Why/When did you start cruising?

[whaletaillover]

We went on our 1st cruise in 2009 on the Ecstasy.My DSIL had gone on a cruise before with her husband and some friends.She was divorced a few years later and told my DW and myself that we should go on a cruise.(all our vacations before had been to the mountains and to the beach).One day I got on the computer and looked at the different cruise lines and saw that we could cruise out of Galveston for a very good price.My DW made me stop in the middle of the cross street on the Strand so she could take a picture of the Whaletail:pWe have been hooked every since,we are going on our 4th in Dec.

[bassmk]

OK Let me start off by saying...

 

Hi I am Dan and I am a cruiseaholic (all say Hi Dan!)

 

I am a soon to be 50 year old who discovered cruising later in life.

 

My fiance and I were talking last night about this late in life revelation last night. She discovered cruising in her 30's aand is the reason I am addicted.

 

Which got me thinking: Why did others start cruising when they did and I am the only idiot who discovered this so late in life...

 

For my part I disbelieved what I was told watching the Love Boat..There really couldn't be non-geriatric people cruising...could there?

 

Another thought in my head was: Cruising is too expensive, I can't afford that. (Yet I now know that I would spend twice the cost of a cruise with a short 4 day trip to Vegas).

 

So I ask you all when did you start cruising and if later in life like me..what reasons did you have for not jumping on a ship?

 

"...Hiiiiiii Daaaaaaaaaan..." :)

 

I'm 32 and I went on my very first cruise at age 16. It was high school marching band trip. I was hooked immediately. I told my ex-husband when we were talking about getting married that I WAS GOING on a cruise for my honeymoon. Our honeymoon got him hooked.

 

Now I'm with my one true love, and I'm taking him on his very first cruise in September! (He's almost your age.) I have no doubt he'll be hooked as well. He's done every kind of vacation you can think of (Disney World, AI Resorts, Vegas, road trips, etc) but never a cruise. I can't wait to open his eyes! This will be my 6th cruise, all on Carnival. (Fantasy, Valor, Freedom, Pride, Sensation, Freedom)

[dear23]

I watched The Love Boat religiously when I was a kid, always dreaming that someday I'd get to be like those fabulous people on tv, and go on a cruise....

 

My dream came true in September of 2008. I've been full blown addicted ever since. :)

[4mrnyer]

Carol & I are both over 60, our first cruise was in 2004 when we were both 53ish. We had always gone to the shore (Ocean City MD) for our vacations and saw no need to chage.

 

In 2004, my daughter who is a platinum Carnival cruiser decided to get us a "family" present that would celebrate our 35th anniversary and also allow us to celebrate between the period of finding out I had cancer and the doing something about it.

 

Well, I have now cruised 6 times and Carol 9 times and we loved every minute of every cruise. We are so sorry we didn't start earlier and we can't wait until our next one.

 

and by the way...I beat the cancer :D

 

Congrats on beating the big "C". I just got a clear reading yesterday from my experience with cancer. Lost one whole year of my life, but am back better and stonger then ever.

 

Our first cruise was in Sept 2011 and was a gift from the company that I work for. It was for our 25th anniversary. Since then we have been on 5 others and just booked our next one.

[mcfam5]

I cruised for my first time Spring Break 20 years ago (1992) for my senior of high school. I immediately fell in love with it! After high school ~ I went to college, got married, bought a house, started having kids and became a stay at home mom. When our youngest was old enough for me to go back to work, we began cruising as a family ~ that was in 2007. The whole family fell in love with cruising on that trip and we have continued cruising about two to three times a year since! We usually take one land based vacation a year as well. While they are always fun, they never stack up to the fun we have at sea! :)

[geoherb]

I went on my first cruise with my ex and a friend in 1988. Our friend was the one who made all the arrangements. We shared an inside cabin for three on the Carnivale on a 4-day cruise to Nassau and a private island. Our cabin had two lower beds and an upper berth.

 

My ex and I split about two months later. Current DH and I met six months after the breakup. We went on our first cruise together close to our one-year anniversary. We've averaged one a year since--23 total--although there were a few years without any (and a few years with more than one).

[gryffynsgirl]

DH wanted to go on this "fan" cruise. Fans of local "celebrities". Although I wanted to go on a cruise - in my mind, I had NO desire to go on this cruise w/these people (thinking it would be all about that). I said that I would like to just go on a regular cruise. He was not in the least interested in that b/c in his mind - it would be all about sunbathing and spa treatments. We were most definitely at an impasse and it seemed as tho there would be no cruising in our future.:confused:

Then his mom's 50th birthday was approaching and we were trying to figure something really good for a present. He finally said "I think I want to give her a cruise. What do you think?" I was all for it. Then he said that he wanted to make it for later in the year, not the dead of summer when her birthday is. HE said "like October or so". me - "well, I happen to know there are some nice ones in October as I've been researching for our anniversary" (which is in October). him - "well, do you want to go too?" umm, c'mon. twist my arm.:p

I call Carnival, get a great PVP, book two OV rooms for 4 ppl, was approx $1200 and was tickled to tears. All I could do to keep quiet about that. This was in 2006 when you still got your booking docs via snail mail, so the docs were MIL's present that she got to open. She cried and was absolutely overjoyed.:)

We departed on Carnival Fantasy on 10/5/06, our 5th anniversary. MIL was like getting a birthday all over again and we were all hooked.:D

We took the kids on the Sensation for spring break '07 and then the Dream for their graduation in "10.

Can't wait to get on another, but unemployment kinda impedes cruising :mad:

[DnD_Cruisin]

"...Hiiiiiii Daaaaaaaaaan..." :)

 

I'm 32 and I went on my very first cruise at age 16. It was high school marching band trip. I was hooked immediately. I told my ex-husband when we were talking about getting married that I WAS GOING on a cruise for my honeymoon. Our honeymoon got him hooked.

 

Now I'm with my one true love, and I'm taking him on his very first cruise in September! (He's almost your age.) I have no doubt he'll be hooked as well. He's done every kind of vacation you can think of (Disney World, AI Resorts, Vegas, road trips, etc) but never a cruise. I can't wait to open his eyes! This will be my 6th cruise, all on Carnival. (Fantasy, Valor, Freedom, Pride, Sensation, Freedom)

 

While I have heard stories of people not liking cruising after having been on one ... I just assume they are all fairy tales!! I mean how could that be??? OK ok i know it's possible...

 

I am sure (as are you) he'll have a great time and will be addicted like us :cool:

[Bookbug53]

First cruise when we were in our late 40s. My mother-in -law, then 78, had gone with a group of ladies the year before for her first and only cruise and loved it! The pictures were great and we were intrigued. Our daughter was away at college so we decided to give it a try. Haven't looked back since. We still enjoy land vacations, especially Europe, but you can't beat the relaxation of a cruise vacation!

[skittl1321]

LOL!! There is a definite "He didn't want to but I talked him into it." theme that runs through many of the threads. I wonder what percentage of avid cruisers were reluctant at first.

 

 

Once he found out you get off the boat at different places he really liked the idea.

 

But really- don't you have to talk people into anything? I've had to explain to countless people why it is fun to go camping.

[MrPete]

Growing up in the 60's, I was fortunate to have grandparents that cruised quite often. Those Bon Voyage parties were perfect for my older sister and I to explore the ship, as well as swooping past their cabin for all the Bon Voyage goodies. These were even better than the cocktail hour my parents had every night (didn't know what that meant till years later).

 

Finally, it was my parents turn to cruise in 1968, and boy were we PO'd when we found out we were being left home.

 

So once again, we were on the docks on the Hudson, watching another magnificent ship back out, pivot, and sail away.

 

Somehow, cruising myself just recessed itself in my head while life carried on.

 

Finally in 1987, when planning for our honeymoon, I offered up cruising, while my then GF offered up Hawaii.

 

We both got brochures, and when we cross looked at them, I was sold on Hawaii, and she was sold on cruising.

 

Very next day, GF and I were touring the Intrepid, when the QE2 pulls in. We just stood there salivating, and then I remembered we could board. Until I found out the rules had changed, and we couldn't.

 

We were booked the next day.

 

Ten years later, we combined our 2 honeymoon choices into 1, and cruised to Hawaii.

 

The man who started it all has a birthday today. He would have been 116.

 

Happy birthday Gramps!

[michelle1836]

we started cruising 4 years ago. we were just looking for a vacation and decided to sail out of the closest port so if we didnt like it, we didnt spend the extra money on airfare. well, needless to say we are addicted. going on my 5th cruise this summer

[Kkate]

For a Christmas bonus in 2004 my boss gave my husband and I a cruise on the Desiny out of San Juan. We had been married 32 years and never even had a honeymoon, let alone a vacation. We absolutely loved it and couldn't imagine never being able to do it again. We both quit smoking and put our smoke money and every penny we could in our new "vacation account". We turned Platinum last year on the Spirit!

[bonnie&clydecruzers]

Our first cruise was in 2007 for my 28th birthday and it all happened by a fluke. I had always been curious about cruises but I had thought that were just for retired people. Well one day we were in a shopping center and we walked past a travel agency and thought what the heck, lets go in and ask about cruises. Well she asked us about when we would think about going and I mentioned my birthday was coming up in October and she told me the rates and to my surprise they were really good. So we booked it and walked out of there with a reservation for our first cruise. Well after that first cruise, we became addicted and all of our other trips(Vegas, camping) ended up taking a back seat to our cruises.

 

In fact now we got our families hooked on them too where that's all they talk about. Actually my GF is on a cruise right now as a mother/daughters cruise.

[Justgettinstarted08]

I joined the Navy in '86 and was stationed on the U.S.S. Puget Sound in Norvolk VA. While onboard, I met my future husband. We always said we would sail one day when we didn't have to stand watch or do any of the required duty that comes with being underway on a naval vessel.

 

Fast forward 19 years and two sons later. I'm working in a special education classroom with three female coworkers, and the teacher of the room talks us all into going on a cruise! Yeah! That was the start of my addiction. I'm sailing with my husband May 29th on my fourth cruise. I sailed with him last May for his 1st cruise and literally before we pulled away from the pier, he was talking about booking our next cruise!

 

Already looking to book for next year:p

 

Great thread btw.

[DnD_Cruisin]

I joined the Navy in '86 and was stationed on the U.S.S. Puget Sound in Norvolk VA. While onboard, I met my future husband. We always said we would sail one day when we didn't have to stand watch or do any of the required duty that comes with being underway on a naval vessel.

 

Fast forward 19 years and two sons later. I'm working in a special education classroom with three female coworkers, and the teacher of the room talks us all into going on a cruise! Yeah! That was the start of my addiction. I'm sailing with my husband May 29th on my fourth cruise. I sailed with him last May for his 1st cruise and literally before we pulled away from the pier, he was talking about booking our next cruise!

 

Already looking to book for next year:p

 

Great thread btw.

 

I am also ex Navy...I was on submarines so we didn't quite get the at sea feel that skimmers got :eek:

 

Thanks for the compliment...I hadn't really seen anything like this thread and thought it would be fun to see the stories..and it has been :D

[Justgettinstarted08]

DnD Cruisin

When I was in AT school, my instructer told the females in the class that if we received orders for a ship it would more than likely be a sub-tender, and that they were pretty much welded to the pier. Well, I got my orders to the Sound, which was a Destroyer tender. It had just came back from being home ported ? in Italy. Definitely not welded to the pier! I went to Cuba, Jamaica, Bahamas, Italy, Spain, France, Egypt, Israel, and Sicily. Absolutely loved it!

 

Still gets my adrenaline going when I see boats of any kind. There is nothing like sailing on the ocean!!

[SMSACE6]

Growing up in the 60's, I was fortunate to have grandparents that cruised quite often. Those Bon Voyage parties were perfect for my older sister and I to explore the ship, as well as swooping past their cabin for all the Bon Voyage goodies. These were even better than the cocktail hour my parents had every night (didn't know what that meant till years later).

 

Finally, it was my parents turn to cruise in 1968, and boy were we PO'd when we found out we were being left home.

 

So once again, we were on the docks on the Hudson, watching another magnificent ship back out, pivot, and sail away.

 

Somehow, cruising myself just recessed itself in my head while life carried on.

 

Finally in 1987, when planning for our honeymoon, I offered up cruising, while my then GF offered up Hawaii.

 

We both got brochures, and when we cross looked at them, I was sold on Hawaii, and she was sold on cruising.

 

Very next day, GF and I were touring the Intrepid, when the QE2 pulls in. We just stood there salivating, and then I remembered we could board. Until I found out the rules had changed, and we couldn't.

 

We were booked the next day.

 

Ten years later, we combined our 2 honeymoon choices into 1, and cruised to Hawaii.

 

The man who started it all has a birthday today. He would have been 116.

 

Happy birthday Gramps!

 

 

That is so sweet, and thanks for sharing Mr Pete!:)

[SMSACE6]

DnD Cruisin

When I was in AT school, my instructer told the females in the class that if we received orders for a ship it would more than likely be a sub-tender, and that they were pretty much welded to the pier. Well, I got my orders to the Sound, which was a Destroyer tender. It had just came back from being home ported ? in Italy. Definitely not welded to the pier! I went to Cuba, Jamaica, Bahamas, Italy, Spain, France, Egypt, Israel, and Sicily. Absolutely loved it!

 

Still gets my adrenaline going when I see boats of any kind. There is nothing like sailing on the ocean!!

 

Love this one too! Agree, nothing like sailing on the ocean!!:)

[gabby71]

I started cruising when I was 38, DH was 39. Why so late??? I think the 5 kids had something to do with it.lol Between spending money on sports, health issues, and all of the other things that kids need we pushed ourselves to the back burner. Which was fine. We knew that when we decided to have that many kids. We would take a weekend trip once a year for ourselves and then take the kids to Disney World twice, and the to the beaches.

 

When our oldest graduated we decided that it was "our" time to do something different. Friends of ours had been raving about cruising and said that it would be perfect DH and myself. So we thought, "Let's go for it." That was in 2008. So far we've been able to cruise every two years. We take the kids somewhere on the "in between" year. Next year we're taking them to Disney World again for DD High School Graduation gift.

 

We love cruising and for us it is a TRUE vacation!!!!! No cell phones, computer or kids(our own).lol It seems that after every vacation with the kids I need another vacation to recuperate.:o

[saltmom1]

My in-laws wanted to take us to Disney when DD was 4, so I went to Disney for the first time when I was 38 and I was a total Disney addict. We went 3 more times and I offered DD either Disney or a cruise for her high school graduation. I was 52 when she graduated and I started cruising. She had been on 1 cruise previous. I have been on 4 cruises in the last 4 years. SO I started cruising to celebrate DD's high school graduation.

[nybumpkin]

I joined the Navy in '86 and was stationed on the U.S.S. Puget Sound in Norvolk VA. While onboard, I met my future husband. We always said we would sail one day when we didn't have to stand watch or do any of the required duty that comes with being underway on a naval vessel.

LOL - Our oldest son - the one who was 13 on our first cruise - is finishing his junior (2nd class) year at the US Merchant Marine Academy. He went from 9 cruises on Carnival to sailing for a living.:p Not sure yet if he's going to go for a Navy or civilian career, but he has said he would like to sail with us to the Baltic if we go.:)

[momof4boys]

Our family with 4 sons vacationed at theme parks, beaches, and lots of outdoor activities in Colorado, NM, Arizona, and South Dakota.

 

It was November of 04 and we watched a movie, based on the book Skipping Christmas, which has the main characters planning a cruise. DH and I started talking about what a surprise it would be if we took the boys (ages 11, 14, 18, and 22) on a cruise. Totally different from anything we had ever done!! So come December first, we booked the Elation out of Galveston and kept our mouths quiet!!

 

What fun we had with them on Christmas morning. Their stockings and presents were stuffed with all kinds of Cruise stuff....with a note from "Santa" telling them they would be cruising to Cozumel, Mexico, and Belize in July. They went nuts and we have never looked back!!

 

Going on cruise 5 (8 nighter) for 35th anniversary with all 4 boys, 2 daughter in laws, a soon to be DIL, and best friends and their "kids" who we got addicted the very next year (06) !!

 

It is a vacation that pleases everyone......and so far we have never cruised with any of DH's patients or any of my students!! Woo HOO!!!:D

[missygirl]

My hubby and I were getting married (both been married before) and I suggested a cruise rather than a church wedding and reception and cruise won...we have been hooked ever since.

[UATLB]

August 1994 i was 13 and have been on about 16 since and loved everyone of them