Share details about your FIRST cruise

[MamaTene]

Our first was aboard the SS Norway...1987. We had an INSIDE, INSIDE cabin which was about 64 sq foot with bunk beds! Packed SO MANY CLOTHES that I literally changed 3 times a day! Had one whole suitcase of shoes! Service on the ship was so elegant. I remember sitting on the International Deck outside of one of the lounges ordering carafe of coffee and pastries for delivery to us one evening. Room service was there in no time! Miss that type of service on todays ships!

Edited August 4, 2014 by MamaTene

[whataboutport]

I was 12 back in 1992. My dad took me, my brother 11, and my grandparents, who were well into their 80s at that point. The five of us shared an inside. :D I got the upper bunk. It was to the Mexican Riviera and on the way back the two sea days got to me and I got sea sick. I don't remember barfing, but I do remember sitting in the dining room and not feeling so hot. We had early seating and we had a table in the center on a raised platform. Since it was March and early seating the sun was still up and I could see the horizon going up and down out the window. Did not help me at all.

 

My brother and I hung out w each other. We did not do the kids club. Didn't make any friends.

 

I also remember snorkeling in Cabo, and running in to my grandma on the staircase on the ship many times. That's about it.

[fendbass]

In 1956, my dad, was assigned to an Army base Ft Buchanan, PR. This was long before the type of commercial air travel he have now, so we went Military Sea Transport Service, on the William H Thomas, a converted Liberty ship.

 

Families were split, so my youngest brother, who was about 2, went with my mom. My other brother and I stayed with my dad, in the deepest, darkest, interior cabin, right over the propeller shaft

 

I had a blast exploring the ship, going all the places I wasn't supposed to

 

My first real "cruise" was 2 days after my wife and I were married at the end of March, 2002, on the old Carnval Jubilee out fo Tampa. Little did we realize that it was spring break, and all the good things that go with that

 

At least this time, we had a window

[gooch47]

Carnival Festivale in 1981. We couldn't believe the beautiful color of the water in the Caribbean. Hubby got sick the first night, not from waves but because of the vibration of the engines in the dining room. Ocean View cabin, a porthole if I remember correctly. Our waiter turned up on a different Carnival cruise a year later and he was assigned to us again. Third Carnival cruise, he had been promoted to Head Waiter.

 

Our thirteen year old child was allowed to order drinks at a cocktail party.

Edited August 4, 2014 by gooch47

[dna1990]

RCCL Nordic Empress 1994. Had inside cabin, on the very bottom deck, at the very front, and in the very left corner.

 

We found this location very peaceful, not much traffic walking by. Until we anchored off of CocoCay. When they cut that chain loose it must have been only 2' and one steel wall from our bed...that was an early morning to remember and we laugh about all the time.

 

 

You were met "at your gate" when you deplaned, all your checked luggage went straight to the ship without claiming and lugging around. White gloved attendants met you at the gangplank and escorted you to your cabin. Dinners were very formal. And that was just the mid 90s. I can't imagine the amenities and level of crew services back into the 80s/70s. Of course, we could have never afforded them either.

 

Now, just floating amusement parks where it seems normal to bring infants and very young kids. With little regard to the sea and what is means to be At Sea. That is fine, we still cruise in our own little way. You guys can have the pool big screen showing ******* stunt videos.

[Talisker92]

Original Sun Princess 1998- Alaska cruise just before they sold the ship. Very high density. We had an Ocean View cabin configured this way:

bulkhead:single bed:foot wide night table:single bed:bulkhead

the food was terrible, and the staff did not care as the ship was going to be sold. Fortunately, that did not put us off cruising. We ended up sailing on Princess and Silverseas on a number of cruises before she passed away.

Out last cruise together was an Antarctic cruise on the Marco Polo 3 months before she died.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Talisker92

[ontheweb]

It was on the Splendour of the Sea in 2002 for our 25th anniversary.

 

In late 2001, I had suggested a cruise for the upcoming anniversary. I suggested Bermuda (who wanted to fly at that time, and NY City was drivable to us). DW suggested Alaska. (We have since cruised to both.)

 

I ended up finding a cruise out of Barcelona. Since DW is world's finest elementary art teacher, I knew she would love a cruise with Nice, Rome, and Florence. (We later duplicated this cruise 10 years later on the NCL Epic for our 35th anniversary.)

 

I remember everyone on our flight seemed to be on either our cruise or a Princess cruise that was also leaving from Barcelona.

 

We were jet lagged, and almost missed the last tender from our first port for Nice where we saw the Chagall and Matisse museums. It was fun, but exhausting, the kind of vacation that leaves you worn out. I know after all those museums with my wife, I did not want to see another museum for a long time!

 

Next week will celebrate our 37th anniversary in Edinburgh, Scotland. And we are flying in a day early.

Edited August 5, 2014 by ontheweb

[t_car]

It was our honeymoon late October in 1984 on the Song of America.

Ship of the year at the time. We had an inside cabin, very small by today's standards.

I remember that we must have had a few neighbors that were also honeymooners. Some hardly ever slept. LOL.

We visited Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. Remember joining in a bunch of Lido deck games and winning some prizes, that we still have and use.

RCCL coasters and an address book.

One day I would like to sail on her again. She is currently doing med cruises.

[CruiseMore1]

'Way back in 1982! We were on Carnival's Carnivale. Our cabin was inside, with several turns to get to it - nothing like the hallways on today's ships. DH participated in skeet shooting and hitting golf balls into the sea from the back of the ship. Seated at a table for 8. Tablemates were not very congenial, and one couple seemed to be trying to outdo each other in getting drunk.

 

We had a group of very young (14-16-year-olds) who seemed to be unsupervised and certainly allowed to drink - a lot! One night they threw glasses and champagne bottles into the empty pool. Don't know how long the pool was closed to clean out all the glass.

 

Ah, but the rest was so good! The food, the service, the cruise director and staff, the entertainment! And that inside room did have a double bed and a standard size bathtub!

 

We were hooked! Have not been back to Carnival, but many cruises on Royal Caribbean and a few on other lines.

[Scrapnana]

I don't remember my first cruise -I was about three. The first one I remember (but not all that much) was a three day cruise from Florida to Nassau on the Evangeline. I do remember liking it so much I wanted to cruise again.

 

On a sad side note, the Evangeline was renamed the Yarmouth Castle a few years later. In 1965 she caught fire and sank with 90 casualties. Many changes were made to SOLAS as a result of this tragedy.

[leaveitallbehind]

1992 RCI Sovereign of the Seas as a complete surprise 10th anniversary gift for my wife. Told her about it by handing her the boarding information wrapped as a gift at a restaurant over desert after dinner a week before our departure to allow her time to buy new clothes and pack. 1st of many to follow over the next 22 years with a 30th anniversary cruise to Bermuda which was our honeymoon destination as well.

Edited August 5, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[OCruisers]

My very first cruise was 53 years ago for 3 days on SS Bahama Star as part of our Senior Class trip to Florida.

LuLu

[shealea]

On our first cruise, our youngest son was under two. He was free. He's now 25, so it's been many years ago.

 

It was a cruise to the Bahamas on Disney's Big Red Boat. That ship is no longer in service. I was just reading up on the history of it last night.

 

We had dh and I, two sons, one daughter and mother-in-law. We had two inside rooms. I remember having a blast, but I can't remember exact details about the ship.

[julie3fan]

I don't remember the exact year, 2000 maybe. On the Carnival Ecstasy with my sister, her husband and 2 little kids, and our dad. Not exactly sure how we were booked, but my dad got a cabin alone, my sister and BIL got a room alone, and I got to share with the little kids. I remember starting the days with room service breakfast to tide the kids over until "real" breakfast in the MDR. It was a short "starter cruise" to Baja Mexico from LA, and I LOVED it. I am now working on cruise number 12, I think, and got lucky that the DH I got after I got hooked loves cruising as well.

[wassup4565]

With my daughter, in early December, on the Radiance of the Seas. Got it off a cheapo last-minute booking site. I was worried about her, she was working so hard, and I just booked it and said let the chips fall where they may. Made a big mistake, as we almost missed the ship (flying the same day, snow). But we made it by the skin of our teeth.

 

Rained every day but one on that western Car. cruise, but we had a hoot of a time. I remember standing on the helideck as the salt spray scoured our faces and shouting, "No need to book a facelift, right?"

 

We met one of the dearest friends of our life on that cruise. We loved every minute on that ship and on shore (even in the rain). She slept every night like a baby rocking in her cradle (and boy, did she need that sleep).

 

Never looked back. Never been to a resort since.

[Fergus]

On the Mardi Gras, maybe 1986 or 87. My husband had actually won the cruise at his company's Christmas party. We had a porthole cabin with bunk beds and the bathroom was so small you had to step into the shower to get in far enough to close the door. The carpet was that prickly indoor/outdoor carpet. Our neighbors had knockdown drag-out fights every single night. One of them (they took turns!) was always out in the hallway with a suitcase, crying and wailing and banging on the doors. :eek:

 

I remember you had to step over the threshold in all the doorways, the dining room was on the interior, way down low in the ship. The waiters danced with something flaming on the tops of their heads. And there was a movie theater with the old -fashioned wooden seats on the ship; can't remember what it was, but we did see a movie there.

[bluedevil72]

Our first was on Commodore Isle of Capri out of NOLA in 2000. The line went bankrupt a few years later. In fact, on another cruise out of NO we saw the empty ship floating across the Mississippi from where we were boarding.

I still remember how good the food and the service was in the dining room. The entertainment was two young kids, but they could really sing

We also saw probably the funniest Newly and not so Newlywed Game ever.

[donaldsc]

Our first was aboard the SS Norway...1987. We had an INSIDE, INSIDE cabin which was about 64 sq foot with bunk beds! Packed SO MANY CLOTHES that I literally changed 3 times a day! Had one whole suitcase of shoes! Service on the ship was so elegant. I remember sitting on the International Deck outside of one of the lounges ordering carafe of coffee and pastries for delivery to us one evening. Room service was there in no time! Miss that type of service on todays ships!

 

First cruise was on the Lewis R French - a 150 year old schooner that goes out of Camden Maine -

 

http://schoonerfrench.com/nfhistory.htm

 

. She holds 22 people in I remember correctly. She has no motor so if the wind dies,the life boat is used to push her. Cabins were so small that thee was only floor space for one so if one of us was getting dressed, the other one had to be on the bed. Two shared heads which were accessed from outside on the deck.

 

It was a great trip. Everyone should try a Maine Windjammer some day.

 

DON

Edited August 5, 2014 by donaldsc

[Krazy Kruizers]

First cruise was actually a back-to-back cruise on the Cunard Countess back in the 80's. They greeted us as we got on the ship in Puerto Rico with a Rum Punch drink. Service was superb. The ship didn't have any stabilizers.

[Velvetwater]

Last year on the Carnival Legend around the Baltics for 12 days. A risk of a long cruise for a first timer but I knew I was going to love it. I had been standing on the ship and in the atrium for maybe 10 seconds when I thought 'cruising is for me!' and some Carnival entertainment staff guy must have seen my face as he came up and spoke to me about the cruise line.

 

We had unexpected sun and rain and I spent a lot of time convincing US folk the weather was nice and warm enough for swimming (they didnt believe me) and met a similar group of 20/30 somethings that I still speak to. When all of us werent getting merry on Russian vodka we were winning a lot of Trivia contests and ships on sticks and doing dancing in the club.

 

Best holiday of my life and I am back on the Legend in 12 days but this time its the Panama Canal. :)

[Grannycb]

In 1981 we saw a special on a Pacific cruise that was half price with kids free (we had two young kids with us). We arrived to find our cabin had a submarine type door, metal bunk beds and a 9 square foot toilet/shower combo. The sink was in the cabin and had a sign, "Do not drink the water." It was a converted troop carrier! The ocean was incredibly rough for the first four days. Stairways were closed and handrails were absolutely necessary to walk down the hallways. The doorway to the tenders got stuck at one port requiring we either stay on the ship or crawl down rope ladders We went over the railing and down the side of the ship with crew handing off our kids from person to person. I have to say, our first cruise was a real adventure!

[dorisis]

1968 on a converted ocean liner that had also been a troop ship during WW2. Very elegant service. 2nd cruise was on a Finish line to USSR. Not so elegant. Next on a Greek line in the Med. Now I am totally hooked and do mostly American based lines all over the world.

[gooch47]

This may be old age, but I seem to remember that on our early Carnival cruises you could sit on the toilet and take a shower at the same time. Is that a real memory?

[iahawkize]

was in 1991 on the TSS Carnivale ( long retired) on a 3 day to the Bahamas. Our Porthole cabin was near the bow and we could hear the anchor being lowered early in the morning! The room was like a closet! But the dinner was great when I saw one of my group order 2 lobsters I couldn't believe it!. The ship was small by todays standard but it was when I got hooked on cruising but couldn't afford it till 2003 when we went on the Triumph and had a balcony junior suite.

[Grannycb]

This may be old age, but I seem to remember that on our early Carnival cruises you could sit on the toilet and take a shower at the same time. Is that a real memory?

 

You remember correctly.