAS SS HOMERIC OF HOME LINES

 

Moore-McCormack Line's ss Brasil (1957-1972) after which she became HAL's Volendam II. She was scrapped as "Universe" at Alang, India in 2005 

 

 

Edited August 21, 2020 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

On 8/18/2020 at 6:16 AM, Mimippsb said:

Our first cruise was on America Hawaii Cruise Lines on the Constitution in July of 1990 to the Hawaiian Islands. We thought it was great, but others thought it was not as glamorous as others. For us it was perfect for our first cruise as we wait for our 42 next year.

 

American Hawaii Cruise Line's ss Constitution (1951-1997). While under tow to be scrapped in November 1997, the ship decided that "going down at sea" was a much better fate than being cut into razor blades, so she sank 700 nautical miles north of the Hawaiian Islands, her long-time home 

[Copper10-8]

On 8/18/2020 at 9:45 AM, MAVIP said:

ss Independence, American Export and Isbrandtsen Lines, early sixties, Mediterranean. I will never forget the butler knocking at my door at the night of Captains Dinner: "Miss, can I help you with your zipper?" I still use that sentence once in a while as I often need that kind of help of my DH nowadays. 🙂 

 

 

 

ss Independence (1951-2010) She was scrapped at Gopnath, India as Platinum II in 2010 after a long career

[Copper10-8]

On 8/18/2020 at 1:40 PM, echoshipmate said:

Saturnia from the Italian line, 1960, NY to Naples. Long, long time ago, btw, I was 8. Maybe that experience had something to do with my cruising addiction.

 

Italia di Navigazione S.p.A aka The Italian Line's Saturnia (1927-1966). She was scrapped at La Spezia, Italy in 1966

 

 

[Copper10-8]

On 8/18/2020 at 1:43 PM, LouChamp said:

1971. Olympia. Greek Line. Over 50 more since then.


Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

General Steam Navigation Company of Greece aka The Greek Line's Olympia (1953-2009) She would become the Regal Empress in 1993. Scrapped at Alang, India in July, 2009

 

 

[Copper10-8]

On 8/18/2020 at 1:52 PM, KismetzMom said:

Sovereign of the Seas 1997... so sad to see her go to scrap!!!!

 

Royal Caribbean International's (RCI) Sovereign of the Seas (1988-2020). She is being scrapped as we speak as (ex-Pullmantur's) "Sovereign" at Aliaga, Turkey 

 

 

Edited August 21, 2020 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

On 8/18/2020 at 2:33 PM, DFD1 said:

Great pictures. Wonderful stories. Thanks for bringing this super thread back to life.

 

Sailed first in 1965 or 6 from Miami to Nassau on a three or four day cruise. Don't remember the ship.

Later on the Emerald Seas from Eastern Steamship line,  again to the Bahamas. Then came early Carnival ships and NCL and Royal Caribbean. Special memories from the magnificent Norway.....Great Ship.

 

Discovered HAL later with the first HAL sailing on the older Noordam. Worked our way up to four star and pretty much left the others behind. We really like HAL, but worry about what she might become in the future.

 

 

Eastern Steamship's tss Emerald Seas (on the right in Nassau), born as troopship General W. P. Richardson in 1944. She was also the Atlantis for Chandris Lines. Scrapped at Alang, India in 2005 

 

[Copper10-8]

On 8/18/2020 at 3:41 PM, 81Zoomie said:

1972 Sitmar Fairwind.  Such fond teen memories of theme nights, pool games, and costume contests. In those days you could join friends on board before the ships sailed. “All ashore going ashore.”  My brother and I could name every ship by its silhouette on the water.  It was a hazard of growing up in Ft Lauderdale! 

 

Societa Italiana Trasporti Marittimi aka Sitmar Cruises' Fairwind (1957-2004), born as Cunard Line's Sylvania

[Copper10-8]

On 8/18/2020 at 3:53 PM, cccole said:

This has to be one of my favorite posts.  What fabulous photos of what must have been a fun adventure with your mom.  My first cruise was on the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland in 1955.  Not quite so elegant!!!  But not much has changed, including the jokes.   Cherie

 

The Jungle Cruise in Disneyland in 1955 😀

 

[Copper10-8]

On 8/18/2020 at 4:04 PM, Stateroom_Sailor said:

We're fairly new to cruising, so Carnival Victory 2011.  Intended to be a one off for our honeymoon, we got addicted before embarkation, just eyeballing the itineraries and prices.  I have read that Carnival started slipping around 2009, but we saw no signs yet, and the MDR food and service were phenomenal for the money.  Southern Caribbean cruise from Puerto Rico, waking up in Barbados, the beautiful island and ocean looked magical.

 

Carnival Victory (1998); renamed Carnival Radiance in 2020

[Copper10-8]

On 8/19/2020 at 7:58 AM, rotjeknor said:

First time on a actually moving ship was a short tour on the ss Nieuw Amsterdam in 1966 , when it sailed from the Wilhelminakade , nowadays known as the Rotterdam cruise terminal, to the RDM shipyard on the Heyplaat in Rotterdam where she went into drydock.

Still remember the thrill of being onboard, feeling the trembling of the engines and the lights of Rotterdam on that Saturday evening. My dad was onboard as 2nd engineer at that time.
My first real cruise was on the ss Rotterdam in 1980 , 7 day Bahama’s out of NYC. Cabin on boatdeck .

 

Holland Amerika Lijn's Nieuw Amsterdam II "the darling of the Dutch" (1938-1974) (bottom) and Rotterdam V (1959-current) (top)

[Copper10-8]

14 hours ago, earlydiner said:

It was in 1990 when the corn seed companies were still giving "rewards" for selling lots of corn seed.  So that year my wife and I went on a 4 day cruise out of Miami, I believe on the SS Norway.

Half of the passengers were seed people like us.  We had a really grand time.  Entertainment was nothing like what we see today and I remember having to step up and over the door thresh holds.  I think there were two single beds attached to opposite walls in our port hole cabin.  

We always say that was the most expensive cruise were ever took.  Yes it was free, but we were hooked and have taken thirty five ish cruises since.  Luckily

we got in 14 days in January on the Nieuw Statendam.  A little different experience than on the SS Norway, but each and every one was wonderful.  

 

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) ss Norway (1960-2007), a classic lady. She was built as the ss France for Compagnie Générale Transatlantique 

 

 

 

[tonyd285]

First cruise was on the Carla Costa (operated by the Costa family back then).  Old ship (I think it was built in the 50's), primitive by today's standards but reasonably well maintained.  The dining room was staffed by experienced Italian waiters, all of whom had a great sense of humor.  That was back in the late 70's.

[ernieb]

50 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) ss Norway (1960-2007), a classic lady. She was built as the ss France for Compagnie Générale Transatlantique 

 

 

Thanks for the picture. The Norway was also our first cruise ship In the mid 80s and we agree she was a vey classy lady.

 

[DFD1]

1 hour ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) ss Norway (1960-2007), a classic lady. She was built as the ss France for Compagnie Générale Transatlantique 

 

 

 

 

For me, she was the quintessential definition of an elegant ship. Really beautiful and great fun to sail on.