Who sailed the Carnival Mardi Gras?

[Serangel71]

I know I'm dating myself, but are they any cruisers out there that ever sailed on the Mardi Gras? We sailed back in 1986 and that seems like centuries ago.

 

Mardi gras 1981. Son was 13 months old, inside cabin with full size crib wedged between our bunk beds. Cabin just down from the dinning room entrance -- formal night Son went to dinner without us. :eek:

Youngest son ( - 2 months away). Pat was dressed for the costume ball in a little clown costume I made. Won a trophy, too. We all had a great time, especially him. Both sons love cruising. Youngest's wedding was on the RCCL Mariner of the Seas.

 

Festival Cruise & our #1 -1978. Wonderful & very romantic. 'Nuf said.

[Serangel71]

I also sailed on the Mardi Gras in the summer of 1986. I was 17 years old, and my aunt and uncle took me on my first cruise. I have not been on a cruise since then. I am cruising again on the 17th of May to Alaska.

 

Will you be on the Spirit? We are going on May 31. So excited.

[katiel53]

We sailed on Mardi Gras in Feb of 1984. I wish I still had the pics of that, but with moving etc. we no longer have them. Not only do I wish I had a lot of our previous cruise pics because they were my "skinny" days, but also we would be Milestone on Carnival had we had them.

 

Oh well, I remember the cabin with the sink in the bedroom, the mini bathroom where we could take a shower and be on the toilet at the same time. Our extra TP was on a hook way up in the bathroom, but it still got wet and it ballooned up to 4x the size.

 

I can remember walking down to the ironing room to iron clothes with my hair in rollers, lol. Today I would die before I walked out with them. (I don't use them anyway, but you get the pic)

 

These were the good old days of cruising. So many changes, not all for the better/best.

[Shelbyjane56]

I know I'm dating myself, but are they any cruisers out there that ever sailed on the Mardi Gras? We sailed back in 1986 and that seems like centuries ago.

 

 

We sailed on the Mardi Gras when we got married in 1976, so we are 11 years on it before you lol Other than an elderly man died right in front of us, a shock for a newly married couple. Now that our youngest is in college and on the soccer team in college we spend time at games, (just like when she was in travel soccer) and do our best to get our cruises in too...will be platinum on our cruise in may...so looking forward to it

[k9dr]

We sailed on the Mardi Gras in July 1982 for our honeymoon. Seven day cruise to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica. Met and hung out with 2 other newlywed couples and had a great time. The three husbands won the sexy lingerie contest :o The wives definitely looked better in it though. :rolleyes:

[crusinpsychRN]

I sailed on her February, 1982. Lots of wood. Cabin was an irregular shape. Did a 7 day.

[regansmom]

Our first cruise was also on the Mardi Gras. We had a microscopic interior room next to a strange little casino area that was all slots. It was a 3-day Bahamas cruise and I remember the first evening as we were leaving dinner we noticed these strange white things placed on the railings all down the hall. We thought "how nice paper lanterns" We looked closer and realized they were barf bags! So glad the stabalizers are better these days lol.

[Car-Stan]

I remember reading one or more other threads on the Mardi Gras under the category of "What ever happened to..." These may still be available there.

 

Many of these were great comments and personal stories....

 

Our second cruise (after our June, 1975 Mardi Gras cruise to Nassau, San Juan and St. Thomas - where I, like someone who posted here some time ago, also bought a Seiko self-wind, which I had for almost 20 years before a dip in the pool ended its life pre-maturely) was on Royal Caribbean's Nordic Prince from New York to Bermuda. I know of only a few people from CC who have been on both of these long-ago ships!

 

Stan

[Gravedigger]

The Mardi Gras was my second cruise back in 1984. The first was Carnivale in 1983. Any remember the Male Nightgown Competition?

I remember the night gown but how about the yard of ale?The 3 foot tall glass that two people shared in a drinking contest

[tradewinds traveler]

My first cruise w/my mom. We really didn't know what to expect!! We had a great time & I have been cruising since that time in 1988!

[parrottfam]

Our very 1st cruise was on the Mardi Gras, and while we were in port at Nassau so was Carnival's newest ship, the Holiday, which they invited everyone to tour if they wanted. Couldn't believe how big the Holiday was in comparison. We still have a trophy of the ship my daughter won in a talent show she performed in.

[KittyCatty00]

We sailed the Madi Gras a couple of times.

Those were fun times. All meals were in the dining room no Lido back then.

[love2relax]

Yes, my very first cruise was on the Mardi Gras in the 1980s with my dad. We had a very small inside cabin, with a bathroom that was so tiny that my knees were against the bathroom door when I sat on the toilet. The entire bathroom wasn't much bigger than a phone booth.

 

I don't remember too many details about dining, but I do remember those midnight buffets. The Mardi Gras certainly didn't have the amenities of the ships today, but I fell in love with cruising.

 

I never got sea sick, but I do remember that after the cruise it took a while to get my land legs back. It seemed that it took several days to stop feeling like I was swaying. That never seems to be a problem on modern ships, probably due to the stabilizers.

 

Frequently I am the only person at the past guest parties that cheers for the Mardi Gras when they show that video of all the ships. I had no idea when I sailed her that Carnival would become such a common vacation choice for me in the future.

Edited August 24, 2011 by love2relax

[webfoot3]

First cruise was on the Mardi Gras in 1982. We were in a inside cabin on the Riviara Deck.

We took our one year old daughter with us (she is now thirty and has three children of her own). Captain Mario was our master and the main dining room was run by Migel. He gave my daughter a large envelope filled with Mardi Gras balloons for her to blow up on her 21st birthday (which she did).

That trip on that ship started a lifelong love of cruising. This October we will be on the Carnival Pride. This time we will be with our six year old grand child. The circle is complete.:)

[Hose A De RR]

We were introduced to cruising on March 14, 1993 with a 4 day cruise to the Bahamas on board the Mardi Gras. The departure from Port Canaveral was delayed for quite a few hours waiting for a large group from the Chicago area. They were delayed by a massive storm that traveled up the east coast and made for a rockin’ ride to the Bahamas.

 

Since we had no cruising experience, we asked a seasoned cruiser how the Mardi Gras compared to other ships; “This thing is a barge” was her answer. The common areas were OK but the cabin were lacking in décor and storage. The room was consumed by the bed when it was folded down. No TV or radio. The bathroom was huge (as big as the rest of the cabin). The shower was just a corner of the room with a drain and a plastic curtain. The entire bathroom floor was wet after a shower. All the pipes and wiring were exposed. The carpet was not attached to the floor. But being newbie’s and not knowing any better, we had a blast.

 

At the past guest parties, we seem to be the only ones that cheer when they show the Mardi Gras.

[crusinpsychRN]

We sailed her in 1982 and I remember we had a forward cabin with lots of wood. The room was an odd shape. Had a great time.

Edited August 24, 2011 by crusinpsychRN

[cruise_girl2002]

my dad did even before he met my mom so i think back in the late 70's. he has always said it was his favorite cruise. he told me him and my uncle were so drunk they went around the ship singing green river (i think thats the song)

[Millygirl]

I met my husband on her! Almost 17 years of marriage and still happily cruising along....:)

[Palmtree13]

She was our first cruise in 1992 or 1993. Just a short 4 day hop to the Bahamas but oh was that the start of out love for cruising. We had a small inside cabin with no tv and boy was it dark. I could sleep for days but we did not sleep very much due to the amount of fun that we had. We met so many great people. When we got off if did take a few days to get rid of our sea legs but we couldn't wait to do it again. :D

[granna22]

She was our 1st cruise...our honeymoon cruise, in July of 1978. We had an oceanview cabin. What a surprise when we were shown our room, we had bunk beds on one wall and a single bed on the other wall opposite the window. Bunk beds for our honeymoon. lol

 

The midnight buffet was magnificent with sparkling ice sculptures and the food was displayed beautifully. If I remember correctly the Bingo was either free or very inexpensive. The Baked Alaska on the last night and the waiters carrying it out, lit with real flames

, not battery candles.

 

At the formal Captains Dinner, the captain actually greeted everyone with a handshake, and a picture was taken as we came into the dining room ( I still have the picture). We also have a picture of the entire "honeymoon" group.

 

We sailed to Nassau, St Thomas and Porto Rico. The cruise was so beautiful that it addicted us to cruising and when we returned to cruising after raising our sons and college bills over, we again returned to Carnival to begin our cruising years. We now cruise Princess too, which is owned by Carnival.

 

So sweet the memories of that beautiful Lady, the Mardi Gras. It would have been nice to cruise her just one more time......

[crusinpsychRN]

I did. It was a beautiful ship with lots of wood.

[ChattieCat]

My sister and I sailed on the Mardi Gras in January 1979 out of Florida. I remember thinking of it as such a huge ship. Had a blast!

Will be doing a 9-day Mexican cruise next Friday.

[boards]

We cruised on the Mardi Gras in Feb. 1981. We were on the lowest deck cabin R47. It was rough ride out of Miami for two days. Friends we cruised with never left the cabin for two days.

Once the weather settled, it was a good fun cruise.

[gusandgidgetsmom]

Just came across a pix of that contest in 85. I used it along with a few others to prove we were on the Mardi Gras!!!

The Mardi Gras was my second cruise back in 1984. The first was Carnivale in 1983. Any remember the Male Nightgown Competition?

[lillian marie]

We cruised on her. She seemed so grand at the time to us.