Do You Remember...?

[tikimon]

It was early January 1997. We never researched anything about it, we were just following some friends who had already booked it.

 

They went the year prior (different itinerary) and just loved it. So they booked again and took their kids. We thought it sounded like fun, so they asked if we'd come along too. So we did. We took our 2 oldest girls. Our youngest was still a toddler, so she stayed with Grandma for the week.

 

This was the boat - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sundream.JPG - , the MS Sundream. Owned by Sunquest Vacations, but apparently at the time was part of Royal Caribbean. There were very few balcony cabins, maybe a dozen in total.

 

Now it's called the Ocean Pearl - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Ocean_Pearl - and appears to have had an interesting past.

 

We knew absolutely nothing about cruising. We didn't know and didn't care. We just called the same travel agent as our friends did, told them we wanted to go too, and we left it at that. The 4 of us ended up in what appeared to the janitorial supply closet buried deep inside the bowels of the ship, right next to the engine room.

 

We had a great time.

 

Well thats what I call a very good cruise.

When you can stay in the janitorial closet and still say that you had a great time and have nothing to complain about, that's an amazing cruise. ;)

[jillmom2]

Christmas/New Year's Cruise 1989-1990

 

American Hawaii Cruiseline..S.S. Independence

for my parents' 25th wedding anniversary

 

Itinerary..7 days /four islands , Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Big Island

 

I was 22, my brother 18...great cruise..old ship

[ddloml]

ok, you've got me.. geez...the Big Red Boat...what company?? It wasn't an early Disney was it??? Just reading all the posts here....I know I can go online and find it instantly...but, I'd rather you share your memories in more detail...please...:o

 

I recall that "The Big Red Boat" was the marketing (branding) slogan used by Premier Cruise Lines in the 1990's. They had an arrangement with Disney and offered 3 or 4 day cruises out of Port Canaveral with the other 3 or 4 days at a Disney World resort hotel in Orlando. I researched it quite a bit when my kids were young, but we never pulled the trigger and booked anything.

 

Getting back to the original topic, my first cruise was with DW on American Hawaii's SS Independence in July 1991. This was an American-owned cruise line with a largely American crew, and it was a 7 day inter-island cruise from Honolulu, to Kauai, Kona, Hilo, Maui, and then back to Honolulu. The highlight, though, and the reason why we went, was that we were at sea the morning of July 11, 1991 for a total eclipse of the sun. It turns out that the weather at the land-based locations in Hawaii (mainly near Maui and the Big Island) in the path of totality was cloudy, and the eclipse couldn't be seen. However, the mobility of the ship allowed the captain to find clear skies in the eclipse path at sea near Maui, and we were able to see the eclipse perfectly!

 

The SS Independence was an older ship at the time, built, I think, as an ocean liner in the 1950's. DW was expecting the "Love Boat", but our tiny porthole cabin was not what she envisioned. I was amazed on Lobster night when I received a nice 6-8 oz lobster tail and was pleasantly surprised when our waiter offered me another! Another highlight of the cruise was meeting Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins (the one who didn't walk on the moon) on board. Being an eclipse cruise, he gave a lecture about his moon experiences, signed autographs, and posed for pictures.

[GranysT]

The Mardi Gras, July of 1989, to Freeport and Nassau. Our now ex-SIL & DD paid for our cruise. At that time we couldn't even think about affording to cruise. What an old tub the Mardi Gras was, compared to today's ships. But both DH and I fell in love with cruising. I still remember how awestruck I was, seeing the water for the first time, in Nassau. I had never know there was water that clear, and beautiful. It took us from 1989 to April of 2000, to take our 2nd cruise. It was on Sensation, for our 38th anniversary, and was like night and day, from Mardi Gras. We're getting ready to take our 24th cruise, 17th with Carnival, on April 13th. This will be for our 50th anniversary. We're truly hooked, and Sensation is still one of my favorite ships.

[nybumpkin]

Getting back to the original topic, my first cruise was with DW on American Hawaii's SS Independence in July 1991. This was an American-owned cruise line with a largely American crew, and it was a 7 day inter-island cruise from Honolulu, to Kauai, Kona, Hilo, Maui, and then back to Honolulu. The highlight, though, and the reason why we went, was that we were at sea the morning of July 11, 1991 for a total eclipse of the sun. It turns out that the weather at the land-based locations in Hawaii (mainly near Maui and the Big Island) in the path of totality was cloudy, and the eclipse couldn't be seen. However, the mobility of the ship allowed the captain to find clear skies in the eclipse path at sea near Maui, and we were able to see the eclipse perfectly!

When we sailed on Valor in 2008 there was a total lunar eclipse. That day was also youngest son's 8th birthday, and there was a Harry Potter movie showing on the big screen. It was one of son's favorite birthdays.:cool:

[FirstAlto]

Our first cruise was January 1999 - Celebrity Galaxy, southern itinerary. I will NEVER forget my first glimpse of that ENORMOUS ship, the atrium when we entered, and most of all the wonderful dining room where there seemed to be at least 20 pieces of silverware to sort through:eek: We have been lucky enough to be able to cruise once or twice a year ever since :):)

[crusinpsychRN]

Queen Elizabeth when I was 13. Had a fabulous time!

[Texarribean Chick]

CCL Sensation September of 1997. 7 day Eastern itinerary, San Juan, St. Thomas and St. Maarten.

Boarded a flight from Texas with Mom, DSister, and 3 DAunts. Flew to Miami, only to almost miss the ship, it waited on us (airfare booked through CCL). Upon arrival, we were handed a letter from the Capt. that due to Hurricane Fran in the Atlantic, the itinerary had been switched to the Western tour (Ocho Rios, Jamaica, GC, and Cozumel). We were so disappointed! The whole purpose of the trip was to shop in the Eastern Caribbean. We were from Texas, and for the most part could go to Mexico anytime without having to fly to the East coast to get there. All in all, it was of course, a fantastic cruise. We hadn't been on the Western itinerary either. At that time, you stayed in Cozumel until Midnight too.

One strange thing that happened, while on Lido deck laying poolside on the first sea day - the ship listed incredibly. So much that my pool chair (with me in it) slid approximately 20 ft. Everyone did for that matter. Water from the pool was everywhere. Busboy carts and tables filled with food and dishes were everywhere. No explanation given by the Capt. Scared me; but I thought, "hey guess this happens when you cruise."

 

Must not have effected me that much. I've cruised many, many times since then! :D

[QTBabyNurse]

My first cruise was a three-nighter in 1982 on the Dolphin out of Miami sailing to Nassau. I was a young travel agent at the time and I decided on a Wednesday to book a sailing that was departing two days later on Friday. It cost $114 per person and we fit my parents, my aunt and myself in an inside cabin on one of the lowest decks! We didn't know any better!

 

Funny thing was...at different times during the cruise we kept hearing this "warbling" sound and we couldn't figured what it was. The last day of the trip, the mystery was revealed....it was the magician's pigeons...he was in the cabin adjacent to ours! :-) We hadn't realized we were on the same deck as the crew and entertainers!

 

I remember one of the games was how fast you could chug a yard-long glass full of beer and then get 2 people facing each other while straddling a greased log and knock down your opponent with a pillow!

 

That cruise always brings back such fond memories as my parents and aunt are no longer with us....we all had such a great time and laughed so much that trip....and that's what it's all about!!

[zwallace]

We bought a car in 1996 and got a free three day cruise to the Bahamas on a ship called The Big Red Boat. We didn't know crap about cruising back then. I do remember that it was a lot smaller than current ships. We were on the bottom deck back by the boiler room and heard the motor, propeller, whatever all the time. DH hated it but I loved it. Finally talked him into giving cruising another try in 2004 aboard the Conquest. That one was better cause we had a balcony.:) The best for me was the Fantasy in 2006 with my two best friends and my daughter and her best friend. We had a blast and I laughed like I hadn't since high school. Since then, we've cruised Celebrity to Alaska in 2007, the Conquest again this January, and are booked for next January aboard the Victory for repositioning cruise from San Juan to Miami. I'd live on a ship if I could. No cooking, cleaning and being pampered 24/7. My idea of Nirvana.