Did you cruise as a kid?

[Roboat]

Did your folks take you when you were small? And did you enjoy it? What are your best memories? And worst? Or most embarassing?

 

Only once for me, back in '50 (?) and it was fantastic. I was about 8. My Dad was Army and we were returning from 2 years in Japan. Somehow we ended up on a "military cruise ship" - now there's an oxymoron. I don't recall the actual name of the ship but we called it the SS Mickey Mouse.

 

The best thing was that we were near a typhoon for many days in a row. On one of the lower decks, there was a huge kids' playroom with a tile floor from port to starboard. The ship was rolling beautifully, so my brother and I and 50-100 other kids spent a week on our stomachs, sliding from one side of the ship to the other. What a ball! Tables and chairs and toys slid right along with us as we crashed into one wall, then the other, laughing like crazy! I must have slid downhill for 1500 miles!

 

Of course, all the grown-ups were sick, but man did we have a great time!

[lknick]

As a kid, I was on QM and Normandie.

 

Drove the maitre d' nuts on one...just don't remember which one...by sliding down the grand staircase banister into the dining room.

 

And I graduated to long pants...an accomplishment for a young gentlemen in the late 1930s.

[Druke I]

RoBoat

 

That may well have been the USNS M.M. Patrick, a trooper in service in the Far East in the 50s, not to be confused with the USNS E.D. Patrick, a slighty larger trooper. There a couple of others in service then also, the USNS Breckenridge, and I think the USNS Simon B. Buckner.

 

I managed to avoid all of them, and flew both to and from Okinawa, over in Jun 56, and back in Dec 58. It was a very long flight in those days, in propeller planes; about 39 flying hours, with stops in Japan (Tokyo), Guam or Midway and Hawaii.

 

Michael

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

 

Biggest boat I was on when I was a child was a fishing boat in Bobcagen, Canada during a hurricane. Never thought we would get back alive.

:)

[sail7seas]

No. My parents took one cruise. That was on Rotterdam V when she was a new ship. They did not take me or my sister along. :(

[jhannah]

Being born of humble means in Oklahoma, I looked upon cruisers as fabulously wealthy people who had servants peel their grapes for them! ;) However, I do vividly recall as a lad of 10 making a train trip from Oklahoma to Washington State via Yellowstone National Park. Wow! That was in the "last hurrah" days of railroading, and was probably close to cruising insofar as service was concerned.

[localady]

Only ships I was ever on as a child were ferries on the San Francisco Bay! Each year our church would hire a Red and White Fleet ferry to take the Congregation from Alameda to Angel Island for their annual church picnic, it was something I looked forward too very much. I knew then of my love for the cruising the 7 seas, I just could never get enough of it....funny, I still can't!:)

 

Not so patiently waiting for our next cruise in December:cool:

[Esme]

:)

 

Biggest boat I was on when I was a child was a fishing boat in Bobcagen, Canada during a hurricane. Never thought we would get back alive.

:)

 

 

Are you sure you are talking about Bobcagen, Ontario, Canada, north east of Toronto?????? Bobcagen is situated on a very small lake and I doubt you would find any fishing boats up there - small pleasure craft but no fishing boats. Also, they've never had a hurricane up there. The remnants of Hurricane Hazel hit Toronto in October, 1954, but I don't remember it affecting Bobcagen. Maybe because you were a child it felt like a hurricane, but probably was not more than a summer storm.

[catlib55]

When I was a teenager, we took the SS President Wilson from Honolulu to Yokohama, Japan in August of 1960. It took 7 days, and my brother, sister and I had a ball. In August of 1961, we had moved to Okinawa, and my sister, mother and I and a couple of friends of my mother's took the USS Edmund Patrick troop ship from Naha, Okinawa to Yokohama, Japan for a few days of shopping in Japan. We took the USS Mitchell, another troop ship, home. In September of 1962, my family and I sailed on the SS United States from Southampton, England to New York City.

All four ships were lots of fun.

I have very fond memories of all four trips.

'Til we sail on Rotterdam,

Mary Ellen

[divinggirl]

When I was both 11 and 13 my parents took us all on a cruise on the (then new) NCL SS Norway, which was amazing!! The cabins were tiny, but the ice cream bar was amazing...I found my first boyfriend, sipped my first virgin pina colada, and loved every minute of it. Thinking back, wow was I spoiled!!:D :D

 

I'll never forget, my grandfather spilled HOT HOT HOT coffee when the ship rocked a bit, and got second degree burns on his hands. He just got it wrapped and treated, and forgot about it. I think that's why we went the second time, our party was given major compensation for the incident. At least I think so, but I was young.

 

I also remember the Baked Alaska parade and even our waiter's name, Franklin, and how he brought me, an 11 year old, FOUR orders of the escargot, shaking his head and smiling all the while...I can't wait to see how it's different now that I'm older!!

 

One more funny story, on some restaurant in St Thomas, I think, called Top of the Mountain or something, my dad asked the lady what the fish of the day was, and she said, and I kid you not, "Frozen", with a straight face!!!:D

[obriendan]

At the age of 9, along with my two brothers and mother, I travelled to Honolulu on the Matson Line's ms Lurline. We arrived two weeks before Pearl Harbor. On the last night, rather than a baked Alaska parade, each guest was served an ice cream mold in the shape of the Lurline. We returned in a convoy in April, 1942, on the ms U. S. Grant.

[TampaMike]

As a child I spent summers on my dad's cabin cruiser tooling around NY Harbor and was spellbound to watch the liners sail out. I spent many Saturdays visitng the NYC piers and paying my $1 fee to go aboard and explore Rotterdam, Statendam, Oceanic, Doric, Marconi and other less frequent visitors.

 

I sailed with my parents aboard Rotterdam V and remember the small inside upper / lower cabing on Lower Prom deck, just below the Lido. Years later when I eventually was working aboard ships, I found myself assigned the very same cabin as staff.

 

Similarly, I managed to convince my parents to sail alone, at age 14 aboard Oceanic. I paid for it myself, with a paper route and deadfast determination. I did it the following 3 summers...same cabin, same steward. Likewise, I found myself aboard Oceanic when working for Premier in the late 80's. Premier folk were amazed how well I knew the ship...as a yopungster, I had explored every nook and crannie I could venture into (not likely today). I even remembered certain smells that were like homecoming to me. When Premier took delivery of the 'O-Boat', I could readily direct people around. And oh yes...the red hull and yellow propellors on the lifeboats!!! After tugs nudged us into the pier in Nassau, they would leave red paint marks on the 'white' ships. I called them "Premier Hickies".

 

Having sailed on France as a youngster with my parents, I enjoyed examining Norway to determine what was original and was was remodeled after the initial NCL refit. I joined Norway at the final day of her refit and was part of the start up of the 'Big Blue Canoe'. Yep, I know of the secret tunnel around the former France Patio Suites, now occupied by the SunSots Pool.

 

Just last week I was chuckling watching the original "Love Boat" pilot movie filmed aboard then Sun Princess. The butterscotch walls of the Purser's lobby was the workstation for me when I lived aboard her during her Premier tenure as Majestic (yep..was onboard for the fire too!). Later that night it was again on TV in an old "Columbo" episode. It was like watching the new owners of the home you grew up in....kinda spooky.

 

Now retired from my life at sea, I still sail frequently...mostly with HAL. I think it is the attempt to remember the traditional days of ocean voyages in the HAL style. The new ships are impressive, but I am not sure they capture the intimacy I remember...or perhaps it is me who has changed.

 

If I could pick a place to retire to, it would be Rotterdam V, Oceanic or even France...circa 60's & 70s. To me, these are more than ships, they are a part of my life. And hopefully they will survive in some form to visit again. It is difficult to not get emotional reading the updates of the breakers in Alang. In some strange way, I feel protective of these icons.

 

But just as my memories are of 'classics', I enjoy reading of the person who's first cruise was with Donald & Goofy, and now relish the choices cruising has to offer. One thread I read the other day, in a similar situation struck my memory..."hey, I was there!"

 

Happy Sailing!

[Orcrone]

Never got to cruise as a kid, unless you consider the harbor cruises around NYC. My first cruise was just before my 30th birthday, and that was prior to my parents first cruise.

[longtimecruiser]

Yes!!! When I was four years old, I went with my Mother, Father and Brother on my first cruise. It was on the "Ocean Monarch". My Father died when I was nine years old and the first Christmas after he died, my Grandparents took us on a Christmas Cruise on the Rotterdam V. We all had so much fun that it became a yearly trip on Hal up through the year that I graduated from college. It started out with just my Mom, brother and grandparents. My grandfather started inviting my Aunt, Uncle and cousins. At one point, there were thirteen in our party. We had great Christmas's at sea with our whole family there for 17 day cruises. Ah the memories!!! Those were the days. I started my cruising at an early age.

[Lois R]

Hi:) cruising as a kid? nope..never....we did vacations but who knew from cruising?....

I think we were more of a "camping for 2 weeks in SC or NC" kind of family.

 

And for many years I went to sleep away camp up in the Georgia Mountains:D I loved it! I always stayed for one session but after 2 years...I always wanted to stay for 2! It was such a wonderful experience...met kids from all over the Southeast!

 

My first cruise was in 1986.....to celebrate my divorce;)

[Roadwork]

I never cruised as a kid nor did my wife. Vacations were few and far between but we did many other things like picnics in a park. Looking back I sometimes think the simplers things in life are better.

[LizB1]

My first sailing on any ship was when I was 24 and single. A girl friend and I sailed to Europe on the ss Maasdam and spent 8-weeks traveling overland before returning on the old Queen Elizabeth. My cruises did not start until after another venture to Europe in 1966 for ten weeks with my mother when we sailed to Southampton on the ss France and returned on the Rotterdam V. We were then hooked on HAL and our cruises started in January of '67 when we would sail on our annual 2-weeks cruise to the Caribbean from NY on the Rotterdam V.

[jhannah]

Now retired from my life at sea, I still sail frequently...mostly with HAL. I think it is the attempt to remember the traditional days of ocean voyages in the HAL style. The new ships are impressive, but I am not sure they capture the intimacy I remember...or perhaps it is me who has changed.

We have all changed. Society has changed. But you have beautifully crafted the expression that many obviously feel when we have discussions such as formal attire. Many are longing for the ambiance and intimacy you (and they) remember from the "glory days." Some people feel this is anachronistic. I don't. There's a mystique associated with cruising. I, for one, would hate to see that pass forever into history.

[Tatka]

Yes, I cruised at 14 (spring 1986) on this ship

 

Admiral Nachimov http://www.feldgrau.com/hs-berlin.html (didn't look like this when we were sailing). Ship was originally built in 1925 and sunk in August 1986!

 

That's why I am always laughing when people call ships built in 1990+ old and tired. ;)

[daniTS]

Well I haven't cruised yet, but I'm one day away from my first cruise (Zaandam Inside Pasage) and I'm 17.

 

My mom and I are going as a much needed vacation from being the two primary caregivers to her mom who is in the advanced stages of Early Onset Frontal Lobe Dimentia (she's 64), and her dad who had a mitrial valve replacement 6 weeks ago. My aunt is flying in from Calgary (we live in Victoria) to take care of everyone so we can have this week away, needles to say, we are more than excited!

 

Dani

[jhannah]

Good for you, Dani. I know you're going to have a great time ... and a much needed break from your daily routine.

[Roboat]

RoBoat

 

That may well have been the USNS M.M. Patrick, a trooper in service in the Far East in the 50s, not to be confused with the USNS E.D. Patrick, a slighty larger trooper. There a couple of others in service then also, the USNS Breckenridge, and I think the USNS Simon B. Buckner.

 

I managed to avoid all of them, and flew both to and from Okinawa, over in Jun 56, and back in Dec 58. It was a very long flight in those days, in propeller planes; about 39 flying hours, with stops in Japan (Tokyo), Guam or Midway and Hawaii.

 

Michael

Michel, You're exactly right! As soon as I saw your post, I remembered it WAS the M.M. Patrick! Wow, 39 hours! Hey, but at least you got a bunch of frequent flier miles! You can finally fly Military Airlines for that free trip to Afghanistan. :D

 

The SECOND best thing about the cruise was that we crossed the international date line on my older brother's birthday! I was 7 and he was 10. I thoroughly enjoyed teasing him saying he was still only 9, so he was really only 2 years older than I, not 3. :p

[marco]

First time was when I was 6, we went to Italy on the Italian Line "Cristoforo Columbo". Yes, I do still remember a lot of the aspects of it. The Food!!!!!!! The games and good times by the pool. Remember, this was 8 days at sea, no ports so you really got to know all of your fellow travel mates. Those with children always ended up connected with each other. The call buttons in the cabins to summon a steward OR a stewardess, enclosed prominade decks. The on board bon voyage parties. I've been hooked on ship travel ever since. As the years progressed there were many, many more sailings and cruises. I think what I miss the most and wish what hadn't changed is the very, very specific ethic personality all of the lines had. Food, staff, language, even the music seemed to reflect the nationality of the ship(s) be it Italian Line, Greek Line, French Line, Swedish American, US, Holland America. Today, they are all so homogonized, you could be on any line and if you didn't see the logo on signage and name tags, you wouldn't know what line you were on from another.