Oh those olden days, those golden days...

[LiveToCruise99]

Our first cruise was in 1984 on one of the Carnival fun ships Mardi Gras

 

• room was an inside double bunk with no tv or radio or phone
  
• the bathroom was so small you pulled the shower curtain around the toilet
  
• the entertainment was limited although there was a nightly show in the theatre
  
• games consisted of bingo, trivia, horse race game, men's negligee contest
  
• all meals were eaten at assigned time in dining room with some very limited snacks on deck
  
• we danced at the "disco" until 3 a.m.
  
• there were deck parties
  
• there were no hot tubs only a small pool
  
• casino area was a few tables and a few machines
  
• there was smoking allowed almost everywhere (we don't smoke)
  
• It was 7 nights
  
• we had the best time ever
  

Our last cruise this year (2017) on Celebrity Infinity

• room was a sweet 16 cabin with large balcony, TV, music on TV, and phone
  
• the bathroom was large with glass doors on shower
  
• there were several different venues for entertainment plus nightly shows
  
• the drink package was included so we indulged frequently
  
• games consisted of bingo, trivia, water sports with crew, bocce ball with crew, etc.
  
• several options for dining especially if you wanted to pay extra
  
• we didn't stay up until 3 a.m. dancing but did seek out our favorite singers
  
• there were 6 hot tubs (maybe more) plus 3 pools
  
• there were deck parties
  
• the casino was massive and smoke free
  
• it was 14 nights
  
• we enjoyed our cruise but felt something was missing and couldn't quite put a finger on it
  

Cost per day in 1984 was not much different than in 2017

 

 

During those two cruises we have cruised a fair amount on several different lines. I realize a cruise is what you make of it and sometimes things become routine or expected. I think we are spoiled and each time we try to recreate the best of every cruise we've been on and the reality is that is not going to happen. I think the biggest part is the friends you meet on each cruise. And sometimes you meet better friends one cruise versus another. We're limiting our cruising to once or twice a year in hope of keeping that cruising "thrill" alive.

 

I'd love to hear of others first cruise versus last cruise stories.

[billslowsky]

Good luck. Hope you enjoy Cunard.

 

That's what I was thinking.

[Mynki]

7;[/size]54855310]So, what’s your problem with that?

Are you one of those Dress Police PAXS?

 

I expect Hcat will dodge every questioned posed to her, but if she does reply, and I'm not holding my breath, I'd love her to answer this...

I can't comment on her armpits, but Captain Kate has at least one tattoo that I've seen. Though this is hardly a new phenomenon amongst sailors!

Therefore is she part of the " hairy armpit tank top, tattoo crowd" that is degrading the Celebrity brand she once loved? :D

[Kingofcool1947]

I expect Hcat will dodge every questioned posed to her, but if she does reply, and I'm not holding my breath, I'd love her to answer this...

I can't comment on her armpits, but Captain Kate has at least one tattoo that I've seen. Though this is hardly a new phenomenon amongst sailors!

Therefore is she part of the " hairy armpit tank top, tattoo crowd" that is degrading the Celebrity brand she once loved? :D

 

Ha, ha. :D Let’s see if she replies to you. :)

[Lastdance]

One cannot stay stuck in the past or expect things to change back to what one remembers. You have to be the change agent and find what you feel you are missing...life is short and change is inevitable. You are in charge of your own happiness!!! Seize the day!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[hcat]

So, what’s your problem with that?

Are you one of those Dress Police PAXS?[/quote

 

Not really., we actually enjoy Chic nights over formal nights..more modern...easier to pack..

 

...We save up our hard earned dollars and still prefer a more upscale, elegant type of cruise experience....such as those enjoyed on X over the years...Hairy tee shirts, belly flop contests not our cup of tea..but others who prefer that go right ahead...we will just avoid you!

[richsea]

I expect Hcat will dodge every questioned posed to her, but if she does reply, and I'm not holding my breath, I'd love her to answer this...

:D

 

I see no reason why Hcat would intentionaly dodge a question. He/she has been around here a long, long time, and is a valuable contributor. We each have our own opinions; and should able to share them. (Even though mine is always right!);)

[Mynki]

I see no reason why Hcat would intentionaly dodge a question. He/she has been around here a long, long time, and is a valuable contributor. We each have our own opinions; and should able to share them. Even though mine is always right!) ;)

 

Well to be fair the captain Kate / tattoo question is very easy to answer. Never seen a belly flop competition on Celebrity though. I must be sailing on itineraries that attract a more sophisticated class of traveler? :D

[markeb]

I love these threads...

 

Somewhere in my house I have a roughly 1979 copy of the "Army Officer's Guide". It spends an amazing amount of time discussing such vitally important topics as calling cards, various forms of dress for various events, etc. At least one full chapter is dedicated to what one's wife (not spouse; officers were assumed to be male) should wear to tea with the commanding officer's wife. Oh those olden days, those golden days...

 

When I retired from the Army just over two years ago, my wife had never subjected herself to an afternoon tea with white gloves; she was and remains a gainfully employed professional. Calling cards had pretty much gone away. You were more likely to go to a barbecue in shorts with you CO than drinks at the club in a blazer. We had been decisively engaged in two conflicts, and many of those Soldiers and their officers had plenty of tattoos (just not visible in their dress uniforms, per regulation) and were some of the most professional people I knew in my career. And many of my fellow officers, including many of the best, were women.

 

I'll take 2017 over 1979. Not a big nostalgia guy, other than for my hair and my knees...

[hcat]

I see no reason why Hcat would intentionaly dodge a question. He/she has been around here a long, long time, and is a valuable contributor. We each have our own opinions; and should able to share them. (Even though mine is always right!);)

 

Thanks for your support... have been on CC for a long time..,,only express my opinions and observations!

 

Good old days.....Yes, I miss the harpist...but not harping on it! ( groan)

[dkjretired]

Thanks for your support... have been on CC for a long time..,,only express my opinions and observations!

 

Good old days.....Yes, I miss the harpist...but not harping on it! ( groan)

 

I consider the old days pre Michel Rouxs departure, those were the good old days. If only people knew...

[neverbeenhere]

Some of us do know.

[dkjretired]

I see no reason why Hcat would intentionaly dodge a question. He/she has been around here a long, long time, and is a valuable contributor. We each have our own opinions; and should able to share them. (Even though mine is always right!);)

 

Well said Rich...Agree...

[Kingofcool1947]

I love these threads...

 

Somewhere in my house I have a roughly 1979 copy of the "Army Officer's Guide". It spends an amazing amount of time discussing such vitally important topics as calling cards, various forms of dress for various events, etc. At least one full chapter is dedicated to what one's wife (not spouse; officers were assumed to be male) should wear to tea with the commanding officer's wife. Oh those olden days, those golden days...

 

When I retired from the Army just over two years ago, my wife had never subjected herself to an afternoon tea with white gloves; she was and remains a gainfully employed professional. Calling cards had pretty much gone away. You were more likely to go to a barbecue in shorts with you CO than drinks at the club in a blazer. We had been decisively engaged in two conflicts, and many of those Soldiers and their officers had plenty of tattoos (just not visible in their dress uniforms, per regulation) and were some of the most professional people I knew in my career. And many of my fellow officers, including many of the best, were women.

 

I'll take 2017 over 1979. Not a big nostalgia guy, other than for my hair and my knees...

 

So, just curious, what the heck does your nostalgia and time in the Army have to do with this thread?

[billslowsky]

So, what the heck does your nostalgia and time in the Army have to do with this thread?

 

What he said in his last sentence. Sometimes times change for the better.

[Kingofcool1947]

What he said in his last sentence. Sometimes times change for the better.

Ok. Got it. Thanks.

[neverbeenhere]

Who took away my free nights stay between cruises? Are you the guilty party?:evilsmile:

[markeb]

What he said in his last sentence. Sometimes times change for the better.

 

Exactly.

[hcat]

Well said Rich...Agree...

 

Thanks Don...

 

That's the beauty of Cruise Critic...a forum where we share ideas and opinions..even if they differ!

 

Chef Michele Roux...the Good Old Days!

[grandgeezer]

What he said in his last sentence. Sometimes times change for the better.

 

And some times they change for the worse....

[chemmo]

And some times they change for the worse....

....glass half empty, even with a drinks package.

[The_Big_M]

....glass half empty, even with a drinks package.

 

Probably because it's more than half empty - with a considerably increased price.

[Mynki]

I see no reason why Hcat would intentionaly dodge a question. He/she has been around here a long, long time, and is a valuable contributor. We each have our own opinions; and should able to share them. (Even though mine is always right!);)

 

Hcat dodged yours! :D :D :D

 

Agree we're all free to express our opinions, that should really go without saying, but be prepared to have them challenged. Just as you challenged hers!

 

Anyway, I have no tattoos, don't get drunk on ship but I do like flexible dining. I guess that means I'm a very bad person lowering the tone onboard along with hundreds of others! :D

[happy 2 b cruising]

Thanks Don...

 

That's the beauty of Cruise Critic...a forum where we share ideas and opinions..even if they differ!

 

Chef Michele Roux...the Good Old Days!

 

Right on point! Wish CC had a Like Button to push.

[Cruise Raider]

Our first cruise was in 1984 on one of the Carnival fun ships Mardi Gras

 

• room was an inside double bunk with no tv or radio or phone
  
• the bathroom was so small you pulled the shower curtain around the toilet
  
• the entertainment was limited although there was a nightly show in the theatre
  
• games consisted of bingo, trivia, horse race game, men's negligee contest
  
• all meals were eaten at assigned time in dining room with some very limited snacks on deck
  
• we danced at the "disco" until 3 a.m.
  
• there were deck parties
  
• there were no hot tubs only a small pool
  
• casino area was a few tables and a few machines
  
• there was smoking allowed almost everywhere (we don't smoke)
  
• It was 7 nights
  
• we had the best time ever
  

Our last cruise this year (2017) on Celebrity Infinity

• room was a sweet 16 cabin with large balcony, TV, music on TV, and phone
  
• the bathroom was large with glass doors on shower
  
• there were several different venues for entertainment plus nightly shows
  
• the drink package was included so we indulged frequently
  
• games consisted of bingo, trivia, water sports with crew, bocce ball with crew, etc.
  
• several options for dining especially if you wanted to pay extra
  
• we didn't stay up until 3 a.m. dancing but did seek out our favorite singers
  
• there were 6 hot tubs (maybe more) plus 3 pools
  
• there were deck parties
  
• the casino was massive and smoke free
  
• it was 14 nights
  
• we enjoyed our cruise but felt something was missing and couldn't quite put a finger on it
  

Cost per day in 1984 was not much different than in 2017

 

 

During those two cruises we have cruised a fair amount on several different lines. I realize a cruise is what you make of it and sometimes things become routine or expected. I think we are spoiled and each time we try to recreate the best of every cruise we've been on and the reality is that is not going to happen. I think the biggest part is the friends you meet on each cruise. And sometimes you meet better friends one cruise versus another. We're limiting our cruising to once or twice a year in hope of keeping that cruising "thrill" alive.

 

I'd love to hear of others first cruise versus last cruise stories.

 

+1

 

 

I took a cruise a long time ago on the Infinity. I remember sitting with cruising friends at the dinner table along with another couple. One our friends mentioned that he felt as though the more people cruised, the more critical they had become. I really didn't even understand what he was talking about back then ... however, it has become abundantly clear to me now. I am not saying constructive criticism is a bad thing ... I am just saying that when we become used to something, it does lose its thrill. Our expectations of everything remaining the same is not only unrealistic but becomes boring! Remember that first week at a new job and how excited we were? Then, it just becomes 'work' after awhile. Remember how enthused we were when we first got our driver licenses? Now, it is just dreadful to hit the traffic in town to run errands. I have yet to see very many people that have cruised a LOT and be absolutley giddy to be on a cruise. I think the thrill is gone when people do something so often it becomes humdrum. Not only that, but I think as we become older, we're less likely to be able to do all those things that used to make cruising so much fun. I can no longer sit out in the sun all day, playing pool games while eating platefuls of fattening food ... oh, but how I used to enjoy that ... and stay thin all while I was torturing my skin. I can no longer stay up all night dancing and drinking and feel good on an excursion out in the heat the next morning. I can no longer ignore contraindications with burning the candle at both ends and the meds I have to take.

Some things have really truly changed for the better and some, well, not so much. But ... here is my story on the value of cruising. And ps ... I hope the thrill of stepping on that ship never leaves me. So far, so good ... 50+ cruises in and several more booked!

 

 

Here is my experience and my feelings about cruising:

My first cruise was back in the early 80's ... it was on Carnival and I booked a week long cruise in an oceanview room for just a little under $100 a day per person (not including taxes, port charges, gratuities, trip insurance, etc). Food was all included but if you wanted a drink, you bought a drink. Fruit punch and even fountain sodas were self serve and free of charge... right there at the pool. They had a daily happy hour where they charged under $3 for a cocktail. We knew nothing about going for a spa treatment so not sure of the cost. Bingo was a mere $5. Gratuities were not automatically collected ... you got change at the front desk and filled your envelopes to hand to your room steward, your dining room waiter (there were no specialty restaurants), etc. The gratuities totaled approx $7 a day pp. Port charges, taxes, government fees, etc were a lot cheaper than they are now ... just as the gratuities, additional costs for specialty restaurants, single cocktail prices, excursions, etc. ... I mean, they were a LOT cheaper back in the early 80's.

Now, what hasn't really gone up exponentially like all these costs have?? It's the base price of an actual cruise!! I can still get a room on a major cruise line for under $100 per day per person for the cruise portion only ... I can and I do....and not on Carnival, either!! What I get now, though, is a balcony room for that pricing and it usually will come with at least one free perk, oftentimes three free perks so end up with a free beverage package, free gratuities and free onboard credit, sometimes even a free specialty dinner or two for each person in the cabin. And I usually can get this all for the same base price of the actual cruise fare that I paid way back in the early 80's....approx 35 years ago. So, while I am a bargain traveler, it really doesn't bother me to pay a little extra here and there onboard. Do I wish all these prices stayed the same and all the little extras remained free of charge? Yes, but when it comes down to it, the choice is mine and I don't have to purchase these extras if I don't want to. I am just thankful that the base fares haven't priced me right out of my favorite way of vacationing ... cruising is still a great bargain!! When they stop offering great fares and great perks, I guess I will have to stop cruising. But in the meanwhile, I just appreciate being able to do so!!