GranJean Posted January 23, 2017 #301 Share Posted January 23, 2017 We did. Was for my (Grant) 25th High School Reunion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryAnn261 Posted January 23, 2017 #302 Share Posted January 23, 2017 My first cruise was on the Mardi Gras in 1989. It started my cruise addiction Sent from my XT1254 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quacker Posted January 24, 2017 #303 Share Posted January 24, 2017 We were on her 5-13-79. Inside cabin M163. Our first cruise. It was a 14 day through the Panama Canal. That was the start for us. We have 33 cruises on 23 different ships on 8 different cruise lines. We loved it when the most of the ships were small - not the huge floating hotels many lines have now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy#1 Posted June 19, 2018 #304 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Went February 1985 and had a fabulous time cruising Jamaica, Cozumel, Grand Cayman. Anyone else go at that same time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carol TC Posted June 19, 2018 #305 Share Posted June 19, 2018 We did our first cruise. My girlfriend got married Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blarko Posted June 19, 2018 #306 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Went on the Mardi Gras for our honeymoon June 17, 1984. Visited Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. The ships sure have changed since then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p598738 Posted June 19, 2018 #307 Share Posted June 19, 2018 First cruise ever. 7 nights. Guys at our table wore a tuxedo every night !!! Cash only on the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paaws1 Posted June 19, 2018 #308 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Sailed her back in 1973. Also, the Carnivale back in the day. I got the cruise bug and still go 3 times a year. Sent from my XT1585 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gulliver34 Posted June 20, 2018 #309 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Sailed on the Mardi Gras early 1979. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLCruise7 Posted June 20, 2018 #310 Share Posted June 20, 2018 The Mardi Gras was our very first cruise back in 1989 - had to delay going a couple of months due to a little storm named Hugo (which meant we were working overtime with zero chance of time off). 2nd cruise was the Carnivale. I need to find pictures because these 2 cruises would put us very close to Platinum. I remember the cabin steward giving us envelopes for doing tips the last evening of the cruise (had to make sure we had cash in the right denominations). Also - that tiny bathroom where you could take care of "everything" without moving. We were in a cabin in the very point at the front of the ship (no porthole) with a sloping floor! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sc4125 Posted June 20, 2018 #311 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Talk about dating myself - I was a Gift Shop girl onboard the Mardi Gras in the early 80's (just prior to that was a Gift Shop girl on the Carnivale). I actually worked my way up to Asst. Mgr. of the shops on the Gras & then managed the shops on the Festivale. By far - the VERY BEST time of my life!!! Have loved cruising for the last 15 - 20 years - nothing will ever beat the fun I had back then! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gulliver34 Posted June 20, 2018 #312 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Signed on yesterday. Is a meet and mingle, slot pull, bar crawl set up yet? If so, count me in for all. gulliver34 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChosenOne Posted June 20, 2018 #313 Share Posted June 20, 2018 (edited) The Mardi Gras was my second cruise back in 1984. The first was Carnivale in 1983. Any remember the Male Nightgown Competition? My first was Carnivale in 1986. 4 of us in a cabin. We did have a porthole You had to step up & over to get into the cabin & step up again to get into the bathroom. The bathroom was so small we said you could shower, brush your teeth & Sh*t at the same time. I have dressed guys for those Male Nightgown competitions. Never laughed as hard as I did when my 6'4'' big burly, brother was in the competition wearing gramma's pink chiffon baby doll nightgown & pearl clip on earrings! I remember paying cash for our drinks. Edited June 20, 2018 by ChosenOne adding a thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vettprincess Posted June 20, 2018 #314 Share Posted June 20, 2018 We sailed the Mardi Gras in 1974. And over 50 since then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody22368 Posted March 8, 2020 #315 Share Posted March 8, 2020 I sailed on her in the late 80's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N7786W Flyer Posted March 8, 2020 #316 Share Posted March 8, 2020 On 6/20/2018 at 3:43 PM, ChosenOne said: My first was Carnivale in 1986. 4 of us in a cabin. We did have a porthole You had to step up & over to get into the cabin & step up again to get into the bathroom. The bathroom was so small we said you could shower, brush your teeth & Sh*t at the same time. I have dressed guys for those Male Nightgown competitions. Never laughed as hard as I did when my 6'4'' big burly, brother was in the competition wearing gramma's pink chiffon baby doll nightgown & pearl clip on earrings! Did he look something like this?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChosenOne Posted March 8, 2020 #317 Share Posted March 8, 2020 24 minutes ago, N7786W Flyer said: Did he look something like this?? THAT'S NOT HIM BUT IT WAS JUST LIKE THIS PHOTO. wHAT YEAR WAS THIS FROM? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N7786W Flyer Posted March 9, 2020 #318 Share Posted March 9, 2020 (edited) I took this photo back in August 1984 on the Mardi Gras. Garnett Edited March 9, 2020 by N7786W Flyer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miataman19 Posted March 9, 2020 #319 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Yes I did. 1989. Also sailed on the Carnivale that same year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemac44 Posted March 13, 2020 #320 Share Posted March 13, 2020 I guess I'm really old! I sailed on her when she was the Canadian Pacific liner Empress of Canada in 1970 as a Third (Navigating) Officer, then married one of the ship's nurses. 23 years later we sailed on her again as the Mardi Gras as passengers! Deja Vu! Not much had changed, just a few paint jobs! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinpsychRN Posted March 21, 2020 #321 Share Posted March 21, 2020 I remember it being so much more formal than today's ships which I liked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinpsychRN Posted March 22, 2020 #322 Share Posted March 22, 2020 (edited) Also your family could board, see your stateroom, have a drink or whatever and then be off before sailing. Edited March 22, 2020 by crusinpsychRN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasBrit Posted March 22, 2020 #323 Share Posted March 22, 2020 (edited) Sailed transatlantic on this ship in 1968 as Empress of Canada! Old time ocean liner-type operation. Was in a porthole 4-berth cabin with 3 other men I did not know. Didn't spend much time in the cabin. Food and service was excellent. Also enjoyed the low price drinks, much cheaper than on land because no duty was charged. Not much entertainment, some movies in a small theatre and a dance band nightly. Daily puzzles to solve, but no competitions. One burial at sea (private) of passenger who died on board. Table waiter mentioned it was not unusual from time to time. Edited March 22, 2020 by TexasBrit spelling correction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40yearcruiser Posted March 22, 2020 #324 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Such fun to read all the posts. Brings back fond memories. We were on the Mardi Gras in July 1985 with our two teenage kids--all four of us in a tiny cabin. It was our 3rd cruise (the first on Costa Flavia). The cruise director was a bald guy whose name I can't recall, but he was a hoot. And ooh! those fabulous midnight buffets. Those early ships rocked so much I got seasick every time, but it didn't stop us from loving to cruise. We finished our 55th cruise in January (16 on Carnival) for a total of 580 days at sea so far. We had 2 Princess cruises scheduled (should be on one now) for a total of 43 days that were canceled because of the coronavirus--so you can see the cruising bug hit us hard! We are excited to be booked on the NEW Mardi Gras over New Years! Also booked on the Magic at the end of August. Fingers crossed that the virus crisis is long over by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemac44 Posted March 22, 2020 #325 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Well, that did rock...they were only 25,000 tons compared to the behemoths of today! Glad that you saw the Mardi Gras as she was back then, and also that as you live in FL is so easy for you! We, however, will never do big ship cruising again - partly as Ive seen it from both sides ( a Navigating Officer and a passenger) and as latter I feel like being herded like cattle.! Try small boat cruising as you meet 'travellers' not tourists? We have done one Katarina Line in Croatia (32 passengers) and are booked to do another in September. However, my gut feeling is that the Cono situation will be much worse in N America than your note expresses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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