Evolution

[ropomo]

My wife and I are preparing for our first O cruise in about a week and a half.  This evening it prompted some reminiscing about our cruise history (Princess, HAL, Celebrity, Avalon, RCL, Viking and now O).  We were recounting the evolution of our experience.  Thinking back to our first cruise in the early 1990's (Princess - Alaska Inside Passage Vancouver to Vancouver).  Some major things that have changed (interested in other's thoughts):

• Cruise card was printed on paper
• Ship was considered large at the time, but I'm sure it probably was only plus or minus 1,000
• Room key as we remember was a physical key (might have been mag stripe card, not sure)
• Room service menu had limited hours, but included a page of bottles of liquor/wine available at near duty free prices
• Buffet was very limited hours and very spartan
• The ports were generally uncrowded and we were the only ship there
• There were no "shops" on board other than possibly a place to get aspirin, toothpaste, etc.
• Visits to the bridge were welcomed, even while underway (have picture of my mother standing at helm pretending to "steer" the ship
• Dinning room was "regimented" (this is when you eat and at this table)
• the list goes on

Cruising has changed a lot over the years and I'm sure my post jumps in on the middle of the evolution, but I'd be interested in your big change observations.

[Mura]

Our first "modern" cruise was also on a Princess Alaska cruise in June 1990 -- I even think it was Vancouver to Vancouver.  Much of what you mentioned is what I recall, although I really don't remember how we got INTO our stateroom.  Which was more of a room than a stateroom!  Back then we looked for cheaper costs than we do these days!

 

I did change our assigned table for dinner but not because we didn't like our companions -- we were sitting (it seemed) right over the engines and I couldn't handle the motion.  So they very kindly moved us to a smaller table.

 

Our "real" cruising started with Renaissance in October 1999.

 

So our differences ...

 

* No assigned seating for dinner, let alone an assigned time.

 

* No formal nights.

 

* A card key to get into the room.

 

* A laundry room!  Only one in those days since these were "R" ships.

 

* We were rarely the only ship in port, although on some itineraries that can still be done today.

 

* On our first Renaissance cruise there was a boarding day tour of the ship which included the galley and other locations, although I don't recall a bridge tour.  After 9/11 that galley tour seemed to disappear.

 

And so on ...

 

 

[Essiesmom]

My first cruise was in 1972 on the Home Lines Homeric, a ship built in the early 1930's.  I had a porthole cabin.  It had a sink.  Bathrooms and showers were down the hall.  Fixed seating only, no buffet.  there was a place for pizza that was open late.  Several nights there was a midnight buffet, which was cold cuts and salads set up on one side of the promenade deck.  We sailed from NYC to San Juan, St. Thomas, Martinique and St. Maarten.  I remember we tendered at least one place.  I don't think there was a room card, everything was cash.  There were lots of formal nights, and theme nights.  You paid $5 for a wooden lounger for the length of the cruise, and chose the location.  The pool was tiny.  EM

[ronrick1943]

Yes things have changed, but for the better I think.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Essiesmom said:

My first cruise was in 1972 on the Home Lines Homeric, a ship built in the early 1930's. 

I had a porthole cabin.  It had a sink.  Bathrooms and showers were down the hall.   The pool was tiny.  EM

Our first cruise  we had bunk beds  & sink in the cabin showers & W/C  down the hall

Yes some pools back then were very small 😉

 

[DeeniEncinitas]

Wow my first cruise, was watching Love Boat on our TV way back in the 70’s.

When we finally did our first cruise out of Miami on NCL I was so disappointed that as we were leaving no confetti was being thrown as it was on Love boat! 😉

It was a fun first time!

Denise😊

[LHT28]

14 minutes ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

Wow my first cruise, was watching Love Boat on our TV way back in the 70’s.

When we finally did our first cruise out of Miami on NCL I was so disappointed that as we were leaving no confetti was being thrown as it was on Love boat! 😉

It was a fun first time!

Denise😊

LOL

 That reminded me of when we left Montreal  back in '74   we had confetti & streamers to throw & I was thinking what a mess for the dock workers to have to clean up  😉

 

[shank63]

I remember a Free tasting of single malt Scotch on Celebrity back in the early 90s.  Haven’t seen that recently, but otherwise O is a much better fit for my clothes.

[Essiesmom]

7 hours ago, LHT28 said:

LOL

 That reminded me of when we left Montreal  back in '74   we had confetti & streamers to throw & I was thinking what a mess for the dock workers to have to clean up  😉

 

We had streamers leaving Singapore on the inaugural cruise of Star Princess.  I believe they were biodegradable, and colorful - and not colorfast.  And it was raining...  There were some unhappy people with colorful spots on white clothing...  EM

[ropomo]

1 hour ago, Essiesmom said:

We had streamers leaving Singapore on the inaugural cruise of Star Princess.  I believe they were biodegradable, and colorful - and not colorfast.  And it was raining...  There were some unhappy people with colorful spots on white clothing...  EM

 

When was your cruise?  Our first cruise was on the original Star Princess in the early '90s, a far cry from the current incarnation.  If the original, I would be interested in hearing about the ship back then, etc.

[bbqoug]

Our first cruise was on a small (440 passenger) Costa ship in the late 1980s.

The biggest difference I remember was handing out cash in envelopes the last night of the cruise for gratuities.

I'm pretty sure our first cruise didn't have any specialty restaurants either.

 

[Essiesmom]

2 hours ago, ropomo said:

 

When was your cruise?  Our first cruise was on the original Star Princess in the early '90s, a far cry from the current incarnation.  If the original, I would be interested in hearing about the ship back then, etc.

Feb. 2002.  Current Star Princess.  Singapore to LA, 26 days.  EM

[ricka47]

On 10/2/2019 at 2:01 AM, LHT28 said:

Our first cruise  we had bunk beds  & sink in the cabin showers & W/C  down the hall

Yes some pools back then were very small 😉

 

 

I've been following some of the threads over on the HAL board (and to some extent here and elsewhere) lamenting how much better cruising was in the "good old days."  I'll grant that some things have changed for the worse and that cruise lines generally do not get better over time.  This is primarily to keep the costs down for the company and to continue to make cruising a good deal when the price-to-value ratio is considered.

 

Certainly, that pool in the picture with the railing surrounding it and the rust around the edges doesn't make me want to go back in time!

Edited October 3, 2019 by ricka47

[StanandJim]

2 minutes ago, ricka47 said:

This is primarily to keep the costs down for the company and to continue to make cruising a good deal when the price to value ratio is considered.

Lets not forget about the exponential increase in the cost of labor since the end of WWII.

 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, ricka47 said:

Certainly, that pool in the picture with the railing surrounding it and the rust around the edges doesn't make me want to go back in time!

Yes  I would not want to go back  in time  in most cases 

EG:

Set dining

tip envelopes

formal  nights

 

funny that ship is still in service though

[StanandJim]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

Yes  I would not want to go back  in time  in most cases 

EG:

Set dining

tip envelopes

formal  nights

 

funny that ship is still in service though

If you mean the Homeric that you sailed on, she was scrapped in 1974.

The Home Lines Homeric which is still in service was built in 1986.  

 

[LHT28]

26 minutes ago, StanandJim said:

If you mean the Homeric that you sailed on, she was scrapped in 1974.

not me  you must be thinking of someone  else

We sailed on Alexandr Puskin in 74 she was built in '65  currently the Marco Polo   which we also sailed on in 2003

She is now  owned by Cruise & Maritime

https://us.cruiseandmaritime.com/ship/marco-polo/profile

[FetaCheese]

1st cruise in 1984 -- Sun Line's Stella Oceanis, then Stella Solaris. Really fine old ships with fantastic service and crew.  Very clean.  Yes, fixed seating, but waiters really got to know you, and if you asked for anything off the menu, they would bring it every night!. Theme nights almost every night, midnight buffets every night (demographics:  it was at 11 PM ! )  Fine entertainment, enrichment lectures.  I could list more things, but you longtime cruisers know all this.  Unfortunately, Sun Line did not innovate and keep up with likes and wants of a younger generation;  their very loyal passengers were departing this earth.  Then they merged with Epirotiki Line Cruises, and you may remember the sinking of its ship Oceanus, off west coast of Africa, where the captain was among 1st off ship.  In my opinion, this put them out of business. Also on Sun Line, the captain's gala farewell  dinner featured caviar--the real thing-- with cold shots of Vodka -- all you wanted.  The dinners always had about 6 courses, most memorable was their home made farinaceous (pasta course).  Food was always excellent.  since that 1st cruise in 1984, I was hooked on cruising, even though I got seasick on the night of the gala farewell dinner.  Very rough seas, and I guess the vodka did not help! I was among many pax affected.

[smilin jack]

First cruise was on the SS Norway in 1980...it was the ile-de-France before coming out of retirement with NCL...one of only four ships built over 1,000 ft at the time, it had two LST's on the bow to tender pax's. we did two cruises on her.

[DeeniEncinitas]

39 minutes ago, smilin jack said:

First cruise was on the SS Norway in 1980...it was the ile-de-France before coming out of retirement with NCL...one of only four ships built over 1,000 ft at the time, it had two LST's on the bow to tender pax's. we did two cruises on her.

PRICELESS!!

What memories 

Denise😊

[Jancruz]

My first cruise was Sitmar in 1970..

Best Pizza ever

Set dining

fabulous crew

Inside Cabin

Formal nights

[StanandJim]

1 hour ago, smilin jack said:

First cruise was on the SS Norway in 1980...it was the ile-de-France before coming out of retirement with NCL...one of only four ships built over 1,000 ft at the time, it had two LST's on the bow to tender pax's. we did two cruises on her.

 

The Norway was the France.

The Isle De France was an older, much smaller ship.  

 

[bbqoug]

2 hours ago, smilin jack said:

First cruise was on the SS Norway in 1980...it was the ile-de-France before coming out of retirement with NCL...one of only four ships built over 1,000 ft at the time, it had two LST's on the bow to tender pax's. we did two cruises on her.

 

 

 

Funny!

Photos from our first cruise in the 1980s show me in very similar short shorts.

Our kids crack up every time they see the pictures.

[jeanine]

Our first cruise was on the Paul Gauguin in 2007 sailing around the Society Islands(French Polynesia)! Beautiful small ship the cruise was fabulous! One day we spent on their private island, swimming, snorkeling, eating and drinking. Before the cruise we spent 2nights in an over the water bungalow, there was a glass portion in the floor to look at all the fish swimming by! Would do this cruise again in a heartbeat!

 

[Fetchpeople]

First cruise was in the early 70's on a Home line ship.

 

The trip was an incentive trip starting early AM in Boston and traveling to NYC by chartered bus with an extensive inventory of booze. Shortly before arriving at the pier one of the hosts came around with mini bottles to hold us until the ship's bars opened. They also handed out separate booklets of drink tickets (about 25 coupons per booklet) for soft drinks and liquor.

 

After a day or 2 the host urged us to take more booklets. On day 3 they asked us not to use the drink tickets for tips.........

 

The cruise was 7 days, southbound, to I don't remember. But I do remember putting shoes out at night to be shined. And I do remember some being totally drunk for 7 days.

 

I remember that clearly because I don't drink a drop!