On this 100th Anniversary......

[MrPete]

I just popped in a video of my 1990 cruise on the Jubilee, out of the port of Los Angeles, to the Mexican Riveria.

 

My first cruise with a camcorder, 3rd cruise overall, second time on this ship. I don't think I've watched this video in 21 years, so the colors are still quite vibrant. The music they are playing is typical 1990 fare, but has just switched to Enya's Caribbean Blue, all while a Mexican band plays some Latino selections.

 

I can see the Queen Mary off in the distance, but we are disappointed we are cruising "alone", as the couple we met on our first cruise, who cruised with us on our second, has backed out, due to a death in the family.

 

I see we are docked right next to where the Love Boat sets sail, and I see our cruise director is some British chap named Dave Armor.

 

The water certainly in a different color than our two previous departures from the port of Miami.

 

The harbor is certainly jumping with pleasure craft, everyone waving as they sail by. The ship which appeared so big back then is so small now, and many of the passing faces who eventually looked so familiar back then are nothing but a distant memory.

 

The muster alarms just sounds, and I see we are walking to our cabin to get our life jackets. It's apparently an OV cabin, on the Main deck. Steele Magnolias is on the TV.

 

And finally, anchors aweigh comes blaring over the loudspeakers. We are about to set sail........

 

We have apparently chosen to be starboard aft for this sail away. Seems there are many people to see us off. One of our first sights is a capsized vessel on our left, probably a fourth the size of our ship, as we head for the breakwater, and out to sea......

[MrPete]

I see we are both still smokers here, my final year of doing such. It will be weird if I catch a glimpse of us smoking at our Dining room table.

 

The clocks say 5:45, but our heads say 2:45, after flying cross country that day, the price for flying included in our fare.

 

Going back to our room, I'm amazed how sterile the decor is, compared to today. And that window well, how big it was, comfortable holding both of us when we wanted to just sit and see the sea.

 

I see the old video diary guys are out in full force. I have the one I purchased from them somewhere from our first cruise, which set us back $49. I think I watched part of that once the day it came in the mail.

 

It's also odd seeing the lifeboat so far high up. They just look like they were in the way. Yet 100 years ago, who cared where they could have been stored, eyesore or not.....

[MrPete]

Just watched attending the Welcome aboard show. A comedian, and juggler, and a magician. I remember him being pretty good, and a group of us had struck up a conversation with him in Cabo. Being the CD mentioned his name on the tape, I Googled his name. Sure enough, Bon Borgia is still entertaining in his 25th year, but the big hair and boyish looks are gone.

 

I had forgotten how cold and overcast that first day out of LA is. Empty pool, and hardly anyone on deck.

 

Next is dinner with the flaming Cherries Jubilee parade. If anything else happened in between, that memory is long gone. A nice rendition of O Solo Mio is sung by the staff......

 

After dinner, we are walking down the Promenade. I see it's formal night. Everyone is dressed, yet I see no intrusive photographer stands.

[MrPete]

Tuesday morning, and I see blue skies and plenty of people around the pool sunning. I also see lots of land off the starboard side. This must be the end of Baja California, but we aren't stopping. We won't hit Cabo till the way back.

 

They are condoning off the area in front of the pool, and it looks like they are getting ready for some ice sculpting. I am surprised how. Lose to shore we are, but am also insure if I am overusing the zoom on the camcorder.

 

Next is the pillow fighting, and the band is playing the Lambada. My daughter is now confused, wondering how this song is "so old".

[MrPete]

Next is the men hairy chest contest, and women's bikini contest, followed by a bridge tour, and a beautiful sunset.

[MrPete]

Later that night, a deck party with a Mexacali band.

 

Next morning we are docked in Puerto Vallarta. A walk over to the beach, we take our first and only parasail, before a tour of the city, and purchasing some very inexpensive spirits.

 

Back to the ship for lunch, where there is a walking Mexican band playing all the local music. I still can't see who's sitting at our table. But wow, is the room full. You forget there was no alternative dining back then.

 

Up on deck, the pool is covered and all decorated with balloons. They are getting ready for this evenings deck party.

[MrPete]

Even though we have adjusted our clocks 3 hours back to California time, we have lost two of those hours at our furthest point.

 

Thursday morning, we are in Mazatlan. We take a city tour, which takes us to some cliff diving, and eventually some Aztec show. Again, it's so hot, and so humid. For some reason, we stop everywhere to see iguana, especially when they are rooftop.

 

For dinner, another parade of flaming food, followed by the very famous Bedtime Story done by Mr Armor, followed by the passenger talent show.

[LizaMM]

This is a fun thread!!

 

Thanks for sharing your walk down memory lane