Your first cruise ship

[friendofg]

The Carnival Mardi Gras in the late 1980's. I met and dated a crew member working as a wine steward and bartender on that very first cruise and traveled on the ship several times a year until he was transferred to the Tropicale. At the time, the Tropicale was doing Mexican Riveria cruises out of Los Angeles so I was unable to visit so fequently and we "drifted apart..." :o

[Shelbyjane56]

Ours was on the mardi gras back in 1977...back when the drink of the day was 95 cents, you could also touch the ceiling in the dining room (and Im 5'2") we had a couple from canada who sat with us, they were in their late 70s but oh so adoreable..they would tease us if we were late for dinner or didnt show up...wouldnt want to change anything even the better ships today...that week was magical and to add to that, we have been married 34 years this year...not overly seen these days, unfortunately!

[PRNole47]

In 1974 NCL was called Norwegian Caribbean Lines and only had 3 ships: M/S Starward, Skyward, and Southward. We sailed on the Skyward in July 1974 for our honeymoon while we were both college undergrads and just found the Cocktails Selections menu we kept from that trip. Couldn't remember the prices then but here they are, for anyone who may be interested:

 

All spirits: 85 cents (Scotch, Bourbon, Gin, Vodka, etc.), including Johnny Walker Black Label, Dewar's, Cutty, J&B, Chivas, Pinch, Ancient Age, Old Grand Dad, Jack Daniels Green/Black, I.W.Harper, Beefeater, Gordon, Smirnoff, all sorts of cordials, liqueurs, etc.

 

Cognacs: $1.25 (Courvoisier VSOP, Hennessy VSOP, Remy Martin VSOP, Napoleon, etc.)

 

Drink of the Day: 50 cents

 

Imported beers: 55 cents (Heineken, Rignes)

Domestic Beers: 50 cents (Millers and Bud)

 

Cafe Expresso: 25 cents

 

All mixed drinks or cocktails: 85 cents

 

All soft drinks: 15 cents (glass) and 25 cents (bottle)

 

7-day Caribbean cruise price: $315 per passenger ($730 for the 2 of us) outside cabin, 1 deck above main deck, Miami-Cap Hatien-San Juan-St Thomas/St John's-Miami

 

Shore excursions ranged from $5.75 per person for a San Juan City Tour to $13 per person for the Land-Sea Safari to the US National Park at St John's.

 

Headlines of the time:

"Judiciary Committee Presses Forward Impeachment Recommendations" for Nixon

 

"Renewed war between Turkey and Cyprus"

 

"Former Treasury Secretary John B Connally indicted Monday on charges of accepting a $10,000 bribe in the 1971 milk price support decision and then lying to the grand jury about it"

 

"Nixon says he has no intention of resigning if impeached by the House"

 

So, it appears only the prices have changed in the last 36 years.

 

:):):)

[Copper10-8]

Star Ship Royal, Premier Cruise Line (Big Red boat) in 1986 my first cruise.

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1958-1983: Federico C.

1983: Royale

1983-1988: StarShip Royale

1988-2000: SeaBreeze

1958-1983: Costa Cruises

1983-2000: Premier Cruises

1958-1983: Costa Cruises

1983-1997: Dolphin Cruise Lines

1997-2000: Premier Cruises

 

This ship was built in 1958 by the Ansaldo Sestri Ponente shipyard in Italy as the Federico C. The ship was the first new ship built for the Costa Line. The ship was initially liner service between Genoa, Italy and Buenos Aires, Argentina via Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1966, she began service between Genoa, Italy and Florida, the Caribbean and Venezuela. The ship had a major refit in 1968, then added Caribbean cruises between trans-Atlantic trips. Federico C did cruises exclusively from 1972 to 1983, when the boat was sold.

In 1983, Premier Cruises obtained the ship and named it the Royale; it became the StarShip Royale' in the same year. In 1988, the ship was renamed the SeaBreeze when it was placed in service for Dolphin Cruise Lines. One year later, the ship was refurbished. Premier took possession of the ship when it acquired Dolphin in 1997. When Premier went out of business in September 2000, the ship was ordered to immediately cease operations. At the time, it was docked at a Canadian port.

 

Chris

 

ts Federico C (1958-2000) Built in 1958 as ts Federico C. by Cantieri Navale di Ansaldo Sestri Ponente, Genoa, Italy for Costa Armatori (later Crocieri/Costa Cruises). She was the first new built for Costa (named after one of the founder’s sons) and, after being delivered on 2 March 1958, was initially used serving passengers in three classes on Costa’s liner service between Genoa and Buenos Aires, Argentina with a stop at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

 

 

In June 1966, she was replaced on this route by the then new Eugenio C. so Costa began operating Federico C. on a monthly trans-Atlantic service between Naples and Genoa, Italy, Cannes, France, Barcelona, Spain, Lisbon, Portugal and Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale), Florida with additional stops in the Caribbean (San Juan, PR) and at La Guairá, Venezuela. The ship was remodeled in 1968 which changed her passenger accommodations to 186 in first class and 1,450 in tourist class, interchangeable to 1,259 for one-class cruising. That service would last until 1972 when a decision was made to use her for cruising exclusively.

 

As passenger liner service continued to decline, Federico C underwent another refit that gave her a one class cruising capacity of 700 passengers. When this was completed, the ship started alternating Caribbean cruises with her trans-Atlantic runs. However, with passenger loads dropping rapidly in the late seventies, she undertook more and more cruises only resulting in full-time cruising taking place between 1972 and 1983.

 

 

In 1983, she was purchased by the new Premier Cruise Line becoming their first ship. Premier Cruise Lines pioneered three and four-night Bahamas cruises out of Port Canaveral on the central coast of Florida. At the time they began operating, Premier was affiliated with Greyhound and would soon be known as the “Official cruise line of Walt Disney World.” When they took possession of the former Federico C, they renamed her Royale and had her hull painted in a bright cherry red color. In 1986, Royale was changed to StarShip Royale but unofficially both the ship and the line became known as “The Big Red Boat.” StarShip’s (and Premier’s) specialty was a three of four-night cruise packaged with central Florida hotel stay plus a visit to Walt Disney World or the Kennedy Space Center.

 

 

In 1988 after additional “Big Red Boats” had joined Premier, StarShip Royale was sold to Dolphin Cruise Line who put her in dry-dock for an extensive refit. When she emerged, she was called SeaBreeze I and used on seven-night cruises from Miami, Fl to various Caribbean itineraries.

 

In 1997, she returned once again to Premier Cruises (as opposed to Premier Cruise Line) as part of the consolidation between Dolphin, Seawind and Premier Cruise Lines. This time though, her hull and funnel were painted a deep blue which led to the affectionate name of “The Small Blue Boat”. The second time around, SeaBreeze I began operating seven-night Caribbean cruises out of Miami, Fl. 1999 found the ship operating out of New York City in the summer (2-night gambling and party cruises to nowhere leaving on Fridays and 5-night cruises to Newport, R.I., Portland, Me. and Halifax, NS, departing on Sundays) and out of Montego Bay, Jamaica in the winter. Later that year, Premier Cruises announced plans to change SeaBreeze I’s name to Big Red Boat II and her winter itinerary to seven-night cruises out of Tampa, Fl. (she would still cruise out of New York in the summer). These plans would never materialize! As a result of stiff competition from larger and newer fleets by other cruise lines however, Premier was unable to sell tickets at profit, selling below cost every ticket from July, 2000 onward. The line’s assets were seized by creditors in September 2000, causing the line to go into bankruptcy and eventually, to fold.

 

 

Like the other Premier-owned ships in various locations, SeaBreeze I was detained by port authorities in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 14 September 2000. Ownership eventually passed to the New York Merchant Bankers Donald, Lufkin and Jenrette and their subsidiary Sea Ventures III. SeaBreeze I departed Halifax for Charleston, NC, however on Sunday 17 December 2001 encountered 25-foot seas and high winds approximately 200 nautical miles off Cape Charles, Va. Her captain, Solon Popedopalis, radioed in a distress call at 11:30 AM, picked up by the Coast Guard, and indicated that the ship was operating on one engine and was taking on water in her engine room.

 

 

 

The United States Coast Guard subsequently responded with two HC-130 Hercules aircraft and two HH-60J Jayhawk helicopters. Upon their arrival, they successfully evacuated SeaBreeze’s skeleton crew of 34 in the two helicopters and transported them to Naval Air Station Oceana, Va. where they were treated for mild hypothermia. SeaBreeze I developed a severe list and sank in international waters 225 nautical miles east of the Virginia coast on Monday 19 December 2000.

[Copper10-8]

Some additional pics of Federico C.

 

 

At Valetta, Malta

 

 

In dry-dock at Genoa in the seventies

 

 

At Genoa in the seventies

 

 

 

 

As SeaBreeze in Miami in 1990

 

 

As SeaBreeze in Miami in December 1990

 

[Copper10-8]

My first was in August 1955 on the Ocean Monarch of Furness Lines. We cruised out of New York to Halifax, and Quebec and then down to Bermuda in time for Hurricane Edith. I was hooked.

 

tss Ocean Monarch (1951-1981) Built in 1951 as tss (turbine steam ship) Ocean Monarch by Vickers-Armstrong Shipbuilders, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England for UK-based Furness, Withy & Company. She was launched on 27 July 1950 and after technical trials, delivered to her owners on 24 March 1951. She was the first postwar-built ship designed especially for the American cruise market. Ocean Monarch was awarded a gold medal by the American Institute for Designing for her "outstanding beauty and unusual design features of a cruise ship". On 18 April 1951, the single-stack steamship departed the United Kingdom bound for New York City on her maiden voyage.

 

Furness Withy was incorporated as a company in 1891 upon the amalgamation of Christopher Furness' business in West Hartlepool and London with Edward Withy's shipbuilding yard in Hartlepool. By 1914 the company had acquired interests all over the world in liner and tramp shipping and in shipbuilding, but from 1920 they concentrated on liner services. In addition to the North Atlantic service, they developed other American routes based principally on New York and including Bermuda in 1919 and the West Indies.

 

 

Furness, Withy & Co. based Ocean Monarch out of New York City and used her on the New York - Bermuda service operated by the Furness Bermuda Line. She made this run for the first time on 3 May 1951 and operated alongside the older and larger Queen of Bermuda. Throughout the 1950s, the two ships were dubbed the "Honeymoon Ships", their Saturday departures from New York fitting in well with the week-long honeymoons of many couples. The celebrity list of both ships included former United States of America president Harry Truman, motion picture star Cary Grant, British playwright and actor Sir Noel Coward and Princess Soraya, former wife of the Shah of Iran.

 

She would earn her keep for fifteen years carrying passengers and fresh water supplies to the island's hotels. (Bermuda has no fresh water supply at that time). Ocean Monarch and Queen of Bermuda also shared longer trips from New York south to the Bahamas and West Indies and pioneered cruises from Port Everglades/Ft. Lauderdale, Fl.

 

On 22 September 1966, following the end of sea passenger services to Bermuda, Ocean Monarch crossed back over to Great Britain but this time to be laid up in the River Fal, Cornwall, awaiting disposal.

 

 

In August 1967, she was sold to Bulgarian-based Balkantourist (owned by Sofia-based Navigation Maritime Bulgare) and renamed Varna to earn foreign currency by cruising in the Black Sea and from Montreal, Quebec. She did this for three years, spending time in lay-up during each winter season.

 

 

In 1970, she was laid up at Perama, Greece. In 1973, the ship was chartered by Sovereign Cruises however only made two voyages with them. She was then laid up again. Her name was changed to Venus in 1977 and to Riviera in 1978. In 1979, she was refurbished for use by Italy-based Trans-Tirreno Express for Mediterranean cruising.

 

Later in 1979, she was purchased by Greek-based Dolphin (Hellas) Shipping S.A., who had her refurbished for full-time cruising. She was then chartered by German-based SUR-Seereisen who announced a series of Mediterranean cruises to take place in the summer of 1981. Her name was once again changed, this time to Reina del Mar. Before these summer cruises were to take place, the ship was to be overhauled and renovated at Ambelakia, Greece.

 

On 28 May 1981, while at Ambelakia on the central-east coast of Salamina (Salamis) Island, engine running trials led to an engine room fire which completely gutted the ship's passenger acommodation. The next day, 29 May 1981, found Reina del Mar, still burning, so a decision was made to tow her out to sea by the tug Titan. However, the tow parted and the ship ran aground on the coast of Salamina Island. On 1 June 1981, she was reloated and towed off but again burst into flames and was scuttled at Kynosoura, also on Salamina Island, where she fell onto her side, became a total loss and was scuttled.

[bellybutton530]

My first cruise was on the Amerikanis, owned by Chandris Cruises, which went out of business and reborn as Celebrity Cruises.

 

We sailed in the Mediterranean in 1978. I loved that old ship so much that we returned in 1979 to take a Caribbean cruise, my second cruise.

 

I was hooked. I have sailed 55 times, and am booked on my 56th in November.

 

 

[West Coast Gal]

First cruise was on the Pacfic Princess, yes the orginal Love Boat . . . you can imagine my surprise after watching the TV series, then walking into our room. They were huge on the show . . in truth the room was so small that the beds were twins in a L shape, wouldn't be able to sleep with my husband . . think again, we dragged those mattresses onto the floor each night and slept together! ha ha! We were hooked and started saving up for our next one as soon as we got home!

[Goulagal]

It was Carnival's Carnivale. I was 18 years old....

[Ben222]

Mine was on the Grandeur of the Seas, in 1999. Such a great first cruise experience. I was only 4 years old, and I still remember it quite well, actually!

 

I've come a long way...I'm going on my 8th in a couple weeks. :)

[Woobstr112G]

Our first cruise was on Carnival's Holiday for a western Carib cruise in 1993.

 

 

Bob

[ContingentSea]

NCL Norway in 1989 with stops in the Bahamas, St. Thomas, St. Marteen and a private island. Beautiful ship and wonderful trip. Not sure what became of her.

[seacat65]

My first cruise was on the Stella Solaris out of Athens, Greece. It took us to several Greek Islands including Mykonos. What a cruise!

 

I have been hooked since then. I was ever so young and naive, that I thought it was the greatest thing ever invented!

[slotl]

Our first cruise was in 1969 on the Holland America Rotterdam V. It was 7 days r/t NYC to Nassau, Freeport, and the Bahamas.

 

We had a minimum rate (and I mean minimum) room (in steerage) for $99 each. Our room consisted of bunk beds where, if you stretched your arms, you could touch both walls. During the daytime, the upper bunk was up and the lower bunk was our couch. In order to take a shower in our room, you would sit on the toilet and use the "shower head on a hose" to shower (the water escaping thru a drain on the floor. Oh yes, I swear the rear propellers were above our room because we had "magic fingers" 24 hours a day.

 

But....we were on a cruise!! When we left our room, we were "equal" to everyone else.

[mlmdaisy]

My daughter's first cruise was memorable for me. It was 1993 and she was three years old on the Regency Rainbow. She had finished her dinner early (of course, how long does it take to eat a hamburger?) and was getting fidgity. The waiter invited her back to the "kitchen" and we enjoyed the rest of dinner without having to entertain her.

 

My children were among very few on the ship and the crew was missing theirs so much....We don't know what she did back there (she claims not to remember), but she was returned to the table with her face covered with powdered sugar!

 

Oh, and having discovered that the hot chocolate was a little too hot, she got in the habit of ordering "chocolate hot, with ice". Two busboys would appear, one with the cup of chocolate, the other with a glass of ice. Cubes were added one at a time until she tested and approved of the temperature.

 

That cruise hooked me. (The daughter would now prefer a pina colada.)

[cruiser113]

Our first cruise was on Carnival. Now wiser and more traved and do our homework before we sail.

 

It was our 20th anniversary and we had bunk beds. Both on the same wall. We decided to make the best of the situation............but decided that we would make ourselves more knowledgeable. That was 20 yrs ago. Now many cuises later..........we still have memories of that cruise.

[cruisegirl1]

Carnival Mardi Gras, 1987. I recall

 

Beautiful dark wood

small indoor pool

Basically dining room only dinner option

Inside Cabin

large bathroom with tub

"call button" to call a cabin steward 24/7

 

Glad we tried cruising!

 

M

Edited July 18, 2010 by cruisegirl1

[NYCruzr]

NCL Norway in 1989 with stops in the Bahamas, St. Thomas, St. Marteen and a private island. Beautiful ship and wonderful trip. Not sure what became of her.

 

Most Regretfully, the Norway was scrapped by a a company in Alang, India. If it interests you, you can search for threads about the "Norway" or "Norway Blue Lady" or "SS France Norway"....or some other combination of those names. You will come up with several threads of the story and demise of that beautiful ship, along with some very sad photos.

[Watson's aunt]

Wow I was a little girl with my two brothers. We sailed New York to Ireland. My brother said it was a beautiful ship. it was The Mauritania (Curard) He also said it was the better of the ships that are called Mauritnia.

 

we spent abour 5 weeks in Ireland visiting my Mom's and Dad's family. I think we were only kids on board. We knew the ship by heart before we got off.

 

When we sailed home forget the name of ship. My other brother will remember It was Prince ?

this was in 50's

 

I think it took 7 days

 

Mary

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

 

Found out we sailed to Southampton then to Cork Ireland. Still trying to find out how much it cost and if there is a passenger list. I did find a lot of information on this ship

 

On way home we sailed on the Dorset. We were very disappointed as the Dorset was not as grand as the Mauretania. I cannot find any information on this ship.

 

Mary

[stingraycityslicker]

My first cruise was Sovereign of the Seas in 2001. She went out of Port Canaveral, FL, on a 4 day Bahamas Cruise (Nassau and Coco Cay). Fell in love. :D

[cjsquaredancer]

:cool:My first adventure was on the Nortic Prince, circa 1987, to Bermuda. What a great time we had. Now 23 years later I am going on th Enchantment of the Sea on the Eastern Carib tour. Only times that fit into our schedual.

[Jimnbigd]

SS Norway. Boiler exploded. Scrap metal now. :(

[SMA9497]

Our first cruise was on the Carnival Legend in 2008 (we're relative newbies) for our honeymoon. Yes we were hooked right away. Getting ready to book our third cruise for January. Went to Las Vegas for a vacation this past June and afterward we just looked at each other and said we wish we would have taken a cruise! Won't make that mistake again!!!:D

[catlib55]

Our first cruise was in August of 1982 on the TSS Atlas out of Piraeus, Greece. We went to the island of Rhodes, Port Said, Egypt, Ashdod, Israel, the island of Patmos, Kusadasi, Turkey. We actually disembarked in Kusadasi because we were stationed in Izmir, Turkey at the time, and Izmir was only 65km from Kusadasi. The ship went on to Istanbul, Turkey, and back to Piraeus, Greece. The Atlas was the head of the fleet of the Greek line Epirotiki at the time.

Our next cruise was on the Dolphin IV out of Miami to Freeport, Nassau, and a private island in the Bahamas. That was in October of 1989 - a birthday gift from my husband.

We have been hooked on cruising ever since.

This is a fun board. It is fun to see where everyone has been and on what ships. The cruising industry has really changed!!

Mary Ellen