Home Lines employees/memories?

[SueseaQ]

Oh,girls this is waaaayyyy too good. Like I've said my 3 Home Lines cruises (and experiences it seems ;)) really do pale in comparison to what I've been reading here..LOL. I LOVE this. I don't know any of the guys you're talking about. I remember some of the waiters and one absolutely gorgeous officer from Florence. My "friend" was a waiter named Sergio who was also from Sicily. He had a friend that lived in the Bahamas and he stayed there once for a week on his vacation and gave me their home phone number to call him while he was there. Well, I did and his friends wife very nicely gave me the 411 on Mr. Sergio, without me even asking, God Bless her. She must have been thinking "this poor,dopey girl, let me set her straight about him"..."semi-naieve" is a good way of putting it ArubaGal... :rolleyes:. But thanks to her info, I was able to very sweetly "fix his wagon" when the opportunity presented itself :D

Sue

[crusinsue]

Hi Everyone:) Im at work reading all of this and laughing this is so much fun how crazy were we?. But I would not change anything abt those times just to go back in time and reminse abt it is great. Hope everyone is doing well

[SueseaQ]

Hi Everyone:) Im at work reading all of this and laughing this is so much fun how crazy were we?. But I would not change anything abt those times just to go back in time and reminse abt it is great. Hope everyone is doing well

 

I Ditto that and hope everyone is well too! :)

Sue

[ArubaGal]

Double ditto!:D

[cruisin'since'75]

Okay, okay, I'll triple ditto!!! I'm @work, too, needing a little break, and getting on the Cruise Critic Board is the best way I can think to take one...away from all this reality. Hell, I work in a Psychology Dept at a VA Hospital. Talk about needing to get away from the characters I'm surrounded by constantly! I just log on and here I am talking to the perfectly sane characters - former Home Liners! Ah yes.

 

Just keep it up, and try not to be "miffed" ArubaGirl. We were all just learning how to find our way, back then, and in some sense this recalling and retelling the stories that made the times what they were kind of completes the entire process, at least in my perception.

 

I'm envisioning you trudging down that long, vast open space to get to the gangway (upstairs or downstairs??), loaded down with shopping bags and various boxes, trying to look absolutely adorable, as well. That spoiled, adorable brat wanted to make the biggest impression on family and friends when he got home and began doling out the "American" gifts he brought to Italy from all the world over! You are a good and patient woman, my dear. But the picture is hysterically funny and I'm sortof chuckling out loud at my desk, right this minute, so I gotto go...

[ArubaGal]

I admit, I have to laugh at these antics also. In the beginning, it was always the passenger gangway, until they started to crackdown on all the female visitors. We then had a connection to get me on by 10am on the "undergound" gangway. That was the true life of the ship...vendors, garbage, buses, lots of hustle and bustle.

[SueseaQ]

I remember that "underground" gangway. It was actually kind of nasty, wasn't it? :eek: Oh, the Saturdays spent driving into the city from Brooklyn, sometimes to pick up Mr. S only to drive back to Brooklyn so he could buy some godies he liked from the Italian deli in my neighborhood, have a quick lunch and drive back to the city in time for him to get back into uniform and get back on duty. Come to think about it I did a lot of chauffering him around, taking him to Kennedy airport when he was going home, picking him up from the airport when he came back and driving him and one of his friends from the airport to Bayonne NJ when the ship was in dry dock. Looking back sometimes I feel, "what the heck was I thinking" . But at the time I was enjoying every minute of this craziness :rolleyes:.

Sue

[cruisin'since'75]

I've been chatting w/girlfriends who used to go to the pier on Saturday mornings. We got to talking about how miraculous CELL PHONES would have been "back then". We wouldn't have had to go up & down those escalators/elevators to "check in" w/the girlfriend who was assigned to stay upstairs in the waiting area to see if your guy had come off the ship and then check w/the girlfriend who was waiting downstairs/outside, looking for your guy, her guy, whomever, get off the ship from that level! We wouldn't have needed that "runner", usually me, going up and down and up and down and up and down. What the hell was I doing?

 

I'd make a plan to meet my man, whoever it was always showed, we'd meet at the assigned spot (either up or down), they would always be late, we'd rush around the city in cabs, cause once my car was parked I wasn't going anywhere unless it was to bring my boy back to Connecticut for an "overnight". Remember those? Never enough of those! And then we'd get back to the ship, out of breath and ALWAYS running, to bounce onto the gangway - downstairs - so he could put on whatever the uniform was for his particular job, and I'd get to sit on deck, in the sun and river breeze, and act like I was Queen of the World!

 

Then we'd all be checking each other out, wondering who was seeing who, and sometimes we'd talk to each other, but most times we just looked. I wonder how often we looked at each other? We must know each other, or at least have heard of one another. Don't you think?

 

Speaking of cell phones and how miraculous they would have been for us, did you sit around all day on Saturday, when you weren't at the pier, by the phone, waiting until 1 o'clock for a phone call? But then if the call didn't come through, you waited until the ship sailed just in case your "friend" managed to get off the ship to make a frantic, rushed (always rushed) call? Ah, the cell phone would have made a huge difference in my Saturday socializing. All that mattered was my call, however, and finally around 6pm, in case the ship sailed late, my Saturday would come to life locally, especially if that call came through!

[Marge106]

I guess I should consider myself lucky, I usually was on board by 8:30 in the morning. I guess I was around so often everyone knew me and I did not even have to wait for someone to get me. Sometimes my sailor had to work until noon, so I would just go to his cabin and hang out by myself, do some homework (I was still in school) and wait for those few precious hours we had together. Of course when he had to go back by 12 I would search out some of my friends (like Cruizin75) chat and listen to stories. Its those stories that I remember so fondly (shower curtain)that still bring a smile to my face. Cruizin, remember my brownies. How I laugh now, here is a guy working on a ship full of food, and every week he wanted those damm brownies lol. But here's the best...a few years ago I was flying off to Italy to meet up with my sailor and the night before I was scheduled to leave he calls me and asks me if I can bring the brownies. Cruizin, when you talk to Deb, tell her Michael and I were chatting about 6 weeks ago and we were talking about the last dry dock in Newport News and for some reason he remembers us going to some amuzement park. I think I'm getting senile, because I really had to stretch far back to bring that memory forward. But it is nice to know that he remembers some of those times.

[ArubaGal]

Did you ever check out the female passengers coming off the ship and wondering if one might be competition and who she had hooked up with? Waiting was truly an art we had perfected ladies! Then, the art of rushing around and accepting whatever time we could get.

 

Cell phones would have been awesome back then....perhaps scrolling through to see names and numbers??????

 

The angst of having to leave when the horn sounded, and pushing the limits, getting off at the last possible minute. Scoping out the new batch of females on board! Watching the ship pull away from the pier, looking to see if "he" would come out on deck to wave good bye.

 

Oh my gosh...the trips to and from the airport. The tears. Such drama. Driving in snow and ice storms to the City...a 1 and 3/4 hr ride from CT.

I never knew I had it in me to drive into the Big City, and all over the City, etc. That was quite a feat!

 

See, we all took more away from this than we came into it with...

[Marge106]

Cell phones should would have been great, especially for strolling through those number. I myself used to help myself to his phone book (that what he gets for leaving me alone in his cabin) and I used to be able to see what was going on. 25 years later, I confessed to him how I changed some of the numbers in that book. We had a good laugh and he told me that he always wondered how he had the wrong number down for his sister and niece.

[ArubaGal]

That is too funny. Probably would have done the same thing too! LOL

 

All you gals have a good week...DH and I are off to Fl for the week, in search of sun and warmth. I'll try and bring some back up North!

[SueseaQ]

Hi ArubaGal, my daughter and I will be in Florida next weekend for a wedding. Only a short visit though, Fri - Sun. Where in Florida will you be. We"ll be in the West Palm Beach, Jupiter area. Even though this is going to be a very rushed trip, I'm so looking forward to it as I haven't been away in almost 3 years!!:eek:

[11legend]

Wow! I'm astonished. I didn't even realize all this was going on at the time. Three of my girlfriends and I went on the Oceanic in June of 82 I believe it was. Of course we were all enamoured the the gorgeous crew and made friends with alot of them (have no idea what their names were). Also made friends with alot of the passengers and had a blast. But when we got off the ship, that was it. Didn't continue any relationships. You guys must have really been in love to have gone through all that to see your men! A few years later also sailed on the Oceanic on my honeymoon and also had a fantastic time (although I have to say the service was much better when we were 4 single girls:D). In November we will be sailing on the Legend for our 25th Anniversary. It's not Home Lines, I know, but oh well:(.

 

One funny story I have was that my ex-boyfriend was going on the Oceanic with his friends and we all went to the bon voyage party (those were the good ol days). Well, it was time to leave the ship and there we are standing at the dock (parents of the guys going, girlfriends, friends, brothers, sisters) and we're waving and the ship's pulling away from the dock. The guys are waving back to us and all of a sudden we see one of the guys' sister and her friend (not booked on the cruise) standing there with them waving back at us:eek:. We couldn't believe our eyes but it was already too late. The Oceanic had their first stowaways:p. Apparently the girls got scared, turned themselves in and had to stay confined to a room until they got to Bermuda and then they had to fly home. Unbelievable.

 

My ex going on that cruise was pretty much the end for us. While he was on the Oceanic, I was spending the week in Belmar with my now husband:D

 

Funny how things work out. I guess that's why I wanted to go on the Oceanic for my honeymoon as they inadvertently had a hand in bringing me and my honey of 25 years together:)

[crusinsue]

Hi everyone I do remenber very well checking out those girls coming off the cruise before me and then again checking them out again getting off the ship and being very envious of them:mad: wishing it was me again instead of them. Hope all is well with every one

[Marge106]

I remember Grace in the ladies room taking messages for me. Michael used to crack up laughing

[cruisin'since'75]

Hey Marge, I was wondering where you were...I'll pass along the message to Ms. Debbie, and I know she'll have a laugh. Ya know you made the best brownies anywhere and its no wonder Michael wanted you to bring them w/you when you travelled to Italy, as well as on the cruises. He appreciated good food and a good woman. He got both w/you, now didn't he, missy?

 

I think how fun it would be to sit at the pier some Saturday, watch the coming and going, and have a chat. It wouldn't be exactly the same as our precious Saturdays at the pier, but it would certainly be a hoot. We could all meet, all of us who have been writing to this Board, and at least we'd know where we going!

[sstraveler]

Anyone have some pictures to show of the crew and officers and the ships from your travels and visits?

[ArubaGal]

SueSeaQ...we were in Hollywood for the week. It was very windy and cloudy most of the week. Not your typical FL weather. Hope your weather was better. We enjoyed watching for the cruise ships leaving FTLauderdale in the evenings...wishing it was us!

[SueseaQ]

SueSeaQ...we were in Hollywood for the week. It was very windy and cloudy most of the week. Not your typical FL weather. Hope your weather was better. We enjoyed watching for the cruise ships leaving FTLauderdale in the evenings...wishing it was us!

 

Hi ArubaGal,

The weather for us was very windy too! Somewhat cloudy as well, but it was warm and it felt sooooo good not to have to wear a coat! We had a great time at the wedding and seeing alot of great cousins we don't get to see often, but not enough time to get to the beach. I don't know about you, but we had a terrible time flying home with delays, being in a holding pattern over Raleigh-Durham NC for nearly 1hr, having to land there to re-fuel, back in the air again, then back into a holding pattern for over 30 min before being able to get to Newark airport to land, wich was after 12AM this morning (the original flight arrival time was 6:30PM Sun). Too much stress for me.......:eek:. I'm not too fond of flying to begin with. Put me on a cruise ship anytime!!!!

Sue

[ArubaGal]

We left at 7pm on Sat . Had no trouble, thank goodness. I was afraid that all the storms across the South would wreck havoc, but Jet Blue into Newburgh NY went smooth. Thinking of a cruise on Celebrity next March out of Charleston. Great rate and interesting combo of W Carib with Key West and Nassau also. 10 nighter. FL was ok, but give me a cruise anyday. But, we have less than 9 weeks to our Aruba time, so it's all good.

[SueseaQ]

Hi Aruba, glad your flight went smoohtly. That Celebrity cruise does have a great itinerary, sounds like a nice mix, and hey, a 10 nighter really sounds good. Yeah, I am definitely a cruise person, no doubt about it, and if the ship leaves from the NY, NJ area, all the better for me....NO PLANES :D

By any chance have you seen the "Live from" thread on Princess Cruise Line forum started by Witamut, world cruise 107 days Ft. Lauderdale to Venice on the Royal? If you haven't you should check it out, fantastic! The OP updates daily and sends fabulous photos. It's so interesting, I'm sure I'll never have the opportunity to do a World Cruise but am taking one vicariously by checking out that thread daily.

Edited March 31, 2009 by SueseaQ

[ArubaGal]

SueSeaQ...I'll have to check that thread out. Sounds pretty interesting. Personally, don't know if I could handle all that time on board a ship. Esp the food...do they weigh you before and after? LOL

[SueseaQ]

HI Aruba, The OP on that thread says he rarely eats in the dining room just picks up something or another at the buffet when he's hungry. I guess when you're on a ship for that long you can get a little tired of the fancy stuff after a while. (Although, I doubt I could get tired of Home Lines food LOL) I guess I'll never know as I doubt I'll ever have that opportunity :rolleyes:.

Edited April 6, 2009 by SueseaQ

[Bermudablueeyes]

OK - ArubaGal - I actually know who you are! I came upon this thread quite by accident. I don't know why I typed Giuseppe's name into the computer - but I guess it was meant for me to set the record straight on a few things. Giuseppe had only two serious girl friends while working for Home Lines. Those two would be you and me! I knew about your history with GG (except for the fact that you still occasionally would see him). I began seeing Giuseppe in 1981. He was the love of my life! This lasted steady until 1986. I too went on more cruises than I can remember. We would also rent a cottage in Bermuda many times during the summer. I was also in New York almost every single Saturday. The only Saturdays that I was not there was when I would be getting off a cruise or still in Bermuda. I guess that is when he had the opportunity to cheat. I never wanted to believe that he would cheat on me during those times, but considering the surroundings, the lifestyle and all the available girls, it was inevitable. I basically preferred to keep my head in the sand about that because I knew how he felt about me. Giuseppe stayed in my home more times than I can count. He called me on a weekly basis from Bermuda, or from the Carribean. He also called me quite frequently from Italy, though I never got to go there like you did. He used to bring me back beautiful shoes from Milan. I did get to spend an uninterrupted week with him in Florida. He flew in early from Italy and we spent the week in Ft. Lauderdale before he had to board the ship. I still have a box filled with all the Valentines day cards and post cards from Italy.

 

So now here's the beginning of the end. One Saturday in October, right before Giuseppe went home to Italy, he asked me if I believed that a man could love two women. I told him NO!. He told me that he loved me and then quickly changed the subject. I didn't catch on. The week before Christmas, Giuseppe called me several times from Italy to tell me that he loved me and missed me....later to find out that Giuseppe was calling me while on his honeymoon! The day he got back to New York, he sat me down and said that he had something to tell me and that he did not want me to hear it from somebody else. He told me that he got married. Needless to say, the bottom dropped out of my world. I told him that I could no longer see him. He begged me not leave him! Needless to say, two weeks later I was back with him. We continued our relationship as if nothing changed, but I was truly devastated. Then came the birth of his first son. I was heartbroken. One year after that came the birth of his second son. This was more than I could handle......the end! Though I still carry that torch...and always will!

 

My best friend was Giuseppe Loria's girlfriend from 1982 through the end. They were absolutely inseperable. Giuseppe Loria also spent many overnights in my home.

 

Cousin Lilo tragically was killed in a car accident on one of his trips home to Italy. Giuseppe was devastated. If I remember correctly, Lilo left behind a young wife and son.

 

Sorry to be so long winded...but what I am really trying to say here is that ArubaGal, I know for a fact that you had a very special relationship with Giuseppe. So special, that every Saturday for years, when he was not looking, I would check the passenger list for your name. I even think one time we ended up on the same cruise. I think you were with your mother, but not sure. I did hear that you cruised with your husband!

 

I also had a very, very special relationship with Giuseppe and I will not let the fact that he occasionally cheated on me diminish what I had with him. In retrospect, that was the life!

 

I hope this answered the rest of your questions.