M/S Skyward

[beachnut41955]

I made 2 cruises on NCL's M/S Skyward in 1986 and 1987. For some reason today I have been remembering those wonderful cruises. I would love to hear from anyone else who has cruised aboard the Skyward. I have such wonderful memories and pictures and would love to recall that wonderful ship. It is no longer with NCL but it was a wonderful ship and had wonderful service. We cruised from Miami to Cancun, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Great Stirrup Cay. Wow, what a rush of memories. Hopefully someone will see this and can share some of their own experiences aboard the wonderful Skyward.

[Druke I]

You might also want to post this on the "Whatever happened to" forum.

 

A lot of nostalgia goes on in that forum when someone brings up an "old ship".

[howard6933]

Our first cruise was in 1978 and we sailed on the Starward and the following year we were on the Skyward. Those were the days when we were "poor", so we booked inside cabins. I seem to remember that the cabins were so small that I could stand in the middle of the cabin and when stretching my arms out I could just about touch the walls. :p I can also remember that the show lounge was pretty small and everybody sat at tables rather than the theater style seats we have nowadays. The ships were registered in Norway and there were no casinos on board. :( The itinerary included Port Antonio in Jamaica and Cap Haitien in Hataii. The entertainment was OK and in some places they had local people come on board and we had entertainers that lived in the ports of call. Nothing like the Vegas style stuff we have now. But you know what......we had a lot of fun on those small ships and we still keep in touch with some folks we met way back there. Now here we are some 30 years later and we have been cruising ever since. Nothing lie it in my opinion. ;)

[mburnell]

Our first cruise was in 1985 on the Skyward. We bought a cheap inside cabin. It had a 3/4 size bed and it went from wall to wall. The cabin was small but we did see one smaller last March on the Jewel.

 

We had rough seas, for a couple days a lot of people were sea sick. We spent one night on deck in lounge chairs with most people wrapped in blankets and dining on saltine crackers.

 

It is a cruise we will always treasure. We still talk about our bus boy Sing. He called himself "Sing a Song". He was probaly the most entertaining bus boy we have ever had.

 

We still have the bronze medals we won in the ship's olympics.

 

We sure enjoyed the swinging chair up top by the bar.

 

It got us hooked on cruising. We are booked for our 14th this October.

[hannod388]

We also have fond memories of the Skyward and Starward. We were engaged on a beautiful starry night in 1988 (we also got pirate 'married' on a rum runner cruise in Barbados). We returned in 1989 for our honeymoon.

What I remember best is that the shows entertainers were the guys that ran the snorkel trips (Dive In) and the gals in the beauty salon.

[crugirl]

I made 2 cruises on NCL's M/S Skyward in 1986 and 1987. For some reason today I have been remembering those wonderful cruises. I would love to hear from anyone else who has cruised aboard the Skyward. I have such wonderful memories and pictures and would love to recall that wonderful ship. It is no longer with NCL but it was a wonderful ship and had wonderful service. We cruised from Miami to Cancun, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Great Stirrup Cay. Wow, what a rush of memories. Hopefully someone will see this and can share some of their own experiences aboard the wonderful Skyward.

 

 

This was the very first cruise we took and the only ship picture I have was from the diningroom with the words Mexican Fiesta on the frame. The intinery sounds exactly the same. Unfortunatley, NCL no record of us on this cruise and I've been trying to find out the exact year it took place. Do you remember a huge pyramid on the pool deck? We had such a wonderful time and haven't stopped cruising since.

[Beach4me]

I've been going through pics in order to prove our cruise history to NCL - found a pic of me in the swinging chair, mburnell.

 

I've got lots of ship's pics too - nice that they put the ship's name along the edge. Skyward, Starward, Southward, Sunward II.

 

The thing that had me laughing this evening was the "artistic" pic I found of wine bottles and glasses...with a sign reading "Wine by the glass - $1.00". I'm sure that we remarked that that was sure a lot for a glass of wine back then too. ;)

 

Those were the day...skeet shooting off the back deck, salad dressing served by the ladle full (instead of the thimble), costume contests, teak wood everywhere...

 

Nice memories.

 

This documenting past voyages for NCL has proven to be a lot of fun!

[blessedbygrace]

Wow...more folks from the Skyward!!! It was our first cruise experience...for our 5th anniversary in 1987. We just returned from our second (took a long time off from cruising, I know) and couldn't help but keep comparing the two trips. I missed the intimacy of the Skyward and its cozy showrooms (that's really saying something as I understand that Holiday is one of the smallest ships around nowadays). I do remember a casino from our trip, but it was a portable one that disappeared whenever we were in port and reappeared once back out to open sea. We toured Tulum and snorkeled at Xel-ha and have wanted to go back ever since. I still have my Skyward beachtowel, the Lladro figurine I won in a raffle and the blown-glass ship-in-a-bottle we chose as a special souvenir.

 

We met another couple celebrating their 5th anniversary as well and kept up with them for years, but have lost track of them now...I wonder if they ever check out cruise critic...? (They were from Silicone Valley in Ca and her name was Leslie...ring any bells?)

[derf5585]

kyward was a sister to the Starward, and was completed in 1969 by AG Weser of Bremerhaven. She was sold in 1991 to Singapore owners,

from

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/NCLPCs1.html#anchor477199

[JudyOh]

Our first cruise was on the Skyward, Dec/1976. I remember walking around in total aw of how huge she was. We went to San Juan, St Thomas, Haiti (we had a blind guide there) and Dominican Republic. The 3/4 wall to wall bed cannot be forgotten:eek: , nor how paper thin the walls were, we never had to go next door to talk to our friends we would converse standing in our rooms (what are you wearing to dinner tonight, are you ready to go yet, etc). How could anyone forget the swinging chairs on the top outside bar, they were great. Our next two cruises were on the Starward. Cruise #32 is coming up in November on the Freedom of the Seas, just a bit bigger than the Skyward!!:)

[jerseyjk]

My first was on the Sunward II in the early eighties. Outside porthole room. I got hooked on SCUBA that trip. I recall somewhere in the reef off their private island, someone had put a placard reading SUNWARD I as though that ship had sunk there. Nassau, Freeport and their private island were the destinations I believe.

[suncoastcpl]

I think I was on the skyward in the early 80's. Did it go to Cancun, Cozumel and the Dominican Rep. and Key West? If this is the right ship ( I think it is) we crashed into the dock at night during a tropical storm forming while getting into port. The damage was a 25 by 25 foot hole in the side of the ship. The next day after a day trip to the Mayan ruins we were on a tender trying to get back on the ship when a severe thunderstorm from the other storm still forming caught us a the wrong time. 10-15 foot swells toss the tender around banging it into the ship and causing more damage to both. There were about twenty or so of us and we were scared to death and very seasick. The crew put out a huge aluminum gang plank from a lower cargo door to the tender for us to walk over on. By the time they got it secured on both ends to the tender and the ship, it was GONE. Yes, a swell separated the boats enough and it was gone to the deep six. After hours waiting in this raging storm on a 30+ foot boat the crew finally got another gang plank from the other side of the ship and here we go. No one wanted to go on it. Finally, a ships officer came across and physically drug each one of us across back to the Skyward. No apologies or explanations its like we were holding up production and our safety be damned that ship was leaving port. I have always thanked God for that outcome for it could have ended much worse. We had been delayed for a day waiting for steel sheets to arrive for hull repairs from running into the dock the night before. Anyone else on this cruise?

[Ontime Departure]

Ahh the Skyward!

 

September 11, 1988 - Miami - St. Thomas - St. Kitts - Barbados - Grenada - St. Lucia - St. Maarten - St. Croix - San Juan

 

My first cruise and my honeymoon! I can remember the ports like it was yesterday. Loved the ship, still had the wooden doors to get out onto the deck. Sure it didn't have the glitz and amenities of todays ships but it was a lovely ship. No TV, made for a great honeymoon! DW and I were just talking about this cruise last week, how much fun we had

 

September 1990

 

San Juan - Aruba - Curacao - St. Thomas - Tortola - Virgin Gorda

 

We always felt it was a great ship and it had a wonderful cruise staff! One of the best memories was a trip we took in St. Thomas book through NCL on a small sailboat with DW, Jim and Brenda (a couple we met from Texas at our dinner table that we spent alot of the cruise with) and 2 members of the pursers staff, beautiful day out sailing and snorkling, wine and snacks

[clean1owner]

January 8, 1984 - My first ever cruise. The "Mexican Fiesta" and "Mayan Magic" cruise aboard the Skyward to Cancun, Cozumel, Key West, and Great Stirrup Key-NCL's private out island. I remember thinking how large the ship was, at 460 feet and about 14,000 tons. I did a Quad Share booking, where you paid less than a full fare, but you roomed with up to 3 people that NCL chose for you. There is so much from that trip I remember like it was just last year.

 

YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST!

 

 

September 22, 1984 - A second trip aboard the Skyward to St Thomas, St Maartin, San Juan, and Great Stirrup Key. I was officially hooked on cruising!

 

One of my boarding pictures

 

 

 

 

One of the Shipboard Olympic events.

 

 

 

We won a medal!

 

The big guy in the NCL shirt was a pro football player. At that time NCL had one on every sailing during the off season. If I remember correctly, his name was Lynch, from the Cowboys. He let me try on his Super Bowl ring and I could easily fit 2 of my fingers in it!

 

 

 

Back when formal nights were indeed formal.

 

[dexddd]

January 8, 1984 - My first ever cruise. The "Mexican Fiesta" and "Mayan Magic" cruise aboard the Skyward to Cancun, Cozumel, Key West, and Great Stirrup Key-NCL's private out island. I remember thinking how large the ship was, at 460 feet and about 14,000 tons. I did a Quad Share booking, where you paid less than a full fare, but you roomed with up to 3 people that NCL chose for you. There is so much from that trip I remember like it was just last year.

 

YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST!

 

 

September 22, 1984 - A second trip aboard the Skyward to St Thomas, St Maartin, San Juan, and Great Stirrup Key. I was officially hooked on cruising!

 

One of my boarding pictures

 

 

 

 

One of the Shipboard Olympic events.

 

 

 

We won a medal!

 

The big guy in the NCL shirt was a pro football player. At that time NCL had one on every sailing during the off season. If I remember correctly, his name was Lynch, from the Cowboys. He let me try on his Super Bowl ring and I could easily fit 2 of my fingers in it!

 

 

 

Back when formal nights were indeed formal.

 

 

I know this is an older thread and interesting to see some new info. I was on the Skyward sometime after you in 1984. I don't recall exactly when, but probably around March. I remember a few things like using the included travel arrangements that put us on Delta to Miami, we stayed at the Omni International.

 

I don't recall the exact route other than San Juan, St Thomas and we missed one port (Cozumel??) due to rough weather and unable to tender. They had the baked Alaska which was great.

 

I have one or two of the pictures with the black printing at the bottom. One was with the Captain as we entered the room for the cocktail party.

 

I got one of those "Dive-In" t-shirts they had at the time for their snorkel program.

 

Trying to remember more (like how much was the DSC, how much was corkage, who were the butlers and concierge, how much did internet cost, what was the daily fixed menu, where were the laundry facilities, were there robes, slippers, coffee makers in the room).

[Sauer-kraut]

 

Trying to remember more (like how much was the DSC, how much was corkage, who were the butlers and concierge, how much did internet cost, what was the daily fixed menu, where were the laundry facilities, were there robes, slippers, coffee makers in the room).

 

Well I doubt there was internet aboard the ships then. There was no DSC it was still handled by cash-in-envelope on the last night of the cruise. Dinner was still assigned and therefore no need to have a DSC. There was no 'fixed' menu, every night had new things on it AND there were more courses. I think the place settings were properly done as well. But you probably paid more for that cruise in today's money than you do for a cruise today.

[RetiredArmyCruiser]

Our first cruise was in 1994 aboard the Southward (I think that was a sister ship to the Skyward), and while we had a great time in Catalina and Ensenada, the actual ship experience wasn't so great.

 

What's funny, though, is that we took two rolls of pictures (remember when we used to use film?) and had them in the center console of our car to drop off to be developed. My 3-year-old (now 22-year-old) thought those yellow canisters looked kinda cool, so she pulled on the little dangling thing on each canister and exposed all of our pictures!

 

We haven no actual pictorial proof that we took a cruise, and all we have are the cruise tickets and a brochure from the ship. To paraphase liberally from an ocean-liner movie - "I don't even have a picture of the trip. The cruise exists only in my memory."

[clean1owner]

Well I doubt there was internet aboard the ships then. There was no DSC it was still handled by cash-in-envelope on the last night of the cruise. Dinner was still assigned and therefore no need to have a DSC. There was no 'fixed' menu, every night had new things on it AND there were more courses. I think the place settings were properly done as well. But you probably paid more for that cruise in today's money than you do for a cruise today.

 

 

 

I paid $476 + port taxes in real 1984 dollars for the trip in 1984.

 

 

I just paid $421 + port taxes in todays dollars for my recent Dawn cruise.

 

Granted there are more ad-ons today and no midnight buffet ( we had one EVERY night in 1984), but it simply amazes me how little you can still cruise for.

[rafinmd]

Not the Skyward but the Leeward.

 

Roy

[dexddd]

Well I doubt there was internet aboard the ships then. There was no DSC it was still handled by cash-in-envelope on the last night of the cruise. Dinner was still assigned and therefore no need to have a DSC. There was no 'fixed' menu, every night had new things on it AND there were more courses. I think the place settings were properly done as well. But you probably paid more for that cruise in today's money than you do for a cruise today.

 

I know - I was joking - I don't use those smiley face things.

 

I will add that looking at that picture above it almost looks like a young Christopher Walken??

[clean1owner]

I know - I was joking - I don't use those smiley face things.

 

I will add that looking at that picture above it almost looks like a young Christopher Walken??

 

 

 

Or maybe DB Cooper in a clever disguise?

[dexddd]

Or maybe DB Cooper in a clever disguise?

 

So that is where you got the money for the trip.

 

I now remember a football player being on board as well and there was also a national TV guy - I think it was David Brinkley but I can't be certain.

[djmess]

Not the Skyward but the Leeward.

 

Roy

 

My favorite baby ship

[N8VNYER]

Posted below

[N8VNYER]

I made 2 cruises on NCL's M/S Skyward in 1986 and 1987. For some reason today I have been remembering those wonderful cruises. I would love to hear from anyone else who has cruised aboard the Skyward. I have such wonderful memories and pictures and would love to recall that wonderful ship. It is no longer with NCL but it was a wonderful ship and had wonderful service. We cruised from Miami to Cancun, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Great Stirrup Cay. Wow, what a rush of memories. Hopefully someone will see this and can share some of their own experiences aboard the wonderful Skyward.

 

The M/S Skyward was my very 1st cruise!

 

Summer 1991 - San Juan - Aruba - Curacao - Tortola & Virgin Gorda - St. Thomas - San Juan

 

I was 16 years old and my parents surprised us by taking us on this magical vacation. We had 2 outside cabins on the Atlantic deck and my twin brother and I shared one of them.

 

We made friends with many people on the ship and joined the Skyward Olympics with some other teenagers from San Diego. We named our team "Coast to Coast" because we were from New York. Our team took the gold medal!

The funny thing about this now is that we had a future celebrity among us and we didn't even know. The ships comedian was Gary Valentine. If you haven't heard of him, you might better recognize him as "Danny Heffernan" on the hit show "King of Queens". In real life, he's Kevin James' older brother. Gary Valentine performed on the ship as a comedian, and in the off time he made friends with the passengers and even us! He joined the Olympics with some other passengers and his team took the silver medal! That night in his show he joked about losing the gold medal to a bunch of teenagers - my team! It was hilarious. He took a picture with my brother and I and our friend, but unfortunately I can't find it or I'd post it here".

 

We also made friends with the ships crew - which were incredibly welcoming and friendly. We made friends with the ships Cruise Director, Purser, Teen Activity Director, and others. Knew them all by name. After a week we knew 3 of them so well that we invited them to come to New York City for a personal tour - none of them had been. You know what? They came! Several months later we met up with them in Manhattan and brought them around downtown NYC and had a great time!

 

We also kept in touch with our friends from San Diego and went to visit them in California twice!

 

This cruise was a very memorable experience and one of the best family vacations I ever had in my childhood. I'll always remember it in detail.

 

Since 1991, I have grown up, gotten married, and now have 3 children of my own - the oldest 11 (which was my sister's age when we cruised on the Skyward). This October we're taking our kids on their first cruise! I hope it will be as memorable for them - though they're a bit younger than I was.

 

This will be my 4th cruise - and I hope to go on many more. :)