When was your 1st cruise and how much you pay for it?

[MichaelCMTX]

We cheated, my folks said "If you can get yourselves to Miami you can come along with us for free."

 

When someone asks what is the best age for parents to bring their kids along on the cruise, my answer is 41. ;)

[kleo30]

Our first cruise was November 2011. It was 10 night Eastern Caribbean on Explorer. We had a grand suite for $1649 pp.

[BDL]

Our first cruise was on S/S Emerald Seas back in 1981. The 3 Night cruise to the Bahamas ran ~$500pp - and that was an Inside Cabin. (That comes to ~$2,500 in today's dollars.) Could you imagine paying that kind of a price for a 3 night cruise? That just goes to show how much of a value a cruise is today. Plus all the extras / amenities we get today.

 

I found a copy from a brochure back in the '80's - thought everyone would enjoy.

 

We have come a long way. Truly appreciative for what we get for the money today.

 

Wow - Thanks for posting that! That brings back memories! Our first cruise was in early 1987 on the Emerald Seas in an inside cabin. It was either 4 or 5 days. I don't remember how much we paid but it couldn't have been too much as we were young and struggling at the time. It was our first vacation since our honeymoon in 1978. Our 5 year old daughter went to Grandma's house. She's 33 now and hooked on cruising too!

 

It was more than a decade to the next cruise but now we're hooked!

[lenquixote66]

I did a search and couldn't find anything similar to this.......so here goes.....

So not only price you paid, but what was the ship and cabin type (some of you may need to burn some brain cells to come up with this :D )

My first cruise was April 1987 on the (original) Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam......I think we paid in the neighborhood of about $599 pp for pretty much an entry level inside cabin.

I'm thinking that in the price was the port taxes of about ? $39pp and Gov't taxes of probably like $15pp.......those are a little different now. :cool:

 

As a sidebar, has anybody gone through the Panama Canal in the last year or so? For a 10 night cruise, you're looking at about $600pp for both of those taxes !! (give or take depending on the cruise line) They're going to have that new canal paid off in no time......do the math......how much they making off that ship ? :eek: Mind boogling

 

My first cruise was a 7 day to Bermuda.My wife and I paid $695 for both of us on the Cunard Ambassador for an Oceanview cabin.

[Jessejo]

Our first cruise in 1986 was on the Ocean Islander (Ocean Cruise Lines). Round trip from Copenhagen to Norway (Bergen, Stravenger, et al) - 7 days. Saw an ad in the San Francisco Chronicle and took it to a local TA - she asked if we wanted her to shop around for us - I said, no, this is where we want to go. What a surprise - the ship had 250 passengers. We'd never seen a cruise ship before, so thought it was huge. Our table mates, who'd been on other cruises were very disappointed. It was rather old, our ocean view stateroom ran lengthwise and had 2 portholes. Price, including rt airfare from San Francisco, was $1,500 per person. The only entertainment that I remember is Bingo - and I don't think there was a charge for it. The tiny casino had 1 blackjack table, 2 slots and maybe a pinball machine. I don't remember the food - but we had a great table for 8 - and had a fun time with the waiters.

Edited September 13, 2014 by Jessejo

[mulan1123]

If I remember correctly, I think it was about $900 for an inside balcony on Oasis in January 2013. And I think my parents averaged out the price for 4.......

 

Now we are booked on Freedom for November during the 3rd and 4th person free for about $1800 total for 4 people inside cabin..... on was willing to pay extra for a balcony but my parents said if you're willing to be an inside cabin we'll pay for it and you just need to pay for airfare. I was like SOLD! Lol

Edited September 13, 2014 by mulan1123

[copi2boys]

My first cruise was on HA Volendam with 2 girlfriends. With airfare froM Ny we each paid $700. Had a porthole. Took DH on the Oceanic in 1983 out of NYC. Don't remember the price but the food was outstanding!!

[Valiamo]

Our first cruise was in 1988 on the Carnival Holiday. If I remember correctly it was around $700 pp for an outside cabin for the week.

 

We were on the Holiday in Feb 1986. Cannot remember the cost, but I know we had an inside cabin. Still have the acrylic keepsake from the ship that they gave us for our our honeymoon trip.

[dancinman66]

Only one I found info still was 1977 Arcadia 14 nights 2800 for four

 

 

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[billsgal]

On the Carla C in 1980, cost was about $900.00 per person in an inside cabin with an upper and lower bunks. Six ports in seven days out of San Juan. Figured it was a once in a lifetime trip, so we wanted the most ports for our money!

 

After over 700 days at sea, we have graduated to balconies or suites, and love sea days!

 

First RoyalCaribbean cruise was on Song of Norway in 1983 in an outside room with a double bed. Cost was around 1200 pp.

 

When we started cruising there were two seatings, early and late. No buffets for breakfast or lunch, if you had early seating breakfast was at 7, lunch at noon, and dinner at 6. Late breakfast was at 8:30' lunch at 1:30, and dinner at 8:30. Midnight buffet every night.

 

Found a brochure a few years ago for the first sailing season of Song of America. Outside cabin with air was $1500 pp, how much would that be in today's dollars? That certainly made us appreciate the ships of today with all the bells and whistles.

 

 

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[gw2fll]

On the Carla C in 1980, cost was about $900.00 per person in an inside cabin with an upper and lower bunks. Six ports in seven days out of San Juan. Figured it was a once in a lifetime trip, so we wanted the most ports for our money!

 

After over 700 days at sea, we have graduated to balconies or suites, and love sea days!

 

First RoyalCaribbean cruise was on Song of Norway in 1983 in an outside room with a double bed. Cost was around 1200 pp.

 

When we started cruising there were two seatings, early and late. No buffets for breakfast or lunch, if you had early seating breakfast was at 7, lunch at noon, and dinner at 6. Late breakfast was at 8:30' lunch at 1:30, and dinner at 8:30. Midnight buffet every night.

 

Found a brochure a few years ago for the first sailing season of Song of America. Outside cabin with air was $1500 pp, how much would that be in today's dollars? That certainly made us appreciate the ships of today with all the bells and whistles.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Here's a site you can use to convert dollars from the past to today: Click Me

 

You can also find it by searching for "Measuring Worth", then select "Relative Values - US".

 

On the right hand side, enter the year you are starting with, the dollar amount in question, and Desired Year "2013". (Can't go to 2014 yet.) then click "Calculate" button. The following screen will display several values for the conversion of $1500pp to 2013 with explanations for each.

 

Enjoy...

[Philly Steve]

Our first cruise was in 1994 aboard the SS Norway. We had a cabin on the top deck. I recall the bathroom had a tub, so I assumed all cruise ship baths had one. Later I would learn most did not, but had rather "affectionate" shower curtains! It was about 2.5k and included air fare.

[nelblu]

Here's a site you can use to convert dollars from the past to today: Click Me

 

You can also find it by searching for "Measuring Worth", then select "Relative Values - US".

 

On the right hand side, enter the year you are starting with, the dollar amount in question, and Desired Year "2013". (Can't go to 2014 yet.) then click "Calculate" button. The following screen will display several values for the conversion of $1500pp to 2013 with explanations for each.

 

Enjoy...

 

Thanks, good stuff. Mine would cost $1,290 for an interior cabin.

[bibiinri]

This wasn't my first cruise but it certainly was my least expensive. One month after 9-11, I happened to be in Miami visiting friends and we decided on the spur of the moment to hop on a cruise ship (Norwegian Wind) for a five-day Western Caribbean cruise. They were literally begging for passengers, since most of the already booked passengers had canceled due to travel fears right after the attack, and I paid the princely sum of.......$110!!! TOTAL!!! That's a true story. The ship had escort military-type boats both in the US and Mexico but other than that, it was a typical wonderful fun-filled cruise. Can anybody out there top that?

[lvetocruise2012]

Sovereign of the Seas August 2005 $800 for two....It was a 4 night Bahamas in a Porthole stateroom on deck 2.

 

 

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Edited September 13, 2014 by lvetocruise2012

[zuggie]

1990 on Commodore Cruise Line - a rusty tub called the Enchanted Seas. $799pp for an inside cabin so small it had bunk beds! And we thought that was a bargain. This was an old ship carrying under 700 passengers sailing 7 days voyages year round from New Orleans. We ended up sailing her three more times before Commodore went kaput. This was the most rinky-dink ship we've ever been on, but we had the most fun on her. Commodore got us hooked on cruising, and at the time never dreamed we'd go on to do over 70 cruises (to date) all over the world.

[John Reid]

March 28, 2007

Enchantment out of FLL

4 nights / Key West and Coco Cay

Started with $599 pp balcony, but by cruise date we were in an aft junior suite for $549 pp.

[nelblu]

1990 on Commodore Cruise Line - a rusty tub called the Enchanted Seas. $799pp for an inside cabin so small it had bunk beds! And we thought that was a bargain. This was an old ship carrying under 700 passengers sailing 7 days voyages year round from New Orleans. We ended up sailing her three more times before Commodore went kaput. This was the most rinky-dink ship we've ever been on, but we had the most fun on her. Commodore got us hooked on cruising, and at the time never dreamed we'd go on to do over 70 cruises (to date) all over the world.

 

Gee, it brings back wonderful memories. Before becoming Enchanted Seas she was called Queen of Bermuda and we sailed her and her sister ship Bermuda Star from New York to Bermuda. My best man, was the cruise director on the Bermuda Star. They were aged, but the food was pretty good by today's standards. I remember on one of the BS cruises, half of the cabins had trouble with air conditioners, but we were lucky.

[dcourt]

My first cruise was on the Nordic Empress, Royal Caribbean, in March 2003 the cost for 2 total was $601 for an oceanview cabin on a 7 day Western Caribbean itinerary.

I sure miss those days!!!

[Folk Singer]

My first cruise was on Home Lines Oceanic. I believe I paid about $545.

 

 

Ours was 3 years ago on Oasis I think we paid with RT, airfare 1500.00 per person.

[Cruzbear24]

Our first cruise was on Star Cruise Line, ship: Superstar Virgo, balcony cabin. 5 days from Singapore along the straits of Malacca and return. Cost $650pp. Airfare from Australia claimed on Frequent flyer points. The cruise was heavily marketed in India and we had women in Sari's trying to get in the main pool :-)

Have now done 10 cruises and 2 more booked. Happy Days.

[phoenix1181]

December 8, 1990 / Sovereign of the Seas / 7 night Eastern Caribbean / Junior Suite (before they started calling it a JS) / $4,200 including air from Boston / We flew out that morning with no concerns............

[TEXASMUNK]

Grand Suite call for pricing

Terrace Suite $1,900 p.p.

Junior Suite $1,690 p.p.

Outside $1.500 p.p.

Inside $910 p.p.

 

 

LOL, Maybe this is why I shake my head when folks get upset that their $595 p.p. price went down by ten cents after final payment!

 

Oh, it was a whole lot more expensive when the SS Norway cam on the scene with NCL!!!!!!!!

 

You paid for the excitement of being on the SS Norway (formerly the SS France)

 

PS. prices are from the 1981 brochure, the price you saw was the price you paid.

[griffy116]

Around 1984. The cruise experience was QUITE different. Our bathroom had this wooden-type floor with a drain. The shower just poured all over everything..toilet got drenched as you showered and you were standing in water that drained. We cruised with our two daughters in an inside cabin. Two sets of bunks and we could shake hands they were so close together. It was a 3 day cruise to the Bahamas. The dining room didn't have a view outside...AT ALL, but was very fancy. Not a lot of activities that I remember but we had a great time. Because of a lot of other things happening, we didn't cruise again until many years later. Can't remember the cost.

[oneputt18]

Our first cruise was on the Nordic Empress (later changed to Empress of the Seas) in 1992, $800 for both of us on a four night Bahamas cruise, oceanview cabin.