Princessgal

My sister and mother cruised with Home Lines but it was the first cruise on the Sea Venture to Bermuda that got me addicted to cruising and then the Doric just made me hungry for more. I really enjoyed the smaller, friendlier ships and not these huge megaliners of today. I was going through boxes the other day and found an 8 track my sister bought of the Easy Sounds, a band, on Home Lines. I remember I could only listen to it if I went for a ride in my sister's car and now it just seems so obsolete. We loved to listen to them do all the old Italian songs like Ciao, Ciao, Bambino, Volare and La Paloma Blanca. I too remember a waiter named Vincenzo who had a twin brother who worked on the same ship. My favorite captain was Marossa and I remember he yelled at me once because we had kids try to stow away by crawling up the anchor line and he didn't know what to do with them. He hinted I should have caught them because he knew I worked security at a college at the time. He cleaned them up and fed them and turned them over to authorities at the next port. I too liked all the attention of the Italian staff but never fell for any of their lines. I would dance at the 40 Thieves or another disco on a side street after the birdcage but I don't remember the name.

how funny that you mention the cologne. I was 20 and travelling with my mother. I remember my waiter wearing a "gallon" of cologne and my mother embarassing me when she told him that I thought he smelled wonderful. It was Brut and at that time a lot of the crew seemed to use it. He was also much more attentive to me after that. I always found those Italians to be very flirty and I felt bad for some of the young girls who seemed infatuated with them. I would do back to back cruises with 1 cruise with sis and then she would leave and mom would join me. I remember going to the discos with our waiters and the single girls at our table and 1 of them fell in love with our waiter. She was from Massachusetts and trying to figure how she could visit the ship and see him in port. She even asked me to keep an eye on him on the next cruise. I didn't have the heart to tell her that he met another girl at the pier as soon as the passengers disembarked and they left together in a cab. I was waiting for my mother to join me and saw everything. Then on the next cruise he tried to hit on me and I told him to get lost. He had pledged his love to the lovesick girl at my table. I do miss those Italians though. It was nice having someone to go ashore with and dance. I did meet a ship's electrician, Saverio Masseria at a disco and then found out he worked on the ship I was cruising on and we would meet on the deck each night to talk. He would even meet me on future cruises because he saw my name on the passenger list. Alas we never kept in touch when Home Lines was sold and it was hard because his english was not very good.

I remember having boullion and little cheese sandwiches on a cart out on deck at 11am wheeled around by a deck steward and then at tea time that same steward wheeled his cart on the outside deck with tea, cookies, pastries and sandwiches. You didn't have to leave your deck chair. The complimentary champagne with glasses on Sitmar(unfortunately alot of those glasses were left in staterooms when the cruise ended). Pens with the ships name or lines name on it. Christmas Presents or even Christmas music which has disappeared on some ships. I understand a lot of food is wasted on the midnight buffets but I enjoyed the waiters walking through the lounges at midnight with snacks that included pizza, mini sandwiches and other small appetizers.Princess still has the fruit baskets in the cabin but you have to ask for them. That was a lot of fruit wasted. I miss the talent shows put on by the crew and we would cheer on our favorite waiter, steward or officer. It was nice to see our talented crew members. I hate how informal cruises have become and wish there was at least 1 ship in each line that would return to elegance and actually have more formal nights, sitting with officers in the dining room, passenger lists posted if not given out,etc. Galley tours are still offered with Princess and sometimes you just ask your waiter or it is conducted after a culinary exhibition. I remember when hot chocolate was free in the dining room and now there is a charge. Remember the auctions on the last day of the cruise so you could sell all those souvenirs you bought and really didn't want to pack and bring home? We were treated special in the past and now we seem to be lost in the crowds. The smaller ships were much more like and extended family rather than a large convention.

I cruised on the Doric, Oceanic and Atlantic with mom, sis and by myself. My favorite was the Doric and I enjoyed the Atlantic but never quite liked the Oceanic. I hated the large poles that obstructed views in the lounges. The cabins were very tiny and I wasn't thrilled about paying for my deck chair. I had a really obnoxious deck chair neighbor who seemed to sit in his chair whenever I did. I remember poor Giancarlo and Gianni having to put those chairs out every day and then put them away every night.

I dated an electrician who had poor english and his name was Saverio. I enjoyed listening to the Easy Sounds with Lobo and sis liked the Donzelli group. Luciana, the social hostess was very classy and I loved when they came around the deck with a cart of pastries and tea at tea time. I even enjoyed bouillon and little cheese sandwiches at 11 am but not sure if that was on Home Lines or the Sea Venture which also cruised out of New York to Bermuda and was then sold to Princess Cruises.

Hey crewmember 1 you didn't mention what position you had on the ship. I really miss the Italians and those bands.

Dear Brooklyn girl,

sorry for not getting back to you sooner but the cruise with the hurricane was the first Caribbean cruise from New York for the Atlantic. The ship carried 1300 passengers but we only had 165 when we left NY. Each night we had the band playing requests because there were only 10 people at most in the lounge.

I remember Mrs. Home Lines, a blonde lady, who was often on board and the crew were very attentive to her.

I took 10 cruises with Home Lines in the 70's and 80's and the Oceanic was my least favorite. Small cabins and large poles blocking our view. I loved the Doric and Atlantic. We took the first Caribbean cruise from NY and we left with only 165 passengers and would pick up 200 more in Florida. We were hit by a hurrican which sent the crane in front through a stateroom, the glass doors to the main lounge smashed as did the crystal in the shop on board. The dining room was empty and passengers and crew were sick. Activities were cancelled and they decided to show a special movie in the theater "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" but in the middle the electric went in the theater and we were offered free cocktail parties. As if we want to drink in those seas. The band couldn't play and refused to go to their cabins which were below the water level. I kept falling out of my chair and went to the cabin only to come out of my bed and lay on the wall. The ship was really rocking and water flooded the cabin next to us and was starting to come into our cabin. We were all given a proclamation that we survived the storm. We docked a day late in Florida and those new passengers complained even though they were all put up in a hotel and given a full day refund and did not have to endure the hurricane. That was 1 of my best cruises and like being on a private yacht because it was so empty. The cruise ended in Florida- late and flights had to be changed and again came more complaints but I still have fond memories.

I too remember the great italian bands and a singer named Lobo. They actually let me record them because at the time they didn't sell tapes but I bought them when they did. I remember Volare, the Chicken Dance and my favorite La Paloma Blanca. Those were the days.