Share details about your FIRST cruise

[bonox55]

My wife and I travelled with 2 other couples on Radiance of the Seas 13 day cruise around New Zealand in March 2014. We booked a balcont stateroom. Trip lived up to all our expectations.

Weather was marvellous and the seas were very kind to us. Could not believe we were actually on board. I had been planning it for such a long time. Had spent countless hours on websites and blogs, picking the brains of experienced cruisers. (Cruise Critic very helpful.)

Could not find fault with any part of the cruise. Cruise staff and crew were tremendous. Nothing was too much trouble. Our wait staff in particular were an eye opener for people used to the rather laconic attitude of service people we were more familiar with.

 

We immediately booked for a cruise to the South Pacific next year. You could say that we are now firmly hooked on cruising.

 

Bonox 55

 

 

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[Jaberwocky]

Couldn't resist replying to this one! 1983 - Carnival Festivale. I was a young teacher, and my roommate and I saved like crazy to take this cruise in the summer. We dressed up for every evening meal, with long dresses for formal nights. We participated in every activity we could - horse races, bingo, all kinds of contests. We were amazed at how big the ship was and how "fancy" everything was. After getting home, we promised we would take a cruise every summer.

Life (and finances) got in the way, and the two of us didn't cruise together again. I finally cruised again in 1994 on NCL with my husband, and have done several cruises since. All of our cruises have been wonderful, but nothing quite compares to that first impression of life on-board a ship!

The roommate and I are still friends, and hoping that one day she and her husband will cruise with us. Wouldn't that be fun?

[rhuntington3]

2004 a bunch of friends sailed on Celebrity Mercury (long since sold to TUI) from Seattle to Alaska, ending in Vancouver.

[Jacs]

The the Mariner of the Seas a few years ago. 11 night Holy Lands cruise to Egypt, Israel, Athens, Naples and Rome. It was cheaper than a local cruise so we figured we might as well go big for our first one :)

[pris993]

First cruise, in l982 or l983... on RCCL Song of America, 7 day Carribean.

 

Recall thinking, as we left St. Thomas, standing up on the top deck, this was wonderful, I am sorry it is nearly over, never dreaming we would continue to go and go... now over 50 cruises later, it is fun to recall that experience.

 

Much has changed in cruisings over the years, ships are bigger, cabins are larger, balconies are available to most, room service, buffets allow lots of flexibility over the MDR meals for each and every meal.

 

How lucky we all are, cruises are actually cheaper too. Of course way back then, air and cruise was combined.

[sbbquilter]

Very memorable - 1973 on the Angelina Lauro, Costa line. Former troop ship, two lower bunks built into the wall and a bathroom so small you could shower while on the toilet! Gorgeous Italian waiters who flirted with all the ladies. Costume party and real dancing in the evenings.

[h_blond2]

My first cruise was on the Carnival Fantasy in 2009. It was a college graduation gift from my parents. I've traveled all over the US, but I'd never been out of country at that time and it was also my first time seeing the beach in my adult life. I spent 97% of my time sitting out on deck just staring at the water...but I still do that! :D That one cruise definitely got me hooked!

[mrobstad]

My first cruise was two and a half months after the death of my 48 year old husband. I took my 3 teenage boys OB the Carnival Paradise, billed as a no smoking ship. I thought it would help me quit. We had a wonderful time because Carnival put us at a table with two other families either teens! Kudos to Carnival! That trip began our love affair with cruising! Fourteen years later, I am now a solo cruiser and go twice a year!

 

 

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[LandlockedCruiser01]

My first cruise was on Carnival Imagination, in April 2012. (More recent than most people, I know.) You could say it was an accident. My employer at the time loved to call their IT guys at odd hours---nights, weekends, holidays, vacations, doesn't matter---and we were required to answer our phones, or be in danger of losing the job. So when my first vacation got approved (something I had to fight for), I knew I had to pick some place without cellular signals or wifi. By then, I worked for the company long enough to know my boss wasn't very bright, and wouldn't figure out that cruise ships have those things. So guess what I did? I booked a Carnival cruise, told my boss I'll be on a ship with no telecom access, and the rest is history.

 

The cruise turned out to be totally amazing! I ended up having the best vacation of my life: warm Caribbean sun, endless food, strong drinks, exciting excursions, plenty of music to dance to, my very own cabin I didn't have to share, and friendly people to meet and hang out with. I totally fell in love with cruising, enough to come back the next year.

 

Ironically, if I were to work that job now, when I'm older and wiser and would probably quit on the spot if such requirements were put on me, I'd probably have never taken up cruising. All due to the simple fact that I wouldn't feel the need to "hide" from telecom connections. Maybe Carnival owes my past employer a cut :), for bringing me onto their ships.

Edited August 10, 2014 by LandlockedCruiser01

[Talisker92]

The only reason I looked at this thread was to find another Commodore cruiser! I took my first one in 1994 on Enchanted Seas. It was sold as a classroom ship, so the next 5 were on Enchanted Isle.

I almost cried when they went out of business. As far as I'm concerned these were the best cruises ever & if still operating I would still be on that ship. I've been on 30 cruises now, & none of them will ever compare to Commodore. I still have my T-shirts & a few other memorabilia that I can't part with.

We sailed on the Bermuda Star in 1989, before it became the Enchanted Isle. We thoroughly enjoyed the cruise. It was our 2nd cruise, after our miserable one on the original Sun Princess.

We have also sailed on Regent Cruises and Royal Cruise Line, and enjoyed all of them.

[Noreen411]

Hi

 

Prior to taking my first cruise I had absolutely no interest in cruising. Friends would tell us how great it was and all I could picture is people sitting around eating all day. My favorite vacation was Disney World and I love to be busy running around all day.

 

I was finally convinced to try a cruise. My first husband Paul and I took our first cruise to the Western Caribbean aboard Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas. We booked a midship balcony cabin. I found cruise critic and joined shortly before our first cruise. When we checked in at the terminal in Miami, I remembered a tip about checking with the pier coordinator for upgrades so we did. We paid $200 per person (total of $400) to upgrade to an Owner's Suite. Everyone warned us that cruise ship cabins were small. When we walked into our cabin (Owner's Suite) we thought the size was very nice and didn't know what everyone complained about - we thought all the cabins looked somewhat like that. We had a great time on the cruise, hit the highlights of the islands, and were so impressed with all the features on the ship. We were not bored at all.

 

We continued to cruise many times after that. I used to write very detailed trip reports that I posted to cruise critic as well.

 

Unfortunately, in 2010 I lost Paul to a massive heart attack at the age of 42. I was a young widow and expected to spend the rest of my life alone.

 

Sometimes things happen when you least expect them to and I have since met a wonderful man and we were married on the beach at the Atlantis in the Bahamas. My new husband's name is Scott. He has never been on a cruise before and never had any desire to go.

 

His first cruise will be on Quantum of the Seas in February 2015. There is a possibility that work obligations may make us cancel but I'm hoping not. I also hope he ends up enjoying cruising as much as I do since we're also booked for an Alaska cruise tour on Radiance of the Seas summer 2015 and a western Caribbean cruise on Anthem of the Seas early 2016.

 

Noreen

[CruisinHoneymooners]

So much fun to read everyone's different stories and memories. I love how vast the experiences have been. :)

 

We've only cruised once so far - back in 2007 for our honeymoon. We sailed out of NYC on Carnival Miracle for an 8-day Caribbean cruise. It was an amazing experience - one that we talk about all the time. We had two full days at sea down and back and LOVED having the time to just relax on the ship. For the two days down, I'm not sure how we even functioned, we were so exhausted from a whirlwind three days exploring the city. I can't think of a better place than lounging by the pool or on our balcony to have done our recuperating.

 

We're hoping to be able to do another cruise in the next year or two. I think it would make for a fantastic family vacation with our son. :)