That unforgettable moment or experience?

[SuiteCruzin]

experience was departing New York Harbor standing near the bow of QE2 as we approched the lit up Varrazano Bridge at night. This was the beginning of the Millinnem Cruise which also docked off the Statue of Liberty on July 4, 2000 and the QE2 was paralleled by a most fantastic maritime regatta a land locked boy could ever possibly dream of beholding.

 

I experienced such a luxury with appreciation and pride to have witnessed such an American patriotic event aboard a British vessel. :cool:

 

Every 6 months I travel to a port and embark upon a luxury cruise ship to all sorts of destinations and ALWAYS have that July 4, 2000 day in the back of my mind to remind me what fun and joy really is. :)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I don't know about Greg but I just Copy and paste from my Webshots.

Here is another Great moment from our last cruise.

 

[RevNeal]

Rev Neal, how do you get your pics in here in large format? Beyond the size and KB limitations?

 

I'm sorry, Copper10-8 ... I hope the images are not too large that they're stalling your download. I sometimes forget that not everyone had broadband.

 

I pull them as an image link from my own website and from my photo galleries on mac.com.

 

I use the tag: open-bracket IMG close-bracket web address open-bracket /IMG close-bracket.

 

See the image button above? It looks like this: Click on that, input the web address you're pulling the image from, and it will generate the tags for you.

[Copper10-8]

Thank you Sir, I will give it a try (I have broadband too)

[kryos]

So many wonderful experiences ... way too many to share here.

 

First cruise ... wasn't that enthusiastic about it. Only booked it to attend a writer's conference onboard ... yeah, another dasteredly group. :) I was even less enthused about it when I missed the boat in Fort Lauderdale.

 

It wasn't that I had anything particular against cruising ... I just didn't think it would be for me. I pictured old people on walkers ... people sitting at the pool for hours on end ... nothing much to do other than read a book. I figured this cruise might be a bit different since I would be in classes with the writer's conference and maybe would be kept busy. That's the only reason I booked it.

 

So, I fly to Costa Rica and three days later I board the ms Rotterdam. I was kinda pissed because I knew I'd have to make up for three days of lost time with the conference ... doing writing assignments and whatnot. This was a working conference ... not just sitting in lectures. We had an actual book to produce while onboard and everyone would be responsible for writing one of the stories.

 

The folks at the front desk had heard about what happened to the six of us that had the bad luck to be on that US Air flight that lost an engine. They were bending over backwards to welcome us onboard ... special invitations for a cocktail party with the captain ... sending a steward running out to the dock when someone noticed me struggling with my luggage ... a letter from the guest relations manager welcoming us onboard and apologizing for our bad luck ... which was not even the cruise line's fault ... a white gloved escort to my cabin ... where my luggage was already awaiting me on the bed.

 

I remember the ship was deserted cause everyone was on shore excursions to Costa Rica. I sat up in the Lido having a bite to eat since I hadn't eaten a thing all morning. As I sat there ... looking out the windows at the beautiful sea ... eating a very tasty salad ... enjoying some good conversation with a worker from Club Hal ... I thought to myself ... ummmmm, this isn't gonna be bad at all ... :)

 

It only went uphill from there. Dinner that night ... impeccable service ... everyone making a fuss over me ... "you're one of those poor folks that missed the boat ... yeah, we heard about you guys ... "

 

It didn't take more than a few hours ... certainly before the end of the first day ... that I realized that there was something really nice about this cruising stuff. It didn't take more than an additional two days for me to book my next HAL cruise ... and I haven't looked back since.

 

Isn't it wonderful how the experiences we doubt we're gonna enjoy often turn out to be the best?

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Copper10-8]

Great story, Rita!

[mechcc]

There are so many special moments but the best was on our first cruise and yet it makes me feel bad for the family involved. We were on a RCCL cruise out of Galveston, when a man had a heart attack the first night. The next day, we turned north towards New Orleans to meet up with the Coast Guard Helicopter. Decks were cleared but we were told where the best viewing points were for the evacuation. We watched with admiration, respect, and awe as our U.S. Coast Guard repelled from the helicopter to the deck of the ship, recovered the sick individual and a ship's nurse and then went back up to the helicopter themselves in a matter of minutes. All the time the helicopter pilot and ship's captain maintained a perfect ballet of positions. It was a treat to see our Coast Guard in action but so sorry as to why. The family had to travel on to Key West (our first port) and then fly back to New Orleans which would be a major bummer but the helicopters can only hold so much weight. But I am also greatful to the family as they could of demanded complete privacy but we were told up front the conditions and they also let RCCL know that it the man was going to make a full recovery and this information was passed on to the passengers later in the cruise.

[hmorrow]

It's all how you look at things. We were on the Crown Jewel, a new ship, out of FLL(no longer Crown Line) The AC broke, and the cabins were unbearably hot. We took our pillows and blankets, and went to one of the outside decks, and while lots of people were complaining about the broken AC, we had a wonderful night, on the wooden deck chairs, under the starry skies.

 

The second special moment was seeing the "green flash" in the very southern carribean, at sunset. Amazing.

 

And many more that will probably come to me at 2am! Helaine

[Judyjay]

We had taken our daughter on her first cruise for her 13th birthday. As we were sitting in the theater watching the cast show my starry eyed teenager leaned over to me and said "Mommy I want to do that someday" Fast forward seven years. I'm on a cruise ship sitting in the theater, the curtains open and I see my daughter fufilling a dream that she worked very hard to achive. I know that the entertainment on the ships isn't usually the hightlight of most peoples cruises, but no matter what happens on any of our future cruises, this will alway be my most memorable moment.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

We had taken our daughter on her first cruise for her 13th birthday. As we were sitting in the theater watching the cast show my starry eyed teenager leaned over to me and said "Mommy I want to do that someday" Fast forward seven years. I'm on a cruise ship sitting in the theater, the curtains open and I see my daughter fufilling a dream that she worked very hard to achive. I know that the entertainment on the ships isn't usually the hightlight of most peoples cruises, but no matter what happens on any of our future cruises, this will alway be my most memorable moment.

 

Judy, that really is a wonderful moment two times. How great:) You must be so very proud of her.

[Copper10-8]

We had taken our daughter on her first cruise for her 13th birthday. As we were sitting in the theater watching the cast show my starry eyed teenager leaned over to me and said "Mommy I want to do that someday" Fast forward seven years. I'm on a cruise ship sitting in the theater, the curtains open and I see my daughter fufilling a dream that she worked very hard to achive. I know that the entertainment on the ships isn't usually the hightlight of most peoples cruises, but no matter what happens on any of our future cruises, this will alway be my most memorable moment.

 

Great story!!!:)

[NVR2LTE]

I have yet to cruise but only once, ( Liberty in Med.) But besides having to keep myself from standing still and yelling, 'Oh, my ___"! I'm on a cruise in the Meditteranian!!..

 

One of the things that always comes to my mind is;

We were preparing to leave Venice:( and a small group formed on one of the upper decks looking over the pier. A young woman came up and started to wave at a couple standing below,.. in the slight drizzle we were experiencing. ( Even Venice wept at our departure):rolleyes: She was one of our dining room attendants and we learned that these were her parents that had driven about 12 hrs. from Austria (I believe) to visit her while we were in Venice overnight. Again, she waved..her parents waved, and held onto each other. I tried to put myself in the parents place and it just pulled at my heart. I wished there was a way I could convey to them that all would be OK with their daughter. ( I have one of my own that is on her own, also. ) So I suggested that we all wave...we did... and the parents faces lit up!, they waved back with both arms; and finally the father put his hands to his heart and then threw us a kiss!!

 

Families are families no matter where we live..we are all the same!

I left that deck feeling blessed for the opportunity that I had.

 

KB

 

 

 

 

 

[sail7seas]

Sailing out of New York Harbor on the maiden cruise of Noordam:

 

...standing on the verandah of the portside PH in our long coats enjoying our glasses of Champagne and taking photographs of one another as we enjoyed the view of sparkling Manhattan slipping past us in the twilight...

 

 

...then running across the ship to Stephen Card's Starboard PH to see the Statue of Liberty and practically scaring Ruth Card half out of her wits!

 

Sorry Ruth!

:o

 

 

Though there have been so many incredible moments we've experienced aboard HAL ships, for me.......

 

Nothing can compare to when DH and I Blessed the Bell of ms Noordam at her Naming/Dedication Ceremony in New York

 

just before she sailed on her Maiden Voyage..........:) with (among others) Brian, Greg, Stephen/Ruth and Laura/Sonny aboard!!

[NVR2LTE]

:o

 

My bad.

 

After I sent this I realized it was a thread for another cruise line. :eek: Sorry.

 

Well the ship doesn't matter... it's the memories;)

[AlohaPride]

:o

 

My bad.

 

After I sent this I realized it was a thread for another cruise line. :eek: Sorry.

 

Well the ship doesn't matter... it's the memories;)

 

Don't worry! It was an amazing story and IMHO I'm very happy you shared it with us.

[pantux]

Every cruise brings at least a dozen moments but one of my favorite was celebrating New Years Eve at sea for the first time in 1998 and they pushed the ice sculpture of the 98 into the pool and brought up the 99 I was there with my wife and I just thought what a great way to bring in the new year.

[Aussie Gal]

We had taken our daughter on her first cruise for her 13th birthday. As we were sitting in the theater watching the cast show my starry eyed teenager leaned over to me and said "Mommy I want to do that someday" Fast forward seven years. I'm on a cruise ship sitting in the theater, the curtains open and I see my daughter fufilling a dream that she worked very hard to achive. I know that the entertainment on the ships isn't usually the hightlight of most peoples cruises, but no matter what happens on any of our future cruises, this will alway be my most memorable moment.

 

Judyjay,

 

As the mother of a daughter, your story brought tears to my eyes. How proud you must have been to see her fulfill her dreams in not so many years from her first cruise. :)

 

Jennie

[Judyjay]

Lisa & Jennie-

 

Yes I am so proud of her. Now I'm just waitng for her to return home in November. Yeah, she'll be home for Christmas this year! When she came home from her last contract she was only here for 18 days, then off again for another 8 months. I miss her, but I know she is happy and loves what she is doing. A mom couldn't ask for anything more for her child.

[L&B Cruisers]

:) Sail away from Venice in 1999 onboard Grand Princess with this beautiful, surreal port, Andre Bocelli singing on the ships intercom..AWESOME!! & knowing it had just begun..for a transatlantic voyage!!