Help needed for book on cruising in 1980's

[Flipper133]

Hi all ... I am presently writing my third book in which the main character first cruises in the 1980's and then again in the current period when cruising in and around Aust. really exploded. I have enough experiences from current times to draw upon, but I never cruised back in the days when P&O had ships like the Fairstar (the Fun Ship) which were apparently extremely popular. My searches on the internet have not been that fruitful (although I have discovered many fascinating sites with lovely historical info.). What I am really looking for are details on the "little" things. How did the embarkation and security processes work? Did they have Sea Pass cards and did they use the wonderful "Boooong" machines? What were the arrangements for docking at the Islands .... did they use tenders or were the ships small enough to use a wharf? How did things work regarding dining (and the dress code) and what amusements were there for passengers on board. I would be extremely grateful if anyone can provide some anecdotes and/or examples of how things were back in those days. Cheers FLIPPER

[peter.kath@hotmail.com]

I will definately be looking forward to reading this post.

 

In 1984 myself and 3 friends went on the SS Canberras final voyage. It cost about $1100 at the time which was a lot of money then but we booked early and did the lay-by thing $20 a week for a year.

I must admit we don't pay that much now. Our room was a quad share but the bathrooms and toilets were shared down the hall. You really had to pick your shower time and waiting was common.

 

We left from Circular Quay and it was the whole streamer and fireworks thing. We went to Noumea, Vila, Savu Savu, Lautoka and Auckland so all ports no tenders for us.

 

We just got on the ship with our passport and carried on our own luggage. I will check with my husband when he comes home a few more details as this is where we met. He went with a mate and in those days that filled up the room so he was put in with 2 others he didn't know.

 

You were allocated dining time either early or late and you could not change under any circumstances. There was a lot more rules then. You were required to dress for dinner and if you didn't you weren't getting

in. It was a formal 3 course meal changed nightly we still have the menus, it was a lot classier then what we were used to.

 

As this was our 1st time away on our own we really let our hair down and had a good time. Our day started with room service breakfast (no charge) back to sleep til about 11. Then up to back on the ship for a couple of beers $1 and a swim. You were even allowed the sit on the railings and smoke anywhere. We also played chess and cards.

 

After dressing for dinner we would have pre dinner drinks, Fluffy Ducks, Cherry Advocate or maybe a Tequila Sunrise at the classy Crowns Nest Bar.

 

After dinner we went to the movies, I remember seeing Ghostbusters and Gremlins. And then the disco til 2 or 3 am. That DJ sure loved Billy Ocean and Lionel Ritchie.

 

On Port days we did get up a bit earlier.

 

At Port Vila we had a game of squash then went to a club in the backstreet and played pool.

 

Noumea and Savu Savu were very hot and dirty so we basically just hopped off for a quick look and back to the ship for a swim.

 

Lautoka we took a cruise to Treasure Island.

 

In Auckland we joined some others who had hired a bus, went to Bay of Islands and had Fish and Chips. We stopped at a pub on the way back but they would not let us in because we were Australians. I think it was something to do with sport. The cruise was in February and we hit a cyclone coming home it was so rough, and everyone was seasick.

 

The last night we stayed up all night got off caught the bus home and slept for about 2 days, it easily took a week to stop rocking.

 

We were lucky enough to travel a lot in our 20's but didn't cruise again until 2011. We have since been on 14 we have a 16 year old daughter who loves it and it gives a Mum and Dad a rest from all the day to day stuff.

 

Good luck with your book I hope you get some great feedback.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[The_Big_M]

Great details above! Interesting reading the differences.

[LC1950]

Flipper, you might like to check out Bimmer09's review of his Carribean cruise on Celebrity Reflection. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2447364

 

At page 45 (about halfway down) he reports on his time in 1986 working on the Song of Norway. He includes a lot of photos and information that might be helpful to your research.

[MMDown Under]

I will definately be looking forward to reading this post.

 

In 1984 myself and 3 friends went on the SS Canberras final voyage. It cost about $1100 at the time which was a lot of money then but we booked early and did the lay-by thing $20 a week for a year.

I must admit we don't pay that much now. Our room was a quad share but the bathrooms and toilets were shared down the hall. You really had to pick your shower time and waiting was common.

 

We left from Circular Quay and it was the whole streamer and fireworks thing. We went to Noumea, Vila, Savu Savu, Lautoka and Auckland so all ports no tenders for us.

 

We just got on the ship with our passport and carried on our own luggage. I will check with my husband when he comes home a few more details as this is where we met. He went with a mate and in those days that filled up the room so he was put in with 2 others he didn't know.

 

You were allocated dining time either early or late and you could not change under any circumstances. There was a lot more rules then. You were required to dress for dinner and if you didn't you weren't getting

in. It was a formal 3 course meal changed nightly we still have the menus, it was a lot classier then what we were used to.

 

As this was our 1st time away on our own we really let our hair down and had a good time. Our day started with room service breakfast (no charge) back to sleep til about 11. Then up to back on the ship for a couple of beers $1 and a swim. You were even allowed the sit on the railings and smoke anywhere. We also played chess and cards.

 

After dressing for dinner we would have pre dinner drinks, Fluffy Ducks, Cherry Advocate or maybe a Tequila Sunrise at the classy Crowns Nest Bar.

 

After dinner we went to the movies, I remember seeing Ghostbusters and Gremlins. And then the disco til 2 or 3 am. That DJ sure loved Billy Ocean and Lionel Ritchie.

 

On Port days we did get up a bit earlier.

 

At Port Vila we had a game of squash then went to a club in the backstreet and played pool.

 

Noumea and Savu Savu were very hot and dirty so we basically just hopped off for a quick look and back to the ship for a swim.

 

Lautoka we took a cruise to Treasure Island.

 

In Auckland we joined some others who had hired a bus, went to Bay of Islands and had Fish and Chips. We stopped at a pub on the way back but they would not let us in because we were Australians. I think it was something to do with sport. The cruise was in February and we hit a cyclone coming home it was so rough, and everyone was seasick.

 

The last night we stayed up all night got off caught the bus home and slept for about 2 days, it easily took a week to stop rocking.

 

We were lucky enough to travel a lot in our 20's but didn't cruise again until 2011. We have since been on 14 we have a 16 year old daughter who loves it and it gives a Mum and Dad a rest from all the day to day stuff.

 

Good luck with your book I hope you get some great feedback.

 

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Had to smile at your experiences in the 80s. I didn't cruise at all in the 80s so wasn't going to comment. However, when I cruised 1969/70, I shared many experience similar to yours. Seems cruising didn't change much in Australia between 1969 and the 1980s. The common features were sharing basic 4 - 6 berth cabins with people you didn't know, basic ships, yet cruising being a special occasion (dressing for dinner, quality food better than you ate at home, quality live entertainment, up every day at 11 am for dance lessons, then dancing until the early hours every night, etc.)

[MicCanberra]

Great reading. I look forward to the book.

[PerfectlyPerth]

but I never cruised back in the days when P&O had ships like the Fairstar (the Fun Ship) which were apparently extremely popular.

 

P&O didnt own the Fairstar during the 80s - it was a Sitmar ship till very late 1989.

 

How did the embarkation and security processes work? Did they have Sea Pass cards and did they use the wonderful "Boooong" machines?

 

No idea what a "boooong machine" is. But nope no sea pass. We had door keys and paid cash on board. A scotch and coke in mid 80s was a big $1 and a kaluha and milk was a whopping 60cents.

Embarkation and security was close to non existant. How do I know that - because I regularly easily got on board the ships when they were in port to catch up with friends who worked on board Oriana. And I was successful in stowing away in 1984 when I was 16. Soooo easily done. Impossible these days.

 

What were the arrangements for docking at the Islands .... did they use tenders or were the ships small enough to use a wharf?

 

No different to today - wharfs on islands that had one like Samoa, Fiji, Noumea, and tenders for places like Tonga.

 

How did things work regarding dining (and the dress code) and what amusements were there for passengers on board. I would be extremely grateful if anyone can provide some anecdotes and/or examples of how things were back in those days. Cheers FLIPPER

 

There was only main dining room, two sittings for each meal. No buffet or speciality restaurants. We went casual for breakfast and lunch, and posh for dinner and according to the actual theme - tho on fancy dress nights like island night etc we didnt get changed into costumes until after dinner.

 

The solos sharing deals were great. P&O had a deal for quad cabins where solos could get matched up with other solos to save money. I made life long friends from those deals. Bunch of teen girls all out for a great holiday. Great way to meet people.

 

Ships like the Oriana and Canberra seemed huge then but now they appeal more as all the current monstrosities get too big.

 

I still have in a box somewhere two manuscripts for books I wrote about girls my ages cruising back in the day.

[Host Hattie]

I worked on the Fairstar for one cruise in December 1989 but I spent so much of the time being/feeling sea sick that I don't remember much about it !

[peter.kath@hotmail.com]

Pete reminded me that when we went there were classes.

Because my friends mother was a travel agent we were 1st class we had better cabins, better tables and invited to the Captains Cocktail Party.

He was in 2nd class.

 

He had breakfast in the dining room and having a hangover and smelling Kippers wasn't the best.

 

There was also afternoon tea served, sandwiches and cakes at 3 pm.

 

He thinks he might have a "Daily News" somewhere we will have a look over the weekend.

 

I forgot to mention the slippery pole competition and tug a wars, there also might have been a bit of midnight skinny dipping.

 

 

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[vrogers]

My very first cruise was in around 1985 on PO Oriana. There was 4 of us all workmates who paid the total sum of $693 for our cruise - along with airfares to Sydney and we even got a OBC of around $100 each - so the cruise did cost very little. We all shared a 4 berth bunk on the bottom level - and we had to share the bathroom - it was a communal bathroom - I remember we could hear the ships engines and the smell oh god how I remember that awful dank smell. I remember I was extremely sea sick and had to visit the doctor for injections each sea day - but once we arrived at a port - I could eat and felt great - at that time - we did not need a passport to travel to the Islands and I remember thinking if I had a passport I would have flown home from Fiji. Initially our cruise was going to go to the Solomon Island and Noumea but due to political issues at the time - we only made it to Port Vila and Fiji. The cruise had plenty of night time entertainment to keep the majority of the ship partying until all hours - I was the only married person in our group - so would often leave the rest partying and head downstairs to the hell hole that was our cabin. I remember a tropical night on the deck - that was great - still have the photos of that night and my formal night photos I think.

 

 

I remember the food on board - as I was so sea sick I rarely ate a thing - but the waiters were great.

 

To be honest after that experience it took me some 20 years before I was game enough to cruise again - and thankfully I did because I am now a cruiseaholic and can't get enough cruising - but the experience of cruising at the bottom of the ship and on a ship which I think went off to become razor blades in Japan not long after we sailed - is something that I will remember for many many years, but have now overcome that trauma....

[MicCanberra]

It really does seem like the cruises back then were vastly different experiences.

[PerfectlyPerth]

 

He thinks he might have a "Daily News" somewhere we will have a look over the weekend.

 

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Ooooh I still have all of my Oriana daily newspapers. Every menu too from one particular trip.

 

I use to roam the ship seeing if anyone needed an extra person in a group for games like charades, beetle, quizzes etc and whatever group I joined we always won and the prizes were fantastic - so I still have loads of monogrammed keepsakes all these years later.

 

Was such a great era. I was under 18 and travelling solo on all the trips and I always felt completely safe both on board and on shore (well except when Noumea had a coup - but hey!).

[MMDown Under]

Ooooh I still have all of my Oriana daily newspapers. Every menu too from one particular trip.

 

I use to roam the ship seeing if anyone needed an extra person in a group for games like charades, beetle, quizzes etc and whatever group I joined we always won and the prizes were fantastic - so I still have loads of monogrammed keepsakes all these years later.

 

Was such a great era. I was under 18 and travelling solo on all the trips and I always felt completely safe both on board and on shore (well except when Noumea had a coup - but hey!).

 

I probably have all my cruise souvenirs also, as I brought ten suitcases back. I travelled solo also and remember I won an English tea towel for being first on the dance floor. Can't remember who my partner was (you only danced in couples then).

[PerfectlyPerth]

Good lord ten suitcases ! I always just took my one little suitcase (always wishing back then that someone invented wheels for them).

 

I hung out with all the solos and no one danced in couples - we all just danced as one big group.

[MMDown Under]

Good lord ten suitcases ! I always just took my one little suitcase (always wishing back then that someone invented wheels for them).

 

I hung out with all the solos and no one danced in couples - we all just danced as one big group.

 

Most of it was books and brochures, etc. They took them all away and stored them somewhere to be returned when I disembarked in Brisbane.

 

My cruises were 1969/70, when girls used to wait to be asked to dance, which is why I won the tea towel as I must have asked someone to dance and was first on the dance floor.

 

When I toured Europe for ten weeks on a bus tour, we were all given a small suitcase a bit bigger than a school port, which we had to use! So I could travel light even then!

[Aus Traveller]

I have been thinking about our cruises on the Fairstar starting in 1983. On that first cruise, visitors could board the ship to see friends and family off. As we pulled away from Circular Quay, streamers were thrown from ship to shore.

 

The Fairstar was owned by the Sitmar Line that was later bought by P&O (1989 I think). The Captain and officers were Italian and the stewards were mainly Portuguese with a lesser number of Indonesians. Security staff were Cook Islanders. They were fantastic with the children. On one long cruise where there weren't many kids, the security and the kids used to have running water-pistol fights around the ship. It must have been done discreetly because we didn't see it - we just heard about it from the kids.

 

The Fairstar had been built as the Oxfordshire to operate as a troopship. There were four passenger accommodation decks - A, B, C and D. It was possible to walk from one end of the ship to the other on A and B, but C and D were cut up into water-tight compartments. To reach cabins on these two decks, you had to walk down the correct set of stairs. Cabins accommodated 2, 4, 5 or 6 people. Beds were double decker (I didn't see any Queen size beds). We used to book a 5 berth - two double decker with a fold down 5 foot long bed. Many or maybe most cabins had an ensuite bathroom. People in the other cabins had to use a bathroom down the hall. Outside cabins had a porthole, not a window. Fittings etc. were very basic and functional. As a family we would book a cabin, but it was possible to book a bed in a share cabin with strangers. I understand that P&O had so much trouble with people complaining about their cabin mates and demanding a free up-grade, that they had to stop this practice.

 

There was one dining room used for all meals. Breakfast was served by staff from a buffet table, and the other meals were the usual table service with two sittings for dinner. An incredible midnight supper was available (buffet style) in the dining room.

 

There was one entertainment lounge with a large dance floor. The band had 6 or 7 members. There were 4 or 5 people on the cruise staff and guest entertainers performed in that lounge also. I can remember we had Normie Rowe on one cruise. An undercover area on the back deck was used as a disco-type entertainment area at night and occasionally there was a buffet lunch set out there. There were a couple of bars/lounges. One had a view through under-water windows into the swimming pool (sometimes very interesting). The piano lounge (the Surf Bar) had a curving wall of glass that looked over the swimming pool. You could watch the surf breaking on the pool. The young singles used to congregate in what was unofficially called "The Animal Bar". I can't remember the official name. There were large wooden tables that had people's names carved in. We only ever went in to have a look during the day.

 

There was a kids' club run by a blonde Australian lady by the name of Karen. The kids loved her. She kept our kids busy and happy. The kids had dinner in the dining room before the adults. We were told that the Indonesian waiters were paid extra to do this shift! After dinner the kids went to the kids club for movies etc. We could book them in to the Night Patrol where they would go to sleep in their own cabin and the kids club staff would do the rounds, coming to check on them every 20-30 minutes. Yes - I know - if they tried to do this nowadays, there would be all sorts of claims and complaints. We loved it.

 

The ship would usually tie up alongside, but we did tender into Dravuni Island. On one cruise we even stayed there overnight.

 

Costs. We kept some of the early brochures because our kids' photos were featured rather prominently. About five years ago I came across a brochure, probably from 1984 or 1985. Using official inflation figures, I worked out that the cost per night, twin share was the equivalent of around AUD$700. Remember that the cabins and the ship were very basic. As much as we loved the Fairstar, I don't think she would get many customers today. Everything on board was cheap. A carafe of wine was $1.50 and I remember a shore tour in Nuku'alofa cost $7. This was a different business model to the current cruise lines where the initial price people pay doesn't even cover the cost of running the ship. They need the add-ons.

 

That is all I can think of at the moment, but I might come up with some more later. All the best with the book.

[Flipper133]

Many thanks to those that have posted on this thread. It is much appreciated and definitely provides a great resource for my book. I welcome further input, especially any anecdotes and recollections from later days stretching into the nineties. The reason for that request is that I am struggling with some time frames. This third book is the conclusion of a trilogy and thus many of the situational dates and character ages have been already established. I have some flexibility, but I am cautious about having too long a period between the main character’s first cruise (which I am now researching)and his second cruise (which will be in 2005). I believe the present boom in cruising in Aust. started with the arrival in these waters of the Sapphire Princess at the beginning of 2005. Indeed we were fortunate enough to sail on just her second cruise, Auckland to Sydney, and that was an exceedingly memorable time.This book will concentrate on a fictitious cruise in and around Australia and NZ, visiting ports we have enjoyed whilst cruising on the Sapphire, the Sun Princess and Celebrity Solstice. I am getting a lot of enjoyment in putting this new work together and I also trust that all the folk who have made contributions on these pages are also enjoying an opportunity of recalling the era when cruising was a lot different to the way it is now.

 

BTW .. the whole trilogy has many parts that are essentially <R> rated so I would suspect that it will not be available for general distribution :)

 

Cheers

Edited May 13, 2017 by Flipper133

[MMDown Under]

Many thanks to those that have posted on this thread. It is much appreciated and definitely provides a great resource for my book. I welcome further input, especially any anecdotes and recollections from later days stretching into the nineties. The reason for that request is that I am struggling with some time frames. This third book is the conclusion of a trilogy and thus many of the situational dates and character ages have been already established. I have some flexibility, but I am cautious about having too long a period between the main character’s first cruise (which I am now researching)and his second cruise (which will be in 2005). I believe the present boom in cruising in Aust. started with the arrival in these waters of the Sapphire Princess at the beginning of 2005. Indeed we were fortunate enough to sail on just her second cruise, Auckland to Sydney, and that was an exceedingly memorable time.This book will concentrate on a fictitious cruise in and around Australia and NZ, visiting ports we have enjoyed whilst cruising on the Sapphire, the Sun Princess and Celebrity Solstice. I am getting a lot of enjoyment in putting this new work together and I also trust that all the folk who have made contributions on these pages are also enjoying an opportunity of recalling the era when cruising was a lot different to the way it is now.

:)

Cheers

 

Yes it is fun to reminisce, especially when modern mass market cruising has changed so much from when cruising first became popular in Australia.

 

Timelines -

I cruised on Star Cruises Superstar Leo in 2003 from Sydney to Darwin, when it returned to Asia, after cruising in Australia (after SARS epidemic).

In 2007, I cruised from Honolulu to Sydney on RCI's Rhapsody of the Seas inaugural cruise to Australia.

Edited May 13, 2017 by MMDown Under

[PerfectlyPerth]

I cruised on Star Cruises Superstar Leo in 2003 from Sydney to Darwin, when it returned to Asia, after cruising in Australia (after SARS epidemic).

 

The Superstar Virgo (beyond tackorama decore - like the worst gold lame red velvet 70s look) came down to Perth and based itself there during the SARS era 2003. It was doing 3 day trips to nowhere for $70 per night in suites so my mum and I booked a whole batch of back to backs simply because we love being on ships. Middle of winter and fantastic force 11s straight out of Freo - hilarious as the captain had utterly no experience whatsoever outside dead flat Malaysian waters. For those of us who live for The Perfect Storm conditions - it matched it. The ship was airborne and would then slam down into the sea - awesome !!

So the ship was only half full anyway - but all the wimpy sea sick folk didn't leave their cabins for days so we had our pick of any table all over the ship for every meal. Bliss !!

Loads of damage in cabins tho - glassware sent smashing, showerscreens shattered etc. Ship was not fitted out for rough seas at all.

[MMDown Under]

The Superstar Virgo (beyond tackorama decore - like the worst gold lame red velvet 70s look) came down to Perth and based itself there during the SARS era 2003. It was doing 3 day trips to nowhere for $70 per night in suites so my mum and I booked a whole batch of back to backs simply because we love being on ships. Middle of winter and fantastic force 11s straight out of Freo - hilarious as the captain had utterly no experience whatsoever outside dead flat Malaysian waters. For those of us who live for The Perfect Storm conditions - it matched it. The ship was airborne and would then slam down into the sea - awesome !!

So the ship was only half full anyway - but all the wimpy sea sick folk didn't leave their cabins for days so we had our pick of any table all over the ship for every meal. Bliss !!

Loads of damage in cabins tho - glassware sent smashing, showerscreens shattered etc. Ship was not fitted out for rough seas at all.

 

LOL Thanks for the mental picture. I've been on cruises like that!

 

Maybe that is why they don't like cruising out of Freemantle!

[Aus Traveller]

The Superstar Virgo (beyond tackorama decore - like the worst gold lame red velvet 70s look) came down to Perth and based itself there during the SARS era 2003. It was doing 3 day trips to nowhere for $70 per night in suites so my mum and I booked a whole batch of back to backs simply because we love being on ships. Middle of winter and fantastic force 11s straight out of Freo - hilarious as the captain had utterly no experience whatsoever outside dead flat Malaysian waters. For those of us who live for The Perfect Storm conditions - it matched it. The ship was airborne and would then slam down into the sea - awesome !!

So the ship was only half full anyway - but all the wimpy sea sick folk didn't leave their cabins for days so we had our pick of any table all over the ship for every meal. Bliss !!

Loads of damage in cabins tho - glassware sent smashing, showerscreens shattered etc. Ship was not fitted out for rough seas at all.

Wow! Very interesting.

[Aus Traveller]

It has been interesting to remember our Fairstar cruises. We cruised every year for eight years from 1983, had a break for a couple of years then went again. It was quite a different experience from today's cruise ships. Today we were also reminiscing about a cruise we did in the Mediterranean on a 42 passenger yacht to the Greek Cycladic islands. That was quite different again. :)

[MicCanberra]

BTW .. the whole trilogy has many parts that are essentially <R> rated so I would suspect that it will not be available for general distribution :)

 

Cheers

I would like to read them even more now.:cool:

[Pushka]

Early 1980's on the Oriana. Set dining where the doors were opened and the crowds rushed in. Food not good. Soup was like bonox (auto correct typed that in as obnoxious!). No buffet. I don't remember having a sea pass. Casinos very busy. We had bunk beds (top and bottom) and a tiny bathroom. We sailed out of Sydney but I don't recall any streamers. It was not a pleasant experience and seas were rough and lots of sickness. Air conditioning was freezing. Took us 30 years to try cruising again.

[MMDown Under]

Early 1980's on the Oriana. Set dining where the doors were opened and the crowds rushed in. Food not good. Soup was like bonox (auto correct typed that in as obnoxious!). No buffet. I don't remember having a sea pass. Casinos very busy. We had bunk beds (top and bottom) and a tiny bathroom. We sailed out of Sydney but I don't recall any streamers. It was not a pleasant experience and seas were rough and lots of sickness. Air conditioning was freezing. Took us 30 years to try cruising again.

 

After my first Australian cruise experience on Angelina Lauro, from Sydney to Perth, I didn't cruise again for 30 years as well.

 

I wonder how many current day cruisers, who don't enjoy their cruise experience, will not cruise for 30 years?