Cruise History - Remember the Starward?

[Kartgv]

For those of you who are 'old-timers' like us, and have fond memories of the Starward, USA Today online has a nice photo history of the ship and all of its changes over the years. We have such great memories of our first cruise together on the ship in 1981. Here's the link:

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2013/09/03/photo-tour-orient-queen-cruise/2756909/?

[Aquahound]

I never cruised Starward. My first cruise experience was on another NCL ship....Sunward II.

 

But as for the former Starward, I saw her last year in Santorini. She was looking pretty good.

 

 

[CrusinCyndi]

We did not sail on the Starward, but today just came across old brochures for our very first cruise on the Star Line....they had 2 ships, the Queen of Bermuda and the Bermuda Star...23,000 tons, 600 ft long...those were the days! I was looking at the prices back then and ya know what, cruises today are really not much more than what we paid 25 years ago for a 6 day cruise.....crusing IS the best value out there!

[Hlitner]

yes, great memories. My first cruise was on the Sunward II and we later were on the Southward and Starward. We lived those ships and thought they were huge. Funny how times change. Hank

[VegasCrossfire]

OMG.....we sailed on the Starward 3 times - in the 70's and 80's. We loved that ship, along with the Skyward. We are now getting ready to go on the Star for the first time and are wondering how different the "new" NCL ship will be compared to the Star. No comparison, I know...as all ships have transformed.

Thanks for the memories!

[Scrapnana]

Those old ships had beautiful lines unlike some of the floating apartment blocks of today.

[enyliram]

yes yes yes took the southward ,starwood and I think skyward. at the time NCl would take a booking for a weekend, sat or sun ,and NCL would select the day and ship. never did get credits for those cruises. we had outside cabins. don't remember any balconies.

[enyliram]

P.S. perhaps ask this over at the NCL board

[mitsugirly]

Our very first cruise was on the SEAWARD. 1989 :D

 

Here's a short little "review" with pictures I did on it a few months ago:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1890671

[kelmac]

In 1978, it was my first cruise! Mediocre food and a "dog eat dog" world for the workers. Good thing, we followed up with the Fairsea, or we may have never cruised again.

 

Kel:)

[pris993]

Recall the name, never cruised Starward. Our first cruise was on the Song of America, RCCL, 1982.... later did another curise on NCL Norway. We tended to cruise new ships generally.

 

Thanks for sharing, it is nice to remember these earlier ships.

[boewok]

Thanks for the memories--first cruise was Seaward in 1981. So different from today, but surely hooked me on cruise vacations.

Barb

[dorisis]

We cruised on the Seaward back in the 80s. I think they were then experimenting with a speciality restaurant. Our tablemates had been gifted by their TA with a meal in that space. Until then it had not been a part of cruising.

[mitsugirly]

Thanks for the memories--first cruise was Seaward in 1981. So different from today, but surely hooked me on cruise vacations.

Barb

 

Maybe a different Seaward?? It didn't come out until 1988. :confused:

[Aquahound]

We cruised on the Seaward back in the 80s. I think they were then experimenting with a speciality restaurant. Our tablemates had been gifted by their TA with a meal in that space. Until then it had not been a part of cruising.

 

Now that ship, the Seaward, I have fond memories of. That specialty restaurant was Le Bistro and I remember eating in there also.

 

After 2 fantastic cruises on that ship, we cruised her a third time under the Norwegian Sea name. It was when they first went to Freestyle and it was a disaster. It was such a mess and the service was so bad, it was 10 years before we tried a NCL cruise again.

[bettyboop16]

Our first cruise on NCL Seaward 1996 out of San Juan...loved it!:)

[puzzo]

Our very first cruise, our honeymoon in May 1993, was on the NCL Starward, 7 days out of San Juan, Puerto Rico and a full itinerary...Barbados, Martinique, St. Maarten, Antigua, St. Thomas. Those were the days when we had to book vacations through a travel agent and I knew nothing about cruises, I just knew I wanted to go on one and this was the one that the travel agent picked. It included the airfare from DFW and was $2400. We had an inside cabin and when we went to look for our cabin, we looked at the signs that pointed left and right, showing the cabin numbers and which way to go...the numbers ended and our cabin wasn't on there and we had to ask where it was! I think they made a closet into our cabin! The side thrusters must have been going out and directly below us as each morning, very early, when coming into a port, we were awakened and shaken by the horrendous noise from the thrusters. We had such a blast and that addicted us to cruising and we just returned from our 14th cruise <3:ship:<3

[bettyboop16]

Our very first cruise was on the SEAWARD. 1989 :D

 

Here's a short little "review" with pictures I did on it a few months ago:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1890671

 

We took our first cruise on the Seaward 1996. Loved it!.....still cruising today! Great review! brought a lot of fond memories. :)