Catnip

This thread brings back memories of my parents' cruises on Nordic Prince, Sun Viking and the Song of Norway in the 70's and 80's.

No one even thought about wearing jeans or shorts in the dining room.

Children were few and far between-occasionally there would be European children who were extremely well mannered.

That is very true.....I've been on the Nordic Prince, SOA & SON several times each back in the 80's & early 90's and there were very few children. And when you did see them, they were well behaved. Not like the kids you see now running and screaming down the passenger hallways, pushing all the buttons on the elevators, sitting in the stairwells and daring people to try and get by.......:cool:

We have a friend's experience of being on board for a large highschool "senior trip" cruise ... they said it was the cruise from hell ...

. I know I'd be beyond angry if I spent a couple of grand on a cruise and wound up being made miserable day and night by out of control high schoolers acting VERY badly.

I would be steamed, too!!!!!! :mad:

When I look back, the ship was very simple but there was just something about her. I think that there was more elegance back then - everyone dressed to the hilt for formal nights and all men had tuxes. Every night at dinner the waiters did something special. RCCL was the best back then.

I am going on The Vison of the Seas in April and hope I won't be too disappointed.

I agree! It was a different way of cruising back then. The crew seemed happy and wasn't as overworked & understaffed the way they are now. I think you will notice a huge difference in RCCL between then and now. Don't get me wrong, I still like RCCL, but nowdays, they are just another "mass-market" line...nothing special. Back then, I remember they were the "Cadillac of cruise lines".

I don't have my brochure with me and I can't remember our cabin # from last year. But it was on the 7th floor on the "hump" on the right side (opposite the elevators).

We never heard any atrium or elevator noise. It was a superb cabin!

 

All of the changes you mention above have made cruising less enjoyable for me personally. I don't care about bells and whistles, miss the elegance and traditions of cruising and prefer an adult experience.

 

AMEN!!!!!! I'm with you 100%!!!!!! That's why I'll never cruise on these mega-ships!

funat55,

I think you will be totally surprised at the changes in 20 years! Of course, the newer ships have more "bells & whistles" and more activities. They are catering more now to familes with children, so they have a lot more activities for kids and the feeling is "less formal" than it used to be.

SOA and the old Song of Norway are still to this day my favorite RCCL ships!

You and me, too!!!!! I would gladly pay those prices again to get the service and the quality from back then!!! ;)

Back then, I remember RCCL was known as "the cadillac of cruise ships".....today they are just another mass market cruise line. Too bad.

Back then, you didn't have to go to a "specialty" restaurant and pay extra to get good food!! Food in the dining room was super!!!

Yes, I remember in the mid-late 80's when RCCL was known as the "cadillac" of cruise lines................not these days, however!

I really loved SOA, SON and NP.........never had the chance to sail on Sun Viking, though.

I also loved SOA, SON and Nordic Prince. We were on the SON and the SOA 2-3 times each & the NP once. I loved the layout of the ships and I thought they were just lovely.

I wish at least one was still around---I'd give up the bigger ships in a minute to go back on one of those classics!!!!!! ;)

Thanks, Doug, for all that info. I will perhaps check into P&O. I am interested, as I know they have one ship that is "adult only".

Thanks, Doug. I wonder how easy it is to book a Eurpoean cruise? I have often wondered about a P&O cruise.

I LOVED the SOA, as well as the SON and Nordic Prince. Have they all gone to the same European company?