Cruising in the past, how many ships have you cruised on!

[nursemom2]

How many of you remember these old ships!

http://karanandmichael.blogspot.com/2013/08/cruising-in-past.html

[Valiamo]

My first cruise was on the SS Nevasa Spring 1972/73. Was an old troop ship converted to a school ship in the late 60's.

 

We were a group of 30 kids from Canada on a British tour. 10 days starting in Venice, Athens, Naples, Barcelona, Gibraltar and the Southhampton.

 

Rough seas around Naples, and we had a cabin where the bottom row of portholes is located. watching the sea rise up past the porthole was amazing.

 

[nursemom2]

How Awesome is that! I love pictures of these old cruise ships! The Boheme was my first cruise, and it was sold to the Scientologists just before we wanted to take a second cruise on her. :)

[vistapat]

Our first cruise was in 1977 on the Chandris Lines ship Britannis. I won it on a game show! Cruise was roundtrip San Juan to several islands in the Caribbean. It was a true ocean liner - raised threshholds leading to cabins, bathrooms, etc. We were invited to meet the captain, which we were too green to know was a signal honor. The food was amazing - including caviar, pheasant, and venison. Chandris evolved into Celebrity (chi in Greek equals X, thus Celebrity's symbol). The whole cruise experience on that ship was far different from today - some good changes, some bad. At any rate, it was an amazing vacation for us.

[Life is Good Cruising]

 

Our first cruise was back in the 80's on the Oceanic (Homeric Cruise Line) cruising to Bermuda. The last sea night returning home to NYC, 95% of all passengers were seasick including me. The storm was so bad, strong winds and 30ft seas. No stabilizers back in those days.

 

My sweetheart then, now my wonderful husband, wanted to stay with me in our room, I told him I wanted to die alone, that's how sick I was. He then went to the casino and was only there for 20 mins when the seas got worse and the casino chips started to slide in front of the players at the one and only BJ table. The casino then closed and everyone got to keep whatever chips slide in front of them. He came back to the room with a few hundred dollars extra.

 

Thank goodness that one night of being seasick did not stop me from cruising.

[cruising sister]

My first cruise was with my sister in 1991. We sailed on the Azure Seas and loved every minute of it. My most memorable cruise was on the Brilliance where we sailed into hurricane force winds in the Mediterranean and the ship was heavily damaged. (We got a free cruise out of that one).

[deliver42]

My 1st cruise was on the Sunward 2 to the Bahamas in 1978.

[szdiver]

Our first cruise was on Emerald Seas (Admiral) and second was Crown Monarch (Crown) ....really small when compared with today's lines....

[Macbeth09]

Seems like we are talking more about our initial cruises and not a comprehensive list, so I'll pitch in with the SS Constitution for American Hawaiian Cruises in 1983. Nothing like today's ships, but at the time I thought it was amazing.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Our first cruise was on the Chandris line Regina--she was a grand old ship. Many things, especially food, have never been beat--we're talking plate size 'real' lobster tails, etc.

 

Of course, compared to the bells and whistles of today's ships, much was lacking--no balconies, for instance, but we loved it.

[Marilyn Johannes]

Our first cruise was on Song of Norway in 1987.

[luvscruising2007]

My 1st cruise was in 1968 from Miami to Nassau. Unfortunately, I don't remember the ship or cruise line.

[cruisegirl1]

Our first cruise was in the mid 1980s on the carnival Mardi Gras. We has a small inside cabin, but it had a tub. Of course there were no balcony cabins back then. If i recall, there was a button in the cabin that you could press at any time, and the cabin attendant would come to you.

 

You had the same table for all three meals a day. If you did not want to have dinner in the dinning room, there was a place to get some burgers or sandwiches. Dress was smart casual to formal.

 

Obviously we enjoyed ourselves and have been cruising since.

 

M

[ellie1145]

My first cruise was with my parents on the SS Australis owned by Chandris in 1966. We loved it despite no ensuite, bunk beds, Lino on the floor, and pretty basic food. If you were late to the dining room it was 'No service!'

 

They used to serve bouillon in small cups from a trolley pushed along the promenade deck each morning!

 

 

Then we cruised on Union Castle Reina del Mar- boy did she roll! Then Ellinis and Britannis, (Chandris again), both beautiful elegant ocean liners.

 

Those were the days! The pool was miniscule and on the return from Madeira the decks were stacked high with wicker furniture purchased onshore by passengers.

 

But we simply adored these ships and since then have cruised about 40 times. There is nothing like it.

 

In 1971 we cruised on P and O's Canberra, with its rear funnel it was state of the art, with an aluminium superstructure I believe.

Edited April 5, 2014 by ellie1145

[JimAOk1945]

How many of you remember these old ships!

http://karanandmichael.blogspot.com/2013/08/cruising-in-past.html

 

We haven't sailed on any of those ships, but I think it would have been a fantastic journey!

 

Based on your experience on the different cruise lines pictured on your blog, has the cruising experience changed very much?

Edited April 5, 2014 by JimAOk1945

[K L B]

How many of you remember these old ships!

http://karanandmichael.blogspot.com/2013/08/cruising-in-past.html

 

Our first cruise was on a sister ship of your first cruise, the Bolero. I can only remember there being one option of where to eat, one seating, at a table for 8 or 10 people. We were in an inside cabin in the bowels of the ship. The shower WAS the bathroom, and when we pulled into port in the morning you had to hold onto any glasses or they might vibrate right off the table. You could smoke everywhere, and we smoked in our inside room (yuck- what were we thinking???).

[jstraw20]

I can't remember the name of the first ship I sailed on, but my second time was a westbound TA on the Begensfjord in 1966. It was a rough crossing but not nearly as rough as the eastbound had been, the sight of the waves on that crossing are among my earliest childhood memories:)

 

[nursemom2]

Oh My, the pictures are amazing! Cruising has changed immensely since I first cruised, but the reason for cruising, has not....I love the adventure, the ports, and meeting, and making new friends!

[George C]

Not sure how many ships, started in 1975, I think I have been on 56 cruises, 57th is in a couple of weeks, most likely about 25 to 30 differnt ships , did SS Norway the most 7 times, will take 12th RCCL in a couple weeks . Did several other multiple times. Many like SS Norway are no longer sailing

[ktbr11crs]

Our first cruise was on Song of Norway in 1987.

 

Me too!! It was 12/5/1987.

[drarill]

I don't remember my first cruise/transatlantic. I was only two in 1968 and my parents were moving from San Juan to Spain aboard the Santa Maria. Although they were traveling on a second class cabin after a couple of days they were invited to the first class dining room and to the captain's table. Unbelievable!! We are D+ in RCCL, Elite on Celebrity and we book upper end suites most of the time and have never been invited to the Captain's table. :):)

I found this link with some information about the Santa Maria, hope it works.

http://www.ssmaritime.com/Vera-Cruze-Santa-Maria.htm

[dancinman66]

I used to love the smell the old ships had

Think it was from the teak decks but oh that made me feel so in holiday mode as soon as I smelt it :)

 

 

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[nursemom2]

The old ships were small, and you got to know all the passengers and staff... I love the big mega ships, but I do have fond memories of those relaxing days on the Boheme.

 

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[Nebr.cruiser]

Our second cruise was on the Bolero--it was kind of a come-down after the Regina Magna. Both were in the mid-70's.

[nursemom2]

I remember my second cruise, was an old ship out of ft. Lauderdale, that did a 2 day cruise to the Bahamas...Can't remember the name, but I do remember that it held 1000 passengers, and we felt like we were in a cattle car! Can you imagine!