A Fond Farewell to......

[Eglesbrech]

Well the "e-tickets" are in and I must admit it struck me that life has changed a lot.

 

The first Cunard cruise I did many years ago on QEII the tickets were printed on a good quality velum and came in a lovely leather wallet. I still have the little wallets and other bits and bobs from these cruises. (I won,t be retaining the e-ticket for obvious reasons)

 

We left the harbour with steamers and a brass band.

 

There were lots of nice little touches which are long gone (but cruises are much cheaper so something has to give).

 

What is your favourite memory of the old days?

[Classiccruiser777]

When we fist stepped on the QE2 a white gloved attendant took our hand luggage and escorted us to our cabin. And we also miss the single seating Caronia Restaurant and how the waiters knew what you wanted.

[pmb1]

... What is your favourite memory of the old days?

In New York, being able to visit ships on embarkation day in return for a 50 cents contribution to the Old Sailors' Home. And attending sail away parties on board that lasted until the "All non-passengers must go ashore now!" announcement.

[Jimsgirl]

A correctly laid table in the dining room, a waiter who greeted me with "good evening " who indicted any specials, and the alternatives if I did not seem to like the listed dishes.

 

If I used the Buffet, a waiter who assisted by carrying my tray and who found me a place to sit.

[balf]

Being able to reserve a deck chair for the whole voyage on the sun deck, with an attached card with your name on it which gradually got bleached away.

 

And the Cunard Diva in full voice.

 

David.

[Classiccruiser777]

And, unfortunately, teak decks seem to be on their way out.

[turquoise 6]

In New York, being able to visit ships on embarkation day in return for a 50 cents contribution to the Old Sailors' Home. And attending sail away parties on board that lasted until the "All non-passengers must go ashore now!" announcement.

amazing how it was. The Bon Voyage parties. I remember sailing from Manhattan in Hot hot summers , going on board with the welcomed air conditioning. Bon Voyage parties and guests ,Champagne ,canapes, women with bon voyage flowers pinned on the dresses.

on one sailing in August on he S/S France from NY,there was a large Bon Voyage party adjacent to our stateroom and the guests included Paul Ford,Orsen Bean ,Arlene Francis

When the call came "all ashore who's going ashore" guests left and passengers when to the Promenade deck to throw confetti .all very exciting

[Andiamo]

In New York, being able to visit ships on embarkation day in return for a 50 cents contribution to the Old Sailors' Home. And attending sail away parties on board that lasted until the "All non-passengers must go ashore now!" announcement.

 

The only time I was on QE2. My Mom had a Bon Voyage Party on board. Sadly, I was too young to be impressed, and now too old to remember all the details. I am grateful for old movies to satisfy my hunger for this nostalgia.

 

Jeanne

[fantasy51]

I don't miss my first 'cruise', which I can't remember at all though my mother occasionally speaks of it. On 11th November 1953 we took the boat train from Waterloo Station to Southampton to board the 'New Australia' as migrants.

 

Men had cabins on one side of the ship while women were on the other. They met up on deck during the daytime. My mother, my two sisters and I were in a cabin along with another woman and her three children.

 

My mother remembers the seasickness and the smell of the salt water in the toilets.

 

Somehow my mother managed to make fancy dress costumes out of crepe paper for us for the crossing the line party.

 

In the past year it has been a delight to me to visit Gibraltar and the Suez Canal on cruises and to remember my parents' bravery.

 

My mother, my sisters and I will get together this year on 11/12/13 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of our arrival in Melbourne. (Unfortunately we'll have to celebrate it in Brisbane, where my mother and one sister live!)

[fantasy51]

For those who are knowledgeable about ships, this was the ex 'Monarch of Bermuda', which had been a troopship during the war.

[Jim Avery]

In New York, being able to visit ships on embarkation day in return for a 50 cents contribution to the Old Sailors' Home. And attending sail away parties on board that lasted until the "All non-passengers must go ashore now!" announcement.

 

I am enjoying remembering all these posts and especially this one. I got to wander through the Michelangelo, Rafaello, Independence, France, second Mauretania, and United States this way. Not a bad way to spend Fifty cents!. Was invited into a Bon Voyage party on the France so got a couple of free drinks for my Fifty Cents.:D Speaking of drinking, I miss the cash pay as you go bars. Not only did it make you aware of what you were spending, but you also got to determine what you tipped each barman. If you had a favorite bar person, you tipped them well and, as is custom in many Pubs, occasionally they would buy you one. Very civilized.:eek::D

[Louise D]

Being able to reserve a deck chair for the whole voyage on the sun deck, with an attached card with your name on it which gradually got bleached away.

 

And the Cunard Diva in full voice.

 

David.

 

That is certainly something I remember, but I would not use the term "fondness" to describe what was essentially indescribable.

 

Louise

[Germancruiser]

Oh well one has to go with the flow i suppose- Newer ships don´t even have propper prommenade decks anymore. I can live with that plastic replacement of a nice teak deck, but those new " prommenades" NO GO!

We said " a fond farewell" to so many nice perks. For example on board every Celebrity ship on the very last night, the lights were dimmed and we all joined hands for this nice " Auld lang syne!" Gone! Midnight Buffets- Gone ( not a to bad idea- though)

At the end of my very first cruises on big ships ( Grandeur and other Vision Class ships) every cabin got a passenger list- nice perk- GONE! The whole tipping experience changed a lot- I am still not sure what I like more the ( I must admit) convinient cash less tipping from nowadays or the bills folded into an envelope- sometimes a few nice lines of " Thank you" attached to them.

What will go next??

Michael

[turquoise 6]

For those who are knowledgeable about ships, this was the ex 'Monarch of Bermuda', which had been a troopship during the war.

The Monarch Of Bermuda was of the Furness line, it sailed from NY to Bermuda,along with the Queen Of Bermuda.

[cruisecountess]

I remember touring the S.S. United States on a third grade field trip. I was amazed by the size and elegance of it and wondered how it could stay afloat. Little did I know that decades later I would be sailing on a ship to Bermuda. Now I look forward to my first Cunard sailing in Aug. Many cruises, on four different lines, have been enjoyed in between but one always remembers "the first time.":D

[ToadOfToadHall]

All the above descriptions sounds like the 1920s to me !

[Jim Avery]

All the above descriptions sounds like the 1920s to me !

 

Actually, most of it continued on into the 1970's.:D

[lannp]

A correctly laid table in the dining room, a waiter who greeted me with "good evening " who indicted any specials, and the alternatives if I did not seem to like the listed dishes.

 

If I used the Buffet, a waiter who assisted by carrying my tray and who found me a place to sit.

 

If the table is incorrectly laid, what is wrong with it?

[keithm]

Well the "e-tickets" are in and I must admit it struck me that life has changed a lot.

 

The first Cunard cruise I did many years ago on QEII the tickets were printed on a good quality velum and came in a lovely leather wallet. I still have the little wallets and other bits and bobs from these cruises. (I won,t be retaining the e-ticket for obvious reasons)

 

We left the harbour with steamers and a brass band.

 

There were lots of nice little touches which are long gone (but cruises are much cheaper so something has to give).

 

What is your favourite memory of the old days?

We still have the leatherett wallets from 2004-06 on QM2. We still use them for our papers. Our TA prints the e-tickets on high quality laminate paper, so at least they have some of the appearance of yesteryear.

[keithm]

A correctly laid table in the dining room, a waiter who greeted me with "good evening " who indicted any specials, and the alternatives if I did not seem to like the listed dishes.

 

If I used the Buffet, a waiter who assisted by carrying my tray and who found me a place to sit.

I still saw some of that on QV last year.They really only assisted those who were in desperate need of help. In 2004 on QM2 we had them offer to carry our trays to a seat.Much has changed.

[Whitemarsh]

We still have the leatherett wallets from 2004-06 on QM2. We still use them for our papers. Our TA prints the e-tickets on high quality laminate paper, so at least they have some of the appearance of yesteryear.

 

They are still providing leatherette wallets in Queens Grill. These are from 2013.

 

[pmb1]

They are still providing leatherette wallets in Queens Grill. These are from 2013.

 

Gosh! The you must have a much fancier printer than I for printing your e-ticket.

[Whitemarsh]

Gosh! The you must have a much fancier printer than I for printing your e-ticket.

 

How so?

[pmb1]

How so?

Never mind. My wife agrees with you that my attempt at technological drollery fell flat.

[MadScientist_01]

Get yourself a 3D printer and you can create your very own little model of QM2 to keep your documents in :D