Your first cruise ship

[gottagoacruzn]

Hi guys, first cruise was on the Commadore Cruise line, the Boheme. Back in 83 to the Caribbean. Just saw what the love boat was, an I didn't know any better. Thought the captain, dr, bar tender greeted you when you got on board. First formal night, on the menu was either chicken or lobster, thought about chicken, but my friend told me, you can get chicken anytime, get lobster. Didn't like, but I sure like lobster now. My next cruise I found Rccl and never looked back. The waiter's on the Song of Norway, called the Boheme, the banana boat. Also, on the first cruise, didn't know you were suppose to read the daily guide, so... Sure do keep the daily guide with me now.

[doone]

What a fun thread I just found.

 

My first cruise was on Norwegian, forget the name of the ship, but it was South something I think, early 1980's, and oh yes was hooked and had another cruise planned before we got off the ship......sailed on Home Lines next who was bought out by Holland America, the rest is history as they say.....next cruise March 2017 on the Nieuw Amsterdam, can't wait!

[doone]

Just remembered my first cruise ship was Norwegian's Southward......

[DarkCrystal]

My first cruise was on the Volendam to Akaska, August 5th, 2015. Been on three more cruises since then, have four more booked for this year, and one long one for 2017. Looking at others. Totally love cruising and luckily, so does my husband.

[CORealtor]

Our first cruise was for our 10 year anniversary in 2002. It was on the Carnival Imagination. We were in the most forward cabin on the starboard side. There were two portholes as windows. After the first port, the anchor was not secured properly, and it banged for two days, until the next port, when they secured it. Besides the banging, it was great for us then, as it was our first. Since then, we have been on 12 cruises and have upgraded to veranda or suites, mostly on Holland America!

[kalinedrive]

First cruise was for our 30th anniversary on the Caribbean Princess 5 years ago to Canada and New England. In late May we are booked on the Zuiderdam out of Copenhagen for 12 nights in the Baltic. Cannot wait. Any tips on recommended shore excursions would be most appreciated

 

 

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[gts101997]

What a wonderful thread! Our first cruise was on the Maasdam out of FLL to the Western Caribbean in May of 2002. We booked a balcony and loved every single minute of the cruise. We were definitely hooked.

 

We will be sailing to Alaska in late August on the Westerdam. :)

[scapel]

My first cruise ship was the SS Volendam II. I was all alone and knew nobody. It was February 1981. The first few days were long as we only had about 400 passengers if I remember correctly and most were of the older age compared to myself - 29 at the time. Colakid

 

I see "colakid" sailed the Balmoral . Was it the Titanic memorial cruise?

 

Balmoral is a cruise ship owned and operated by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. She was built in 1988 by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, West Germany, as Crown Odyssey for Royal Cruise Line.

 

I sailed the Crown Odyssey to South America in 1991. I would have liked to have been on the Titanic Memorial cruise.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2127768/Titanic-memorial-cruise-forced-turn-round-just-hours-leaving-dock.html

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-17712827

[Copper10-8]

Ours was on the Regent Sea for a 10-day New Year's S. Caribbean cruise in 1990 RT from San Juan. ........................

 

Great pics of Regent Sea, thanks!! She started life in 1957 at Genoa, Italy as ms Gripsholm for Svenska Amerika Linjen/Swedish American Line. Sold in 1975 to Greek Karageorgis Lines and renamed Navarino until 1981 when she was damaged in a grounding off Patmos, Greece.

 

Regency Cruises made her their first ship in 1984 under the name Regent Sea. In 1995, Regency went bankrupt, and she was auctioned off to United States American Cruise Line, who started on a conversion to a casino ship which was never completed due to bankruptcy of the new owner.

 

In early 2001 the ship was sold for scrap and began a journey under tow to Alang, India where she was to be broken up. In June 2001 she was looted by pirates while at Dakar, Senegal. A month later on 12 July she sank in heavy seas off Algoa Bay, South Africa, some 425 miles east of Cape of Good Hope.

 

Edited June 25, 2016 by Copper10-8

[Sir PMP]

What was your first cruise ship? What cruise line, the year and the itinerary? (if you remember;) ) Did it get you hooked?

Ours was Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's m/s Viking Serenade, a converted car ferry, back in NOV 1991, a 3-day L.A. - Catalina Island - Esenada, Mexico - L.A. cruise. Never forget our first impressions - we were hooked from that day on!

 

Viking Serenade (still sailing today as Island Escape)

 

Ms.Nieuw Amsterdam (the old one), August 1991, 7 Day Alaska, Cptn: Jacob Dijk, Hotel Mgr: Hans Dernison, while walking by a VIP party as a newbie, CPtn, invited us to join the party, and it was all downhill from there, now 1000 days later.....

[FunTraveler52]

I'm not sure this would be considered a cruise ship, but I sailed a transatlantic on the Liberté (French Line) in 1955. I was 3.

 

 

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[Copper10-8]

Ms.Nieuw Amsterdam (the old one), August 1991, 7 Day Alaska, Cptn: Jacob Dijk, Hotel Mgr: Hans Dernison, while walking by a VIP party as a newbie, CPtn, invited us to join the party, and it was all downhill from there, now 1000 days later.....

 

Never sailed with Kaptein Dijk but five times with Hans Dernison. Always remember him standing at the foot of the gangway in Alexandria, Egypt with CD Susan Wood welcoming his pax back around 10:00 pm after a long trip to Cairo. Nice guy and great HD, also retired now, since 2011

[Copper10-8]

I'm not sure this would be considered a cruise ship, but I sailed a transatlantic on the Liberté (French Line) in 1955. I was 3.

 

 

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Nice ship!

[OlsSalt]

Found this bit of history online which highlights my first two "cruise" experiences: Chandris Fantasia, one of the 1960's Greek cruise ships doing the Eastern Med route and the RTW Gallileo on the 1970's which went on to become the first of the Celebrity Cruise Lines all-suite ships, the Meridian.

 

Chandris lines bought the Queen Frederica in 1966 and after fully modernising her with room for 1200 one-class passengers she left for Southampton in October 1966 to join the rest of the Australian fleet. She left service in January 1971, and was scrapped in 1977.

 

But perhaps the biggest expansion came in 1969-1970 when four ships joined the fleet within a matter of months: the Fiorita, the Romanza, the Atlantis and the Britanis. (NB: and also the Fantasia)

 

A few years later, by 1976, Chandris had the largest passenger-cruise fleet in the world, surpassing the prior records held by the likes of Cunard, P&O and Union Castle. That year, there were thirteen active Chandris passenger ships in all: The Australis, Britanis, Ellinis, Patris, The Victoria, Amerikanis, Romanza, Regina Prima, Bon Vivant, Fiorita, Romantica, Fiesta and finally the little Radiosa.

 

While Chandris turned to Greek hotels on shore in 1973, they also began to strengthen their American cruise operations.

In 1975 the Victoria ex- Dunnottar Castle was purchased from the bankrupt Incres Lines, refitted and renamed The Victoria, she started her Mediterranean service in June 1976, she served Chandris well until sold in 1993.

 

A partnership called Chandris-Fantasy Cruises started in the early 1980s and later was divided into two separate arms of the Chandris Group, Fantasy-Cruises and then the more up-market Celebrity Cruises.

 

In the mid eighties, the third generation Chandris Chairman John Chandris foresaw the growth of the cruise trade world-wide especially concerning the upper class of the USA's mass market.

 

This segment was the most competitive on the market, with well established operators such as Royal Caribbean, Princess, HAL, etc.

For Chandris Cruises, as budget cruise operator, it was quite difficult to follow the marketing strategy of its Chairman.

 

A new image had to be created and so Chandris formed with the Overseas Shipholding Group Celebrity Cruises. Later Chandris bought OSG out and became sole owner of Celebrity Cruises.

 

The Italian Liner Galileo was chartered in 1980 and 1981 and was finally purchased in 1983, refurbished and started on 1-7 days cruises out of New York and Miami and became a very popular ship. In 1988 when Chandris founded Celebrity Cruises she was rebuilt and renamed Meridian for Celebrity Cruises.

[scapel]

Found this bit of history online which highlights my first two "cruise" experiences: Chandris Fantasia, one of the 1960's Greek cruise ships doing the Eastern Med route and the RTW Gallileo on the 1970's which went on to become the first of the Celebrity Cruise Lines all-suite ships, the Meridian.

 

Chandris lines bought the Queen Frederica in 1966 and after fully modernising her with room for 1200 one-class passengers she left for Southampton in October 1966 to join the rest of the Australian fleet. She left service in January 1971, and was scrapped in 1977.

 

But perhaps the biggest expansion came in 1969-1970 when four ships joined the fleet within a matter of months: the Fiorita, the Romanza, the Atlantis and the Britanis. (NB: and also the Fantasia)

 

A few years later, by 1976, Chandris had the largest passenger-cruise fleet in the world, surpassing the prior records held by the likes of Cunard, P&O and Union Castle. That year, there were thirteen active Chandris passenger ships in all: The Australis, Britanis, Ellinis, Patris, The Victoria, Amerikanis, Romanza, Regina Prima, Bon Vivant, Fiorita, Romantica, Fiesta and finally the little Radiosa.

 

While Chandris turned to Greek hotels on shore in 1973, they also began to strengthen their American cruise operations.

In 1975 the Victoria ex- Dunnottar Castle was purchased from the bankrupt Incres Lines, refitted and renamed The Victoria, she started her Mediterranean service in June 1976, she served Chandris well until sold in 1993.

 

A partnership called Chandris-Fantasy Cruises started in the early 1980s and later was divided into two separate arms of the Chandris Group, Fantasy-Cruises and then the more up-market Celebrity Cruises.

 

In the mid eighties, the third generation Chandris Chairman John Chandris foresaw the growth of the cruise trade world-wide especially concerning the upper class of the USA's mass market.

 

This segment was the most competitive on the market, with well established operators such as Royal Caribbean, Princess, HAL, etc.

For Chandris Cruises, as budget cruise operator, it was quite difficult to follow the marketing strategy of its Chairman.

 

A new image had to be created and so Chandris formed with the Overseas Shipholding Group Celebrity Cruises. Later Chandris bought OSG out and became sole owner of Celebrity Cruises.

 

The Italian Liner Galileo was chartered in 1980 and 1981 and was finally purchased in 1983, refurbished and started on 1-7 days cruises out of New York and Miami and became a very popular ship. In 1988 when Chandris founded Celebrity Cruises she was rebuilt and renamed Meridian for Celebrity Cruises.

 

Thanks for that great History Lesson

[FunTraveler52]

Copper10-8: thanks for the Liberté photo. She was a beauty! I believe she was originally a German ship given to French as a war reparation. I sailed on her twice and also the SS Flandre in 1961.

[bphman]

Our first cruise was on the Horizon in 1990 during the inaugural year for the ship. She was the first new build for Celebrity which came into existence in 1988 as the cruise line for Chandris. She was beautiful and had the best dining. Thirteen cruise lines and 28 cruises later, I guess you can say we were hooked. Number 29 coming up in 2 weeks on the Veendam and Crystal Serenity in January will make 30. And, that will be our 14th cruise line.

[Neferteria]

My first (and only) time to travel by sea was on the Italian Line "SS Leonardo da Vinci" in 1968. Not a cruise, but a transport ship. We were four Peace Corps Volunteers, two married couples, traveling from the port of Lima, Peru to the port of Cartagena, Colombia where we were stationed on the Northern Coast.

 

We had taken our 2 annual vacations of a month each back to back so had been away for quite a long time. We had traveled from the north of Colombia through Colombia, then through Ecuador, then finally to Peru and had a week in which to get back. We had traveled in typical Peace Corps fashion by bus, train, and a stretch on the Pan American Highway in a taxi, which was actually cheaper than by bus. We froze in the Andes and sweltered in steamy Guayaquil, Ecuador. We experienced an earthquake in Ecuador. We were in a restaurant in Lima when there was an attempted coup outside it and we were locked inside for a couple of hours. Ah, the adventuring spirit of youth!

 

Anyway, it was time to get back to our sites. The rest of the group had gone to Cuzco and Machu Picchu, but I remained in Lima as I was getting the rabies shots after being bitten by a dog that could not later be found. Walking by the Italian Line office I saw that there was a sale for their transports to Colombia. Intrigued but thinking that we couldn't possibly afford it, I went in and inquired about the rates to Cartagena. I was stunned to find out that it would actually be cheaper for us than returning by more primitive means by the time we paid for transportation, lodging, and meals. Being in a country where bargaining is a national sport, I was even able to negotiate an even lower fare! And given outside rooms with a porthole to boot. I had enough cash on me to make a deposit and told them that of course the deal we had concluded would require the acceptance of the others when they returned to Lima. They of course were ecstatic and accepted with alacrity!

 

Being by then accustomed to less than palatable food, the other wife and I bought a basket and went to the market to fill it up for our voyage. Of course that was entirely unnecessary, and we had all the Italian food we could eat as well as all the wine we could drink for seven days. And even hot water in the shower and an indoor john! We didn't mind at all the bunks in our cabin and enjoyed immensely our port holes which we could even open to enjoy the sea air. I brought my rabies serum along in a thermos and turned it over to the ship's doctor, who completed my series.

 

We had a blast with the large Italian families who were returning to Italy, an American First Class traveler who treated us to drinks and trips to the First Class lounge, and the Italian cooks who sang opera and other traditional Italian songs as they cooked. We went through the Panama Canal and then arrived very rested when we disembarked in Cartagena. Took us a while to get our land legs back as we had been on the ship for a week and had developed quite good sea legs.

 

Although we have traveled extensively by land in North America, South America, and Europe, we haven't traveled by sea as we thought that cruising just wouldn't be our thing. Rock climbing walls, belly flop contests, and water slides just didn't appeal. But with mobility issues at our age now, we became intrigued with the Prinsendam Baltic Sea and Kiel Canal 14 day cruise and booked her. And are now very excited to take our first real cruise!

[scapel]

My first (and only) time to travel by sea was on the Italian Line "SS Leonardo da Vinci" in 1968. Not a cruise, but a transport ship. We were four Peace Corps Volunteers, two married couples, traveling from the port of Lima, Peru to the port of Cartagena, Colombia where we were stationed on the Northern Coast.

 

Thank you for sharing.

Dr.Joe

[saturn93]

First cruise was the Big Red Boat around 1991.

 

Actual first cruise was Carnival Spirit to Alaska in 2008.

Edited June 27, 2016 by saturn93

[tommui987]

I sailed the Crown Odyssey to South America in 1991.

 

Our first cruise was on the Carnival Triumph but our second cruise was on the Crown Odyssey from Barcelona to Athens.

 

We really liked the ship and when it sold and renamed NCL Crown, we sailed her from Florida to Chile.

 

Great ship!

[Shebba]

Our first cruise (1989) was on the Chandris (Greek line) ship Britanis. It was a beautiful old ship with an amazing history. It originally launched in 1931 as the S.S. Monterey. It was commissioned in 1941 to carry troops and ammunition in the South Pacific during the war. In 1946 it was refitted to be a passenger ship. It carried such famous passengers as Clark Gable and Carole Lombard. The ship sunk in 2000 while being towed by a shipbreaker.

 

The cruise was payment to my husband for some work that he had done for a client. We weren't all that excited about going on a cruise, thinking that it would be 'boring' and just for 'old people'. We cruised the Western Caribbean and absolutely fell in love with the whole idea of cruising . We were hooked!

 

Great memories!!

 

[SeaWatch]

The Flavia - around 1973. Oh yes, hooked!

[Copper10-8]

The Flavia - around 1973. Oh yes, hooked!

 

Another classic in the Costa Crocieri colors

 

[mef_57]

Strand Cruises S.S. Ithaca May 1977 - 2 week Mediterranean cruise. I was 19 - first solo cruise, first trip out of North America. I wanted a taste of the Mediterranean to see what to go back to. Needless to say, there were 6 'young uns'(under 35) and the rest were very much older. I felt sorry for the 2 girls from up North that even packed sexy nighties expecting to have a choice of men their age for on board romances... they were disappointed. Learned a lot about travel and other things on that cruise - not the least is that young women on their own need 'mother figures' to protect them wherever we went, and when the crew (from the Captain down to the steward) mention 'being lonely' it wasn't for conversation.

It did give me itchy traveling feet, but no - not necessarily by cruise ship. I usually need more adventure in my travels, but cruising has spots in my bucket list.