Memorable First Cruises

Reading another post about switching cruise lines brought back memories of my very first cruise-- Carnival Celebration in 2000. It was our honeymoon and we knew absolutely nothing about cruising, with very few internet resources to turn to back then. Decided we'd give it a shot and turned out we were hooked. Service was fantastic, food tasted gourmet to our unrefined palates, loved being out in open water, and great to see different places in a week's time without ever having to leave your "hotel." A few days in I almost was the subject of an international incident (as in my wife might have thrown me overboard) when I briefly lost my wedding ring by the pool. I'd taken it off and put it on my chest to put on some sunscreen, only to have it roll away when I got up to get something. A few minutes later I realized what had happened and panic set in. I started searching near every adjacent chair and a friendly staff member helped my cause, seeing the fear in my face. Fortunately he found it a couple minutes later (it rolled all the way across the deck and into a corner) and I was so grateful. I had to force him to take some cash offered in appreciation for allowing me to live out the week.

Remembering that story made me curious to see whatever happened to Celebration. Apparently it's now run by an independent operation running overnight trips to Bahamas from Palm Beach under the name Grand Celebration. Just looking at pics of that old ship sure brings back the memories. What seemed so big and impressive at the time now seems so quaint and simple! What a difference a dozen cruises in 17 years will have on your perspective.

Any other memorable trips/experiences from your first time on a cruise?

Our first cruise was 24 years ago, 10 days to southern Caribbean on HAL, I think Ryndam. Our seasoned cruiser table mates said this will be the cruise by which you will measure all other cruises. Some will be better, some not as good, but this first one will be the standard by which all others will be judged. How true those words were! Even 23 cruises later, we still remember that.

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Reading another post about switching cruise lines brought back memories of my very first cruise-- Carnival Celebration in 2000. It was our honeymoon and we knew absolutely nothing about cruising, with very few internet resources to turn to back then. Decided we'd give it a shot and turned out we were hooked. Service was fantastic, food tasted gourmet to our unrefined palates, loved being out in open water, and great to see different places in a week's time without ever having to leave your "hotel." A few days in I almost was the subject of an international incident (as in my wife might have thrown me overboard) when I briefly lost my wedding ring by the pool. I'd taken it off and put it on my chest to put on some sunscreen, only to have it roll away when I got up to get something. A few minutes later I realized what had happened and panic set in. I started searching near every adjacent chair and a friendly staff member helped my cause, seeing the fear in my face. Fortunately he found it a couple minutes later (it rolled all the way across the deck and into a corner) and I was so grateful. I had to force him to take some cash offered in appreciation for allowing me to live out the week.

 

Remembering that story made me curious to see whatever happened to Celebration. Apparently it's now run by an independent operation running overnight trips to Bahamas from Palm Beach under the name Grand Celebration. Just looking at pics of that old ship sure brings back the memories. What seemed so big and impressive at the time now seems so quaint and simple! What a difference a dozen cruises in 17 years will have on your perspective.

 

Any other memorable trips/experiences from your first time on a cruise?

Funny thing is ... I think our honeymoon cruise was also on the Celebration ... back in 1992. It wasn't our first cruise, which was a girl's trip on the Jubilee. We brought cases of beer on with us ...no problem back then ... I think that was in 1983. They even brought a dolly to help us get it to our room. Our room stewards even joined us for a cold one in the evenings. Isn't that a hoot?

Well, all these years later, we mainly sail on Celebrity and Princess but wouldn't turn down a cruise on Carnival, HAL, NCL, Royal Caribbean, etc. They all have their own personalities, don't they??

1996 flew on a Wardair doubledecker charter from Los Angeles to Papeete to board Pacific Princess for our first ever cruise. Overnight on ship as you didn't arrive 'til evening or during the night from North America.

Tired from travelling day so stayed on ship in Papeete on first morning, then I took my first ever Gravol pill 1/2 hour before 11 am departure to Mo'orea. Slept most of that day and missed that island but did wake up the next day for beautiful Bora Bora.

Enroute to Fanning Island the seas had 50 - 60 foot waves but that little ship cut through them just fine. Only 640 passengers and not too many on decks in those seas. Not raining so we would pull ourselves up the railings on a wave then run downhill holding on, to the bottom of the wave trough. Quite a workout but we were some of only a few never seasick on that 2 day crossing.

Cruise ended in Honolulu and we were hooked on cruising.

Took another 20 years to get back but finally got to Mo'orea last year on HAL.

I'll always remember my first cruise with fond memories!

Almost exactly 20 years ago my family and I went on a 14 day cruise to the Canaries out of Southampton aboard the Canberra (P&O), I was 9 years old.

My dad had wanted to sail on her for a while as his parents used to sail her often in the 70's and late 80's. The Canberra of course had something of a cult following in the UK after it's involvement as a troop ship during the Falklands War in the early 80's. 1997 was to be the final year, and as such bookings skyrocketed, the opportunity to follow in my grandparents footsteps was about to pass away.

They managed to book a last minute inside cabin on one of the farewell voyages. I can still close my eyes and remember the wooden bunkbeds with green carpeted floors. The rooms were as deep as the bed was long and roughly square in shape, so pretty tiny! There was a small sink in the corner, but the shared bathrooms and separate shower room was at the end of the row of three cabins. This might seem fairly shocking conditions, but I remember the charm of the ship, with very friendly staff and something of a stoic stiff upper lip attitude to the passengers (in a good way!). Slipping away from the Mayflower terminal, a military band with full brass compliment played 'Land of Hope and Glory', whilst balloons and streamers were released from the upper decks. Although I loved spending time with my parents, I spent much of the sea days at the kids club towards the aft of the ship making new friends from all over the country. I remember the sheer excitement of getting dressed up in a full suit and tie every night as was expected at the time. The only time this didn't happen was on the two formal nights where I wore black tie and white tie respectively.

Sailing was fairly calm on the 45,000 ton ship, save for one day in the Bay of Biscay where Mum insisted on wearing her life jacket!

The passenger compliment was fairly elderly, and the gentleman in the cabin next to us was about 85 - 90. He would always ensure my tie was straight in the evening and ask how I was when I saw him throughout the ship. Unfortunately he passed away on the second to last night of the cruise, although parents told me not to be upset as he had been enjoying his life right up to the end, something I have vowed to do myself.

It was on the whole, a fantastic experience and we had a second cruise on the much newer Sea Princess in 2002 which gave us a taste of modern cruising. My parents have been on several more, but whilst I was at university / traveling. Our next one is on the Eclipse in September this year for my 30th, which I cant wait to enjoy!

Andrew

First cruise 2000 HAL Zandaam - countless since then -some on Royal Carribean, the most on Celebrity - 5 or so on Seabourn and 1 on Wind Star

Reading another post about switching cruise lines brought back memories of my very first cruise-- Carnival Celebration in 2000. It was our honeymoon and we knew absolutely nothing about cruising, with very few internet resources to turn to back then. Decided we'd give it a shot and turned out we were hooked. Service was fantastic, food tasted gourmet to our unrefined palates, loved being out in open water, and great to see different places in a week's time without ever having to leave your "hotel."

 

Any other memorable trips/experiences from your first time on a cruise?

Hi iambumbo, I'm aware of the other thread you're referring to and it also got me thinking about the same thing...that first cruise!!!

Edited: So my cruise history is not as long as some other, but mine was a 4 nighter to Cozumel on Carnival Inspiration out of Tampa and I too was wowed and hooked. Wowed by the awesome majesty, yet calm inducing nature, of the open sea (and also a little by the strange tentacle decor in the lido buffet) and hooked by the experience of it all. We loved the traditional dining in the MDR, meeting new people, being pampered by not having to lift a finger the whole trip and by the great food and service onboard.

Those small Fantasy class ships will always hold a special place in my memories and a 4 nighter to Cozumel is still one of my favorite itineraries for a short relaxing getaway.

Our 1st cruise was waaaay back in 1983 to celebrate our 1st anniversary.

We knew nothing about cruising, but our neighbor across the street was a travel agent, so she took care of booking everything for us.

We convinced my husbands sister and her husband to join us and figured if we all shared the cabin it would be so cheap! I think the cruise cost us less then $800 per couple.

Off we went on the Holland America Veendam for a 7 night cruise to Bermuda.

We shared a teeny cabin, with a small porthole, 2 sets of bunk beds (my sister-in-law and I slept on the top bunks!)

a bathroom you could barely turn around in, but boy did we have a blast!

We met such wonderful people!

One gentleman used to be a singer in an old group called Ruby and the Romantics and his wife was one of the most elegant women I ever met!

Another couple was what today would be considered a "cougar" and her young gentleman friend, I remember they were from Beverly Hills and my sis in law and I talked about them every night when our husbands were trying to fall asleep below us!

We all became friendly with the comedian who was performing onboard and our little group hung out together every night, dancing, drinking, laughing!

Bermuda hooked us and we have sailed there several times over the years, in fact going again this summer for the 4th time in 5 yrs.

The accommodations will be far better, but re-creating some of those fond memories would be priceless!

My first cruise was very memorable for many reasons. It was 1997, and I had just completed my studies in Pastry Arts at a culinary school in New York City. My mother told me of her wanting to go on a cruise as a family vacation earlier that summer and I had a choice to make: Stay behind at home and walk with my graduating class and get my diploma downtown at culinary school, or leave from the passenger ship terminal on the West Side in Midtown on the Zenith for Bermuda the Sunday before my graduation day(my last real day of class was the Friday before the cruise). I told my school to mail me my diploma, gave my fellow pastry classnates hugs goodbye and took the cruise! Thus began my lifelong love of baking, Celebrity, and Bermuda, and back in the days of the Grand Buffet, it was definitely an eye opening experience for a newly certified pastry maker who had the book and course knowledge, but was beginning my professional baking education in the kitchen as soon as I got off that ship.

This September, I celebrate two decades in the food world as a baker/pastry chef(always still learning!), and again I will be boarding an X ship for a cruise that month with my DM, who will also be continuing to celebrate her milestone birthday(75).

My first cruise was on 1995 when I was the ripe old age of 6. My mom won a cruise on a radio contest for 4 on The Big Red Boat. My parents had cruised once before with my grandparents, but it was a first for my sister and I. We went to Nassau and Freeport and it seemed magical being in a foreign land. Now I wouldn't even consider getting off the ship in those ports, but then it was amazing. I got to have breakfast with Looney Toons, eat pizza and ice cream, annoy people singing karaoke, swim with Sting Ray's. I could do all that at home(except looney Toons breakfast), but it seemed so special. I also remember if you were 18 you could drink alcohol, which was stunning as to a 6 year old seemed Taboo.

I ended up not cruising again for almost 9 years when I went on NCL, and then 2 more until my first Carnival and RCI cruises, but I was hooked from that first sailing on The Big Red Boat.

Now at 29 I sail 2-3 times a year and I love the complete opposite of what I first loved with cruising. Instead I love quiet, and not many kids running around. I like more of a refined experience that will take me to more exotic/worldly location. My sister on the other hand loves all the bells and whistles that come with the bigger more family oriented lines.

I believe The Big Red Boat is now in a scrap yard somewhere, but it was the best place to be in the mid nineties as a young kid. I'll never forget that cruise, unless I get diagnosed with alzheimer's, dementia, or something else like that.

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First cruise on Holland America, the Niewu Amsterdam, the old one. The enitire trip was dogged by bad weather. Storm of the Century, early 90's hit the day we were to sail. Many flights and late night arrival in Tampa and missed a day of the cruise and skipped Jamaica. Took me 10 years to get on a ship again. Sailed the Seabourn Godess and was hooked on cruising forever.