What a difference from 1983

[Aplmac]

Every cruiseline is facing the same problems.....

people want a cadillac experience for Volkswagon prices.

Something has to give folks..

Every cruise line is facing the same problem: 'entitled' customers with unrealistic expectations.

The other day one guy was demanding free WiFi at sea, like it was his birthright or sumthin!

 

 

Are we all from LaLa Land, these days? Just asking.

 

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[platinum.wannabe]

Love this thread! :D

[tigereye]

My first cruise was in 1966 and I believe that ship was "Dolphin" but not really sure. We slept 4 in a cabin with 2 bunk beds. We had to walk down the hall to a "community" bath room and shower. We had a ball, but what a difference!

[tkportersat]

I'm glad each cabin has it's own bathroom, I don't think I would like the Community bath very much. I did that for one year of college and that was plenty....don't want to do that on my vacation. So that is a change for the better for sure!!

 

My first cruise was in 1966 and I believe that ship was "Dolphin" but not really sure. We slept 4 in a cabin with 2 bunk beds. We had to walk down the hall to a "community" bath room and shower. We had a ball, but what a difference!

[tkportersat]

I think some forget the cruise lines are actually supposed to be in the business of making money. In keeping prices so low they have to do something...people also make the nickel & diming comment a lot. If it something I want I pay for it, if I don't then I won't.

 

There was a documentary on one of the channels a while back; I think on an NCL ship and the ship barely broke even at the end of the cruise.

 

Every cruise line is facing the same problem: 'entitled' customers with unrealistic expectations.

The other day one guy was demanding free WiFi at sea, like it was his birthright or sumthin!

 

 

Are we all from LaLa Land, these days? Just asking.

 

.

[tkportersat]

I remember using these on the Celebration and Ecstasy :)

 

..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.

 

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[tigereye]

Oh, yeah. And cash on board.

[satbeachbill]

Oh, yeah. And cash on board.

 

 

 

.....and the waiters fiddling around with your change hoping you'd end up giving them a bigger tip. They had that little move down to a science.

[SHayesShip]

I enjoyed inviting friends/family on-board prior to sail-away and showing them my cabin and having a few drinks.

[Aplmac]

I think some forget the cruise lines are actually supposed to be in the business of making money.

In keeping prices so low they have to do something..

..people also make the nickel & diming comment a lot.

 

If it something I want I pay for it, if I don't then I won't.

 

There was a documentary on one of the channels a while back;

I think on an NCL ship and the ship barely broke even at the end of the cruise.

I get the impression that many Carnival cruisers in here

have no idea that a business intends to make a decent profit.

 

They have also long forgotten that after much public outcry against it,

Carnival decided to forego the dreaded fuel surcharge when crude went over $70/bbl so long ago

-and now CCL nickel and dime it out of us in other ways(cutbacks included) :) ..

but then you and I are talking to the breeze, so just forget it!

 

They want everything for ten bucks, as is their style,

and they want Cunard service and free WiFi at sea, too.

 

_________________________________________

In other words, nobody has precipitated today's cutbacks and reduced service/quality levels

more than The Carnival Cruiser himself!

 

Do they comprehend this? Of course not: they don't want to!

When the fuel surcharge becomes payable again, watch the quality return! :)

 

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[crusinpsychRN]

My first cruise???? I was but a silly child - 1957. Navy family transferred to Honolulu and had to go over on a troop ship (my brothers even had to stay with the military guys down below).

 

HOWEVER, when we returned, the troop ship must not have been available because we came back on the SS Lurline (Matson Lines)

 

I too can remember dressing every night for dinner. I also remember selecting 1st or 2nd seating in the MDR and crew would come down the passageway playing a small xylophone thing. It sounded like the old NBC chimes--- ding, dong, ding. Like Pavlav's dog, we heard that and started salivating!

 

 

My first cruise was on the Queen Elizabeth the summer of 1964. We left New York with streamers flying everywhere! We were not in first class so had to share bathroom which was down the hall.

 

Three times a day stewards would roam the halls with the xylophone to announce meal time! I still remember the tune! Got lost during muster and ended up in first class theater which was full of red velvet--the curtain, the seats. Much more beautiful than anything in service today.

 

Our non-first class theater was cabin sized with a pull down screen on a stand and metal folding chairs! I watched a Peter Sellers movie over and over. Grandma got mad when she couldn't find me for so long. She made me play bingo which I just knew was only for old people. I let everyone in line go in front of me hoping they'd run out of cards (sure!) and ended up winning $22--thought I was rich!

 

Next was the SS Florida. I tripped over the riser at the bottom of the door going out to the promenade and fell flat on my face. Met the "man of my dreams" who picked me up off the deck. That's another story altogether...

 

I rmember the Mardi Gras having so much beautiful wood. We were in a cabin which was shaped very strangely, had 2 portholes. We were in heaven! Hearing the horn blast was a fabulous treat.

 

On the Jubilee my mom and brothers and sister came on board for a party before we sailed. Had a nice cabin with a window.

 

Flaming Baked Alaska was a real treat. Always wanted to dive into the food at the Midnight Buffet but they let people take photos for over 2 hours and it got too late to wait any longer...

 

They used to play a game in the pool--2 young ladies would have to sit on either end of a pole and have a pillow fight! Always funny. Loved the horse races. People would carry their decked out horse everywhere to remind you to cheer them on in the finals.

[2013LibertyCruiser]

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.

 

 

That second menu is incredible. Chartreuse sherbet!? I knew kangaroo was a delicacy but didn't know the tail was a special item!

[GRAMMYTAN]

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

 

I was looking at pictures today of a Halloween 2007 cruise and they did have the Midnight Grand Gala Buffet. I think that was probably the last cruise we sailed that had it.

[Aplmac]

I was looking at pictures today of a Halloween 2007 cruise

and they did have the Midnight Grand Gala Buffet.

I think that was probably the last cruise we sailed that had it.

Cutting back on the midnight buffet is one (sensible) cut-back that does not affect me.

 

There's no way I'm staying up until midnight

-and certainly not to eat even more food: What am I? a starving refugee? :cool:

 

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[Guest]

Every cruise line is facing the same problem: 'entitled' customers with unrealistic expectations.

The other day one guy was demanding free WiFi at sea, like it was his birthright or sumthin!

 

 

Are we all from LaLa Land, these days? Just asking.

 

.

 

I agree about the sense of entitlement! I didn't sail "back when" and can't relate to the way it used to be, but I sure have enjoyed all five of my cruises on Carnival and they get better and better. Anyway, on the Dream recently, one afternoon, there was no running water on decks 10 and 11 in the staterooms for about 2 hours. There were frequent updates from the CD and the Captain on the PA system. No big deal I thought. They got the issue resolved and water service was back to normal in no time. I had to go to Guest Services to put some cash on our account, and there was a long line of folks complaining about the lack of water and how they deserved compensation! One lady was yelling that she expected an OBC because her cruise had been ruined due to lack of water - again, for less than 2 hours she couldn't flush or brush her teeth and her cruise was ruined??? I just shook my head in disbelief.

[Aplmac]

I agree about the sense of entitlement! I didn't sail "back when" and can't relate to the way it used to be, but I sure have enjoyed all five of my cruises on Carnival and they get better and better. Anyway, on the Dream recently, one afternoon, there was no running water on decks 10 and 11 in the staterooms for about 2 hours. There were frequent updates from the CD and the Captain on the PA system. No big deal I thought. They got the issue resolved and water service was back to normal in no time. I had to go to Guest Services to put some cash on our account, and there was a long line of folks complaining about the lack of water and how they deserved compensation!

One lady was yelling that she expected an OBC because her cruise had been ruined due to lack of water - again, for less than 2 hours she couldn't flush or brush her teeth and her cruise was ruined???

I just shook my head in disbelief.

Those of us who routinely book cabins (not "rooms") on Deck 2

rarely suffer the same water pressure problems, as those at the top of the tower!

 

There are distinct advantages to booking Low!

Top Shelf Status isn't everything it's cracked up to be :)

 

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[spikester]

My first cruise was the Big Red Boat out of Port Canaveral in 1990ish? I was on with a group from work, we had such a blast.

My first Carnival, was the Carnivale in 1992.

I remember they had different DOD glasses every day, and they were real glass. I had quite the collection.

 

I am from Mass, and there was a ship ported in Boston that went to Bermuda. My friends would take cases of beer onboard, and tons of liquor. No one said a word to them. (this was mid 90s as well)

 

At the Captain's cocktail party they served drinks in little tiny glasses, aperatif sized. We called it the Captain's shot party.

[CRU1Z1N]

We were on the last sailing of the beautiful S/S Norway. In May 2003, as many of you know there was an explosion as we docked at the port of Miami, Fla. My DH and I were there, along with my sister and bro in law, and my parents. (It was their first cruise, and our second).

 

Here is a picture of our ID cards and room key. (Sorry the picture is so small) The room key is the funny looking thing with holes in it. The picture is taken from our scrap book so the " red fringe" is not part of the card. The card is very plan and no magnetic strip or anything on the back. If I remember correctly our safe worked with a number that you preset.

[jmoyer]

We were on the last sailing of the beautiful S/S Norway. In May 2003, as many of you know there was an explosion as we docked at the port of Miami, Fla. My DH and I were there, along with my sister and bro in law, and my parents. (It was their first cruise, and our second).

 

Here is a picture of our ID cards and room key. (Sorry the picture is so small) The room key is the funny looking thing with holes in it. The picture is taken from our scrap book so the " red fringe" is not part of the card. The card is very plan and no magnetic strip or anything on the back. If I remember correctly our safe worked with a number that you preset.

 

I was on the Norway in 2000 when I was 14. I've only sailed Carnival as an adult, but that was a much different and upscale experience even then.

 

Things that stand out that I remember:

 

-They either didn't have a computer system or it just wasn't like it is today because for the first two days my brother bought drinks all day long without my parents knowing.... he must have been 19 at the time. They figured it out later on.

 

-I was in a room with my brother and uncle. We were messy kids and I remember all of our dirty laundry, including underwear, being folded that was left on the floor. I thought this was hilarious.

 

-The dining room was different. There were flaming dessert trays. Our waiter would come around and clean crumbs off of the table after every course. He wouldn't interrupt and would quietly stand behind you until you saw him and then clean the table.

 

-We had to take a tender to each island, but I think the Norway was extremely long, even by today's standards.

 

-Gold in St. Thomas was $10 a gram for 14k!

[CRU1Z1N]

we got the carnival whale tail pins? This was 10yrs ago on the Paradise in August 2003. Our kids first cruise!

[ccruisequeen]

we got the carnival whale tail pins? This was 10yrs ago on the Paradise in August 2003. Our kids first cruise!

 

I got pins from the Splendor and Pride but can't find them now :(

[bryanool]

My first cruise must have been around 1989 or so on the ms southward. I remember the skeet shooting off the back of the ship (I was too young to try it) and I think we played ping pong so much that I haven't wanted to play since.

[e150club]

I just saw someone on another thread mention the night gown designs on the bed at turndown. haven't seen anyone mention that here. My wife and our cabin neighbors wife weren't sure if they liked it or not. That changed to towel animals I guess. Just like the parade of sparkling cakes turned to singing and dancing.

[Love Cruising With My Hon]

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!

Back in 1972, 8Th grade catholic school class trip was to Paris for a week for a grand total of $300 per student. But I also remember my Dear Dad making $60 week when he took out his first mortgage of $40/Month. It all comes down to the same thing 50 years later. My first cruise was $1800 for 2 on the Madis Gras in 1980. Expensive, Yes, but that was at the beginning of Mid Class people cruising and it was for our Honeymoon.

[larkz]

Here are a few of my old photos from Mardi Gras in 1977 during the week after Christmas. The upper left photo is one of the entertainers, first name "Red," who was from Wales and somewhat resembled Tom Jones in appearance and style. And, of course, two shots of the funnel.