Great Cruising Memories

[CGTNORMANDIE]

3 hours ago, marco said:

As I'm not old enough to have sailed on them, but if I had a time machine I would have loved to go back and have sailed on the "Conte Di Savoia" and the "Normandie".  In 1937 my grandparents, father (he was 12) and my uncle (he was 9) sailed to  Italy and back on the "Rex".  I have a few photos in my "treasure chest" of memorabilia. 

Great choices Marco.  Definitely add Rex and Conte Di Savoia to my list...after Caronia...of course.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

4 hours ago, Lowiepete said:

...then none of you guys mentioned the RMS Caronia! Now, you're all just taking the mickey 😉 

 

My answer would be any ship that would take me to two large countries I never visited, like India and Canada, but it would need to be back in the day when Britain had a proper Merchant Navy. Was the Caronia the only Cunard ship never to get to a Canadian port?

 

Regards,

Steve

I believe that Saxonia and Aquitainia made it to Canada...if memory serves me right.  
 

Steve, when was the last time you sailed or cruised on a ship??  

[Lowiepete]

1 hour ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Steve, when was the last time you sailed or cruised on a ship??  

A bumpy crossing of the English Channel nearly 40 years ago. Once I'd been told of some tales aboard the QE2, before she went to the Falklands, I rather lost interest. I only started the Caronia Timeline to avoid buying duplicates of ephemera that I was quite quickly gathering. If you were using your current nickname on eBay 20 years ago, you were probably in competition with me.

 

After many years being hidden away, I stumbled upon some menus I'd saved from the first Caronia cruise I was on. That started a nostalgia for a way of life that clearly was never going to be repeated. As for cruising as a passenger, I have never indulged, and having been disabled for nearly 30 years I'm not sure that my balance could cope with a pitching ship to any enjoyable level. My idea of a holiday is to stay on a farm in the wilds of Cumbria, to the East of the M6, where I have the roads to myself and scenery very much the equal to the Lake District to the West, where the World and his brother clogs everything and prices for everything are doubled!

 

BBC4 here in the UK seems to have regular programmes about cruising, then and now. When I see what is claimed as "luxury" today just makes me want to throw things at the telly. The commentators have clearly not been well served by the information they've amassed or been given. Oh, and how often the "glamour" of the Cunard Queens is expounded as a mark of top quality causes me equal chagrin. For example, not every cabin aboard those Goliaths had bath or shower and toilet facilities, known today as "en suite", even in 1st class! Just imagine, trundling down a passageway in your dressing-gown, half-asleep at dead of night, only to visit a public loo... {{{{{shudder}}}}}

 

Regards,

Steve

Edited January 5, 2021 by Lowiepete

[CGTNORMANDIE]

2 hours ago, Lowiepete said:

A bumpy crossing of the English Channel nearly 40 years ago. Once I'd been told of some tales aboard the QE2, before she went to the Falklands, I rather lost interest. I only started the Caronia Timeline to avoid buying duplicates of ephemera that I was quite quickly gathering. If you were using your current nickname on eBay 20 years ago, you were probably in competition with me.

 

After many years being hidden away, I stumbled upon some menus I'd saved from the first Caronia cruise I was on. That started a nostalgia for a way of life that clearly was never going to be repeated. As for cruising as a passenger, I have never indulged, and having been disabled for nearly 30 years I'm not sure that my balance could cope with a pitching ship to any enjoyable level. My idea of a holiday is to stay on a farm in the wilds of Cumbria, to the East of the M6, where I have the roads to myself and scenery very much the equal to the Lake District to the West, where the World and his brother clogs everything and prices for everything are doubled!

 

BBC4 here in the UK seems to have regular programmes about cruising, then and now. When I see what is claimed as "luxury" today just makes me want to throw things at the telly. The commentators have clearly not been well served by the information they've amassed or been given. Oh, and how often the "glamour" of the Cunard Queens is expounded as a mark of top quality causes me equal chagrin. For example, not every cabin aboard those Goliaths had bath or shower and toilet facilities, known today as "en suite", even in 1st class! Just imagine, trundling down a passageway in your dressing-gown, half-asleep at dead of night, only to visit a public loo... {{{{{shudder}}}}}

 

Regards,

Steve

Thanks Steve,

 

Every time I ask you a question we get a wealth of more information that you just don’t get from the usual blogs.  Thank you thank you!  Yes...I was collecting 20 years ago...LOL.  Fortunately I had already acquired a scrap book from a Caronia world cruise, from a private source, complete with menus, invitations and brochures.  
 

I have shied away from the new Queens.  I’d rather cherish the memories I have of the original Queen Elizabeth.  We both know that the Carnival Cunard cannot compare with the “real” Cunard.  

[rkacruiser]

10 hours ago, Lowiepete said:

Probably the best tipped guys on the Caronia would be the Lift (elevator) Operators

 

If I could have sailed then, I doubt that I would have even considered offering a tip to the Lift Operator!  Maybe at the end of a cruise.  But, each time one used the Lift?  

 

9 hours ago, Lowiepete said:

then none of you guys mentioned the RMS Caronia!

 

When I became aware of Queen Mary, et al, I became aware of Caronia, of course.  At that time--and throughout the rest of her Cunard career--a cruise on such a vessel (what was she called--Millionaire's ......?)  was simply unrealistic for me.  Loved to read the brochures and "dream".  But, I knew it wasn't going to happen.  

[shipgeeks]

My imaginary Time Machine (and maybe Wealth Machine) would have me sailing on the SS United States first, followed by Normandie.  We saw SSUS a number of years ago while on our way to a Manhattan cruise; she was so beautiful even rusty.  And Normandie has always been my dream.  On a

Premier cruise we met a man who spent a night onboard her, not as a passenger, but in a work capacity. 

Which brings me to the Premier ships, all former ocean liners.  We would love to have sailed on them in their earlier days, to faraway places with strange-sounding names.  Have any of you sailed on any of the Premier Lines ships?  

[rkacruiser]

36 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

Have any of you sailed on any of the Premier Lines ships?

 

No, when the ship was a Premier Lines vessel.  I sailed Rotterdam V before she became Rembrandt.  Also Starship Oceanic when she was Home Line's Oceanic.  I was a visitor to Federico C in Port Everglades before she became Sea Breeze and really liked what I saw of that ship.  

 

 

[Heidi13]

6 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

I have shied away from the new Queens.  I’d rather cherish the memories I have of the original Queen Elizabeth.  We both know that the Carnival Cunard cannot compare with the “real” Cunard.  

 

So true, they aren't "real" Cunarders. The 2 newest ones are HAL ships with different interiors. They were also built at Fincantieri, yards that are not known for superior quality.

 

Best comparison I have seen with modern tonnage is comparing the Japan built Diamond and Sapphire Princess with the Italian built ships. No comparison, the Italian ones are well below the Japanese quality.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

41 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

So true, they aren't "real" Cunarders. The 2 newest ones are HAL ships with different interiors. They were also built at Fincantieri, yards that are not known for superior quality.

 

Best comparison I have seen with modern tonnage is comparing the Japan built Diamond and Sapphire Princess with the Italian built ships. No comparison, the Italian ones are well below the Japanese quality.

Good to know that the Japanese are building quality ships.  Finncantieri is an amalgamation of ship yards.  I also prefer Meyer Werft.  

[Lowiepete]

14 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

If I could have sailed then, I doubt that I would have even considered offering a tip to the Lift Operator!  Maybe at the end of a cruise.  But, each time one used the Lift? 

Aaah, but you take the job at face value. In reality, you had to be the "fount of all knowledge, entertainer, et al". You'd not gain your dollar(s) by silence! You'd do the same as us waiters, study the photos placed for sale in the lobbies and study the Cruise News, ready to offer your congratulations and discuss how it went, etc. You'd remind people of events around the ship, or crack a joke that might raise it titter or two.

 

So, a trip in the lift, even to drop a couple in all their best-dressed finery a deck or two to the restaurant for dinner, would be a small event all of itself. Goodness, how could you avoid paying them generous compliments upon their efforts?

 

Believe me, initially, I had no idea that this job was such a rich source of extra income!

 

Regards,

Steve

[CGTNORMANDIE]

5 hours ago, Lowiepete said:

Aaah, but you take the job at face value. In reality, you had to be the "fount of all knowledge, entertainer, et al". You'd not gain your dollar(s) by silence! You'd do the same as us waiters, study the photos placed for sale in the lobbies and study the Cruise News, ready to offer your congratulations and discuss how it went, etc. You'd remind people of events around the ship, or crack a joke that might raise it titter or two.

 

So, a trip in the lift, even to drop a couple in all their best-dressed finery a deck or two to the restaurant for dinner, would be a small event all of itself. Goodness, how could you avoid paying them generous compliments upon their efforts?

 

Believe me, initially, I had no idea that this job was such a rich source of extra income!

 

Regards,

Steve

Funny how we are having a discussion on the Cunard lift operators.  (Imagine having a lift operator).  I distinctly remember our lift operator on QE I.  He was tall and lanky and resembled Boris Karloff.  We nicknamed him Boris.  He was wonderful...always ready to take us up from D Deck.  I was traveling with a group of twenty or so in our section of D Deck.  At the end of the crossing we passed the hat and handed Boris a sizable tip.  

[rkacruiser]

11 hours ago, Lowiepete said:

Aaah, but you take the job at face value. In reality, you had to be the "fount of all knowledge, entertainer, et al". You'd not gain your dollar(s) by silence! You'd do the same as us waiters, study the photos placed for sale in the lobbies and study the Cruise News, ready to offer your congratulations and discuss how it went, etc. You'd remind people of events around the ship, or crack a joke that might raise it titter or two.

 

 

A very interesting post and rather affirms "rumors" that I have heard over many years that there is somewhere below decks an area where guests' pictures/histories/comments are posted for the benefit of the crew.  

 

I don't see this is a negative, if it is so.  If my present crew members know that I offer gratuities during/after a cruise, so what?  If I am interested in their families, etc., so what?  I enjoy conversing with crew members; I learn much.  I enjoy sharing stories of my family as well.  

 

I am always pleased to offer additional gratuities to those crew that warrant them.  There was probably one cruise on the Noordam which was dysfunctional because of Senior Ship Management where my Stewards' services in nearly all areas did not warrant any more than what I had paid as the required gratuity charge.  A few dollars may have been given to a bartender, but, I don't accurately recall. 

[Lowiepete]

6 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

A very interesting post and rather affirms "rumors" that I have heard over many years that there is somewhere below decks an area where guests' pictures/histories/comments are posted for the benefit of the crew.

Can I excuse myself from being a purveyor of any such rumours! The ship's photographers had boards with dozens of their snaps placed in the lobbies of the Prom Deck, Main Deck and the Restaurant Deck, depending upon events that had occurred on those decks. Each photo was marked with an order reference and there was a box into which orders were posted.

 

I don't think they'd have made enough money to cover their "developed and printed by hand" costs by placing boards in the crew quarters. 

 

Regards,

Steve

[shipgeeks]

Several years ago we had as dinner companions two gentlemen who were great company, but what the crew might consider "rascals" (to put it nicely).  One evening they confided that during a behind-the-scenes tour they slipped away from the group, and were quite amused to see their pictures posted on a passageway wall.  "Keep an eye on these guys"?

[CGTNORMANDIE]

The next item on our memory list...excursions off the ship.  
 

I was rereading some of these posts and it brought to mind some of the adventures we have had over the years.  Would anyone like to begin??😁

[Heidi13]

The Shore-ex that stands out the most for me was visiting Cairo in the 70's. The SS Uganda was a school cruise ship with about 1,000 kids and 300 adults. We were in Alexandria almost every cruise, which meant every 2 weeks.

 

They wanted a crew member on each bus, so the cadets were always voluntold to go. We had a huge fleet of buses, each with an armed guard and armed jeeps between buses throughout the convoy. Must have been quite a sight, as the new highway had not been built by then.

 

Next best was on SS Oriana in Auckland. We hired a small plane and flew down to Rotorua for the day, then back to Auckland to catch the ship before she sailed.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

6 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

The Shore-ex that stands out the most for me was visiting Cairo in the 70's. The SS Uganda was a school cruise ship with about 1,000 kids and 300 adults. We were in Alexandria almost every cruise, which meant every 2 weeks.

 

They wanted a crew member on each bus, so the cadets were always voluntold to go. We had a huge fleet of buses, each with an armed guard and armed jeeps between buses throughout the convoy. Must have been quite a sight, as the new highway had not been built by then.

 

Next best was on SS Oriana in Auckland. We hired a small plane and flew down to Rotorua for the day, then back to Auckland to catch the ship before she sailed.

Now those sound exciting.  Where did you head with the armed convoy?  

[Heidi13]

32 minutes ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Now those sound exciting.  Where did you head with the armed convoy?  

 

We did the regular Cairo/Giza tour from Alexandria. Three hour drive to Cairo, tour of the Museum, drive around the city, out to Giza and then 3 hrs back to the ship.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

42 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

We did the regular Cairo/Giza tour from Alexandria. Three hour drive to Cairo, tour of the Museum, drive around the city, out to Giza and then 3 hrs back to the ship.

You would have lost me with the three hour ride...LOL.  My days of exploration are now limited to the hot tub onboard.  
 

I’ll bet that you had a lot of interesting excursions during your time at sea.  Do tell.

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

You would have lost me with the three hour ride...LOL.  My days of exploration are now limited to the hot tub onboard.  
 

I’ll bet that you had a lot of interesting excursions during your time at sea.  Do tell.

 

Unfortunately, since I was on continuous sea watches 4 hrs on and 8 hrs off, with additional tasks during our off hours, we really didn't get much time ashore. Actually went on very few pax excursions, when working on the ships.

 

Will give it some thoughts regarding some we have taken as pax.

[rkacruiser]

9 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

We had a huge fleet of buses, each with an armed guard and armed jeeps between buses throughout the convoy.

 

My experience from Safaga to Luxor during my 2008 Amsterdam world cruise.  Armed police at the sites we visited:  Valley of the Kings, etc.  An Egyptian vendor tried to accuse me of stealing a photo book from his stall when it was unclear as to where his stall ended and the next one began.  The Valley of the Kings was interesting as was the night time Sound/Light Show at Luxor.  Have I any interest in visiting Egypt again?  No.  I really didn't feel safe most of the time I was there.  

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

My experience from Safaga to Luxor during my 2008 Amsterdam world cruise.  Armed police at the sites we visited:  Valley of the Kings, etc.  An Egyptian vendor tried to accuse me of stealing a photo book from his stall when it was unclear as to where his stall ended and the next one began.  The Valley of the Kings was interesting as was the night time Sound/Light Show at Luxor.  Have I any interest in visiting Egypt again?  No.  I really didn't feel safe most of the time I was there.  

 

On the 20 World Cruise we booked the 4-day overland from Safaga to Alexandria and if offered on the 23 WC, we will book it again. While I have been to Cairo/Giza, DW hasn't, and it is one of her bucket list items.

 

Haven't done Luxor, so am looking forward to it. However, I am well aware of the security concerns and am accepting of the risks, which I have no doubt Viking will manage effectively.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Come on folks...let’s hear more.  We have a great little group here who have traveled the world.  I am sure we have a few stories...no matter how mundane you might think they are they contain snippets of times past.  Those times that we all crave.  
 

I can remember a wonderful day spent in Cartagena Columbia in 1988.  Yes there were soldiers with dogs and machine guns as we got off the ship...but we felt safe.  I was carrying a Nikon camera with a big lens and I found a lot of people who did not like their pictures taken...LOL.  Probably had something to do with the local export trade...LOL.  We hired a cab for the day and off we went.  I was able to photograph some of the bucolic scenes with fountains, classic Spanish buildings and historic statues.  We met interesting people and in the afternoon we went up the mountain to the cathedral.  The Cathedral was beautiful and the afternoon light coming through the jungle green was worthy of a painting.  It’s funny how we remember things...like the 16 ounce cokes in those famous green bottles.  Coke for 75 cents that tasted like the coke we drank as kids back in the 1950’s!  Having my picture taken while hugging a two toed sloth in my arms...LOL.  Street vendors trying to sell me emeralds that are now worth thousands.  The markets with mountains of fruit everywhere and the waves breaking over fortified walls that were built in the 1500’s.  All these memories come flooding back when I think of Cartagena. 

Edited January 9, 2021 by CGTNORMANDIE

[Heidi13]

Back in the late 70's or early 80's, I did the San Pedro/Acapulco shuttle, with alternating 7-day Northbound and Southbound cruises. This put us in Acapulco every 2nd week from 08:00 Friday to 18:00 on Sunday.

 

Saturdays were a busy day - working the 04:00 to 08:00 shift, with water skiing for a couple of hours in the morning. For the afternoon, the ship's agent arranged a ride to the Acapulco Princess Golf Club. We had a deal with the starter, where our group of 4 received clubs, a couple of golf carts and round of golf. We each provided a bottle from the ship. Bottles only cost us about UKP 2.00.

 

After a great round of golf, we returned to the ship for our 16:00 to 20:00 shift. 

[Heidi13]

As a pax, I have great memories of a trip to Waterford from Cobh. It was about 70 miles up to Waterford, where we started with a tour of the Waterford Crystal factory. OMG, it was amazing, watching them making the crystal, followed by the obligatory tour of the gift shop.

 

We then had a couple of hours free time to explore Waterford, so we led a few other couples to the Munster Pub, just down the road. Enjoyed a couple of pints and a great lunch.

 

Took a different route back to Cobh, stopping in Lismore, where we had about an hour of free time. Stopped in at the red house pub, enjoying a pint and great conversation with the locals.