Your first cruise ship

[Copper10-8]

I can't answer that without looking at my siggy. It was to Bermuda in June of 1990 on the Royal Viking Star. My daughter had canceled her wedding too late for me to cancel the order for my formal dress. So I had this gown and no place to go. We decided to celebrate our anniversary on a cruise to Bermuda.

 

My first cruise didn't really get me hooked, though. It was the first one on the Veendam that did it. Sam sailed as a dentist on that cruise. There was some contract dispute between HAL and the dental organization and they sent out an email before we left that all dentists would be canceled from the December cruises. But, our cruise left in November so we just flew to Tampa without checking, and were amazed when we got there to find out they had no cabin reserved for us. They told us to come to the ship at 8am and wait to see if anyone canceled at the last minute. Lucky for us, someone did. I was so excited to be sailing that cruise, I would have sailed in the lifeboat. :eek:

 

Royal Viking Star (1972-present) Delivered in 1972 to Royal Viking Line for which she sailed until 1991. Renamed "Westward" and sailed for Norwegian Cruise Line from 1991 until 1994. Renamed Star Odyssey and sailed for Royal Cruise Line from 1994 until 1996. Since 1996, sailing as Black Watch for Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. Sister of Royal Viking Sun, HAL's current Prinsendam II

[Copper10-8]

NCL Starward, May 1980. Port Antonio, Ocho Rios, Port-au-Prince. DH and I were to be on the maiden voyage of the Norway, but that cruise was canceled as the ship wasn't ready. We wound up on the Starward instead.

 

 

Starward (1968-present) First operated by Norwegian Caribbean Line, later Norwegian Cruise Line. Sold to Festival Cruises in 1994 and renamed Bolero. Renamed Orient Queen for Orient Queen Shipping in 2005 and currently sailing under that name for Louis Cruise Lines since 2006.

 

[altosax]

Wow, this is going to be fun. First cruise ship was the Assure Sea's, have no idea if that was the ships name or the cruise lines name. I'm guessing it was the ship's name. I'm sure someone else will know. It was a three day like yours, down to Ensenada. Was not impressed at all, it was then years later when my DH gave us a Christmas present of a cruise to Alaska during August of 1995 on the Ryndam, it was only 6 months old, in a suite. Well, as they say, the rest is history, 35 cruises, 23 with Hal.

 

Hi Melodie,

 

I am looking at a photo of me and my Mom from 1981 on the Western Cruise Lines S.S. Azure Seas. Would that be the same ship?

[mrmac]

Thank you, Copper for the wonderful old pictures and the thread. My first cruise was on Carnival Celebration in 1991 to San Juan, St. Thomas & St. Maarten. I couldn't convince any friends to go with me so I went by myself and Carnival found me a roommate. It was so fantastic! - the cruise, not the roommate. There was a wonderful steel drum band out by the pool everyday and people danced all day and I danced in the pool for hours. It was such a good vibe. I got strep throat a few days out and I always tell people I had the best time of anyone who ever had strep throat! I was hooked. I rented a car and drove up to Disneyworld for a few days after the cruise but I couldn't talk the whole time. Thanks for the memories.

[Copper10-8]

1st cruise was Carnival Holiday in 1996 to Mexico. While we were anchored in Catalina, I spotted the Viking Serenade and using my binoculars selected one of the aft suites and we booked the day we returned.

 

 

"Holiday" (1984-present) Delivered in 1984 to Carnival Cruise Lines for which she is still sailing. However, she will be transferred to Spanish Line Iberocruceros, a joint venture between Carnival and Orizonia, for which she will become Grand Holiday in NOV 2009

[Copper10-8]

1964, P&O's Oriana (actually, it was still Orient Lines, but in merger negotiations), Vancouver BC to San Francisco.

 

 

 

s/s Oriana (1959-2005) Delivered as an ocean liner to Orient Line and sailed for them until 1966 when that company was fully absorbed into the parent P&O group. From 1973 Oriana was converted to operate as a cruise ship for P&O Cruises and from 1981 until retirement in March 1986, was based in Sydney, Australia. After a layup of two months, the ship was sold and moved to Osaka, Japan in 1986, to become a floating hotel. She was subsequently sold to Chinese interests in 1995 and became an accomodation and hotel ship.

In 2001, she was bought by the Hangzhou Songcheng Group (China) who spent $375,000 to refit her as a tourist attraction in Shanghai and she was subsequently moved to Dalian. She was caught by gale in 2004 and listed severely. Subsequent repairs over another year failed to correct the list and she was broken up at Zhangjiagang, China in 2005

[altosax]

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!

 

 

 

 

 

First cruise was a 4 day LA-Ensenada and return on the Cunard Adventurer.

 

After hearing stories from my Aunt Lily of her sailings on the Leonardo DaVinci and the SS France, I was actually disappointed and not hooked first time outta the box.

 

[Copper10-8]

Double post

[Copper10-8]

As a child, I sailed on Empress of Britain in 1957 with my family from Montreal to Liverpool. This ship sailed as Topaz until this year.

 

My father bought one of the best suites on the ship and we were taught to use the First Class corridors which didn't seem fair. It was my first realization of the haves and have-nots and I didn't like it. It is so good to see that pompous era at a close, although the various dining rooms on Cunard are certainly a society divided into classes.

 

My parents were global travelers and generous enough to bring along us two girls on most of their jaunts. On the Empress of Britain, the cabin stewardess called us the Mucky Dears, a term which stuck to us like glue whenever our parents wanted us to behave.

 

I also enjoy land travel to soak up local environments and cultures but, when a luxury hotel sails you from exotic locales to exciting cities, it's a grand pleasure.

 

Ruby

 

 

 

Empress of Britain (1956-present) Sailed for Canadian Pacific Line until 1964 when sold to the Greek Line as Queen Anna Maria. Following the collapse of the Greek Line, she was sold to Carnival Cruise Line in 1976 as "Carnivale". She was transferred to subsidiary Fiesta Marine Cruises as Fiesta Marina in 1993 and sold again in 1994 to Epirotiki Line (Royal Olympic Cruise Line from 1996) as "Olympic" In 2003, the vessel was chartered, and then later sold to Topaz International as Topaz to sail with the Peace Boat organization.

In April 2008, she was retired from the Peace Boat organization; and she was laid up. On June 15, while she was anchored, she was struck by the tanker Champion Brali. The collision severed off part of her bow. Her future currently remains uncertain although it has been reported that she has been sold for scrap to an unidentified Indian shipbreaker.

[swscruiser]

Carnival Celebration Nov 88, 7-day Eastern Caribbean, San Juan, St Thomas, and St Marteen. Had planned to go to Cancun, but Hurricane Hugo? hit a month before we were to arrive and TA suggested a cruise instead. Paid more for that cruise with an outside cabin than we did last June for a 7-day balcony.:D So yes it did get us hooked.

 

Keith

[chasetf]

My first "cruise" was a Trans-Atlantic crossing on the SS France in 1963. I traveled with my aunt, uncle and cousins who were moving from the US to Belgium. They invited me to go along for the summer which include traveling to Europe on the France. This is what she looked like when I sailed her.

 

 

 

Unfortunately..... this is a more recent picture of her.

 

[VA07]

Ours was the Carnival Tropicale in 1999. I believe that it was only 40,000 tons. We were on the lowest deck at the very rear. The location gave the room a weird pulsing motion due to the engines. The seas never got over 3 feet but that, combined with the location and small ship size, almost turned my wife off cruising for good. The real topper was when we heard that several cruises later, it lost an engine in a hurricane and the toilets flooded the hallways.

 

Fortunately, I was able to convince my SO into trying a second time (larger ship and higher up) and she had a much better time. Our third cruise is next week!

[dvdfreakmc]

I visited my Grandparents when their cruise on the P&O ship Oriana stopped in Vancouver. It was 1973 or 74 and I was hooked after my first tea cake. I remember seeing their room, then heading to the dining room for tea and lunch. I vowed I would be back.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Firts cruise was a back-to-back on the 18,000 ton Cunard Countess back in the 80's. We had spent years touring all over Europe -- finally talked DH into a cruise. He wanted to do only 7 days -- I said "No way" -- I am not flying to San Juan for just a 7 day cruise. One week was port intensive -- a different port each day. The other week we had just 5 different ports. First time we went to Caracas -- took pictures and compared it with pictures my mother had taken when they were there in the 30's -- nothing much had changed.

[kelmac]

Our first cruise was on Fairsea, San Jaun to LA....through the Panama Canal....:)

 

We sailed later on her sister Fairwind, as the Fair Princess.......both were great trips.......:)

 

 

Hi JLC,

 

We did the Fairsea out of LA in 1982. I remember the food was so much better on this ship compared to NCL. :rolleyes: :)

 

Enjoy!

Kel

[MadManOfBethesda]

Hey, great thread!

 

And five pages into it, I get to be the first person to mention Commodore Cruise Lines and the M.S. Caribe (not to be confused with the later Caribe I), as my first cruise in 1980.

 

It was the only cruise I've been on where the ship had it's own theme song, although all I can remember is the first two lines:

 

M.S. Caribe.......

The Happy Ship.....

 

I remember the CD & staff singing it during the week, but I don't remember any more than that. Although, now I can't get the little sing-song melody out of my head, lol.

 

As I recall, we sailed r/t from Miami to Freeport, St. Thomas, San Juan, and Puerto Plata.

 

Scott

[Rutland Gate]

The first was the Leonardo da Vinci in 1972. A magnificent ocean liner with well appointed formal public rooms and a lot of music around the ship. This was a cruise, but the transatlantic nature of the ship was apparent.

[longtimecruiser]

My first cruise was when I was four in 1956. My Mom, Dad, Brother and I sailed on the SS Ocean Monarch on a two week cruise to the Carribean. That was my first introduction to cruising. I don't know if I was hooked then, but I KNOW I was hooked in 1962 when I sailed on my first HAL cruise on the SS Rotterdam. Adele

[cruisinbulldog]

 

Song of Norway (1970-present) Sailed for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line from 1970 until 1997. Became "Sundream" from 1997 until 2004, "Dream Princess" between 2004 and 2006, "Dream" between 2006 and 2007, "Clipper Pearl" in 2007 and currently sailing as "Clipper Pacific" for the Peaceboat organization

 

Great pixs Copper..

 

1989 Honeymoon Cruise.. Song Of Norway.. Round trip San Juan,St. Martin,Martinique,Barbados,Antigua,& St. Thomas..

 

Got my Night Owl Badge on this cruise..:D Won the Twist Contest with another women..:eek: DW and I found our favorite way to vacation..

 

Bulldog

[neverwinter2]

My first was the Canada Star sometime in the 1980's - it was a family vacation and my brother and I were very young. We loved it. The best memories: getting to 'dance' with the staff in the dining room (I think we were the only small children on the ship, it was during the school year), our waiter bringing dessert even when our parents said no, and chocolate on your pillow at night! We also loved dressing up for the dinners each night. The only info I found on the ship in a quick search:

Built for Moore McCormack. Launched 16/12/1957. Last in service as Universe Explorer, in late 2004 was discovered to have structural problems and her refit was cancelled. The ship would not be repaired and she arrived at Alang for breaking up in December 2004. Name sequence: Brasil, Volendam, Monarch Sun, Volendam, Island Sun, Liberte, Canada Star, Queen of Bermuda, Enchanted Seas, Universe Explorer."

 

Josh's first was the Carnival Tropicale, not sure when that one took place. From all reports, he loved it too. I think the Tropicale is a Costa ship now.

 

Our first cruise together was our honeymoon in 2005 on the Carnival Valor. Of course we loved it... no surprise there. My favorite part of the Valor was the enormous "Rosie the Riveter" wall in Rosie's Restaurant. Just the coolest thing - I told Josh I wanted to make something similar in our kitchen. :D

 

 

[RustaRoo]

Happily I remember what got me hooked! - Nieuw Amsterdam, 1993, Mediterranean and here she is!

What was I thinking when I posted that!!!:o Caribbean is the correct word! Sheesh! I need a cruise!:)

[Loreto]

Love seeing the old ship photos! In 1985 we took our 2 teenage sons with us on American Hawaii's Independence flew to Hawaii and cruised the islands. The ship had a lot of history from its transAtlantic days and association with the Grace Kelly wedding. I will never forget the first morning, the ship sailed around the island of Kauii and you could see all the beautiful waterfalls not visible from land. So sorry there is no more American Hawaii line, a fatality of Sept 11th.

 

Prior to that I did a 3 day Rhine Cruise in conjunction with a TWA vacation...my mom accompanied me. the ship was the Duetchland, as I recall, now owned by Pieter Dielman cruises. My husband and I lived in Germany for 3 years.

Karen

[VegasRealtor]

Mine was USS Ruchamkin, APD (later LPR) 89, June '66 to November 20, '69. For some reason, they wouldn't let me off! The ship was sold to the Columbian Navy, and I beleive it still exists somewhere as a floating museum!

 

Our first real cruise was on the Fairsea from LA to Mexico, November '78 - and we were officially hooked!! We'll keep crusiing as long as we're able!

[james j feller]

Our first cruise was on NCL'S SOUTHWARD doing the CARIBBEAN in 1979.

 

JIM

[PCruzer]

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

 

 

Our first cruise was in 1989 on the old Noordam. It was an eastern Caribbean itinerary out of Fort Lauderdale. We went with a small group of my husband's co-workers. Yes, we were hooked from that point on. We were in our mid-30's at that time, and were certainly some of the youngest passengers on the ship! We now have 27 cruises under our belts and are both retired from our jobs. We still love cruising and have tried different lines but always come "home" to HAL!!