Your first cruise ship

[Copper10-8]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

SS Jean Lykes, 12 pax from New Orleans to Israel and back, 1973.

 

From this Jean Lykes

 

to this Jean Lykes

 

[MISTER 67]

On 8/24/2020 at 5:20 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

And, the former Royal Viking Sky, Fred. Olsen's Boudicca will also be removed from their fleet.  

 

Edited August 30, 2020 by MISTER 67

[chengkp75]

16 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

SS Jean Lykes, 12 pax from New Orleans to Israel and back, 1973.

And, if memory serves, they paid $600 ($3600 today) for what was supposed to be a 3 month voyage, but turned into nearly 6 months (no change in price for the extra days)

[Two4Sea]

P&O's 1954 Arcadia, 3 days around Vancouver Island 1973. The best part was 30,000 ton us quietly coming up behind a 2 man tugboat with a log tow in narrow Muchalat Inlet (Gold River). When our captain realized the tug hadn't noticed us he gave a long blast on the horn. Never saw a tug move so fast. The third night we were already back in Vancouver harbour but anchored rather than tie up so that we could party without breaking the liquor laws of the day.

 

Bill
 

[welwyngirl]

Our first cruise was on CTC Mikhail Kalinin.  A Russian ship, Russian officers and crew but British cruise director and entertinment staff.  It was as cheap as chips and we did a fortnight round the Med.  We absolutely loved it despite being served pickled red cabbage with eveything.  On the plus side the drinks were all ludicrously cheap and they served neat vodka with dinner gratis every evening.  It was basic but for us with a young family it was heaven.  Set us on the road (?seas?) to cruising.  That was in the early 80s.  We also did the Mikhail Lermontov to the Canaries the following year then they went out of business I believe.  We upgraded to Airtours and Thomsons after that and now our favourite is Azamara.  Love those ships.

[Copper10-8]

On 8/28/2020 at 6:53 PM, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

Our first cruise ship in 1987 was the Costa Daphne.  She was built in about 1956 as a refrigerated carrier.  After being converted to a cruise ship, she sailed with Costa along with her sister ship, the Costa Dannae.  Later, they were sold to various cruise lines.  I believe the Daphne went to the breakers several years ago.

 

It was a memorable cruise, even if we did not get any of our luggage until day 3.  In spite, of a rocky start, we were hooked, and 110 or so cruises later, we are still hooked.

 

 

 

 

Costa Crociere's Daphne (1955-2014) Built as the freighter Port Sydney for Port Line, she was converted into the cruise ship Akrotiri Express between 1972 and 1974 in Piraeus, Greece. She became the Daphne in 1975 and in 1979 started an eleven-year career with Costa Crociere (Costa Cruises). Her later years also found her as Ocean Monarch and Princess Daphne. 2014 took her to Alang, India where she was broken up 

 

[Copper10-8]

On 8/29/2020 at 4:07 PM, Kona921 said:

My first cruise was a full transit through the Panama Canal 1997 on the Maasdam.  After that, I was hooked!  

 

HAL's Maasdam, a beaut and the second of the four "S"-class ships, before (1st pic) and after 92nd pic) her Gym expansion in 2006. This month, after operating for HAL for  twenty-seven years, she became Aegean Myth for startup company Seajets, She will be missed by many

[erewhon]

On 8/31/2020 at 7:49 AM, welwyngirl said:

Our first cruise was on CTC Mikhail Kalinin.  A Russian ship, Russian officers and crew but British cruise director and entertinment staff.  It was as cheap as chips and we did a fortnight round the Med.  We absolutely loved it despite being served pickled red cabbage with eveything.  On the plus side the drinks were all ludicrously cheap and they served neat vodka with dinner gratis every evening.  It was basic but for us with a young family it was heaven.  Set us on the road (?seas?) to cruising.  That was in the early 80s.  We also did the Mikhail Lermontov to the Canaries the following year then they went out of business I believe.  We upgraded to Airtours and Thomsons after that and now our favourite is Azamara.  Love those ships.

 

The Mikhail Lermontov sank in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand , 1986.

[portofrome]

My first cruise was on July 1990 onboard the Eugenio Costa.

[welwyngirl]

5 hours ago, erewhon said:

 

The Mikhail Lermontov sank in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand , 1986.

Very interesting story.  There are rumours that it was a Russian spy ship;  sensitive items were found on board.  Also that following the sinking a tight cordon was formed around the Captain by Russian officers one of whom closely resembled Putin!!  Love a good conspiracy theory.

[Copper10-8]

On 8/29/2020 at 3:59 PM, Cruzaholic41 said:

My first cruise was on Carnival’s Festivale. 
 

Interestingly, several years later, I cruised with Dolphin Cruise Line on the Island Breeze and the ship felt very familiar. It wasn’t until I talked to an officer I learned it was formerly the Festivale. 

 

Carnival Cruise Line's Festivale (1964-2003)  She first saw light as the Transvaal Castle for the British Union-Castle Line on their South African mail service run to Durban. After a renaming to "Vaal" on the same route sailing for Safmarine, she became the upstart Carnival Cruise Line's third ship (Mardi Gras and Carnival were the first two) Festivale in 1977. She would sail for Carnival for nineteen years and then went to Dolphin Cruises as Island Breeze in 1996. In 1998 she became Premier Cruise's Big Red Boat III. Premier went belly-up in 2000 and three years, later the former Transvaal Castle found her way to Alang, India to be broken into pieces 

 

[Copper10-8]

8 hours ago, erewhon said:

 

The Mikhail Lermontov sank in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand , 1986.

 

Kia ora, Phil! Saw her lifeboat No.10 on one of my visits to very nice Picton, New Zealand. Pretty sure it was the same trip where I met you and the Mrs. 😉 

 

[rkacruiser]

10 hours ago, welwyngirl said:

Very interesting story.  There are rumours that it was a Russian spy ship;  sensitive items were found on board.  Also that following the sinking a tight cordon was formed around the Captain by Russian officers one of whom closely resembled Putin!!  Love a good conspiracy theory.

 

Well, that's a new story that I have never heard.  From what little I know, the ship foundered because of a poor decision to sail the route the Captain chose.  

 

I learned that a book had been written about the tragedy.  Not available in the United States whatsoever from any source.  During my 2008 cruise in that part of the world, I decided to try to find that book.  Since the accident happened in New Zealand waters, I thought that would be the most logical to find the book.  Bookstores in Auckland had no idea of what I was talking about as did the Maritime Museum for New Zealand's store.  None of the New Zealand ports that I visited were of any help.  (One, the New Zealand Maritime Museum in Wellington recognized the title.  They could order the book, but it would not arrive until I was long gone from Wellington.)  I almost gave up hope.  On our last day in Sydney, I visited their Maritime Museum.  They have a magnificent bookstore.  Lo and behold!  They not only had one copy of the book I was seeking, but two of them! 

 

It was a sad end to a ship whose first sister, the Alexander Phuskin, became the Marco Polo and has sailed for many, many years and pleased many cruisers.  Recent news seems to indicate that she is headed for the breakers.   

[St Pete Cruiser]

We were docked next to the Marco Polo last July in Reykjavik. 

[erewhon]

9 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Kia ora, Phil! Saw her lifeboat No.10 on one of my visits to very nice Picton, New Zealand. Pretty sure it was the same trip where I met you and the Mrs. 😉 

 

Yes, apparently vodka was being sampled on the bridge with officers and local pilot partaking when she hit a rock!

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, erewhon said:

Yes, apparently vodka was being sampled on the bridge with officers and local pilot partaking when she hit a rock!

 

I have not learned that piece of information.  Seems to have been a combination of poor judgement regarding the navigation plan for the ship and a probably "not at their best" Deck Officers and Pilot.  

[Geezy Rider]

On 9/13/2008 at 5:06 PM, Copper10-8 said:

What was your first cruise ship? What cruise line, the year and the itinerary? (if you remember;) ) Did it get you hooked?

 

Ours was Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's m/s Viking Serenade, a converted car ferry, back in NOV 1991, a 3-day L.A. - Catalina Island - Esenada, Mexico - L.A. cruise. Never forget our first impressions - we were hooked from that day on!

 

 

Viking Serenade (still sailing today as Island Escape)

 

 

On 9/13/2008 at 5:06 PM, Copper10-8 said:

What was your first cruise ship? What cruise line, the year and the itinerary? (if you remember;) ) Did it get you hooked?

 

Ours was Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's m/s Viking Serenade, a converted car ferry, back in NOV 1991, a 3-day L.A. - Catalina Island - Esenada, Mexico - L.A. cruise. Never forget our first impressions - we were hooked from that day on!

 

 

Viking Serenade (still sailing today as Island Escape)

 

Howdy,Copper

 

ithinkourfirstcruise was on Sitmar’s Fairwind in aboutApril of 1978.security was so lax way back then that when we got bored with a Carribbean port we’d jump on a tender and go Out to tour any of the other cruise ships in the harbor. No ID, no seapass card, nothing. Ah yes, life was sure simple back then . . . . And NO MASKS!

 

Doc

[Copper10-8]

On 8/30/2020 at 12:20 PM, Two4Sea said:

P&O's 1954 Arcadia, 3 days around Vancouver Island 1973. The best part was 30,000 ton us quietly coming up behind a 2 man tugboat with a log tow in narrow Muchalat Inlet (Gold River). When our captain realized the tug hadn't noticed us he gave a long blast on the horn. Never saw a tug move so fast. The third night we were already back in Vancouver harbour but anchored rather than tie up so that we could party without breaking the liquor laws of the day.

 

Bill
 

 

P&O Orient Lines' Arcadia (1953-1979) Started life for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company as ms Arcadia in 1953. In her early years, she could frequently be found making the long journey from the U.K. (Tilbury) to Australia and back. The seventies found her cruising from the U.S. west coast to Alaska (summer) and the Mexican Riviera (winter). Quite rare, she only operated for one company, that being P&O until her demise in 1979 when she crossed the Pacific to the breakers, this time not at Alang, India, but at Kaohsiung, Taiwan   

[Copper10-8]

On 8/30/2020 at 12:49 PM, welwyngirl said:

Our first cruise was on CTC Mikhail Kalinin.  A Russian ship, Russian officers and crew but British cruise director and entertinment staff.  It was as cheap as chips and we did a fortnight round the Med.  We absolutely loved it despite being served pickled red cabbage with eveything.  On the plus side the drinks were all ludicrously cheap and they served neat vodka with dinner gratis every evening.  It was basic but for us with a young family it was heaven.  Set us on the road (?seas?) to cruising.  That was in the early 80s.  We also did the Mikhail Lermontov to the Canaries the following year then they went out of business I believe.  We upgraded to Airtours and Thomsons after that and now our favourite is Azamara.  Love those ships.

 

Baltiyskoye Gooudarstvennoye Morskoye Parokhodstvo (BGMP) aka Baltic State Shipping Company (BSSC)'s Mikhail Kalinin (1958-1994) She was built in Wismar, then East Germany, as the first of six Mikhail Kalinin-class coastal liners built by the same shipyard between 1958 and 1964. She was designed to be a coastal liner, easy and profitable to operate between Soviet and European ports in coastal regions. However, with changing trends in the eighties, she was also used for low budget cruising all throughout Europe and North Africa and did so until 1992, one year after the dissolvement of the Soviet Union. On the 6th of November 1994, she arrived at Alang, India to meet her end, CTC (I believe it stood for Coast To Coast) was a regular player in the UK cruise market which introduced generations of British passengers to budget cruising

 

 

Edited September 7, 2020 by Copper10-8

[guardhouse]

1988(?).  The old Rotterdam (now the floating hotel in Rotterdam).  Pacific Coast cruise from Vancouver BC to Portland, Or.  Yep, hooked!

[JennysUncle]

P&O's 1954 Arcadia, 3 days around Vancouver Island 1973.
 
Bill
 

Two memories of the same ship. Was the 2nd class pool still there?

Sail away was more memorable in 1960.

Sent from my SM-T720 using Forums mobile app

[Nephite Beauty]

My first Cruise was on the Statendam in the late '60s.
We left Los Angeles for the Orient and South Pacific. Along the way a sickness broke out and they would stop the ship in the middle of the night to have a brief ceremony and inter the body to a watery grave.
We were supposed to go on to New Zealand, but got off in Sydney early.
I was about 3 years old at the time.
Would really like to know what everyone was getting sick and dying from. All I know is after a while, it really started to freak my Grandmother out.

[jeh10641]

Copper10-8 - My first cruise was in 1959 on HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam (1938 model) from New York City (Manhattan) to Rotterdam. I think we stopped in Le Havre (France) and one port in England (cannot remember which one). I was on a student tour (Arista) with 30 other recent high school graduates or soon to be seniors in high schools from the New York Metro area.

 

Jim

[Copper10-8]

53 minutes ago, jeh10641 said:

Copper10-8 - My first cruise was in 1959 on HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam (1938 model) from New York City (Manhattan) to Rotterdam. I think we stopped in Le Havre (France) and one port in England (cannot remember which one). I was on a student tour (Arista) with 30 other recent high school graduates or soon to be seniors in high schools from the New York Metro area.

 

Jim

 

Nieuw Amsterdam II (1938-1974 with HAL) The "Darling of the Dutch" and Holland's "ship of state" She was a beaut!

 

[BarbinMich]

Our first cruise was in Feb. 1994 on the Amerikanis (Chandris line at the time--became Celebrity later).  The ship held 600-800 pax and in its previous life it sailed folks between Britain and South Africa from what I heard.  We visited Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Barbados and St. Lucia.  Got us hooked on cruising and we completed 52 cruises (33 on Princess) before my DH passed away.  Three years later we sailed on a similar ship around Hawaii (the Independence owned by American Hawaii Cruises).  In Nov. I did my first solo cruise (on HAL) and have several booked for this year on Princess and HAL.