Cruising in the 1970s

[mollymom53]

I sailed on the SS Canberra from Honolulu to Vancouver in the summer of 1967. We had friends on board to see us off in Honolulu. I was a teenager and it was so exciting. We were tourist class, but had a first class cabin for some reason. But we couldn't do anything in the first class area except come and go from the cabin.

 

I sailed on the Lofoten in the summer of 1979 from Bergen to North Cape and back to Bergen. We had an inside cabin with bunk beds and the bathroom down the hall. I remember having boiled potatoes twice a day. That was an awesome trip.

 

I didn't cruise again until 2014 to the Caribbean on Carnival. There is no way to compare that cruise to what I did before because they are so different. I loved that trip, too. We sail again on Princess to the Caribbean in March.

[Underwatr]

I remember during our holiday cruises on both the QE2 and the Leonardo Da Vinci, the tables were festooned with special decorations. There Christmas poppers, flags from all of the world in little holders at the center.

QM2 still has the Christmas crackers. Hats and noisemakers at New Year's Eve. No flags.

 

We still get a pre-cruise book in the mail from the UK unless you opt out. There are 3 or 4 luggage tags but no tickets and most of the info is shore excursions that have been posted in the Personaliser for a couple of months by the time you get the book.

Edited January 14, 2016 by Underwatr

[pseudoware]

 

In the 70s cruising was crazy expensive or a drunken party, no inbetween.

 

 

My first cruise was in the 80's in the Caribbean. Next wasn't until 2007. Been on several since, but nothing compares to the 1st one, which seemed like a wild free-for-all. Some very fond memories... 😀

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[Magnum60]

"I sailed on the SS Canberra from Honolulu to Vancouver in the summer of 1967. We had friends on board to see us off in Honolulu. I was a teenager and it was so exciting. We were tourist class, but had a first class cabin for some reason. But we couldn't do anything in the first class area except come and go from the cabin."

 

I sailed on the SS Canberra on her last voyage out of Sydney, Australia. It was her farewell cruise back home to England (we got off in San Francisco). She was in pretty sad shape by then and with her being scheduled to be scrapped no money was going to be spent on her. Hundreds of boats including fire boats shooting streams of water marking he path out to sea accompanied us leaving Sydney Harbor. Thousands of spectators lined the hills and cliffs of the harbor waving goodbye. SS Canberra tried saluting goodbye to her friends by blowing her whistle but the mighty sound her whistle once commanded now sounded like she was in pain. She knew full well that she was dying and would never see Sydney again. SS Canberra's final farewell was very moving.

[RobinKY]

My first cruise was in the 80's in the Caribbean. Next wasn't until 2007. Been on several since, but nothing compares to the 1st one, which seemed like a wild free-for-all. Some very fond memories...

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

How so?

[Univfire]

I've only been on three cruises:

1998 Carnival Sensation

1999 RCI Majesty of the Seas

2003 Disney Wonder

 

Are you telling me that the waiters no longer scrap crumbs off of the table linens?

They no longer serve caviar and escargot?

They no longer carve ice sculptures pool side? Nor do they have an extravagant midnight buffet?

 

I remember the topless deck on the carnival sensation. And the table side flaming desserts. We dressed to the nines at dinner time.

 

Planning a cruise in April on Carnival with my husband who has never cruised. Perhaps I should stop telling him all my wonderful memories of cruising since it seems so much has changed! ;-)

[LMaxwell]

I've only been on three cruises:

1998 Carnival Sensation

1999 RCI Majesty of the Seas

2003 Disney Wonder

 

Are you telling me that the waiters no longer scrap crumbs off of the table linens?

They no longer serve caviar and escargot?

They no longer carve ice sculptures pool side? Nor do they have an extravagant midnight buffet?

 

I remember the topless deck on the carnival sensation. And the table side flaming desserts. We dressed to the nines at dinner time.

 

Planning a cruise in April on Carnival with my husband who has never cruised. Perhaps I should stop telling him all my wonderful memories of cruising since it seems so much has changed! ;-)

 

You will get approximately 3% of that.

 

Maybe an ice carving by the pool. MAYBE.

 

And escargot

Edited January 17, 2016 by LMaxwell

[GUT2407]

I've only been on three cruises:

1998 Carnival Sensation

1999 RCI Majesty of the Seas

2003 Disney Wonder

 

Are you telling me that the waiters no longer scrap crumbs off of the table linens?

They no longer serve caviar and escargot?

They no longer carve ice sculptures pool side? Nor do they have an extravagant midnight buffet?

 

I remember the topless deck on the carnival sensation. And the table side flaming desserts. We dressed to the nines at dinner time.

 

Planning a cruise in April on Carnival with my husband who has never cruised. Perhaps I should stop telling him all my wonderful memories of cruising since it seems so much has changed! ;-)

 

 

We get most of that on Princess, no midnight buffet and no topless deck, but certainly crape crumbs, escargot, ice sculptures and flaming deserts. And many still dress for dinner.

[john watson]

On a Carnival Cruise in 1982, our 14 year old son was served alcohol at a cocktail party. We didn't make a big deal of it, he decided he didn't like alcohol and doesn't drink to this day.

 

 

The waiters on SS France; French Line, poured me and my brother out some wine at the dinner table, when I was seven and seemed to think it strange that my mother did not like the idea. Father said let me try it but it was not pleasant. I do not drink alcohol at all these days either but I do have bottles of the non-alcoholic wine on board which I share with my daughter.

 

Regards John

[GUT2407]

The waiters on SS France; French Line, poured me and my brother out some wine at the dinner table, when I was seven and seemed to think it strange that my mother did not like the idea. Father said let me try it but it was not pleasant. I do not drink alcohol at all these days either but I do have bottles of the non-alcoholic wine on board which I share with my daughter.

 

Regards John

 

 

Pretty standard for France to serve wine to kids.

[Magnum60]

Tap water in France isn't Pierre and not that long ago water in France as well as most other countries in Europe wasn't nearly as clean and taste free as it is these days. Most everyone in Europe typically grew up drinking wine at a much younger age than Americans. Young adults having a glass of wine at diner wasn't considered a 'big deal' like it [still] is in the US. When I was a kid my parents never blinked an eye when I was offered a glass of wine with dinner when sailing to France or England. Good wine, good manners and trans Atlantic ocean liners went hand in hand.

[Sully1975]

On 1/4/2016 at 4:49 PM, DRS/NC said:

Our first cruise was June 1967 on the Sunward (NCL?). I have a photo -- I was wearing a nice dress & white gloves!

 

The next cruise was our first as a family in June 1974 on Sitmar's Fairwind; our DD was 2.5 yrs. They had the first children's program -- a few hours in the morning & in the afternoon & even had a 1.5-2.0 ft. deep pool for the kids! DD adored the whole experience!

 

They also had the first pizza room at sea! All meals in the DR; a few hamburgers/hot dogs on deck on sea days. There were no balconies, just Inside & some Ocean View. And our friends in CA always came on-board to see us off. We'd met on the Fairsea.

 

How we all 3 loved Sitmar! We sailed them almost exclusively until Princess bought them in '83-84.

 

Wow. So close to when my mom was aboard the Fairwind in April of 1974. I think the captain may have been Captain Quartini.

 

Do you happen to know one of the crew named Pietro Fioretti (possibly Feretti)?

 

Thanks for any help!

Scott

Edited December 31, 2018 by Sully1975

[DRS/NC]

Sully 1975 -- sorry, but I don't recall anyone by that name.

[Sully1975]

Thanks. I appreciate it the help, though! Please take care!

Scott

[jlb91454]

WOW this thread sure brought back a lot of memories.   I do remember the horse races and friends/family coming on board to see you off, and standing by the railings waving and the streamers.  

 

I also remember my first cruise on Royal Caribbean; it was on the Sun Viking and in the after noon the would be big group of people and you would walk on the upper deck.   For every lap you completed you were given a Royal Buck and you could buy Royal Caribbean stuff with it (it was like Monopoly money)…….you knew that IF someone was wearing a YELLOW ROYAL CARIBBEAN t-shirt they had walked so many laps.   And they had walked ALOT of laps if they had a Royal Fanny Pack.

 

And you use to be able to visit the bridge without having to pay for a behind the scenes tour

[jlb91454]

WOW this thread sure brought back a lot of memories.   I do remember the horse races and friends/family coming on board to see you off, and standing by the railings waving and the streamers.  

 

I also remember my first cruise on Royal Caribbean; it was on the Sun Viking and in the after noon the would be big group of people and you would walk on the upper deck.   For every lap you completed you were given a Royal Buck and you could buy Royal Caribbean stuff with it (it was like Monopoly money)…….you knew that IF someone was wearing a YELLOW ROYAL CARIBBEAN t-shirt they had walked so many laps.   And they had walked ALOT of laps if they had a Royal Fanny Pack.

 

And you use to be able to visit the bridge without having to pay for a behind the scenes tour

[George C]

My first cruise was a cruise to nowhere out of nyc where I lived in 1975, do not remember name booze/singles cruise,  was still in my 20’s next cruise was 1977 on the great hal ship SS Rotterdam and I have cruised every year since , now have done over 60. Traveled next 12 years and almost 20 cruises with single world, really fun cruises with great host we had best private tours. Got engaged on sovereign of the seas in 1990 and honeymooned on SS Norway in 1991. 

   Food and service was better in old days but not as good as upscale nyc restaurants. Very few children, no water parks on ship , but good entertainment. Definitely more elegant , in 70’s and early 80’s people had suits and ties, preferred entertainment in 80’s on flag ships like SS Norway and sovereign, they had movie stars like Shirley Jones, Al Martino, Red Buttons etc . People now dress like slobs, children running all over . 

[cruisemom42]

On 12/30/2018 at 10:41 PM, Sully1975 said:

 

Wow. So close to when my mom was aboard the Fairwind in April of 1974. I think the captain may have been Captain Quartini.

 

Do you happen to know one of the crew named Pietro Fioretti (possibly Feretti)?

 

Thanks for any help!

Scott

 

Hi Scott -- I saw your enquiry to me elsewhere on the same topic. Unfortunately I don't recall anyone by the name you mention. I was just a kid at the time, so names made little impression on me. Sorry!

[marco]

I remember when you rented a deck chair.   You had an assigned deck chair.  They were nice, wooden chairs with a cushion and the deck attendant would come and put the cushion on the chair for you when you were ready to sit  and he would move the chair if you wanted it relocated.  I think  it was $5 for a 10 day cruise, or there abouts. 

[squick64]

My grandmother always wore a dress and my grandfather a suit and tie.

 

My grandfathers would pretty much wear suits to the beach, back in the day. Or they'd have a dress shirt and no tie--that was about as informal as they got apart from actually being in a swimsuit. Now, it's like pulling teeth to get people to even wear long pants to dinner, never mind a suit or tuxedo. Personally, I'm all for it, but it's not as nice to look at.