Cruises now and then

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Delete duplicate.

Edited November 1, 2016 by Mrs. Squirrel

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Sorry folks!

Edited November 1, 2016 by Mrs. Squirrel

[Mrs. Squirrel]

Argh, this ap!

Edited November 1, 2016 by Mrs. Squirrel

[detroitlions]

Most of this is before my time.

I am in my 40s cruising was not nearly as popular back in the day folks are speaking of.

Look at every ones signature they will have a couple of cruises way back in the day and a ton of cruises in the last 15 years.

Cruises have gone up significantly in the last 3 years.

I would have liked a lot of the things folks are speaking of except having to dress up every day at dinner and I have never been a fan of sitting with a bunch of folks I do not know every night. Sometimes is OK not every time this is why I like NCL.

I also do not see the point of living in yesterday that would make me feel old.

[cincicruisers]

The atmosphere has changed quite a bit.

 

-Dinner in the Main Dining room was very special/classy.

-no bubbles drink while boarding

- Midnight buffet was quite elaborate. They opened early so folks could take pictures.

-real food from room service

-People dressed up for formal nights and stayed dressed up all evening.

-The MDR closed the door 15 minutes after dining time. You could not eat in MDR if your late.

- I really enjoyed tipping cash way back, then they gave you slips of paper with tips for various people. If you wanted to tip additional you would put the additional cash if you wanted. It was fun the last night handing out tip envelopes to everyone. Now we are charged the recommended amount to your sail card. No marked envelopes. You can find envelopes at GS. I don't like the new system,

[SNJCruisers]

Pillow fights on the greased pole across the pool......stuffing ping pong balls in speedos and bikinis......women allowed to "tan the girls" on the top deck near the funnel.

[pe4all]

My first cruise was in the early 1980's on Home Line's Atlantic. I think back then cruse ships were mostly transportation and not a destination themselves.

Our first cruises were on Home Lines also! We walked onboard and were escorted to our cabin. Skeet shooting and hitting golf balls into the ocean from the aft were so much fun. Having our (wooden) deck chairs with pads set up each morning in the same spot (we picked out the first day) with our names on them - no chair hogs! White glove service and dressing up for dinner each night. Little envelopes on the last day for tips. Live bands. Midnight buffets. Our first cruise was cheaper than it is to sail now - that is why we tried cruising! But my fondest memory of all was having our family allowed to board and have a bon voyage party in our cabin! And then throwing paper streamers off the side of the ship as the ship started to sail away in NY harbor! The fireboats sending plumbs of water in the air as an escort to our ship! One bad memory - crew throwing large black bags of garbage off the aft of the ship in the dark so no one would "see" it.

[EmeraldCoastCruisers]

As mentioned above, you dined at the same table and same guests. On our first cruise aboard the Norway a very long time ago, the table was 10 chairs.

If you didn't like the guest you were seated with, you just asked and they moved you quickly.

I think the best parts of dining back then was you had the same waiter every day, for every meal and everyone dressed very nice for dinner. Men in collared shirts/tie and women wearing dresses. Even the kids dressed each night.

Having the same waiter for each meal is something I wish they would do today.

Back then, your waiter would get a feel of your likes and dislikes in the first day.

For example, he knew our daughter loved watermelon so with each meal, he would bring her watermelon and each time it would be in different shapes. One meal in round ball, another in stars, one day he made a Pooh bear face on a flat piece. Our daughter was 8 years old and felt like she was a princess.

Her birthday happened on this trip and our waiter found out thru our table mates. He arranged for everyone to stop serving and whole dining room sang happy birthday to her.

 

The Captain and Concierge would make their rounds each night to each table during dinner service.

 

Every afternoon was coffee/tea and fresh baked cookies.

 

You didn't have fighting for pool chairs or people creating huge islands with chairs in pool area. You could actually pass thru easily.

Back then, the buffet wasn't a big deal. Most ate in dining room.

 

Cabins were much bigger. The doors going outside on the Norway were wood and you had to step up and over the lip. Just like you would see on military ships in movies.

 

You stayed dressed for the shows after dinner.

 

The kids had a dance area at night after the shows. They could dance, play games or just visit. They would serve small snacks and each night before closing, they would have a chocolate desserts.

 

 

While the kids did their thing, most adults would meet in a huge cocktail area and mingle.

Back then, smoking was allowed everywhere. That was the worse part.

 

tipping was done in cash and using an envelope.

 

It may have cost more back then but was well worth it.

 

You felt like royalty when you went home. From inside to suite, no was was treated any differently. Not saying they do that today but there was a whole different feel back then.

 

 

I remember a lot of this well as I was a fortunate child who got to cruise with her parents. The kids dance night was SO much fun! Even though smoking was allowed all over (and I am not a smoker and actually can't stand the smell) they were respectful back then. I do miss a lot of what you posted. Things have definitely changed for cruising and so much more!!!

 

 

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Edited November 2, 2016 by SlimWithSylvia

[Peachypooh]

Our first cruises were on Home Lines also! We walked onboard and were escorted to our cabin. Skeet shooting and hitting golf balls into the ocean from the aft were so much fun. Having our (wooden) deck chairs with pads set up each morning in the same spot (we picked out the first day) with our names on them - no chair hogs! White glove service and dressing up for dinner each night. Little envelopes on the last day for tips. Live bands. Midnight buffets. Our first cruise was cheaper than it is to sail now - that is why we tried cruising! But my fondest memory of all was having our family allowed to board and have a bon voyage party in our cabin! And then throwing paper streamers off the side of the ship as the ship started to sail away in NY harbor! The fireboats sending plumbs of water in the air as an escort to our ship! One bad memory - crew throwing large black bags of garbage off the aft of the ship in the dark so no one would "see" it.

Yes, I remember the garbage thrown overboard too. In my case they emptied the bags overboard and what I saw was basically food.

[BermudaBound2014]

Yes, I remember the garbage thrown overboard too. In my case they emptied the bags overboard and what I saw was basically food.

 

Totally remember this...... and how about Skeet shooting. They actually handed us loaded shot guns :).

[Barb Nahoumi]

My first cruise was on the Carnival Triumph, in 1999.

The ship was new and exciting. We had 2 formal nights, and The midnight Buffet . Few children were aboard. Those who were attended "camp Carnival, " and seemed to enjoy it.

 

I guess that the midnight Buffet disappeared because of the food waste. The very early cruise s were not geared toward children, as they are now. We took ours to beaches, where they could run and play.

 

As teens, we did foreign land trips with them.

[Peachypooh]

Totally remember this...... and how about Skeet shooting. They actually handed us loaded shot guns :).

 

That's true and nobody thought twice about it. The only thing I thought twice about was the cost per shot. Quite high if I remember!

[DaisyGoldberg]

I do not miss trying to put pantyhose on in stormy weather, that's for sure!

 

I sometimes miss the extravagance of the old formal dining system, and the thrill of having each course brought out to the entire table, often containing things you were trying for the first time just for the heck of it... but not enough to endure the forced week-long intimacy with some of the people we ended up trapped with all week.

 

First trip was the Seaward in 1991, I think. And it was far more expensive than a similar trip today - sailed ocean view and it was more than today's balconies by a long shot.

[pe4all]

Yes, I remember the garbage thrown overboard too. In my case they emptied the bags overboard and what I saw was basically food.

They threw tied-shut bags overboard - no food into the water - just bags!

 

Totally remember this...... and how about Skeet shooting. They actually handed us loaded shot guns :).

Ah, how times have changed!

[cruisegal40]

I really miss the mid night buffet and all the showman ship of the carved fruits and such. Formal night was fun.... however, I don't necessarily miss it. We do dress up by like DaisyGoldberg said.. no more nylons. I remember the pool side horse races. Those were a hoot.

[BermudaBound2014]

And i just remembered longest golf driving contests right off the back of the ship- usually not at the same time as we were shooting skeet (notice I said usually lol).

 

 

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[ejnsb]

This is a great thread- thanks OP. I do miss the relationship you developed with your waiters and room stewards. I have two 7-day cruises this year and never met my room steward nor do I remember any of the waiters. In the past, I remember that by the second night, the waiters brought everyone's drinks without asking and had the kids spaghetti and meatballs out also without asking. But I also remember dressing up when flying somewhere and those days are gone as well. There's a lot to like about today's cruising - spectacular ships, a multitude of dining and drinking options, world-class entertainment and prices that beat land-based resorts. It's fun to remember those grand old days but we are all lucky that we have so many great choices now.

 

 

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Edited November 3, 2016 by ejnsb