S.S. Oceanic-Home Lines Where are you?????

[oceanicmyfirstlove]

Perhaps we were on the same cruise at one time - stranger things have happened! I started in September 1966 and on that cruise, the ship only had approximately 800 passengers, and of those 800 passengers, there were about 200 singles. What a cruise we had. Thanks for the link, whenever, I see a picture of the Oceanic, my heart skips a beat -- she was an absolutely beautiful vessel. The service was impeccable and I doubt that there ever will be another cruise line that will be a close match to Home Lines. I'm still friends with a girl that I met in 1968 on one of my two week cruises - 45 years this coming October! I remember drinking frozen strawberry daiquiris, which cost twenty-five cents and we'd be there in the sun all afternoon having one after another - they tasted so great that it wasn't until you stood up, that you realized they had liquour in them!!! And you're right about the cooking by the pool - I had forgotten that until you mentioned it! The food was absolutely superb! Memories - they can never be taken away!:)

[marco]

After reading a few of these posts again, I had to run into the den and play my "Oceanic" 33RPM record. "Oh.... Oh.....ceanic ship....tu se bella bella bella..........."

[Conte Di Savoia]

I loved it when ships had their own songs which were played nightly by the ship's orchestra. I still have a 45 with the song from the Leonardo Da Vinci from 1961. I keep it on my lap top and play it occasionally. It's scratchy but it takes me back to a wonderful voyage.

[marco]

Conte: I have still have accordion sheet music for "Cristofo Columbo" that my grandmother brought back for me back in the late 50's. (Didn't all good little Italian boys play the accordion?!?!?!?!)

Edited March 26, 2013 by marco

[Conte Di Savoia]

(Didn't all good little Italian boys play the accordion?!?!?!?!)

 

Well, Marco, this one didn't. I tried my hand at piano but wasn't too successful. I'd rather leave the music making to the professionals and just be a respectful listener.

Here's the jacket of the 45 I was talking about. It was drawn by the maestro of the ship's orchestra, Dino Massa. By the way, other than bingo and horse races, the orchestra was the only evening entertainment. No "Broadway" revues. The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was a dining room section captain who was also a cousin of Guy Lombardo. He even looked like his famous relative.

[marco]

Conte: I LOVED looking at your photos, too. I have a candy dish/ash tray from the "Andrea Doria" that looks almost like the album cover you posted, and after looking at your photos, I remember the lounge on the "A/D", too. However, we NEVER sailed 1st class, much to pretentious, we NEVER sailed tourist, too spartan, cabin class was always the preferred. Ya' know what I don't get?......How come it cost approx double to sail 1ST class compared to tourist, and you got at least a week's worth of bigger/better cabins, a much higher space ratio, grander facilities, more dining options, more attentive service and more sq ft of space on the ship and now, when you fly it costs TEN TIMES AS MUCH to fly 1st class compared to coach and all you get is a bigger seat and a better meal for an 8 hour trip?!!?!?!?!?!!? Seems like the other way around makes more sense!

Edited March 27, 2013 by marco
typos

[Conte Di Savoia]

However, we NEVER sailed 1st class, much to pretentious, we NEVER sailed tourist, too spartan, cabin class was always the preferred.

 

God I loved the pretension!! I think that's what's lacking now, but what's gone is gone.

 

I feel exactly the same about the air. It just sticks in my throat when I see air fares that are equal to or more than the cruise fare. That's what puts me off going to very distant ports to pick up a ship. I sure do miss the choice of cruise destinations and ships that we used to have leaving from NYC. I don't have much of a desire, actually any desire, to sail on Carnival or NCL. The thought is much too painful.

[marco]

Ya.... but back then, even sailing cabin class was more elegant than most cruise ships are now. The closest that comes to "the way it was" was we came home last year on the "Queen Mary" and no....we did NOT have grill room accommodations!

[Rotterdam]

You obviously never sailed on a quality ship -

 

Even todays top lines do not measure up to the levels of service food & overall quality that could be had on Home Lines, Italian Line etc.

 

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO CLASS!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

You didn't get such a good deal.

 

$584 in 1969 adjusts to $3,664.40 in 2013 dollars.

 

Today you can take a cruise for 2 from NYC to Nassau for under $1,000 - and if you shop a bit you get a balcony cabin.

With the $2,664 you still have left over, you can buy plenty drinks and fancy dinners at all the specialty restaurants onboard - and still have money left over when you get home.

 

Maybe today is the "good old days" of cruising..................

[marco]

Your'e right!! As wonderful as it was, our cruise on "Crystal" still could NOT hold a candle to our "Linger Longer" winter Caribbean cruises on the "Oceanic"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rotterdam]

Not only has the quality of the onboard experience changed but we certainly had more fun on OCEANIC than the cruises today.....the entire experience was fantastico!!!

 

http://www.lastoceanliners.com/

 

 

OP (et al): Folks are always yippin' about how cruise standards have gone "down", and I've posted this on other threads. While going through some cruise memorabilia packed away, I came across a ticket from a 1981 12 day winter Caribbean cruise on the "Oceanic". We paid $30 less pp for that cruise then we paid for a comparable cruise (same timeframe, same # of days, same cabin category) last winter! If the price has remained the same after 30 years obviously, you gotta' be getting less! Too bad the onboard prices (I came across the bar guide with those prices you referred to as well) haven't stayed the same, too! But that's where they make their $$$$$, not on the ticket.

Edited March 30, 2013 by Rotterdam

[marco]

I would love to be a deck right now and hear someone say "La nave e en partenza!"

[Conte Di Savoia]

And in English...."The sheep is sailing!"

Edited April 2, 2013 by Conte Di Savoia

[CruisinS]

Well said. The Italian Line, Sitmar and Home Lines were The Best. I'm still an ardent cruiser, but I'd give anything to have those beatiful ships with great food, ambiance and staff.

 

I would take an inside cabin next to the propellers on Oceanic rather than the best suite on one of these monster floating malls of today w/ bad food, miserable crew to passenger ratios & passengers dressed like they are getting their car fixed or headed to the grocery store.......

 

Home Lines was first rate all around....we sailed on their ships in the 1970- 1980's....

 

We had so much fun ...all day & night......and people dressed really well - rose to the occasion - teh food was fabulous.

 

Sorry Bruce - Home Lines(and Sitmar, Italian Lines) may no longer exist - but at least a few of us got to enjoy truly great living at sea.

 

 

Todays cruising is just a poor stepchild!!!!!

[oceanicmyfirstlove]

Oh how I agree with you. Back in the 60s, 70s and even 80s, dressing up was part of going on a cruise. It was an opportunity to be treated like a Queen and indeed the service given was A+++++++! I just returned from a cruise on MSC Poesia, which will now be sailing to Europe to do Northern European cruises. It was good - but the room we had (Suite on Deck 15)was the same size as my first ccabin on the Oceanic which was an interior cabin on Atlantic Deck. Silvanno Carnabucci was our room steward and he was an absolute sweetheart! Plus the beds turned into sofa during the day and there was plenty of room to move about! The dining room service was absolutely fantastic - there was always so much to chose from - and if you didn't like what you ordered, they would always bring you something else!

 

Oceanic even though you're no longer cruising, you always will be in my heart! There is not one ship like you!!

 

Ciao bella Oceanic!

[Keith1010]

A wonderful cruise ship when part of home lines.

 

Keith

[DeeMS83]

Hello there, funny you mention Rolando. He is my father. He sang for Home Lines from 1968 - 1980. He always talks about what a wonderful time he had singing on the cruises and traveling all over. Every time he talks about his time working on the Oceanic his face lights up!

[marco]

You didn't get such a good deal.

 

$584 in 1969 adjusts to $3,664.40 in 2013 dollars.

 

Today you can take a cruise for 2 from NYC to Nassau for under $1,000 - and if you shop a bit you get a balcony cabin.

With the $2,664 you still have left over, you can buy plenty drinks and fancy dinners at all the specialty restaurants onboard - and still have money left over when you get home.

 

Maybe today is the "good old days" of cruising..................

 

And the 64 thousand dollar question for those who have been cruising for many years....Would your rather "get what you get", today, and pay $584, or would you rather "get what you got" 40 years ago, but pay $3400?!?!?!?!?!?

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

You didn't get such a good deal.

 

$584 in 1969 adjusts to $3,664.40 in 2013 dollars.

 

Today you can take a cruise for 2 from NYC to Nassau for under $1,000 - and if you shop a bit you get a balcony cabin.

With the $2,664 you still have left over, you can buy plenty drinks and fancy dinners at all the specialty restaurants onboard - and still have money left over when you get home.

 

Maybe today is the "good old days" of cruising..................

 

Exactly. It's all par for the course. With $3,664 per person, you can easily buy a ticket for a week on Seabourn or Silversea, where the food/service will be as good as what you would have found on the grand old lines of old, or at least comparable. The actual accommodations would also be a lot more comfortable.

 

This is the golden age of cruising, and while the bygone early days of the trade have a lot of niceties about them that are no longer around, it would be silly to say that today, when more ships are being built than ever before, when more people are travelling by ship than even in the 1930s, is not the 'good old days' of cruising. If you want service like on the grand ocean liners of old, there are ships out there that provide it- Seabourn, Silversea, Hapag-Lloyd, Crystal, etc.

 

Its the same story with airlines and the way Economy vs Business Class is going. People complain a lot about how much more comfortable Economy used to be, but a quick price comparison- a 1968 Pan Am brochure shows a return Economy fare from New York to London as $675. In 2013 dollars, that would be $4,394.19, which is comparable to a modern day Business Class fare on the same route. So for the same money today you can have private lounges, a flat bed, good food, hell even an onboard lounge/bar on some airlines. Both flying and cruising has improved for everyone, and what has happened over the years is that new 'classes' of cruising/flying have emerged, which makes it more affordable and available to everyone. If you want the service levels that one used to get, or better, then it is there- just pay the equivalent of what you used to in 1968/69, and you'll get it.

 

Back on topic, the Oceanic was one of my first loves in cruising. I booked and had to cancel two voyages on her on two separate occasion which was a great shame. It is always sad to see a great ship go but she had one hell of a fine career.

Edited June 27, 2013 by bahrain_not_dubai!

[Rotterdam]

My first cruise was in the mid 1970's, first Oceanic cruise was 1976 - after 50+ cruises, trans atlantics , Panama Canal cruises, carib & Europe I have nothing booked. Yes the quality of the entire experience was exceptional. We just came to realize that even todays best ships can't offer much value for the cost. Even Seabourn since Carnivorization is not what it use to be.

 

I still get the angst to go back to sea & will do so at some point, but now we take more land vacations & find great quality on land & we prefer to spend more time in new places. We live in NYC so we dress up often enough & have wonderful restaurants. I've never been to a food court in a mall(or spent much time in malls) and avoid buffets at all cost. Our last few cruises(QM2 12 day carib, Azamara Journey 16 day Panama Canal and a couple of MSC Poesia & Opera Carib) have sea days spent on our balcony, great meals in nice restaurants in port and some dinners in the main diningroom.

 

The cruise product has changed so much that it is almost foreign to us now. Home LInes & such were of their time - its just too bad that a corporation could not figure a way to have the quality and graciousness. The last time I was on QE2 in 2003 on a segment of the world cruise - there still was a hint of the good old days....and boy did we have fun!!!

 

Cruising hasn't gotten better - its just more common.

 

In the 1970's we paid top dollar & it was a top shelf experience...now cruising is for the masses & its a mess - no matter the price! The QE2 & FRANCE were the largest ships back then - now there are literally thousand of passengers & crew on many ships.....and nowhere near the quality.

 

 

 

And the 64 thousand dollar question for those who have been cruising for many years....Would your rather "get what you get", today, and pay $584, or would you rather "get what you got" 40 years ago, but pay $3400?!?!?!?!?!?

Edited June 27, 2013 by Rotterdam

[Conte Di Savoia]

My angst is somewhat lessened by knowing that other veterans of ship travel are having the same issues we do. In over 50 years of traveling by ship, starting as a young teenager, I’ve seen plenty of change. My favorite lines are long gone and, at least in my mind, none of today’s can fill that void. We didn’t make a single cruise in 2012, the first time that has happened in decades. We just needed to contemplate how to proceed. But this past spring we got the bug again and so did a TA at the last minute aboard Silver Cloud. We’ve found that Silversea comes closest to what we like about cruising. Sure, it’s not perfect but what is? We have a chance to meet a nice group of passengers, some of whom we recognize from past cruises. There’s still the sense that we are all members of a club. The crew remembers us from past trips and we are welcome on board. There’s less of a sense that we are tourists with wallets ripe for the picking and constantly barraged with marketing ploys. We don’t go to amusement parks when traveling on land and certainly have no intention of doing so with a multitude of passengers at sea, some of whom can be rather boorish.

[Rotterdam]

My angst is somewhat lessened by knowing that other veterans of ship travel are having the same issues we do. In over 50 years of traveling by ship, starting as a young teenager, I’ve seen plenty of change. My favorite lines are long gone and, at least in my mind, none of today’s can fill that void. We didn’t make a single cruise in 2012, the first time that has happened in decades. We just needed to contemplate how to proceed. But this past spring we got the bug again and so did a TA at the last minute aboard Silver Cloud. We’ve found that Silversea comes closest to what we like about cruising. Sure, it’s not perfect but what is? We have a chance to meet a nice group of passengers, some of whom we recognize from past cruises. There’s still the sense that we are all members of a club. The crew remembers us from past trips and we are welcome on board. There’s less of a sense that we are tourists with wallets ripe for the picking and constantly barraged with marketing ploys. We don’t go to amusement parks when traveling on land and certainly have no intention of doing so with a multitude of passengers at sea, some of whom can be rather boorish.

 

We too have booked fewer cruises - the lure of the sea is still with us....unfortunately the deluxe days of being onboard an oceanliner are over. Hopefully we'll still find a few sailings that can keep us at sea from time to time.....

 

Hope to see you onboard someday!!!

[AquamarineBreeze]

The Oceanic and the Home Lines holds a very special place in our hearts!!!

My father was 1st officer until 1973. My uncle purser until the company disappeared in the eighties.

My dad will be happy to hear that there are still people remembering her :)

[Purplegirlyisback]

Hello there, funny you mention Rolando. He is my father. He sang for Home Lines from 1968 - 1980. He always talks about what a wonderful time he had singing on the cruises and traveling all over. Every time he talks about his time working on the Oceanic his face lights up!

please tell your father that there is a family on Cape cod that still remembers him. Every time I hear an Italian song my heart melts. I was a very impressionable 15 year old in the 70's. my cousin and I had a picture with him. Ah those were the days. I wish we still had one of the albums. We played it for

literally years till it could not be played anymore. Just today my sister played some Itialian music. My brother and I said at the same time close your eyes and you can almost hear the Rolandos and the the Oceanic swaying. He made people very happy, and I hope he knows that.

[oldwallace]

• I haven't scrolled through all the posts , but is this the same Oceanic that became the Big Red Boat ? That was was our first "family" cruise and was the most memorable of the 40 or so cruises we have taken so far..