Favorite experience from your first cruise?!

[shipshape sam]

DW and I were at our cruise friend's home last night and we were reminiscing over fun times on our many cruises together. Which one was our individual favorite and why?

 

I was thinking about what we talked and laughed about then asked 'What did you enjoy about our first cruise."

 

For me, it was Sovereign of the Seas in 1998. We were 4 couples, all celebrating our 20th anniversaries. Mine was the following.

 

What we laughed about the most last night was that it seemed each successive night on our 3 night cruise, we started at 8 deserts and on the last night had 12 between the 8 of us. Sharing and creating some fun memories still after 17 years! :). We also enjoyed a bottle of wine each night and it seemed we finished the bottle earlier each night.

 

Share your favorite memory from your first cruise!

[Cruisingthesuitelife]

For me, it was the friends I made on our dinner table. We laughed constantly and enjoyed getting to know them and celebrating a birthday and anniversary during the week with them. They have become long-standing friends and I look forward to when I can cruise with them again.

[misha1]

What a great thread idea...our first cruise was in the year 2000 on Celebrity Mercury. It was DH's idea and I thought...4 days on Carnival. Thank goodness my TA talked me into a 7 day sailing on Celebrity. I was 42 and DH was 52 and I do not think we would have liked theCarnival atmosphere. We also love sitting around and talking about our cruise experiences with our friends who also enjoy sailing. I think everything we did on our first cruise was awesome, so to pick out a memory to share is tough. I think the pomp and circumstance of Formal night is what I loved best...still do....we have formal night rituals, including at home prior to sailing. We pack our formal clothes first, with reverence and champagne toasts. We "prepare for dinner" with wine and apps, then a visit to our fave on board bar, and finally formal portraits...Fun, Fun, Fun!

[RocketMan275]

We had a bottle of wine left on the last night. We cruised through the buffet and loaded up on some rolls, fruit, crackers, and cheese. We had a small romantic dinner on our aft balcony. We have now established this as our cruise tradition.

[CntPAcruiser]

The experiences we remember best from that first cruise are:

 

1. The overall magnificence of the ship (so we felt, never having been on one before).

2. The wonderful relaxation of the solarium in the afternoon, in the pool and whirlpools, chatting with our newfound cruise friends.

3. That first serendipitous excursion, in this case our first time snorkeling from cat sail we walked up to on the beach in Aruba.

 

So much about that first cruise was exciting because of how new it was.

[GUT2407]

This wasn't RCI who I still haven't sailed with, but what really struck me was the willingness of total strangers to include you now you were a part of the "Cruise Family".

[Margy23]

What a good idea for a thread!

 

Our first cruise was on Norwegian Starward in 1979. We have two favorite memories:

 

Taking part in the "Meet the People of Jamaica" program, which included sightseeing with a local family in Port Antonio and having lunch in their home. Our obligation was to take part in a panel discussion later in the week to share our experiences.

 

Winning the Best Costume contest. Only costumes made from supplies they provided were eligible. My husband and I wore black shorts, long-sleeved white shirts, pantyhose (yes, he did), and long black wigs. Over our shoulders we had poster board with large black circles to simulate dice. We called our entry Caribbean Paradise (or pair o' dice). I remember that second place went to the Ayatollah Cockamamie.

 

I look forward to reading about other people's first cruise memories.

 

Margy

[TamaLee]

Seeing the ship for the first time. It was like a kid at Christmas. Of course the Viking Serenade that we sailed on was about the size of the Oasis/Allure's tender. I still love that first glimpse of our ship on sail away day!

[TPCRUISER2]

Thanks! My first cruise was on the Carnival Mardi Gras! And learned the

electric slide as the ship was going from side to side as I was also.

 

But my favorite ship of all time was the Empress of the seas! Had so

much fun. And so many memories with friends and family! And one

the destinations still remains my favorite-BERMUDA!

[skandls]

On our first cruise our waiter 'snuck' us down into the crew only section of the ship. It was on the QE2 in the early 80s. So much smoke and such a crowded bar - I needed to us the bathroom and they sent a lookout for me as the facilities were coed.

 

We naïve Calif residents did not conform to the 'up' class in the Queens Grill. We had been upgraded and found ourselves surrounded by tuxes - jewels - gowns and so much more.

[shipshape sam]

We had a bottle of wine left on the last night. We cruised through the buffet and loaded up on some rolls, fruit, crackers, and cheese. We had a small romantic dinner on our aft balcony. We have now established this as our cruise tradition.

 

Like your tradition!

[shipshape sam]

Seeing the ship for the first time. It was like a kid at Christmas. Of course the Viking Serenade that we sailed on was about the size of the Oasis/Allure's tender. I still love that first glimpse of our ship on sail away day!

 

I agree with you!!! As you say, even today there is the sense of excitement as you approach the port terminal and see the ship!

[createcolorfun]

ours also was the sovereign in 1998. the waiters we had were the best, and i don't think we have had any others that were as fun and good as them. We have always had good waiters, but maybe cause it was the first. The photographer was really great too. we loved it so much we booked another cruise 6 mos later.

The Sovereign was a good looking ship and i loved that great be huge time piece in the middle of the ship!

[DAllenTCY]

I recall the practice of throwing streamers off the ship as you departed the pier. Of course the dock was loaded with friends and relatives seeing you off in those days.

I also remember skeet shooting off the stern....just watching was fun, but deafening.

Lastly, I recall caviar....and salads and pastas made to order tableside in the main dining room.

Those were the days.

 

David

[molsonschooner]

My favourite memory from our first cruise was coming to the pier in a taxi, seeing the ship and saying "wow, look at the size of this ship". This was the Carnival Triumph. Since then we have only been on one ship that was smaller, that being the Radiance. All other ships we have been on have been much bigger.

[Paulette3028]

Our first cruise was on Navigator in 2004. The year before we had moved to S. Florida and this cruise was a time when we would go on vacation with our dearest friends from the 'old neighborhood'. The other couples had all cruised before and one of the couples took care of making all of our arrangements, because we knew nothing -- not what deck to pick, not what type of cabin or where on the ship. We just knew when to be packed and ready to head to port. They flew down the day before and we were going to have great time together.

 

My favorite experience was the feeling of walking onto the ship that first time....it was mesmerizing. The problem is after that we remember very little. So our plan is to go back on Navigator when she returns to call her home port, Port Everglades in a few months.

 

Now years later we joke about our dear friends who had been on many cruises prior to that first one for us. They were always telling us, what to make sure we should see or what we should do next or how we should enjoy something on the ship or in port.

 

So now my advice to people who are travelling with newbie cruisers -- let the newbies do some investigating on their own....maybe they will find some things to do that they like, that you don't.

[shipshape sam]

I recall the practice of throwing streamers off the ship as you departed the pier. Of course the dock was loaded with friends and relatives seeing you off in those days.

I also remember skeet shooting off the stern....just watching was fun, but deafening.

Lastly, I recall caviar....and salads and pastas made to order tableside in the main dining room.

Those were the days.

 

David

 

For sure you sailed your first cruise in an era of many neat experiences. I always thought of shooting skeet was a neat idea when watching it or reading about it.

[shipshape sam]

Our first cruise was on Navigator in 2004. The year before we had moved to S. Florida and this cruise was a time when we would go on vacation with our dearest friends from the 'old neighborhood'. The other couples had all cruised before and one of the couples took care of making all of our arrangements, because we knew nothing -- not what deck to pick, not what type of cabin or where on the ship. We just knew when to be packed and ready to head to port. They flew down the day before and we were going to have great time together.

 

My favorite experience was the feeling of walking onto the ship that first time....it was mesmerizing. The problem is after that we remember very little. So our plan is to go back on Navigator when she returns to call her home port, Port Everglades in a few months.

 

Now years later we joke about our dear friends who had been on many cruises prior to that first one for us. They were always telling us, what to make sure we should see or what we should do next or how we should enjoy something on the ship or in port.

 

So now my advice to people who are travelling with newbie cruisers -- let the newbies do some investigating on their own....maybe they will find some things to do that they like, that you don't.

 

So true about the element of surprise and wonderment!

[angelinaxox1]

Just like Margy23, my first ship was the Norwegian Starward. It was May 1986 and I missed a week of school. There were only two other kids onboard, but I didn't care. I traveled with my parents, aunts, uncles and older cousins. My uncle forgot his dress shoes so he wore his sneakers even on formal night and we still laugh about it. It is still one of my most favorite cruises and we still consider it To have had the best food we have ever had on a cruise. The ship was only about an 18,000 ton ship but I had so much fun. Nowadays I chuckle when I hear others say a 90,000 ton ship is small. Our ports were Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and NCL's private island. This cruise is the reason why I am still cruising all these years later as an adult.

[shipshape sam]

Just like Margy23, my first ship was the Norwegian Starward. It was May 1986 and I missed a week of school. There were only two other kids onboard, but I didn't care. I traveled with my parents, aunts, uncles and older cousins. My uncle forgot his dress shoes so he wore his sneakers even on formal night and we still laugh about it. It is still one of my most favorite cruises and we still consider it To have had the best food we have ever had on a cruise. The ship was only about an 18,000 ton ship but I had so much fun. Nowadays I chuckle when I hear others say a 90,000 ton ship is small. Our ports were Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and NCL's private island. This cruise is the reason why I am still cruising all these years later as an adult.

 

Pretty neat about missing school for your first cruise. Interesting also about the ports you went to in 1986. I am sure they have changed.

 

Were you able to dock in Grand Cayman or did you tender?

Edited February 9, 2015 by shipshape sam

[Janet524]

Our first cruise was on Song of Norway in 1986. The most memorable event was being invited to dine with the captain! To this day I'll never know why first time cruisers would have been invited, but we were. It was the last formal night and was the perfect ending to a perfect cruise!

[OCruisers]

Oh, Gosh, my first cruising experience was on a high school senior cruise to the Bahamas way back in 1961 ... but it gave me a lifetime love of cruising.:)

Also ... a lifetime hate for Sloe Gin. :D .... :p

LuLu

[nimbex1970]

It was the excitement of the sail away party, it set the stage for a week of excitement. I love to be out on deck, sun setting, horn tooting, wind blowing as I feel the first ship movement of the cruise:D

[DreamingBig1]

We went on the Disney Wonder for a four day cruise as a family. I don't know about anybody else but four days go's by very fast.

 

Not having sailed before it took a couple days to get a hang of the whole thing. We never checked out this site and never knew what to expect. As the cruise was only a couple days the whole thing went by in a blur.

 

Those couple days made us want to cruise again. So much to do, see and experience.

 

For us, the kids were younger and the best part of our first cruise was seeing them have such a fun time and experiencing a cruise vacation with them.

[RN4Nsy]

The instant I realized all those "crazy cruisers" were on to something. Also the fun you can have by saying, "where are you from" and it leads to a wonderful relationship with everyone on board.

 

Fantastic thread by the way.

 

Myra