Memories of your first cruise with Carnival

[chachi]

I remember buying 7 new dresses so I could wear one each night to dinner. I used to get a lot more dressed up than I do now. I haven't even worn a dress on my last 3 cruises. I also remember bringing one suitcase just with shoes and purses, not anymore.

 

I also remember having my first frozen Midori Sour! It is the best drink I ever had.

[Knights on the Beach]

Celebration -- a small ship by today's standards but seemed huge to us at the time. ;) Our sons were 12 and 5 and they loved it! Our 5 y/o fell in love with the Camp Carnival counselors and wanted to spend every waking moment with them. He refused to get off the ship in the ports, so we let him stay with his new "girlfriends". :p

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

First Carnival cruise was with my DW (gf at the time). It was on the Triumph out of Miami to San Juan, St Thomas, St Croix. We had a wonderful time. We flew in the day before and stayed in a hotel across from Bayside. When we got up in the morning, I told her that she had to look at the huge ships. She looked out the window at the yachts in the bay. I then pointed out the "real ships" to her. I never saw her shower and get ready so fast.

[deeolasingh]

My first Carnival cruise was on the Destiny out of PR in 2007 I celebrated my 35th birthday while on that cruise we were in St Lucia that day.... Boy do I love Carnival...

[patrice1]

In 1990, we cruised RCCL's Nordic Empress in her maiden year. It was a 4 day, so we would not be on too long if we didn't like cruising - awesome! After a few other cruises on X, RCCL & NCL we finally tried CCL.. Prior to that we had bought into all the "Walmart of Cruises" crap. The '06 Triumph changed us forever! We are now very loyal to CCL because of price & value - it just can't be beat!:D

[Fergus]

My dh WON our first cruise at his company Christmas party! It was either 1985 or 86, and I THINK the ship was the Mardi Gras to Nassau. We were fortunate enough to have a cabin with a port hole (which was so high up I couldn't see anything but sky!), bunk beds, carpet like they use on putt putt courses, and a bathroom so small you had to step into the shower to close the door behind you! Our neighbors fought the entire cruise - one or the other was out in the hall wailing all night, every night. There was an indoor movie theater with wooden seats, and you had to step over the thresholds where the doors were. The dining room was way down low in the ship and the waiters came out of the kitchen dancing with the flaming baked Alaska on their heads!

 

How fortunate it was that we won that first cruise, because I'm not sure we would ever have tried it otherwise. But now we're cruised many times, taken our kids many times, and just yesterday booked another one with the kids!

[mohavemommy]

1986 on the Carnivale.... the beginning of it all.

 

 

 

[Shewuf]

My first cruise was years ago on the Carnival Mardi Gras. The cabins were more like tin cans - all metal. I got seasick between the Bahamas and Port Canaveral, and I swore I would never cruise again. A few years ago, my husband lured me back on the Ecstasy with a balcony suite, and I was amazed at how much cruise ships had changed. Now, I'm hooked.

[Dolphins]

Our first Carnival cruise was on the wonderful, smoke-free Carnival Paradise. What a refreshing and innovative cruise that was. Sorry to see that noble experiment end because of low bar and casino revenue. We thought the elegant, neon-free, Venetian glass atrium was the most beautiful we have ever seen on any ship. We also enjoyed the music of the Primavera trio in that atrium. Wonderful memories of that ship.

[Jasperdo]

Great photos of the Carnivale, mohavemommy. Thanks for posting them!

[woodiex5]

My first cruise was on the Destiny in February 2000. We were supposed to

go to San Juan, St. Croix and St. Thomas. The ship broke down after 2 days at sea and we never got to any Ports. Carnival flew in people to repair the compulsion unit to the nearest island (Turks and Caicos) and they took a small fishing boat out to our floating ship. They eventually fixed it enough to turn the ship around and slowly make our way back to Miami. We were at sea for five days. Carnival was very good to us while on board and kept us updated to what was happening. We still had a great time but was glad to get back to Miami to get off the ship.

 

We have been on many cruises since and have never missed a Port.

[Biffer1997]

My 1st cruise was my honeymoon cruise in 2000 aboard the Carnival Sensation out of Tampa. I remember sailing under the Sunshine Bridge and eating a TON more food than usual (gotta love that sea air!) The best part was our tablemates--two other couples on their honeymoons as well. We had a fantastic time touring New Orleans together. Also bought into the theory of buying all the pictures the photographers took--have not repeated THAT mistake again, but I do enjoy looking at all the photos from time to time.

[marshhawk]

This is so nice to read the "original" Carnival Cruisers comments. While sailing the MWA we always heard if you like sailing with us you will never love a cruise ship......one towel animal was all it took. That was the Sensation as wedding guests in 2008, then our honeymoon cruise on the Legend earlier this year. We decided we just had to do another cruise...Fascination in December, Yahooo! And planning to put another down payment for the Legend next December. On the way home tonight we decided a cruise a year will make a nice tradition. I need a second job.:eek:

[cruise-a-palooza]

First cruise was 1991 on the Fantasy. We knew nothing about cruising and only found out we were going 2 weeks before we sailed. Filled in as sponsors for a group of teenagers. Our names weren't even the names on the tickets and they almost didn't let us on board. Never would have happened now! We spent the 3 or 4 days on the ship sharing our "twin size" beds because we didn't know they could be put together and certainly didn't ask anyone! HaHa. Didn't figure that one out till we took our second cruise. Oh well... we were young.

[douglinc@msn.com]

We won our 1st. cruise. We did the Celebration out of New Orleans for 7 days, after that we were hooked.

 

Doug

[MustardStation]

I was on the Fantasy, and I was three...so I don't remember much!

[CarnivalFan2]

First Carnival cruise was in 1991 on the brand new Ecstasy, inaugural western caribbean cruise out of Miami. Cruised with my ex-wife & 2 friends who had sailed the Jubilee before.

 

I remember my friends' reaction on the size of the Ecstasy compared to the Jubilee and all the "bells & whistles" of the Ecstasy. She was definitely the "cat's meow" then. The cruise was fantastic; excellent customer service. You could tell the Captain & crew were very proud to be serving on Carnival's newest flagship!

 

I'm in Houston now, and I feel a bond with the Ecstasy, as she has seemed to follow me to Texas. My fiance & I & 2 sons are sailing on her again July 10th...looking forward to seeing her "make-over" after the EOF upgrades :). We're booked in one of the new "tacked-on" balconies.

 

At first, I thought these balconies looked "weird" but, they are growing on me. I now feel they were a good move by Carnival to give customers more balcony stateroom options on the shorter cruises.

 

Marty

[halos]

Memories of your first cruise with Carnival

 

fuzzy :o

(1991 Celebration)

[dmdiver]

1st cruise was on Jubilee. I remember being amazed by the size of the ship, how it was like a floating city. Of course, it is small compared to the newer ships out there, but if you've never been on a cruise ship, even a small one is huge. I felt so pampered, seemed the staff was so attentive & friendly. Each subsequent cruise I feel the same way, still get that lump in my throat when I finally step on board. In fact the lump is coming back just thinking about it.

[starstruck05]

My first cruise was full of firsts. It was '08 on the Sensation out of PC. I had never flown before, Never been to Orlando before, Never been to City Walk before, and Never cruised before. I don't remember when I got hooked but it probaly was the second I stepped on the ship! I loved it! Now I'm addicted and I just got a new job and my first thought was "I can pay for the cruise now!:D:rolleyes:"

[Lady N Red]

My first cruise was the Esctasy, my mom had cruise for several years and was always asking me if i wanted to go. I would always tell her i can't drink all that water. Well one day she brought home the carnival book, i look and read it from cover to cover, i couldn't wait to go. We booked our cruise with air from Fayetteville, NC i was so excited. The first was a 3 day in R74, when i came back home, i wanted to go again, so we booked a 7 day for a few months later.

[sparkscruiser]

My first cruise was on the Tropical - back when you paid for everything in CASH (and I was single)! Took a bit to get my DH interesed, but as you can see from my signature, he is now!

[vikkster]

My first Carnival cruise was the Destiny in 1998 with my 2 single girlfriends.It was also my first balcony. My garment bag was not delivered until we got to our first port (it went on a different ship):(. Thankfully my friends shared their clothes and we had a blast.

I am addicted and can't wait for my 9th Carnival cruise with my husband who is also hooked. His first cruise was the Valor 2006. He learned how to relax on the cruise:o.

[HuggyBee]

Our first cruise was our honeymoon on the Sensation in 1995. We were living in Charleston, SC at the time and almost got bumped off our flight that morning because it was oversold. As a result we were late for our connection in Atlanta. We made it to Miami, but our bags didn't. We waited at the airport for over an hour to see if they came in on the next flight. Fortunately, they did. After a stressful beginning we had a great cruise. We went to the ruins in Tuluum, learned to snorkel in Grand Cayman and climbed Dunns River Falls. Good times.

[MamaTene]

I got the albums from our prior cruises out and have to say...brings back LOTS of memories! Cant believe how much has changed!