Do you remember your 1st cruise? I kinda envy 1st timers.

[scmona]

Stepping on the huge ship for the very first time in awe. It was breathtaking. This will be our 1st time on Carnival. Very excited.

[cmptrwiz]

Our first time oh how special I'll never forget it. The only thing close is when we travel with first timers!

[Frank12]

The Fantasy. Eleven years ago.

[funinthesun1964]

Such great memories I have. We went on the Splendor in 2009, Mexican Riviera cruise. I tried to do as much research as I could before the cruise, but it was nothing like what I had imagined. I can remember getting on the ship, seeing the atrium, going to the buffet for our first meal (lunch). I thought there was only one area of food until our friends told us that there were several areas of food from which to choose!

Then the drill. We had to wear our life jackets and the people next to me were "tipsy". lol

Goose was our CD, our MDR waiters were exceptional, the food was great...everything was perfect about the cruise. So glad our friends talked us into it.

[campdaan]

My first Cruise was on the Legend...

 

It was awesome !

 

 

There was a Midnight Buffet.

 

Elegant nights.

 

And a topless deck...

 

The last night was a passenger talent show with a real orchestra and the crew sang "If I were not upon the sea..."

[Flytko]

Our first ship was the Carnival Magic, and stepping aboard the first time was astounding!!!!

[volmoma]

Stepping on the huge ship for the very first time in awe. It was breathtaking. This will be our 1st time on Carnival. Very excited.

 

 

Mine was the Celebration in 2005, you never forget your first!!! LOL Leaving on my 22nd cruise in 26 days on the Valor, well really 28 but we're going down 2 days early...WHOOP WHOOP [emoji267][emoji568][emoji474][emoji475][emoji483][emoji484][emoji485][emoji482][emoji481][emoji487][emoji488][emoji509][emoji513][emoji514] CANT WAIT!!! And yes I do remember there was a topless area, to old for that crap now!!!

Edited April 13, 2015 by volmoma

[png742]

My first cruise was in 1998 on Carnival Celebration out of New Orleans La.

Remember Grand Buffet at midnight with animals figures made from fruit and ice sculptures every night.

Edited April 13, 2015 by png742
adding information

[BrotherCraig]

I will never forget my first cruise in 2009. Met my beautiful wife in the showroom on the 2nd day of the cruise.

[manmachine]

Ecstasy, early September of 2000. My wife was pregnant with our first son, who was born in late December. We had both traveled-- a lot-- and weren't sure what to expect. That was 24 cruises ago now.

 

The funniest memory now is we really did this cruise last minute, and did not learn anything at all. When we came back to our cabin the first night, there was a towel animal-- a pig-- the first we'd ever seen. Buy wife thought perhaps our cabin steward was messing with us!

[Tapi]

My first cruise was on the 16,000 ton Cunard Princess in the early 80's. No atriums, no lavish productions at a multi level theater, no water parks, no alternative dining venues, etc. Although I was a child, I still have very vivid memories from that cruise. I've been a cruise addict ever since! :)

[blueangel74]

My first cruise was on the Carnival Sensation out of New Orleans with my best friend & about 40 of her family members. We cruised from New Orleans the week of Mardi Gras. We celebrated more than Mardi Gras on that cruise. My best friend's mother was diagnosed w/breast cancer & received chemo. When it was time for the cruise, she was in remission. We all celebrated her remission on that cruise especially when we got to Cozumel(Unfortunately, the cancer came back about two years ago & she passed away.). Loved going to new places & doing things I have never done before. Every cruise I have been on since, I take the spirit & enthusiasm I had with me on the first cruise.

[mom4mom]

I'm surprised that we continued to cruise after our first experience. It was back in the 80s for 3 days which cost the same as some of our 2 week cruises now. Just a very small porthole and such rockin' and rollin' that we were seasick with barf bags lining the hallways. But now we love cruising and learning so much from our fellow CCers. We have over 12 cruises under our belts with 2 planned for this year. Can't wait to set sail again. Another day at sea is certainly preferable to being home.

[Jay Sam]

First ever was in Sep of 1977, at the age of 21. Sailed the Emerald Seas with my dear parents. Loved it and thought wow this is great.

 

Began working for an airline a year and a half later so kind of lost sight of vacationing by ship.

 

First recent day cruise was on Legend, 25th of April 2010. Loved it and began to wonder why I hadn't taken a cruise in so so many years. That was the 1st of 10 through Dec 2014, and now I am leaving on a birthday cruise on the 27th on NCL's Sky. Love to sail over my birthday week.

[Jay Sam]

Ecstasy, early September of 2000. My wife was pregnant with our first son, who was born in late December. We had both traveled-- a lot-- and weren't sure what to expect. That was 24 cruises ago now.

 

The funniest memory now is we really did this cruise last minute, and did not learn anything at all. When we came back to our cabin the first night, there was a towel animal-- a pig-- the first we'd ever seen. Buy wife thought perhaps our cabin steward was messing with us!

 

I am laughing about the pig towel animal. That story is great. I am such a big kid, on my last 2 Carnival cruises I have asked the room steward to please leave the animals in the cabin. So each day I take pictures of my growing towel animal family. Ah the little boy inside the man. Thanks for sharing and I get it what you said about 24 cruises ago. I am going on my 11th since April of 2010. I am hooked too. Thanks again for the story.

[swscruiser]

Celebration Nov 1988

[v3cruiser]

My first Cruise was on the Legend...

 

It was awesome !

 

 

I second that! And we had Wee Jimmy as the cruise director!

Edited April 13, 2015 by v3cruiser

[Jay Sam]

Thanks for the atrium photo of Legend. I was so overwhelmed with everything else I lost sight of the atrium. Loved that ship and the staff was absolutely the best.

 

We had Wee Jimmy too. My favorite cruise director of all of my 11 cruises. Awesome. When he came out in that kilt, I knew he was going to be great. Laughing now as I think of it.

[sjn911]

What a great thread, I was on a small ship under 5000 tons with the now Extinct Epirotiki lines cruising in the Greek Isles. I had extremely fortunate travels that happened as a follow up to spring semester my Junior year in college studying in France..3 back to back tours and first one was Greece Cairo and Jerusalem. 2 weeker Budget American Express tour and 2nd week on the ship. I was so young and thin but fell off my inside sliver of a pop down bunk.

 

Those photos someday I will learn to scan and post...the decor was so mid century cool in 1980 before it was cool..LOL. But sitting up on that deck with folks my age to 80 and a true Athens living young historian telling us all kinds of travel tales...beautiful heavy loungers, white glove served dinners..it was "casual" yet fancy. Dress night we wore those halter top and maxi skirt things my age 20 then; to 60 or so..and then casual long..Island style but nobody came to dinner as casual as now.

 

We did not have that atrium awe...but those whose expectations were not like Holland America at the time...LOVED it.

 

Then my Hal and Princess cruses with Travel friend...10 and plus 10 years later...WOW.

 

Then much later first Carnival on Paradise 2009.....WOW on fun atrium and price for 4 days and it being so perfect...food, service, roomy 1a to myself...the spa..the real band shows..the happy family grad party karaoke...most friendly Carnival passengers....WOW.

 

Travel is wow and extremely special to me especially plane travel..even though a hassle now..still so special..a trippy trip!! I hope I always get the butterfly excitement....Sarah

 

See Apollon 11 or XI. for Epirotiki....

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/EpirotikiPCs.html#anchor242615

 

Carnival Paradise Atrium...

Edited April 13, 2015 by sjn911

[legion3]

My first cruise was on the 16,000 ton Cunard Princess in the early 80's. No atriums, no lavish productions at a multi level theater, no water parks, no alternative dining venues, etc. Although I was a child, I still have very vivid memories from that cruise. I've been a cruise addict ever since! :)

 

Got you beat with Cunard, did the Cunard Countess in 1977. It was in August and was the week Elvis died.

 

No kids club either, mostly just ran around the ship with my older brother and had a blast.

 

 

MY first cruise was the Song of Norway of Royal Caribbean in 1973, I was much younger but remember it quite well. That and the men walking on the moon are some of my clearest early memories.

 

My first Carnival cruise was the Paradise and that was to see if my DW and my DD's would be interested...they were!

[ontheweb]

In late 2001, I said to DW that our 25th anniversary was coming up in the following summer, and maybe we should try a cruise. She liked the idea.

 

I suggested Bermuda (at that point who wished to fly and we could drive to NY City). She suggested Alaska. (We have since cruised to both of them.)

 

I saw an ad for a now defunct travel agency and sent for their brochure. One of the cruises listed was on the RCL Splendour of the Seas from Barcelona to Barcelona with ports for Rome, Florence, Nice, and Malta. Since DW is the world's finest elementary art teacher, I knew she would love that cruise, and that's the one we picked for our first cruise.

 

We later on our 35th anniversary sailed a similar Barcelona to Barcelona cruise on the NCL Epic.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Stepping on the huge ship for the very first time in awe. It was breathtaking. This will be our 1st time on Carnival. Very excited.

 

 

Yes -- I remember a lot about our first cruise -- actually first cruises as it was a back-to-back cruise.

It was back in the 80's -- a very small ship -- 18,000 tons with no stabilizers. And there was no Internet so we had to get information about the ship and our ports from various resources.

[FawnRiver]

Our first was the Crown Princess, just over five years ago.

 

I was terrified of ships, but I was so burnt out at work that I decided to heck with it, I'd rather pay to be sick at sea for a week instead of at the office.

 

We booked a mini suite mid ship, to minimize the chance of being sea sick. Then, our TA calls, "You've been upgraded and I strongly recommend that you take it". DH took it, turned out we were given a full suite :D in the aft of the ship.

 

I was also scared of flying and the during the flight down, I was in tears. Poor DH, he tried to help but saying, "look outside, dear, the city lights are beautiful from up here". Not a bad idea except the plane was still climbing, so the lights only showed the angle we were ascending at :eek:. I didn't take it well :o.

 

I survived and learned a lot of different lessons. Get a massage before boarding the plane to loosen up, do NOT look outside the window, and suites are sweet (but beyond our ability to afford unless the upgrade fairy visits again ;)).

 

I think we would have been hooked without the suite, but it sure didn't hurt. :D

[mykindaparty]

End on October/first of November 2011 Carnival Ecstasy out of New Orleans, hurricane rina hit Cozumel as we were pulling out, I prayed to just get me back to dry land and I would never get on a boat again, well, we just took our 11th cruise all on Carnival!! So yeah I will never forget my first! :)

Edited April 13, 2015 by mykindaparty

[we3travelers]

My first cruise was during high school in 1978. Our choral group traveled on the SS Emerald Seas for a 5 night Bahama cruise.

 

We had the midnight buffet, Baked Alaska, whole lobsters and more fun than I could describe dancing in the disco.

 

Compared to today's ships, it was small and plain - but wow, I was awestruck. I've been a huge fan of cruising ever since.