Why did you cruise the first time?

[Sherry84]

We first went on a cruise because I just wouldn't fly anywhere at the time and NCL had a Boston to Bermuda cruise. We had an inside room that first time, but have since gotten only balcony cabins. Once we had a balcony we couldn't go back! Now I'll fly anywhere so there are a lot more options, yay! :D

[klfhngr]

Whittier Blvd, back in the day...

[maldenmusic]

I was one of those people who thought she would NOT like cruising and resisted it all my life. But my husband looked into them and found out how reasonable the costs were. So....we cruised for the first time in May of 2009 and I loved it...hubby not as much. Then my daughter and I took another cruise in July 2009 and we both loved it. We will leave this Saturday for another cruise, my 3rd, her 2nd..and hubby is staying home ;)

[ticka1]

Hubby had been wanting to do it - I'm overcoming my fears and making it happen financal wise for our first cruise in May 2011. Its from Galveston 40 miles from my home so that's makes it even better.

 

Time to live life and enjoy it too!

[viciouslysh]

I was homeless. Just sold one house (2001) and our next one was not ready. After a week with family, we hit the road. I needed our own space. Spent a week in San Antonio, a week in a condo in Padre, then saw an ad for Carnival. We called and got a last minute price of $229pp and $99 for our daughter. It was the best vacation ever. :D

[woodey]

My Brother Retired from the California Highway Patrol and wanted to Celebrate with a cruise to Alaska...so he talked a lot of friends and Family into tagging along with him to celebrate and he promised to buy me a drink....I had just received a large settlement and had some extra $$ so i decided to go ....He had me at drink :D

[jtm22372]

in 2006 we lost our 9 month old dd to a rare disease . so after 9 months of living in a hospital setting we decided we just needed to get away from life . we were so broke from paying over 200,000 in medical bills . our familes all chipped in and got us a 7 day west . carribean on vos . we know have a wonderful 2yr old dd and she has been on 2 cruises with us .

[bankerbabe]

My husband and I were approaching our 10th wedding anniversary and were debating between an all-inclusive vacation and a cruise. Well, his company decided to celebrate their 50th year in business by flying every employee and their spouse to L.A. for a free three night cruise.

 

We were hooked.

[pe4all]

It was our first wedding anniversary, and we and our best friends (who got married 7 days before us) decided to celebrate together. They flew up to NY from North Carolina, where they had relocated, and off to Bermuda we went. The cruise was cheap for us - we even had an oceanview cabin! (June - hurricane season - and yes, we "hit" a hurricane in Bermuda!) Those were the days when people were allowed on board before the ship sailed - we had a bon voyage party in our cabin. Upon sailaway we threw streamers and confetti from the ship to the shore - it was sooo cool! (and so environmentally bad!:p) Even though we went on a cruise the next year also, we then took a long break from cruising. Are back full-force, and are so glad we are!

[jules815]

My parents took our family on our first cruise in 2006 for our 25th Anniversary. At the time, our girls were 11 and 15. Everyone loved it, and we were addicted! We've done one cruise every year since. Wish we could afford more, but college tuition really takes a bite!

[Scootercruise]

We were looking for something special for our 20th anniversary, and one of the local radio stations was having a group sailing out of New Orleans, we figured we could drive there and it also sounded like fun, so we asked our best friends and with no hesitation, they said YES. Since then our longest span with no cruise is about 17 months and we now try to go at least once a year.

[1stCruise2001]

I had always wanted to cruise, but DH would never agree to it since he was in the Navy, he said that he just did not want to vacation on a ship. Finally in 2001 some friends of ours planned a cruise, so I booked us, and he finally agreed to go. That was the best decision I ever made he told me later if the Navy had ships like that he would never retire. We are hooked, and wish we could cruise more often. We are going on our 3rd cruise in July.

[David7621]

My first cruise was paid for in full by my boss. Airfare, tips and all. To bad those days are gone:confused:

[SMSACE6]

I was walking past a travel agency and saw an ad in the window for a cruise. I walked past, and then turned around and came back to see if I had misread it. It sounded way too good to be true, so I went in to inquire. It was on the NCL Norway, October 1999. I called my mom at home, and she said YES, let's go! So I booked it, and we went.

 

My Mom had been on a cruise before, but for me as a first cruise, it was like a dream. I knew the history of the ship, so knew to expect an older ship, but had nothing to compare it to. Mom also loved the ship/cruise. It was to the Eastern Carib/7 days. We had a fantastic time, and I was hooked on cruising!

 

Im sad about what happened to that ship afterwards, including an explosion in the boiler room, where there were falaties of crew. But I will always remember my first cruise on that ship, and can still see her vividly in her in my memory. Sadly I did not take nearly enough photos.

[soulpony]

It was our upcoming 20th anniversary in 1998 and I thought of a long weekend in a Bahamas resort. The travel agent suggested a cruise on the exact dates I needed at half the price. I was just a 3 night cruise but have been hooked ever since.

 

Wish I could do more.

 

Last year we scored a 13 day TA to Europe for only $349/pp. Those days may be behind us but they are still inexpensive vacations.

 

soulpony

[BigDfromTN]

Our first was in 2004. Our DD was in a group that auditioned for and was accepted to perform a couple of shows on the ship. (No we did not get a discount...) After one of the shows my DW went up to her as she was crying and asked...Whats wrong? DD replied, Nothing is wrong, How many people can say they have danced on the stage of a cruise ship for all those passengers??? She was really pleased to have had that oppurtunity and we had fun Too. Our #9 is scheduled for October and will be Platinum for our cruise next year!!!

 

It truly is an addiction we enjoy!

[egh170]

As a surprise for my wife for our 20th anniversary. The surprise worked. She never knew we were cruising until the limo pulled up to the ship dock. She got hooked and now we cruise usually once every year.

[gtouch]

I won the first cruise in the jewelery industry in a sales contest. We got hooked and keep paying for them now. And now we have to take our daughters so it is even worse.

[hunniebee724]

Our first cruise will be our wedding cruise! We wanted a destination wedding but also knew that some people wouldn't be able to afford the cost of attending, so a cruise wedding was the best of both worlds. We're getting married on embarkation day, so we'll be able to have non-sailing guests, and then we'll cruise to the Eastern Caribbean with 21 of our friends and family members! Only 3 of them have cruised before, so Carnival may have a bunch of new cruise addicts!

[brn2crz]

High School graduation gift.NCL Starward.

[markstudy]

I wanted to do a first class trip to Disney for our Honeymoon. Stay at their deluxe resorts and dine at some really unique Disney restaurants. My wife had never been to Disney World, so I wanted to show her how cool the resort side could be aside from the parks (plus, we are both two big kids at heart).

 

Anyway... my wife agreed, but was then brain-washed by her friends at her bachelorette party, that only a cruise would be romantic enough.

 

So I let her change our plans. I was afraid of getting sea sick on our honeymoon and didn't think I'd like a cruise ship.

 

Well, a rare October hurricane hit and we had to move our wedding date and cancel our cruise (we had insurance and rescheduled for our 1st anniversary). But I got to go on my Disney trip for our honeymoon, trip was excellent- trip photos... for those who don't think Disney can be cool ;)

http://www.panraven.com/mylife/ViewStory.epage?sp=161914&

 

So a year later we went on our first cruise on the Liberty, and I didn't get sea sick... actually we loved it and couldn't wait to go back. My wife how-ever got very scared two nights in rough seas, when all the stuff in our cabin started shaking and making noise as the ship crashed over some big waves. I slept like a baby. She got over her fear, when we went to a show the next night and watched the dancers in high heels dance without missing a beat, she realized that a little rocking wasn't the end of the world. :D (our Cruise report and photos are below in the link- Extreme Pictures... if anyone is interested)

[tonit964]

We actually have two firsts.

Our honeymoon was our very first cruise and then about 8 years later I surprised my hubby with a cruise for his birthday. That was when the addiction really started and it has been in full swing since!:p

[ckekjhaze]

We cruised for the first time because it fit in our schedule. We always went to all-inclusives in the Caribbean but last summer I had my 2 wks vacation set and my kids found out that a soccer camp was moved to Aug, I have to put in for my vacation dates in Apr and can't change it.

So it ended up that I only had 5 days to do something with the kids. We live in CT and found a 5 day Canada cruise leaving from New York, and we loved it! We got an upsell call and ended up in a penthosue suite for only a few hundred more.

Can't wait to cruise again!

[bobbyleduck]

We celebrated our 15th anniversary with our first cruise. It isn't the only way we vacation, but it is a favorite way.

 

Happy cruising to all!

 

Bob

[Zack Adams]

Wifey and I went on a cruise for our honeymoon. We really enjoyed it and went a few more times. This July will be our first cruising with kids trip, so that will be fun. Everyone is excited :) May have to do it more often:D