What Gave You The Desire to Cruise?

[johnjen]

It was 1989, my ship, USS Charleston, based out of Norfolk VA, pulled into either Freeport or Nassau, Bahamas. Across the pier was a Carnival cruise ship called Holiday. We met some people from that ship. Back then they were allowing us to come onboard. I remember eating a lot of food and even drinking....and this was where I discovered the cruising bug. As a guest. A friend from the US Navy...I bet they wouldn't allow that these days.

 

The next time was the same year, we were back in Norfolk from that Caribbean cruise. I was standing aft on the helo pad. We spotted, this time, a Royal Caribbean ship. This time it was either Empress or Sovereign. I told a buddy of mine, "I'm doing that one day" he laughed, and true enough I did it years later, our first cruise on Grandeur.

 

What got you started in wanting to cruise?

[TxKroozer]

It was 1980 for us. We were looking for a weeks vacation option that was reasonable in price and all inclusive. Comparing cruising to land based clubs was cheaper. We booked a guarantee inside rate and are assigned a great large room. The ship was old by comparison to the ships of today, but we had a blast with fellow passengers, the shows, and more. The ship was so small, 25,000 GT that the passenger total had to be small in the low hundreds. We never knew to check that back then.

 

We had every single meal at the same dining room table with the exact same other two couples. Same waiters and other staff. They knew every like and dislike and waited on you hand and foot. The shows were very intimate sitting only several feet from the performers. Needless to say we got hooked and immediately booked on the new Carnival ship the Tropical coming out the next year. From then on we were hooked on crushing and still are today.

[mikaula]

My 1st cruise was in 1998 for a family reunion. The ship was the Viking Serenade. We thought it was huge! Tiny compared to the ships now. We had a blast & couldn't wait to go again. Try to book at least 1 a year now.

[mpoole3]

My parents took me when I was 13 years old on the Carnival Imagination in 1998. Took a few through my college years, but really took off around 25 years old, I've taken 17 cruises in the last 5 years. I love the freedom of the cruises and look forward to many more years at sea!

Edited October 20, 2015 by mpoole3

[mets07]

As a family, it was looking for an alternative type of vacation to take with our sons, post a few DisneyWorld trips. We got hooked.

 

I had also been on one cruise as a teenager out of NYC with my parents many moons ago. We did have a wicked storm the first night, but it was fun overall.

 

General love of the ocean!

 

... and I can't leave out my husband's fondness for drinking Mai Tais in warm Caribbean climes.

 

:):):)

[LilBlackDress]

I grew up sailing, water skiing and such. The idea of going on a cruise when I lived in CA was always a thought but something else would come up. Plus I wasn't thrilled with the itineraries of a weekend get-a-ways.

 

Moving to a land locked, snow filled _ _ _ _ , the love of the ocean made cruising an easy choice...

[MaritimeR&R]

My dad worked for the cruise/shipping industry from 1939 until his death in 1969, so I have been around ships since I was born. Over the last 65 years, I have seen the industry move from the "white-glove-type experience onboard" to today's revolving-door cruises where, if you are lucky, no crew member is fixing something right next to you , but I still love being onboard.

[mtebor]

Loveboat

[msmayor]

Loveboat

 

Same here. Watched that show every week and vowed to get on a cruise ship someday. Sailed Carnival's Tropicale and fell in love with cruising.

 

Now, I have to say what gets me wanting to be on a ship is the ability to completely unhook from the regular world. There is something about waving goodbye to the shores that means "See ya in a week, real life...I'm off on an adventure!" that makes me totally relax.

[Clarea]

... Now, I have to say what gets me wanting to be on a ship is the ability to completely unhook from the regular world. There is something about waving goodbye to the shores that means "See ya in a week, real life...I'm off on an adventure!" that makes me totally relax.

I'm in the same boat.;):)

[moandbo]

My sister wanted us to join them on a New Years cruise to celebrate our respective anniversaries. I have trouble with motion sickness, so we decided to try a shorter 4 night on Sovereign first. The Bonine worked like a charm, and we had a great time on that New Years cruise. 13 cruises and 7 years later....

[Paulette3028]

Now, I have to say what gets me wanting to be on a ship is the ability to completely unhook from the regular world. There is something about waving goodbye to the shores that means "See ya in a week, real life...I'm off on an adventure!" that makes me totally relax.

 

We were moving to S. Florida in 2003 from NJ and leaving our friends in the north. Several of our friends had been on a few cruises already and said, why don't all of us go on a cruise together. It is the kind of group vacation where you don't have to do everything together, but you can enjoy dinner with each other and nighttime entertainment as well, while catching up on everything everyone did during the day.

 

It seemed like a good idea....so in February of 2004 we all went on Navigator of the Seas. One of the couples had been on her the year before on her 'second cruise' and said it was a great ship to be on....so we all did.

 

We must have had a great time....since we have cruised lots since then, and now returning to Navigator to see exactly what we loved that first time (since we really don't remember).

[BillOh]

What got you started in wanting to cruise?

 

My wife made me. She insisted we do it for our 20th anniversary. That year I totaled a car and we couldn't go. She brought it up for our 25th anniversary and that was about the time I took on a Travel Agent as a customer. They gave us a good deal on Voyager of the Seas, which was the biggest cruise ship when I booked it, Eastern Caribbean. One cruise and I was hooked and am the official planner now. Had I listen to my wife I might be D+ or close to it now ;)

[ckrobyn]

I have always wanted to try cruising for as long as I can remember. I finally convinced my DH to go on a cruise for our 10th Anniversary. He did, and now we have been on 26 cruises and counting since February 2005 - every one of them with Royal :D

[sha88]

A close friend of mine asked if wanted to join them on a cruise with them and their teenage daughters and friends.

 

So, in July of 2005 we boarded the Grandeur. Was immediately hooked! Love every aspect of cruising.

[LuCruise]

My first cruise was a univeristy graduation gift from my dad. I watched Love Boat all the time...loved that show....and so he took me on one. It was precious time with the two of us and just loved it.

 

DH and I went next on our honeymoon. I love relaxing and the beach and he doesn't sit still long, so it was the perfect trip for both. I love how you can do nothing or everything. And you get a taste of the ports. No way DH would do a week long vacation on a beach (and honestly, I'm not sure I would want that anymore either).

 

I also love the fact that each evening is dinner and a show. I love theatre and such so it's a bonus having something every night.

 

Now we are taking our kids. There is so much to do, they will love it and it's such a great family friendly way to travel. Really looking forward to it.

[George C]

My 1st job was in 1967 for US Lines which owned the SS United States and the SS America at the time. Some of my fellow employees told me great stories of there trips and they were located at 1 Broadway and we had perfect view of some of the great ships of the time passing the Statue of Liberty. I regret never sailing those ships but I was 17 at the time and my 1st cruise was 8 years later.

[TexCruise371]

We won our first cruise[emoji3] it was 1989 and the company chartered the Crown Monarch. We loved it!

 

The problem was we were young with a young family and didn't have the time or money to continue cruising.

 

Our second cruise w another business win in 2003 on Enchantment of the Seas. We fell in love again but we're so busy with business.

 

Third was in 2006 on Voyager and that pretty well sealed the deal. The only problem ins that we are landlocked in our part of Texas. We can be in Florida just about as quick as Galveston.

[SheehanDJ]

I won President's Club award at the company I worked for in 1992, it was a trip on the "Big Red Boat". Ever since it has been a go to vacation once I could afford to go on my own.

[starlake]

I think it was the Love Boat that got me thinking about a cruise, but I always loved the ocean and anything dealing with it.

 

I asked and asked my DH to join me on a cruise, he would say no, he wasn't interested. I finally told him I was booking a cruise and would like for him to join me, but if not I was going by myself.

 

That was 2002, still cruising, 37 cruises later, and my DH is usually the one who ready to cruise any time.

[sjb317]

We took our first cruise in 1999 to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Our friends & family thought we were crazy as we booked an 11 night, interior cabin for our very first one!:D

 

We flew into Miami the night before, I remember how great it was to leave the frigid February temps in Indiana and step out into the balmy Miami night. The next morning, I could see ships from our hotel window which was so exciting.

 

We instantly fell in love with cruising! 38 cruises later, we still love it and I still get that same excited feeling to see the ship for the first time!:D

 

Sherri:)

[CruisingChick]

I had no desire to cruise, but in July 2000 my husband came home with an offer he got at work for the Big Red Boat II - kids sail free. He was at the kitchen table on the phone when I walked in and said we are taking this cruise. Now if you knew how out of character this was for my DH as he never does anything like that. I was in shock. He booked our very first cruise 18 days before sailing.

 

By the end of that week I did not want to leave the ship and really cried walking off it. It was the best week of my life.

 

He booked the next 3 cruises after that, then I took over. Little did he know he had created a monster.

[BreeYark]

Ironically, the cruise ship that inspired us was the Costa Atlantica, visiting Quebec City in April, which in itself is highly unusual. The irony is that this ship was lead by the now infamous captain Francesco Schettino, now jailed for sinking the Costa Concordia, killing 32 people and giving a serious blow to the cruise industry.

 

Nonetheless, the sight of this cruise ship in April 2010 was the seed that grew on me and my dad, who later decided that we should try a Christmas cruise on the Adventure of the Seas, which we did in December 2011, one month before the deadly crash of the Costa Concordia. We got hooked at that moment and that was the first of many cruises for me and my family.

 

We are kind of repeating that same first cruise with another Holiday cruise on the Serenade of the Seas, just two months from now :)

[birdlord]

Loveboat

 

Count me as being guilty of this one, too.

That, and my mom always told me how she sailed two weeks on the SS Monarch with a friend (and as kids we'd always play with the souvenir pen with the floating ship in it) when she was still single and that always amazed me.

[fishbonz]

Did it once and never wanted to stop told the wife I wish we would of did it ten years sooner.