Cruising Then and Now--Not Better or Worse, Just Different!!!

[Sthrngary]

First cruise, 44 years ago for my wedding anniversary.  I am about to go on my 26 cruise.  My favorite cruise brand has consistently been NCL so I posted this here on the NCL Blog. So much has changed and so much has stayed the same.  Here are some things I remember compared to today. Like dining, my memories and experience are personal to me and your opinion may differ. 

 

• Stateroom:
  • Inside cabin, no windows or veranda and bunk beds.  Only rich folks had balconies.
  • Your room steward did towel sculptures every day and you could not wait to see them. 

 

• Dining:
  • No specialty restaurants to speak of.  The main dining room felt and tasted like a nice restaurant in your town.
  • There were fixed times for dinner (Early and Late). 
  • You sat at the same dinner table with all strangers who were your friends by weekend.  
  • The words, “I will have a double cut of prime rib” was echoed in the Main Dining Room. The Prime Rib night was GREAT.
  • The last evening dinner has the entire dining crew do a show in the Main Dining Room with Baked Alaska.
  • Mid-night Buffets with carved ice and watermelon was a big thing.
  • Room service was complementary, awful but complementary.
  • You could get Steak and Eggs for breakfast in the Main Dining Room at no charge.

 

• Drink Packages:
  • Drink packages were non-existent.  You could have a choose of wine packages by the bottle.
  • Everyone purchased that expensive sail-away glass with the horrible drink.

 

• Excursions:
  • Limited inexpensive excursions were considered but budget was always a huge issue.
  • Inexpensive Beach Cabana’s were a thing.
  • Food on the Private Islands were complementary.

 

• Gratuities/Tips: Gratuities were in cash the last full day of the cruise.  We created a relationship with the crew members because of our consistent contact with them back then. We would all take single dollar bill for pool side or bar tips throughout the week.

 

• Dress Code: You had to dress up for dinner and one night a week was formal, including some nice portraits to take home.

 

• Internet Access:
  • Never complementary.
  • Paid by the minute.
  • Always horrible

 

• Activities:
  • Bingo had nice cash prices and you never felt ripped off.
  • Metal drums were like a doorbell telling you that your vacation was about to begin. 
  • Winning $100.00 in the casino make you feel like the luckiest person on the ship. Most casino had opening cigarette smoking.
  • To engage everyone, the cruise direct would have a contest for free cruise.  You had to ask everyone you saw if they were Mr. or Ms. Cruise. That was my memory.
  • Entertainment often had nationally known entertainers or bands.

 

• Guest Issues:
  • Pool Chair Hogs were alive and well.
  • Members of big groups saved entire rows in the main theatre and get embarrassed because their group never showed up.
  • Folks on the buffet line would touch food and put it back on the buffet line.
  • Someone was always so drunk their family had to carry them back to the stateroom.
  • Folks had loud conversations in the halls and never let folks pass.
  • Guest Relations Desk was always the busiest place on the ship.
  • Your stateroom portfolio was always SCARY with items you can’t remember purchasing.

 

My list might not be completely accurate however at my age, I can’t remember what I ate yesterday.

 

Cruising today is not better or worse, just different.  Today.

 

• Stateroom:
  • Most folks have a balcony or the ability to upgrade to a balcony.
  • The notions of a VIP exclusive area called a “Ship within a Ship” is very popular.
  • Room stewards no longer do towel sculptures.
  • Your stateroom is only serviced once a day vs. twice in days gone by.

 

• Dining:
  • Main Dining Room Food quality has taken a hit.
  • Special Restaurants are all the rage and have an extra cost. 
  • Fixed dining times are OUT and eat when you want is in. 
  • You rarely sit with strangers or get to know other based on mealtimes.
  • Prime Rib night is still a thing however it tends to not be the best cut of meat.
  • The last evening dinner show in the main dining room is gone.
  • Mid-night Buffets are gone and in its place is a 24-hour restaurant.
  • Room service has a service charge for most stateroom.

 

• Drink Packages:
  • Drink packages are usually included in the cruise fare price. 
  • It is extremely hard to get a drink due to everyone having a drink package.
  • Everyone still purchased that expensive sail-away glass with the horrible drink and find out later it was not included in their drink package.
  • The perk drink package has an upgraded drink package for premium brands.
  • Tax is charged on drinks when in ports especially in the U.S.

 

• Excursions:
  • Excursions are more expensive and not well organized.
  • The Beach Cabanas now cost as much as the cruise.
  • Private Islands have theme restaurants that are not complementary.
  • Drink packages rarely work on the private islands.

 

• Gratuities/Tips:
  • Gratuities can now be pre-paid.
  • Recommended gratuities have gone up three times in two years.
  • Spa gratuities are always included in the price however you get the impression you are still supposed to tip.
  • Relationships with waiters are gone because you only see them once.  Butlers if you are so fortunate to have one, are rarely included in the pre-paid gratuities program yet the suite prices are often triple normal staterooms.
  • We now take $5.00 with us instead of $1.00 to even be recognized for a drink by the pool.

 

• Dress Code:
  • Nonexistent with people coming to dinner in bathing suits, wet tea shirts and beach flip flops.
  • Social media debates dress code daily with a 50%/50% split on opinions.
  • Formal photographs happen very rarely, and we tend to point out those dressed nicely for dinner.

 

• Internet Access:
  • Often provided for several minutes a perk.
  • Upgradeable for unlimited.
  • Upgradable again to unlimited streaming.
  • Usually only one device which is inconvenient when both guests want access at the same time.
  • Always horrible even NOW!!!!

 

• Activities:
  • Bingo had much lower cash prices, crowds are bigger and other games like “Deal or No Deal” feel like ripped off.
  • Metal drums seems to be gone as does the frequency of live music at the pool.
  • Odds in the casino are known to be horrible compared to Las Vegas however many brands have private smoking areas.
  • Cruise directors seem to show up only at the big shows to make announcement or on the loudspeaker promoting bingo.

• • The entertainment is Broadway style shows except on smaller ship with less budget.

 

• Guest Issues:
  • Pool Chair Hogs are still alive and well.
  • Members of big groups are still saved entire rows in the main theatre and get embarrassed because their group never showed up.
  • Folks on the buffet line are much more careful and rarely touch food which is a marked improvement.
  • Someone was always so drunk which has cause highly publicized fights on ships.  This has caused an increase in ship security and guest being tossed off ships.
  • Folks still have loud conversations in the halls and never let folks pass.
  • Guest Relations Desk are rarely crowded except the last day of the cruise.
  • End of the cruise portfolios are emailed instead of putting under your door.

 

The biggest difference for me is Social Media.  It seems sites like Reddit and CruiseCritic.com seem to provide clearer and more accurate information than the cruise lines.  Yet, social media has also created an abundance of Trolls and Haters that simply want to make guests angry.  What ever you do, don’t bring up the NCL Haven, Celebrity Retreat or MSC Yacht Club on any other social media site other than CruiseCritic.com unless you want to be criticized.  Like my list of before and now; social media is both good, and bad.  The one thing that is true for ME is cruising, if one can stay flexible on those occasional issues, is still one of the best vacation experience available at all price levels.

 

“Cruise well everyone and enjoy every moment.”

[All-ready2cruise]

Thanks for doing this Gary, this will be fun!! 😄

[The Traveling Man]

Gary, you always post thoughtful, non-judgemental, and insightful comments.  Thanks for this post!

[cruiseny4life]

I like this! It's a nice, easy way to compare then vs. now. I'm definitely more of a now kinda cruiser! Thanks for this synopsis, good sir.

[www3traveler]

WOW  THANK YOU   I have only been crusing since January of 2008.  Lots of changes since then, some good and some not so good.

[oteixeira]

Gary, this was fun.  I want you to know there are youtube channels with slot machine mechanics and I saw an interview with a person who has worked Las Vegas, Cruise Lines, and Indian Casinos in the past 2 years.  He said WITHOUT A DOUBT the loosest slots are on ships, followed by Vegas, and Indian places being the least.  He also said to win go find the high dollar slots, notice the ships are filled with penny machines?  By law the odds are better based on the lowest bet allowed, so go find the $1 or $5 bet machines and play the minimum and you will win more then doing $1 spins on the penny machines (which most people do).

Just something I found interesting.

[FLAHAM]

I don’t think you had internet 40 years ago.

 

Crossing the Atlantic in 1961 with my grandmother, first class on the S.S. United States, the maitre went around the dining room at dinner time with a gold scoop, followed by a waiter with a large bowl, and dumped a mound of caviar on your plate.

 

The ship’s pool was a big deal.  You paid a daily entry fee and guessed the number of nautical miles the ship would cover that day.  No slot machines or casino.

 

A pool attendant would assign you a lounger near the pool on the first day and it was yours for the entire trip.

 

I had been a target shooter since age 10.  Each morning, a crew member launched clay pigeons off the stern and I blasted them with a shotgun.

Edited March 15, 2023 by FLAHAM

[cruiseny4life]

4 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

I had been a target shooter since age 10.  Each morning, a crew member launched clay pigeons off the stern and I blasted them with a shotgun.

Not gonna lie, I would absolutely pay extra to be able to still do this!

[Sthrngary]

6 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

I don’t think you had internet 40 years ago.

You are so right.  Later on when the Internet was beginning and cruise ship got it.  It was charged by the minute and if we think it is slow now, it was turtle slow then, LOL.

8 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

Crossing the Atlantic in 1961 with my grandmother, first class on the S.S.

What, this must have been a great memory to have growing up.  So happy you shared it.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[wil e coyote]

@Sthrngary, thanks for this. Our first cruise was in 1992, and I remember many of the same things that you list.

One other thing was that the ships were much, much smaller. Our first cruise was on the Starward, which held about 800 passengers, I believe. I still remember the day we visited St. Thomas. We tied up behind a new RCL ship (perhaps Majesty of the Seas? It's been 31 years so I won't swear to that). It was massive - at 2,500 passengers! Today, a 2,500 passenger ship is small on most cruise lines.

 

Another thing that many don't think about is cost. I don't have our receipt from that first cruise, but like you, it was an inside stateroom - basically the least expensive cabin available. No drink package, no free airfare, no internet, no specialty dining. I wish I could remember the exact amount, but my DW and I think it was close to $2,000 for a week for the two of us. Today, if I Look enough, I can get into a balcony stateroom with a drink package, specialty dining, and internet for...about $2,000 for the two of us. Now, as you have noted, the "luxury level" has definitely gone down over the last 31 years, but considering that everything else has gotten more expensive, that shouldn't be a big surprise. This is part of the reason why I don't mind paying for the Haven. Yes, it is more expensive. But compared to the adjusted-for-inflation pricing from 30 years ago, it is actually not all that expensive.

 

I DO miss the flaming baked Alaska parades. But on second thought, flaming food on a ship probably isn't a great idea!

[Sthrngary]

22 minutes ago, wil e coyote said:

I DO miss the flaming baked Alaska parades. But on second thought, flaming food on a ship probably isn't a great idea!

Good point.  My first cruise was on the SS Norway.  It had a fire and stop sailing.  True story. It also was the largest cruise ship on the sea at the time.  The cost was $500.00 per person.  Same as you, no air, no drink package, internet did not exist, you gave your gratuities on the last day in cash and it was so grand. 

 

The Baked Alaska was kind of average and I always felt bad for our waiters.  The always seem to roll their eyes.  Still a great memory.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment/memory.

[Megamixer]

It seems like we also got a list of all the other passengers on my cruises in the early 90's?

[Smitheroo]

I sailed for the first time as a 16 yr old in 1966 with my mother on the Sylvania (Cunard) going East.    We shared a cabin in tourist class with a woman we didnt know. (she was a lot of fun. she forgot her underwear). I was horrified (teenager) with the idea we had to sleep with someone we didnt know and also we were just tourist class, I thought we could at least be "cabin" class even if First Class was not possible. , the bathroom was down the hall, your room steward came around each morning with a wake up knock on your door.  Bunk beds and the room had a porthole which actually opened.   You signed up for meal "sittings", early or late. You sat at the same table with the same people for the entire voyage.  Every meal seemed to have a fish course. No buffet.  The crew was mostly young British men and wore stiff white jackets with red trim and black pants.   Guest Services was called the Purser.  Elevators had an operator.  Shiny brass everywhere.  Back then visitors were allowed on board to see their friends and family off for a small donation.  When it was time for the ship to sail one of the crew came around the decks banging on a  drum and calling out  "All ashore who's going ashore".   Safety drills were held on the decks under the life boats.  Afternoon tea (which is really a light meal) was delivered to guests sitting in deck chairs. Midnight buffets.  We docked in Liverpool. It was the 60's.  Quite a thrill for a 16 yr old at that time.  On the way home we sailed on the original Queen Mary. Started with the boat train from London. Our cabin on the C deck was about a quarter of the size of our cabin going over and we shared with a woman who was often on her knees praying.  I have nothing against praying if that is your thing but there is no reason why you have to get down on your knees in a tiny cabin.   In those days the larger ships were making the trip in 4 days.  I preferred the smaller ship which took 8 days to make the crossing.  The docks in New York were in midtown Manhattan., although some were at the lower end of Manhattan.  After that trip I became a ship "groupie" watching the NY TImes for the ship schedules and going onboard before they sailed.  In 2013 I took my mother's ashes over to England to be buried with my father. She would have been thrilled to know she was on the QM2.  Like the OP said, so many things are different now but so many things still the same, even across ship lines  All make wonderful memories

Edited March 15, 2023 by Smitheroo
to add

[RD64]

Bunk beds on The Norway - Inside, cabin N035 -  maybe 100 square feet in total. I would go back in a heartbeat.

[cruiseny4life]

6 minutes ago, Smitheroo said:

I sailed for the first time as a 16 yr old in 1966 with my mother on the Sylvania (Cunard) going East.   We shared a cabin with a woman we didnt know. (she was a lot of fun. she forgot her underwear) , the bathroom was down the hall, your room steward came around each morning with a wake up knock on your door.  Bunk beds and the room had a porthole which actually opened.   You signed up for meal "sittings", early or late. You sat at the same table with the same people for the entire voyage.  Every meal seemed to have a fish course. No buffet.  The crew was mostly young British men and wore stiff white jackets with red trim and black pants.   Guest Services was called the Purser.  Elevators had an operator.  Shiny brass everywhere.  Back then visitors were allowed on board to see their friends and family off for a small donation.  When it was time for the ship to sail one of the crew came around the decks banging on a  drum and calling out  "All ashore who's going ashore".   Safety drills were held on the decks under the life boats.  Afternoon tea (which is really a light meal) was delivered to guests sitting in deck chairs. Midnight buffets.  We docked in Liverpool. It was the 60's.  Quite a thrill for a 16 yr old at that time.  On the way home we sailed on the original Queen Mary. Started with the boat train from London. Our cabin on the C deck was about a quarter of the size of our cabin going over and we shared with a woman who was often on her knees praying.  I have nothing against praying if that is your thing but there is no reason why you have to get down on your knees in a tiny cabin.   In those days the larger ships were making the trip in 4 days.  I preferred the smaller ship which took 8 days to make the crossing.  The docks in New York were in midtown Manhattan.  After that trip I became a ship "groupie" watching the NY TImes for the ship schedules and going onboard before they sailed.  In 2013 I took my mother's ashes over to England to be buried with my father. She would have been thrilled to know she was on the QM2.  Like the OP said, so many things are different now but so many things still the same.  All make wonderful memories

I'm curious. Was this a cruise for pleasure? Or a cruise to get from London to NYC, in lieu of a plane? 

 

I do have to say, the afternoon tea service sounds lovely! 

[Smitheroo]

5 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

m curious. Was this a cruise for pleasure? Or a cruise to get from London to NYC, in lieu of a plane? 

 

I do have to say, the afternoon tea service sounds lovely! 

My mother was born in Scotland and emigrated to the US in 1947. We did make a trip back in 1958 by plane. (KLM)  She realized that traveling by ship was not going to be an option much longer so in 1966 she decided  we would go on vacation to Scotland and England by ship both ways. I dont remember much about the planning but it was exciting when the luggage tags arrived in the mail.  (Now, along with the passenger list, a collector's item)  I have no idea what the fares cost. I have to admit that as a teenager all the eating got to be boring. A few times I never showed up for a meal. There were many kids on board and lots of fraternizing with the crew lol.  The Queen Mary is now docked in Long Beach California. I visited her and that was when I decided I needed to take my mother's ashes over on the QM2.  The Sylvania was sold and then later scrapped.

[Smitheroo]

21 minutes ago, RD64 said:

Bunk beds on The Norway - Inside, cabin N035 -  maybe 100 square feet in total. I would go back in a heartbeat.

I guess our cabin with a porthole was a little bit above an inside cabin.  There were only 3 of us in it and quite roomy but no bathroom.  Yeah, it was fun but I do like "freestyle" eating when you want to in a choice of dining rooms.  I wouldnt mind bunk beds now

[Smitheroo]

1 hour ago, Megamixer said:

It seems like we also got a list of all the other passengers on my cruises in the early 90's?

Yes, the Passenger List.  I still have mine from 1966, not sure when they stopped publishing.  You know, the privacy thing.

[Cruzinnana47]

Saw in your signature you were on the SS Norway several times, including your honeymoon.  Sailing on that ship was a wonderful experience and so glad we did it  twice (in the same stateroom--oceanview with no balcony, BUT very roomy with double closets).  The midnight buffet was really something to see and experience--lining up to take pictures first, then lining up a 2nd time to actually partake.

 

Still miss this kind of cruising....didn't worry about having internet or a cell phone then.  Completely able to relax on a true ocean liner.  

Edited March 16, 2023 by Cruzinnana47

[RocketMan275]

Oh, so glad, they've done away with dress codes and traditional dining.

If we had to do formal nights and traditional dining, we wouldn't cruise.

[Sthrngary]

2 minutes ago, Cruzinnana47 said:

Saw in your signature you were on the SS Norway several times, including your honeymoon.  Sailing on that ship was a wonderful experience and so glad we did it  twice (in the same stateroom--oceanview with no balcony, BUT very roomy with double closets).  The midnight buffet was really something to see and experience--lining up to take pictures first, then lining up a 2nd time to actually partake.

 

Still miss this kind of cruising....didn't worry about having internet or a cell phone then.  Completely able to relax on a true ocean liner.  

@Cruzinnana47 Funny story, I could not afford a proper honeymoon so we waited a year.  I booked the SS Norway and did not tell my new wife.  I wait until the Tuesday before the cruise.  She knew we were vacationing but not where.  I did not tell her because she would have said NO!  I would have heard "I have no Clothes", "I need to loose weight", and of course "We can't afford it."  So I did it with out discussing it.

 

She was really upset.  She cried for four days and did not talk to me.  The first words out of her mouth was on the bus ride from the Miami Airport to the Port when she saw the ship.  As you remember, the SS Norway was the largest Cruise Ship sailing at the time.  The first words I heard was, "Wow, that is a big ship."  

 

That first night, at the Late Seating, we meet 10 new friends at our huge round table for dinner.  They were Texas Oil Millionaires.  One guy put so much pepper on his food it changed colors.  I have not thought of him for decades.  That evening, my new bride and I danced on the deck.  She whispered in my ear, "This is the best vacation of my life."  I said back to her, "Honey, this is the only vacation either one of us had in our lives."  

 

We went on the the Norway four more times, had over 26 cruise over 44 years of marriage.  Our last family cruise was with our adult children on the NCL Joy, H2 Haven Deluxe Owners Suite and it was fabulous. Boy have things changed over the years and yes I do miss some of the formality in the past. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[jeepdarla]

Our first cruise was in the early 90's...on the Carnival Fantasy.

It was fun but we were constantly trying to figure things out.

 

At that time the decks weren't numbered. They just had names like Riviera, Empress, Lido, etc. 

We had to constantly refer to the pocket guide deck plan.

I think the elevator buttons had numbers, not deck names.

 

Every time I cruise now, I am so thankful they've simplified that!

[Rob-Bob]

We were on the SS Norway 2 times.

 

Oct 1988 - Inside Cabin - $650 PP

May 1996 - Ocean View - $710 PP

 

We dressed up every night in 1988.  Don't recall in 1996.

 

Really special times.  

[laudergayle]

5 hours ago, jeepdarla said:

Our first cruise was in the early 90's...on the Carnival Fantasy.

It was fun but we were constantly trying to figure things out.

 

At that time the decks weren't numbered. They just had names like Riviera, Empress, Lido, etc. 

We had to constantly refer to the pocket guide deck plan.

I think the elevator buttons had numbers, not deck names.

 

Every time I cruise now, I am so thankful they've simplified that!

Yes…Carnival for us in the early 90’s.  Our take away from that cruise.  We traveled with our three teenage (barely) boys.  Since this was before text, email and messaging, I was smart enough to give each boy a pre-paid phone card (remember those) to use once we were in The Bahamas.  Sounds like a good plan…until our middle son appears before dinner (on a sea day) to proudly proclaim he had used his 10 minutes!!  Oh no…he called from the ship phone,,,and $250 later.  A moment marked in time for all of us…lol. I wish I could post the picture with the look on his face…but that was way before digital photos. Oh yeah…we also shared an ocean view cabin with 5.  So glad we’ve progressed.

[bonvoyagie]

We started cruising in 2002 on the Sky, Freestyle 1.0 was just getting started, DSC was also new, no drink packages - we went without soda for a week - big sacrifice! 

 

We went to Alaska for our 25th anniversary - got upgraded to a penthouse suite by our TA who is now semi-retired but still doing travel booking

 

We did not see much activity on the pool deck so no chair hogs - the weather was way to cold.

 

The MDR was more like a 5 star restaurant with excellent service and great food - our chef had worked in the White House for several presidents and had just written a cookbook - most all of the meals that week were from that book. 

 

While we have not been on that many cruises - they are a luxury for us so when we go we go big - our last three cruises have been in suites but they have also been either ones with my MIL in tow or long ones where the extra room was really nice. 

 

I have noticed a slight decline in the MDR offerings with more specialty dining areas, We have not cruised post COVID - but are going to AK again in June. 

 

We have not cruised on a large ship - the Jewel class is as big as we like. Just don't need a playground on a cruise ship - we cruise for the destination anyway.

 

We have yet to have any issues with staff onboard - all are very friendly and attentive. Being in a suite may also help that. 

 

We also check our expectations at the gangplank and just go with the flow which also makes a ton of difference.