What a difference from 1983

[caro1998]

Loved it!!! What a wonderful flashback! Thanks for posting the review :)

 

I just wanted to thank you for this post. You inspried me to pull out my old cruise stuff and compare.

 

My first cruise was with NCL and I decided to start a little mini-review/thread over on the NCL board like this for people to share their stories and comparisons.

 

For those that have sailed with NCL, you are welcome to check out my mini-review over there. It has tons of pictures to go along with it from back in the 80's (also from the ports). :D

 

My post is here

[Shaded Lady]

Our first cruise was 1988 on the Carnivale...

 

• All non-alcoholic drinks were free.
  
• I seem to recall that a glass of wine in the dining room was free (I may be wrong though)
  
• We tried EVERY night for 4 nights to get to the midnight buffet but were lulled to sleep by the rocking (and I mean ROCKING) of the ship and never made it.
  
• Our waiter Hamdi (yes I remember his name after 25 years) was the only reason my 13 YO stepdaughter smiled in 5 days!
  
• We went to Nassau and Freeport. Went to a Las Vegas review style show in Nassau and the Excursions desk staff kept telling me that I needed to know there would be NUDITY in the show in case it bothered me for my stepdaughter to see it... you see more skin today in prime time than we did in that whole show!
  

Second cruise was on the Big Red Boat in 1996- almost our last cruise, it was that awful! Service was so bad they told us we had to leave the dining room before we ordered dessert because the next seating was waiting to eat their dinner!

 

Fortunately, our later cruises got better!

[irishlizz]

Rainbowflag ~ I laughed when I looked at the second menu. I have one from the S.S. United States December 1954 when my mom and three siblings (I wasn't born yet) sailed on her from NYC to England (where I was born).

 

 

 

 

 

Captain's Dinner February, 1991 Carnival Jubilee to Mexico

 

The Petit Filet was every bit as good as the filet served in the steakhouse aboard the Carnival ships of today.

 

The second menu is from a family dinner in August of 1963 aboard the SS United States. My dad (military 0-6) commanded we six kids to have a "no thank you portion" of the Russian caviar. I remember we laughed at eating fish eggs.

 

 

 

[stewpapa]

I have thoroughly enjoyed this thread and hope others continue to post memorabilia from days gone by in cruising. This thread deserves a STICKY.

 

I too have been obsessed with the Titanic as long as I can remember, never dreaming that I could one day afford to cruise. It was just a dream that only the rich could hope for. When we first cruised in 2000, it cost me an arm and a leg. Now, it is much cheaper and we can cruise much more often for which I am thankful.

 

I, for one, am glad that Carnival somewhere along the way decided to make cruising affordable for the masses. Yes, it took away some of the glories of past cruising, but it has brought the wonder and adventure of cruising to so many who would never have experienced it otherwise. AND there are still other cruise lines that offer upscale and specialty experiences for those who can afford and desire it. I desire it, but it would make cruising a rare treat and not a yearly event for us.

 

Keep the interesting posts coming.

[GRAMMYTAN]

Our first cruise was in 2003, just a little 4 day on the Holiday but we thought that little ship was soooo BIG! :) We loved getting dressed up for dinner each night in the MDR and our waiter, Dennis, who kept straightening our silverware and brushing crumbs off of the table. His little assistant had us in tears talking about how homesick she was and how she missed her family.

We loved the attentiveness of our cabin steward who, it seemed, stepped into our cabin to straighten up and empty trash cans every single time we were out of the cabin for more than 10 minutes.

The shows and the CD's quips were all new to us and we loved every minute of it. There was a lot more audience participation in the lounge with lots of games and activities to get involved in, as well as group activities on the Lido deck.

The Formal night with the Captain's huge cocktail party, amazing dinner and Grand Gala Midnight buffet were almost too much for one day but we never missed a minute of any of it.

That one little 4 day cruise had us hooked and we are booked for next month on cruise number 24.

[MrPete]

A Chandler flashback.

 

Dorky shorts, dorky shirt, dorky brand new straw hat, probably covering a dorky hairdo with a porno stache, in Nassau on the Jubilee, 1988.

 

[dickinson]

OUr first cruise was on Carnival's Mardi Gras back in the late 80's. It was a 4 day cruise to the Bahamas (Nassau and Freeport). We sat at a table for 4 which was real close to another table so it was as if we were all sitting at the same table. The service was top notch. If you unwrapped a little butter patty someone would come by within seconds to remove the wrapper. They would come by very often to sweep crumbs off the table too.

 

The only other memory of that cruise I have is when we were all discussing our cabins. My dh mentioned something about our bathtub. All the others said "Bathtub!!! You have a bathtub?!!!" It was our first cruise so we didn't know that that was a big deal.

 

We had such a great time that we took our kids on a 7 day cruise on NCL Norway. I was bored. thought 7 days was too much. That is one reason we took so long to take another (the other reason was they let my 9 year old son sign himself out of the camp. I had no clue they allowed this and I had to find my son on the largest ship afloat!)

[MRVEGAS711]

Watch this video taken on the Carnival Mardi Gras in 1993

 

[rainbowflag]

 

 

and Grand Gala Midnight buffet were almost too much for one day but we never missed a minute of any of it.

 

 

 

This was in 2003 and there was a Grand Gala Midnight Buffet?

[ccruisequeen]

Captain's Dinner February, 1991 Carnival Jubilee to Mexico

 

The Petit Filet was every bit as good as the filet served in the steakhouse aboard the Carnival ships of today.

 

The second menu is from a family dinner in August of 1963 aboard the SS United States. My dad (military 0-6) commanded we six kids to have a "no thank you portion" of the Russian caviar. I remember we laughed at eating fish eggs.

 

 

 

 

Love that they had real Surf and Turf, not this Seafood Melody of shrimp and lobster.

[rainbowflag]

Rainbowflag ~ I laughed when I looked at the second menu. I have one from the S.S. United States December 1954 when my mom and three siblings (I wasn't born yet) sailed on her from NYC to England (where I was born).

 

 

That is amusing, our menus are nine years apart but very similar right down to the Chartreuse Sherbet Interlude. Both menus are for eastbound crossings but from the left side footer on each we can determine that your menu was for the Cabin Class (CC) and mine First Class (FC.) Thanks for sharing, good times.

[Aplmac]

Dorky shorts - Nassau, Jubilee, 1988.

At least they weren't cullottes

like those dreadful things my mother dressed me in, back in 1955... :D

 

.

[Aplmac]

.

She's still working!!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Sun_%28ship%29

 

.

[MrPete]

At least they weren't cullottes

like those dreadful things my mother dressed me in, back in 1955... :D

 

.

 

Touche!

[smeck]

I have always thought that Carnival is missing a huge revenue opportunity. I would gladly pay $20+ dollars to purchase a "day pass" that would allow me to visit another Carnival ship that is in port.

 

I've mostly sailed on Conquest class and above ships, so I would like to tour some of the others.

 

All we need is a already crowded ship even more crowded. And in port let the cruisers who stay behind to enjoy a empty ship have that pleasure.

[freddymale]

here is what I remember from my first cruise ever back in 93

I remember the punch cards to unlock the cabin door

I remember the different theme nights in the mdr

I remember getting the place mat with the picture of the ship on it, in mdr

I remember the deck games, like how many ping pong balls could you hold,

I remember the knobby knees contest

I remember the horse racing, with the wooden horses

I also remember being kinda scared, as I was traveling alone, had never flown, didn't know who my roomate was going to be

back then solo cruisers were bunked with someone that carnival suggested I guess is the best way to explain it

 

those were the days

i also remember that I wanted to do it again,,took me a few years , but now I'm making up for lost time..lol :D

[wmowan8485]

You had the coolest school ever- for our senior trip in 2004 we went to Six Flags in NJ- about 1 1/2 hours away- via bus-this included fund raising! Then again I guess NYC schools really don't have it in their budget so we had a blast anyway!

 

1979 senior class trip to 6 flags in NJ.... We did make the best of it though!:)

[rainbowflag]

didn't know who my roomate was going to be

back then solo cruisers were bunked with someone that carnival suggested I guess is the best way to explain it

 

Those were the days, when matching roomies there were only two qualifying questions: gender and smoking or non smoking. It seems quaint now.

[A2Mich]

Our first cruise was 1988 on the Carnivale...

 

• All non-alcoholic drinks were free.
  
• I seem to recall that a glass of wine in the dining room was free (I may be wrong though)
  
• We tried EVERY night for 4 nights to get to the midnight buffet but were lulled to sleep by the rocking (and I mean ROCKING) of the ship and never made it.
  
• Our waiter Hamdi (yes I remember his name after 25 years) was the only reason my 13 YO stepdaughter smiled in 5 days!
  
• We went to Nassau and Freeport. Went to a Las Vegas review style show in Nassau and the Excursions desk staff kept telling me that I needed to know there would be NUDITY in the show in case it bothered me for my stepdaughter to see it... you see more skin today in prime time than we did in that whole show!
  

Second cruise was on the Big Red Boat in 1996- almost our last cruise, it was that awful! Service was so bad they told us we had to leave the dining room before we ordered dessert because the next seating was waiting to eat their dinner!

 

Fortunately, our later cruises got better!

I

I remember the names of our waiter and busboy from the Carnival in 1983. Adolfo Flores and Jose Vicente. Sadly, I don't remember any from the other cruises!

[Aplmac]

..and surprised myself that I still had a pic of these!

 

 

 

Cabin 6060 - keys from Ocean Village Two (2008)

now consigned Down Undah, repainted white and sailing Aussies.

Poor ship.

 

.

[seacat66]

my first few cruises were through a group called singleworld that would match you up with a roommate. first was rci nordic empress in 1990, then rci song of america in 1993, then the ss norway. i thought those were some big ships. throwing the streamers was fun, i miss that. i'm going to have to go look at my old cruise albums. the first one was a 4 night and i remember it being $600-700 to share the cabin and included airfare. the second to share and this included airfare, was $1200 for an inside cabin, new york to bermuda. after my third cruise, i've mostly gone solo, in my own cabin, and i think always less than the $1200 bermuda one.

alot has changed over the years.

[hues of blue]

Our first cruise was on the Fantasy in 2000, and was our first time flying for myself and our kids. I remember coming over the bridge at Port Canaveral and being shocked at how big it looked.

Our room stewards name was Sur (I can't remember any since then) and he showed our daughter and son how to make the towel monkeys. He was fantastic. Room was always picked up ,clothes refolded and shoes straightened ...that does not happen anymore.

In the MDR the first night I asked for shredded cheese for my dinner salad. the waiter came back with a slice of cheese( like a kraft single) and tore it into little pieces for my salad. We still laugh about that.

 

It is not the same cruising as it was even 10 years ago, but we still love it.

 

Sherri

[Rirruto]

This was in 2003 and there was a Grand Gala Midnight Buffet?

Sounds right. I have pics of the Grand Gala Buffet up until 2007. None after that though.

[Ours91]

Very interesting!!

[muffin]

One week Vancouver return to Alaska in 1993. June 6 sailing, so not in the true prime time. We paid $999 pp for an inside. That was a whole lot more money than it is now. Every cruiseline is facing the same problems..... people want a cadillac experience for Volkswagon prices. Something has to give folks, and then we sit back and watch the fur fly. Whatever, we love cruising and will be doing it for a long time yet. We have no brand loyalty.....who is going where, when and at what cost. We've done most of the common lines.