Your first cruise ship

[Copper10-8]

My very first "cruise" was when my family immigrated to Canada in 1957 it was the Cunard Ivernia left England July 17, 1957 docked in Montreal. It was the best holiday for a youngster, my mother liked the dancing each evening. Wonderful food, it was the first time I had fish that I liked - dover sole. Lots of people got seasick though, including my sister.

First actual cruise was HAL Zaandam circle Hawaii, 2011. Got upsold to a suite - fabulous.

Will be returning to Montreal on the Maasdam this month, it will be interesting to see the port. I remember rows of luggage, large sea chests, etc, don't imagine we will see that this time.

 

 

Cunard Line's RMS Ivernia

[Copper10-8]

Our first cruise was on P&O's Victoria in January 2002. An old ship with a fair bit of vibration.

Our next door neighbour was the comedian on the ship, Jimmy Cricket, a comedian who I did not rate, I regarded him as a children's entertainer, but he was brilliant! He never put a foot wrong, his jokes were clean( for want of a better word ) his timing was great and he was a really nice genuine guy. The entertainment was first class and although the theme of the cruise was classical music it did not dominate.

Our table was made up of some really nice people, a hotelier from Morar, a couple from Bournemouth a nice couple from Falkirk and ourselves.

The cruise was Barbados,Grenada, Panama, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Acapulco.

I had been through the Panama Canal as a young seaman and sailing through as an adult was tremendous, reliving my youth.

We have averaged a cruise a year since then and regard cruising as perhaps the best holiday available BUT it depends very much on the company on the table at dinner.

 

 

P&O's (formerly Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company) Victoria

[Happily@Sea]

After researching dates and itineraries and a name that just gave me an 'ah-ha' twinge, I have determined that the ship I sailed on was the Costa Flavia out of Miami in 1975.

 

Not having made the reservation myself; for me, it is always harder to recall a ship's name from so long ago.

 

I loved the Italian food - I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. I was not quite so impressed with Nassau - I've never been back. I do remember liking the Queen's Stairway [is that the right name?].

 

Carole

Edited August 4, 2016 by Happily@Sea

[SoCal Cruiser78]

 

ss Independence in the colors of American Export Lines

 

Thanks for posting this pic, Copper10-8! The "Indy" was my first cruise (post #2392), and still my favorite to date.

[Copper10-8]

After researching dates and itineraries and a name that just gave me an 'ah-ha' twinge, I have determined that the ship I sailed on was the Costa Flavia out of Miami in 1975.

 

Not having made the reservation myself; for me, it is always harder to recall a ship's name from so long ago.

 

I loved the Italian food - I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. I was not quite so impressed with Nassau - I've never been back. I do remember liking the Queen's Stairway [is that the right name?].

 

Carole

 

 

Costa Crocieri's Flavia; built/completed in 1947 for Cunard White Star Line as RMS Media, a cargo ship. Purchased by Italian Compagnia Genovese de Armamento SpA (Cogadar Line) and rebuilt in 1962 into ocean liner Flavia. In 1968 Cogedar Line was taken over by Costa Crocieri and she was refitted into a cruise ship, keeping the name Flavia.

 

In 1982 Flavia was purchased by the Virtue Shipping Company of Hong Kong who renamed her Flavian and had plans to use her as a casino cruise ship. She however, spent the majority of the time moored at a berth in Hong Kong Harbor. In 1986 she was renamed Lavia (Lavia Shipping SA, Hong Kong). On January 7, 1989 while at anchor off Lantau Island, Hong Kong, Lavia caught fire and sank. She was eventually raised and, after being sold to breakers, towed to Kaohsiung, Taiwan where she was scrapped

Edited August 4, 2016 by Copper10-8

[CineGraphic]

Our first cruise was on the Raddison Seven Seas Navigator. (Now, Regent)

We weren't sure if we'd like cruising at all, so went with something short and sweet, 3 days of first-class luxury. Everything was "fancy-schmancy", and we were in our 30s.....What was I thinking!?

Never wanting to spend that sort of money again, it's all been downhill ever since, but we feel much more comfortable with Princess.

[Copper10-8]

Our first cruise was on the Raddison Seven Seas Navigator. (Now, Regent)

We weren't sure if we'd like cruising at all, so went with something short and sweet, 3 days of first-class luxury. Everything was "fancy-schmancy", and we were in our 30s.....What was I thinking!?

Never wanting to spend that sort of money again, it's all been downhill ever since, but we feel much more comfortable with Princess.

 

 

Regent Cruise Line's Seven Seas Navigator

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise was at age 10 with my parents, at that time Capt. Mel and Jackie Ouder, USAF, in April 1954 aboard, I believe, the General Patrick in route from San Francisco to Okinawa. I have a Certificate and photos of myself and the ship commemorating the Golden Dragon Ceremony when we crossed the International Date Line.

 

 

USNS (United States Naval Ship, not USS) General Edwin D. Patrick T-AP-124 while assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS). She was commissioned on 31 January 1945 as USS Admiral C. F. Hughes (AP-124), an Admiral W. S. Benson-class military transport. Upon the end of World War II, she was transferred to the U.S. Army Transport Service and renamed after U.S. Army General Edwin D. Patrick who was killed in action while commanding the 6th Infantry Division in the Philippines in 1945.

 

In 1950 and back in U.S. Navy service, but keeping her last name, she operated out of San Francisco, CA with a civil service crew and spent almost two decades transporting troops, military dependents, and cargo to American bases throughout the western Pacific, and supported American forces in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. It wasn't until 03 May 2010 that she was towed to the breakers at Brownsville, TX where her scrapping was completed on 25 January 2011

Edited August 7, 2016 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise was on the Costa Carla C in 1974. Loved it and cried when they made me get off the ship!

 

 

Costa Crocieri's Carla C. Born in 1952 as Flandre for Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (CGT) aka the French Line. With Costa she was Carla C. and then Carla Costa. She finished her career with Greek Epirotiki Line as Pallas Athene, While berthed at Piraeus, Greece in March 1994, Palas Athene caught fire which caused major damage. The hulk was towed to Aliaga, Turkey where she was scrapped in 1994/1995

Edited August 8, 2016 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

This is a great thread; I haven't read all the posts but I'm working on it.

 

My first cruise was 2002 with my 2 grown daughters. The teeniest, tiniest cabin on the 3rd deck all the way forward on the Monarch of the Seas. We could hear the anchor being dropped when we arrived at Grand Cayman because we were practically sleeping next to it. The next night was bad weather and we tossed and the ship creaked a lot. Three adult women in such a little cabin was an adventure. My youngest (28 at the time) drew the short straw and slept in the bunk. But we were definitely hooked on cruising on our first formal night. 3 women dressing; we left the cabin looking like a disaster. We returned to find perfection with the lights dimmed, chocolate on the pillow and our darling towel animal waiting for us.

 

I took my husband to Alaska the next summer on the Ryndam (his first cruise) and as you can tell from my signature we've never stopped. Despite just returning from our Bermuda cruise on the NCL Breakaway earlier this month my daughters are on another cruise right now, on the Carnival Splendor.

 

Not sure what's the best, remembering my past cruises or dreaming about the future ones.

 

St. Louis Sal

 

 

RCI's Monarch of the Seas. After sailing for Royal Caribbean for 22 years, she was transferred to Spain's Cruceros Pullmantur (RCI is a minority owner) in 2013 for which she is currently operating as 'Monarch', having re-joined her former RCI sister Sovereign of the Seas.

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise was last year. It was a 7 day roundtrip cruise from Vancouver to Alaska. We went with Celebrity aboard the Century, and stopped at Ice Straight Point, Ketchikan, Hubbard Glacier, and Juneau. Loved it so much that I'm going back to Alaska next month aboard the ms Zaandam. Looking forward to it!

 

 

Celebrity Cruise Line's Celebrity Century. After 20 years with Celebrity, the ship was transferred in April 2015 to SkySea Cruises, a joint venture between Shanghai, PRC-based Ctrip.com and Royal Caribbean. SkySea Cruises renamed her SkySea Golden Era

[Copper10-8]

I will take the time to read each and every post on this thread. What a wealth of joy and experiences! Thank you to Ugbar13 and Jim Avery for the bumps.

 

1999, Veendam, Western Caribbean on our honeymoon. Best cruise ever, but I might be biased, given the event. Still cruising HAL, headed out again this December again. The impression that HAL made on us the first time we cruise still lives with us!

 

 

Holland America Line's Veendam (prior to the January 2006 Gym extension and the April 2009 ugly 'butt extension')

[Copper10-8]

Big Red Boat 1995 3 nights to the Bahamas - just to give it a try.

 

I was pregnant and we had our 18month old with us. The other kids stayed behind at the last minute for an 'attitude adjustment'. Best money spent for a vacation that never happened! Holiday times comes around and everyone is so pleasant now!

 

Husband was not crazy about taking a cruise as I get seasick. I didn't and we're hooked.

 

 

A trio of (former) Premier Cruise Line ships in Nassau, the Bahamas. StarShip Oceanic aka the Big Red Boat (I) is the one "jutting" out of the passenger pier of the Prince George Wharf. Behind her is StarShip Atlantic and below her, the smaller red boat, is StarShip Majestic. The two naval ships at the bottom of the pic are visiting Royal Canadian Navy ships HMCS Terra Nova (DDE 259), a destroyer, and HMCS Preserver (AOR 510), an auxiliary oiler/replenishment ship. The third naval ship appears to be the U.S. Navy's USS Charles F. Adams (DDG-2), a destroyer

[Copper10-8]

Carnival Mardi Gras 1988 out of Miami... I love those old ships.... doc

 

 

Carnival Cruise Line's first three ships: from top to bottom; Carnivale, Mardi Gras and Festivale. Mardi Gras, the middle one, was built as RMS Empress of Canada for Canadian Pacific Steamships (CP Ships), at one time, Canada's largest operator of Atlantic and Pacific steamships on which many immigrants arrived in Canada. Empress of Canada worked the Liverpool-Montreal and Liverpool-St. John, NB routes (1961-1972)

 

After her service with Carnival (1972-1993) she became Olympic for Greek Epirotiki Line (later Royal Olympic and Royal Olympia Line). After this, she became casino ship Star of Texas in Galveston, TX and Lucky Star out of Miami, FL before being scrapped at Alang, India in 2003 as Apollon

Edited August 8, 2016 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

Thanks, this site has been fun. Breath of no smoking fun. Our first cruise was in Christmas/New Years 78'79'. It was the old HAL Veendam and it was wonderful. Went to St. Croix, St. Maartin, Aruba, Martinique, St. Thomas, must have been other ports because it was 14 days, but I am getting old. However, we continue to enjoy cruising and are scheduled on 10 day this fall.

 

 

Holland America Line's Veendam III. Built as Argentina in 1958 for U.S.-based Moore-McCormack Lines. In succession, she then became Veendam for HAL, Brasil (on charter to Agencia Maritima Intermares S.A.), Veendam (2nd time HAL), Monarch Star (Monarch Cruise Lines), Veendam (3rd time HAL), Bermuda Star (Bahama Cruise Line/Bermuda Star Lines), and Enchanted Isle (Commodore Cruise Line) She sailed to Alang, India as New Orleans for scrapping in late 2003/early 2004

[Tangocherie]

Slightly off topic...but, our first Celebrity cruise was aboard the Century. We later took her for an Alaska cruise in Sept. 2014. A few months later, we sailed her from Sydney to the South Pacific Islands. That was a great cruise with a lot of enthusiastic Aussies on board. One of our best cruises ever. She was a great ship.

 

Luc

[Dobermangal]

First cruise for me was in 1990 on the previous version of the Nieuw Amsterdam down the Pacific Coast.

[St. Louis Sal]

You are an absolute gem! Thank you so much for the picture of the Monarch of the Seas.

 

St. Louis Sal

[KenNMB]

Officer John, We were hitched and hooked in July 1978. Volendam, NYC to Bermuda. TA knew we had just about two pennies to rub together (state employee and Catholic school teacher), and had paid for our wedding. We had a high, small porthole in our "honeymoon" cabin. We had to pull the mattresses off singles and put them together on the floor between their bed frames. It was magical. Together, we built a career, raised four kids, who've now had 10 or 11 of their own, and we are Three * now. Hope to meet you someday. Thanks for the chance to think back.

 

 

KenNMB

Volendam: NYC to Bermuda (1978)

Nieuw Amsterdam Seattle to Alaska (2007)

Noordam: Port Everglades TA to Rome (2014)

Zuiderdam: to Panama (partial) (2015)

Veendam: Port Everglades to Montreal (Spring 2016)

Zuiderdam: Quebec City to Port Everglades (Fall 2016)

[scapel]

My first cruise in 1975 off the East Coast of South America

 

[Copper10-8]

First cruise for me was in 1990 on the previous version of the Nieuw Amsterdam down the Pacific Coast.

 

 

Holland America Line's Nieuw Amsterdam III, operated for HAL from 1983 until 2000 when "R" class ship Amsterdam joined the fleet. Then became 'Patriot' for American Classic Voyages (company went bankrupt after the 9/11 attacks in 2001). Patriot was reacquired by HAL and chartered to Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Line. She is currently operating under a sub-charter for UK-based Thomson Cruise Line as Thomson Spirit

[Copper10-8]

Officer John, We were hitched and hooked in July 1978. Volendam, NYC to Bermuda. TA knew we had just about two pennies to rub together (state employee and Catholic school teacher), and had paid for our wedding. We had a high, small porthole in our "honeymoon" cabin. We had to pull the mattresses off singles and put them together on the floor between their bed frames. It was magical. Together, we built a career, raised four kids, who've now had 10 or 11 of their own, and we are Three * now. Hope to meet you someday. Thanks for the chance to think back.

 

 

KenNMB

Volendam: NYC to Bermuda (1978)

Nieuw Amsterdam Seattle to Alaska (2007)

Noordam: Port Everglades TA to Rome (2014)

Zuiderdam: to Panama (partial) (2015)

Veendam: Port Everglades to Montreal (Spring 2016)

Zuiderdam: Quebec City to Port Everglades (Fall 2016)

 

Great story Ken!

 

 

Holland America Line's Volendam II (Veendam III behind her); built in 1958 as ss Brasil for U.S.-based Moore-McCormick Lines. She and her sister Argentina were purchased by HAL in 1971 and, after a dry-dock period in then West Germany (Hapag Lloyd, Bremerhaven), renamed Volendam (Brasil) and Veendam (Argentina), known at HAL as the "V"-class ships.

 

She had the following names: Volendam (HAL #1 1973), Monarch Sun (Monarch Cruise Lines on charter), Volendam (HAL #2 1978), Island Sun (Island Sun Navigation Corp. - hotel ship in Quebec City), Liberte (American Hawaii Cruises), Canada Star / Bermuda Star / Queen of Bermuda (Bermuda Star Line on charter), Enchanted Seas (Commodore Cruise Line) and Universe Explorer (World Explorer Cruises/Semester at Sea) Under the name 'Universe' she sailed to Alang, India and was scrapped there in 2004.

[UPNYGuy]

Westerdam in '08

[Copper10-8]

Westerdam in '08

 

 

Holland America Line's Westerdam

[UPNYGuy]

Great shot of Westerdam!