Help needed for book on cruising in 1980's

[PerfectlyPerth]

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!

 

haha I could give an even worse mental picture involving the bride still in her gown roaming the ship looking like a carton of creamed corn had been opened on her !!

 

PS - Capt Fremantle - after whom the city was named (who sailed in the first ships with my ancestors) would like it known there has never been two EEs. Its "Fruhmantle" in its pronounciation - no "free".

[PerfectlyPerth]

Early 1980's on the Oriana. We sailed out of Sydney but I don't recall any streamers.

 

Definitely always streamers through the 80s with the Oriana in Sydney. Even when I wasnt sailing on her I went down to visit friends who worked on board and would join in with the huge streamer send off every fortnight. It was tradition at its best. Staff handed them out by the tonne on both the ship side and the OPT side. Everyone let fly at the same time.

[macntosh]

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.

 

So many memories here... I also remember the clay 'skeet' shooting from the back deck and the late night pizzas from their special woodfired pizza oven they had.

[KAYTWO]

So many memories brought back here. Our waiter on our first cruise when asked what the soup was said "Soup" with a very solemn nod! Bunk beds in the cabins, even for a two berth. Casino on Oriana consisted of three tables that were in a closed in verandah, folded out of the way when the casino wasn't opened. Loved every minute then and still do now.

 

 

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[Aus Traveller]

So many memories here... I also remember the clay 'skeet' shooting from the back deck and the late night pizzas from their special woodfired pizza oven they had.

Yeah. That also. :)

 

Not that we are gamblers, but I think the 'casino' on the Fairstar was a few poker machines in a hallway.

[ozlander]

My first cruise was Brisbane to Tahitti via islands returning to Sydney (think it was 21 ot 28 nights) in 1978 on CTC (Russian cruise line).

Visitors came on board to our cabin for byo drinks there were 3 of us sailing and about 10-15 friends on board prior to sail away from the Hamilton wharf complete with streamers.

Very formal dining with lots of real Russian meals. Very different to cruises now.

 

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[PerfectlyPerth]

Just seeing if this works - trying to attach a photo - found one I had of the Oriana's little corridor of pokies.

 

Nope doesnt want to work

 

keep getting error saying "The Dimension limits for this filetype are 620 x 280. We were unable to resize your file so you will need to do so manually and upload it again. Your file is currently 280 x 433.

 

 

no matter what size I change the photo to.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Heres a scan of a luncheon menu from SS Canberra. We sailed on her from Southampton to Auckland in Nov 84.I have kept all the menus which were printed out each day. The dinner menus were on card and are works of art . I have framed 2 or 3 series . I'll see what else I can dig up.

 

[MMDown Under]

Thanks David. And that was just for lunch! They are certainly works of art. Nice print of Southampton Water front.

[Flipper133]

I am so pleased that so many people are getting a small kick in the "memories" from this thread. Certainly I have gleaned a lot of info that will be useful in the pages of my book. One more question please. Everyone agrees that cruising today is nothing like it used to be .... but when did it change? Was it a gradual evolution, or did the 9/11 terrorist attacks provide the catalyst for massive changes - especially in security? I am almost certain that when we departed Sydney on Sapphire Princess (2nd time on her) in 2007 there were a few streamers ... but I think the practice was frowned upon and I have not seen them since. Perhaps WHS, environmental awareness or political correctness was in play.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Heres a copy of the Captains Dinner Menu. Printed on card with the front page in gold embossing. Everyone, in both dining rooms , would have been given one.

 

 

 

 

[Kiwi Kruzer]

We cruised again on Canberra in 91, Menus were still being printed daily. This was the front cover from Island Night.

 

[cheznandy]

I am so pleased that so many people are getting a small kick in the "memories" from this thread. Certainly I have gleaned a lot of info that will be useful in the pages of my book. One more question please. Everyone agrees that cruising today is nothing like it used to be .... but when did it change? Was it a gradual evolution, or did the 9/11 terrorist attacks provide the catalyst for massive changes - especially in security? I am almost certain that when we departed Sydney on Sapphire Princess (2nd time on her) in 2007 there were a few streamers ... but I think the practice was frowned upon and I have not seen them since. Perhaps WHS, environmental awareness or political correctness was in play.

 

I think you will find that a lot of the security changes happened here in Australia about 2002, after the Diane Brimble drug/rape matter.

 

Here is a youtube clip taken by a cruiser on the Fairstar 1987, yep, and that is what it was truly like, from the hair, clothes, staff.......there is a bit of nudity haha!! There was never enough seating on the decks, notice everyone laying any where, and in the showlounge we all sat on the floor!!

Outside deck buffet, the decor, the cabins........if you can ignore the fellas checking out the girls, the clip is a true look at how it was.

I just love the end, where everyone stayed up to watch sail in, singing.....even the oldies looked happy and not complaining ( thats me now, how time has flown!!)

 

[Aus Traveller]

I am so pleased that so many people are getting a small kick in the "memories" from this thread. Certainly I have gleaned a lot of info that will be useful in the pages of my book. One more question please. Everyone agrees that cruising today is nothing like it used to be .... but when did it change? Was it a gradual evolution, or did the 9/11 terrorist attacks provide the catalyst for massive changes - especially in security? I am almost certain that when we departed Sydney on Sapphire Princess (2nd time on her) in 2007 there were a few streamers ... but I think the practice was frowned upon and I have not seen them since. Perhaps WHS, environmental awareness or political correctness was in play.

I would probably agree with the comment that security changed here after 2002. We went on a P&O cruise in Nov 2004 after a break of several years. Things had definitely changed with security etc. Definitely no streamers allowed then.

 

On that 2004 cruise there were more security staff around than we had ever seen before.

 

Another memory from the early Fairstar days - At the end of our 1983 cruise we were all given a printed passenger list. I can only recall that happening on the one cruise. After that, privacy issues stopped the practice.

[MicCanberra]

Wow, some great fashions.;p

[peter.kath@hotmail.com]

I think in the 80's the economy was a lot different people who travelled and or cruised were young people without the responsibilities of children or rent or older wealthier people.

 

My parents could afford to travel until they retired and went on the pension.

 

Also we were lucky enough to pay cash when we bought our land but in the late 80s interest rates were around 17 per cent.

 

I also think the sad story of Diane changed the culture as well.

 

 

I do remember there being a security guard on our cruise and he spent a lot of time chasing couples out of the lifeboats at night with a torch.

 

 

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[peter.kath@hotmail.com]

Sorry just checked post my parents could not afford to travel until they went on the pension.

 

 

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[Aus Traveller]

When we started cruising on the Fairstar in 1983 we were a young couple with three children - obviously they went with us. We used to comment that there were three separate 'groups' on the ship - older couples, families like us and a large group of young singles. We barely saw the singles. They stayed up all night and didn't appear until the middle of the next day. On occasions when I went on deck to see the sunrise, there would be a lot of drunk or hung-over young people whom the security staff were trying to encourage to have soup and sandwiches before they went to bed. I was impressed by the care and concern of the kitchen staff who provided the food and the security staff who were trying to get them to have it.

 

On one cruise when we were flying back to Brisbane from Sydney, a young man was proudly boasting that he never did find his cabin during the cruise. He bunked down wherever he could. This could have been an exaggeration.

 

Another point I recall - We all tipped our cabin stewards and our table waiters. P&O only discontinued the automatic tipping around 2008-09. I know it was a couple of years before Princess discontinued it in May 2011.

[PerfectlyPerth]

Streamers stopped around the same time confetti at weddings started getting frowned upon. Environmental reasons. And the expense to the harbour who had to pay to scoop all the wads of paper out.

 

Personally I didnt see major "changes" because there really wasnt ever an era where I wasnt cruising somewhere. To me personally it has become less appealing with the current ever growing gigantor ships - floating cities with theme parks on them. I tend to seek out the smaller cosier ships and destinations where the gigantor monstrosities and their swarms cant get to. Plus I graduated to expedition cruising on vessels with less than 100 pax.

 

911 had no real impact on cruising beyond the standard changes with departures and arrivals security and immigration.

 

The Diana Brimble thing certainly changed some of the reputational culture of cruising - but sadly it was just a very well publicised event - the actual activities that led to her death have been happening on cruises all over the world for decades and will likely still happen.

 

Aus Traveller yes I too remember printed passengers lists very early on. These days its still done on the polar expeditions with email lists for those wanting to stay in contact. But thats like 80 or 90 people and its voluntary.

 

Kiwi how are you uploading the photos ? I was choosing "attachment" and trying to do them via that but kept getting all the size errors. Should I just be adding the image link direct into the post ?

[PerfectlyPerth]

 

ok sussed it out so now posting these if they are of interest to people