Cruising in the 1970s

[snaebyllej]

As a youngster I was lucky enough to have sailed on many of the legendary 'ocean liners' as a first class passenger with my parents. Those magnificent ships included the SS Stockholm (she sunk the Andre Doria which I actually walked on during a bon voyage party I attended in NYC with my parents), RMS Queen Mary, RMS Queen Elisabeth, RMS Canbera, the French SS Mermoze, the original SS Rotterdam as well as the SS United States. I keep fond memories of all those voyages.

Like all passengers, I loved the horse racing nights, the ships pool where passengers would try to guess how far the ship traveled overnight (GPS killed that one :rolleyes:), the way the staff performed (almost like Downton Abby) and the specialness of getting dressed up for dinner. Trying to play ping pong on a rolling deck during the day was always a challenge (no stabilizers back then folks :eek:). In the afternoon passengers could go topside near the ships funnel(s) and visit passengers that brought their dogs which stayed in the ships kennels. It was a very different world aboard a ship back then.

Cruise ships have their merits as well as some pitfalls but the birth of the cruise ship industry has given a much larger audience a little taste of the 'good old days' and that is good.

 

You're showing your age; the original Rotterdam sailed from 1873 to 1883; the present one is #6.

 

[sparks1093]

I read an article where the Love Boat TV show introduced the average American to cruising and the industry boomed afterwards. They say the Love Boat was a 7-year TV infomercial for the cruising industry and had a billion $ impact.

 

I can believe that.

[notentirelynormal]

Well, they did have a kids area. There was a (tiny) area on one of the highest decks, aft, which was divided in two. One side was for kids (any age up to 13), and the other was for teens. It's funny -- the entire teen room consisted of a soda bar with three stools, a jukebox and tiny dance floor. The kids room just had stacks of games, lego, a jukebox, and a pachinko game mounted on the wall that was broken every time I was on board.

 

But yes, they did take the kids to other areas to do things, like ping-pong tournaments. One time there was a kids talent show. Several times we got to meet with entertainers on board (including Shari Lewis and "Lamb chop" once).

 

Yes, you are right, there was that kid area. So there was a designated place for the kids so I should have said no area like there is today. I remember that room perfectly. I think my bedroom is bigger. The kids sat at a long table and did crafts. One of the counselors was the tall big haired guy from Pete's Dragon starring Helen Reddy. You'll find him at the back of the group during a crowd scene. You remember better than me but ya, that is what started it for my kids - going back stage and meeting the entertainers. After that they thought it was allowed and expected LOL. I'll never forget my DS who was around 8 coming up to me and saying "hi mom, well got to go mom, doing a back stage tour and meeting all the dancers". And off he went. Of course back then kids had to find entertainment that didn't involved looking down at something held in their hand and totally ignoring life around them.

[Magnum60]

You're showing your age; the original Rotterdam sailed from 1873 to 1883; the present one is #6.

 

 

Woops :eek:. I meant the last steam powered Rotterdam. That would be number 5. I'm still under 100 - I think ;). Thanks for the pictures.

Edited January 6, 2016 by Magnum60

[crusinpsychRN]

On my first cruise in 1964 on the Queen Elizabeth there was first class and everyone else. We had to go down the hall to shower and use the bathroom.

 

The first class theater was gorgeous with red velvet and gold everywhere. The seats were like those in a movie theater. Our theater was a cabin sized room with metal folding chairs and an old fashioned pull down screen where I watched a Peter Sellers movie 3 times.

 

Our waiter took me on a tour of the crew quarters. There weren't many activities other than bingo. My grandmother made me play bingo which I didn't want to do because that was only for old people. I let everyone go in front of me to get a card thinking they'd run out--as if. I won $22!

 

In the morning about 7:45 am a steward would go up and down the halls playing a xylophone tune I'll never forget.

[sail7seas]

You DD must be right around my age. I was born Oct 1971.

 

 

Balconies are a fairly new feature, right? I believe our first cruise - Majesty of Seas did not have balconies. I vaguely remember some commercials from the 1990s promoting balconies as being new on cruise ships.

 

Also am I remembering correctly there used to be a feature where you hit golf balls out into the ocean off the ship's deck?

 

Our second cruise was on Monarch of the Seas when she was new. We had a suite with a verandah. Wasn't she/isn't she a sister to Majesty?

[Magnum60]

Many of those old steamers had their staircases designed in such a way that cabin class passengers and first class passengers were visually and physically kept apart unless out on deck. It was almost impossible for a cabin class passenger to 'accidentally' get into any first class area (doors from the promenaded and boat decks were usually maned by an attendant). The movie Titanic demonstrated that quite well. Private bathrooms were a first class luxury. Cabin class passengers might get a sink and mirror in their cabin but the toilets and showers were 'down the hall'. It wasn't that long ago that the majority of hotels in Europe were configured the same way. Back then there were no veranda state rooms and portholes could actually be opened to let fresh air in. I still remember sticking my head out of those big round portholes while under way :D. Sometimes wet but great fun. Try that today :eek:. I too enjoyed the xylophone player signaling that it was meal time.

 

'......am I remembering correctly there used to be a feature where you hit golf balls out into the ocean off the ship's deck?'

True and you could also skeet shoot of the fantail with real 12 gauge shotguns.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Magnum60

[BeagleOne]

Some things have improved...my family crossed on the QE2 back in 1975 and I remember seeing crew members throwing black plastic bags full of garbage overboard. I think I actually wrote a letter to Cunard about that. I'm sure the letter from a 12 y.o. was the catalyst for stopping that practice. ;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

We started cruising when the ships were tiny -- 18,000 tons and no stabilizers -- Cunard Countess.

Loved standing out on the deck and throwing those streams towards the people standing on the docks.

Cunard even had a list on a stand of all the passengers on board with their cabin numbers.

Yup -- all meals in the dining room. No Lido buffet and you ate at those certain times.

One Christmas when we docked at Havensight in St Thomas, the dock area was small and 3 ships tied up to each other -- 6 ships in 2 columns. Our ship was the 3rd one out. We just showed our paper cruise card as we passed through each ship to get to our ship. Lots of fun and laughter that day.

[cruisemom42]

Our second cruise was on Monarch of the Seas when she was new. We had a suite with a verandah. Wasn't she/isn't she a sister to Majesty?

 

I just read (here on Cruise Critic) that Majesty, still in service with RCL, has only 63 balcony cabins and I believe all of them are suites.

 

So likely the Monarch was similar.

[Magnum60]

Some things have improved...my family crossed on the QE2 back in 1975 and I remember seeing crew members throwing black plastic bags full of garbage overboard. I think I actually wrote a letter to Cunard about that. I'm sure the letter from a 12 y.o. was the catalyst for stopping that practice. ;)

 

Not that long ago the three Seaborne 'Yachts', now owned by Windstar, would grind up all discarded glass and broken dishes into a fine sand and pump them out into the ocean under the ships bottom (all other trash was off loaded in each port). When new, each ship had a 3 foot round glass viewing port down on deck 3 (think glass bottom boat) at the bottom of the aft stairway. From there you could sometimes catch a view of the ship 'making sand'. Those are now gone.

[Haoie]

I always enjoy reading these 'retro' topics [having been born wayyy afterwards I don't know what I missed]

[gooch47]

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.

 

He also made friends with a female dealer in the casino and she used him to practice dealing blackjack. We gave him $100 in spending money and he managed to lose it all on slots in the casino. He'd get chased off but managed to play anyway. They never caught him to learn his name so we didn't learn about it until he finally fessed up that he had no money left.

 

When he was older he won the skeet shooting a couple of times.

[crusinpsychRN]

I miss getting the documents package in the mail. Can't really do the doc dance any more.

 

I wonder what we'll look back on in 10 years to say about today.

Edited January 7, 2016 by crusinpsychRN

[RobinKY]

I miss getting the documents package in the mail. Can't really do the doc dance any more.

 

I wonder what we'll look back on in 10 years to say about today.

 

This could be a fun new topic - predict cruising changes 10 years from now.

[notentirelynormal]

This could be a fun new topic - predict cruising changes 10 years from now.

 

That was fun. You knew your vacation was coming soon.

[cruiserking]

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.

 

There were often meals and desserts prepared at your table. Everyone dressed up most nights. Guests were invited to stay in our cabins until shortly before the ship left port.

 

So many wonderful memories from cruising in the 1970's.

 

Jonathan

Edited January 9, 2016 by cruiserking

[BeagleOne]

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.

 

 

My family did a Panama Canal cruise in the late 1970s on Sitmar's Fairwind. My dad and I stood on the upper observation deck the entire day with our copy of The Path Between The Seas, geeking out. My brother, who was 15, and my mom spent the day at the aft bar drinking chi-chis.

[Jimnbigd]

Old Let's Make a Deal with a Chandris Cruise as a prize:

[GUT2407]

A few things I wish they still had.

 

Skeet shooting

 

Being able to take guests in when you boarded

 

Streamers and confetti as sailing away.

 

Being lead to your cabin when you board (last happened to us in 2004).

 

 

What I don't miss

 

Cost v drunken frat house.

 

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

 

Last year we took the same cruise we took in '04, last year cost LESS. Same days, sane itinerary, equivelant ship (not the same unfortunately) but LESS $$$$.

[notentirelynormal]

A few things I wish they still had.

 

Being lead to your cabin when you board (last happened to us in 2004).

 

Ya, that was a great way to start the cruise.

[Magnum60]

This could be a fun new topic - predict cruising changes 10 years from now.

 

In 10 years cruise ships as we now know them will cease to exist. Instead, 20 story tall resort hotels will be towed from country to country by a gang of huge ocean going tugs. Hey wait, minus the tugs, we already have those :D. How about 150 passenger luxury submarines (limit undersea cruise depths to no more than 150 feet). Those would be great for the many cruise passengers that tend to get sea sick in lumpy weather? A major plus, no life boat drills ;).

[cruznjan]

My first cruise was in 1980. I remember if you had a ship ID card, you could visit the public areas of other ships in port.

[RobinKY]

In 10 years cruise ships as we now know them will cease to exist. Instead, 20 story tall resort hotels will be towed from country to country by a gang of huge ocean going tugs. Hey wait, minus the tugs, we already have those :D. How about 150 passenger luxury submarines (limit undersea cruise depths to no more than 150 feet). Those would be great for the many cruise passengers that tend to get sea sick in lumpy weather? A major plus, no life boat drills ;).

 

For cruising 10 years from now I bet you can look at what they are doing in places like Vegas or other resort type places. The ships are becoming more like the large vegas hotels.

 

Maybe they have this already but I zip lining might be standard. Zip line from back to front or down near water level.

[Magnum60]

Many, many years ago ships had a similar activity. It was called keel hauling. Never really caught on :D