A trip down Memory Lane

[Spikesgirl]

We are preparing for a return cruise to Alaska.  Our first one, and indeed, our first cruise was up the Inside Passage in 1997.  I was looking through our scrapbook and found our original ticket stub.  We sailed on the Sky Princess and had a tiny little porthole cabin on Deck 4, I believe, although it may have been 6.  It was right at the water line.  Anyhow, a ten day cruise round trip from San Francisco cost us $3,642.  Back then, it seemed a huge amount.  Looking at the ship pictures, it was obvious that it isn't just the prices that have changed.  I sort of miss those days of dressing up and mingling over cocktails with table mates.  Now we are Elite and everything has changed.   I remember fighting for space in the rec room - damn bridge players kept taking apart our puzzles, dancing with a very affectionate shower curtain and having an 'unbirthday' party one night at the table...  Those were giddy times... 

 

I hope my fellow cruisers look back upon their first cruises with equal nostalgia

[PaperSniper4]

We have been cruising since 1989, not counting the one I did as a child in 1958. Our first was on the Carnival Mardi Gras back when Carnival had just two ships. Mardi Gras was a beautiful ship with all the brass and wood paneling, but our inside cabin was unreal: the toilet, sink and shower were all in one space about 4 by 3 feet! She was an old ship built in 1960 I recall. Our fixed berths were on opposite sides of our very tiny cabin. But we had a ball! We both were nearly in tears when our 4 day cruise ended.😧

 

How I wish I'd taken more photos and kept our folio at least. I do have an unopened deck of cards from that cruise, and another from our next cruise on the RCCL Sovereign of the Seas a couple of years later. Our first Princess cruise was on the first Crown Princess in 1990. Next month we're doing our third Crown Princess cruise; this one and the previous on the newer Crown Princess.

[Spikesgirl]

18 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

*our inside cabin was unreal: the toilet, sink and shower were all in one space about 4 by 3 feet! She was an old ship built in 1960 I recall. Our fixed berths were on opposite sides of our very tiny cabin*

Yes I remember that!  We had two twin beds fastened to the floor.  I remember thinking, "Love Boat, indeed!"  However, we made due and like you, we had an absolute blast.  It certainly made cruisers out of us! 

 

Sadly, I never took photos of the interior of the ship, except for the dining room. I wish I had now. 

 

 

18 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

 

 

[gotta cruise again]

My first cruise was on the Sky Princess. here is a photo I took on that cruise...

 

Looking forward to sailing the new Sky this December!!!

[towhee]

Our first cruise was in 1992 and "Yes, it was on the Sky Princess out of San Francisco".  We took scads of pictures figuring that we would never be able to cruise again, but lo and behold we've been cruising ever since.  We had a wonderful time and of all the ships we've sailed, she is our favorite.

[paradiselivin1]

Wow. Am I wrong in seeing no balcony cabins back then?

[1emerald1]

46 minutes ago, paradiselivin1 said:

Wow. Am I wrong in seeing no balcony cabins back then?

There were no balconies on that ship.  When I was on the original Crown and Regal Princess we had a balcony and it literally was standing room only, no furniture whatsoever it was so small.  But we thought it was marvelous, our first balcony.

[DRS/NC]

I think that the Sky Princess (c.1995-ish) was Sitmar's Fairsky.  

Princess bought Sitmar in 1988: The Fairsea (Sea Princess), Fairwind (Dawn Princess) & the Fairsky (newest/biggest Sitmar ship).

 

My late DH, our DD & I cruised those lovely old ships from 1974 - 1988.  Our first Princess cruise (Med., 1989) was the Fairwind when we booked it, but was the Dawn Princess when we sailed from Venice in June 1989.

[JimmyVWine]

9 hours ago, Spikesgirl said:

Our first one, and indeed, our first cruise was up the Inside Passage in 1997.

 

What's incredible is that the amount of time that has passed since your first cruise (22 years) is almost the same gap of time between your first cruise and the TV premier of The Love Boat (20 years).  While a cruise in 1997 may seem nostalgic, the TV show had run its course and was dead and buried a full 10 years before you first cruised.

[PaperSniper4]

8 hours ago, Spikesgirl said:

Yes I remember that!  We had two twin beds fastened to the floor.  I remember thinking, "Love Boat, indeed!".......

 

 

HA, my thought exactly!🤪

[PaperSniper4]

3 hours ago, paradiselivin1 said:

Wow. Am I wrong in seeing no balcony cabins back then?

 

You must be very young.......or just started cruising maybe!😎

[The Mikado]

I sailed on the old Norway back in 1989. It looked old even back then. 

[Spikesgirl]

17 hours ago, gotta cruise again said:

My first cruise was on the Sky Princess. here is a photo I took on that cruise...

 

Looking forward to sailing the new Sky this December!!!

 

She was such a beautiful ship and I've always had a special spot for her.  They sold her to P&O soon after our cruise.

[Spikesgirl]

12 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

 

HA, my thought exactly!🤪

Then and again, love will find a way.  :D 

[Spikesgirl]

12 hours ago, DRS/NC said:

I think that the Sky Princess (c.1995-ish) was Sitmar's Fairsky.  

Princess bought Sitmar in 1988: The Fairsea (Sea Princess), Fairwind (Dawn Princess) & the Fairsky (newest/biggest Sitmar ship).

 

My late DH, our DD & I cruised those lovely old ships from 1974 - 1988.  Our first Princess cruise (Med., 1989) was the Fairwind when we booked it, but was the Dawn Princess when we sailed from Venice in June 1989.

Aw, we sailed from Venice on the Pacific on our last cruise.  :D  what a lovely city it is.  I think they sold the Sky to P&O shortly after out cruise. Those older ships had a sense of style about them. 

[Spikesgirl]

16 hours ago, towhee said:

Our first cruise was in 1992 and "Yes, it was on the Sky Princess out of San Francisco".  We took scads of pictures figuring that we would never be able to cruise again, but lo and behold we've been cruising ever since.  We had a wonderful time and of all the ships we've sailed, she is our favorite.

I remember we made fun of the people who were signing up for another cruise while on board.  Now we are those people.  We have our next three cruises sort of worked out, all because of the wonderful experiences we had on the Sky.  Did you also sail to Alaska?

[Spikesgirl]

15 hours ago, 1emerald1 said:

There were no balconies on that ship.  When I was on the original Crown and Regal Princess we had a balcony and it literally was standing room only, no furniture whatsoever it was so small.  But we thought it was marvelous, our first balcony.

I remember being on the original Regal - what a gorgeous ship she was.  We had a suite, but no balcony!  It was still a huge upgrade from the tiny cabin on the Sky!

[Iamcruzin]

Our first Princess Cruise was our honeymoon in 1991 on Crown Princess. This was a postcard that was in our stateroom. Notice the P&O on the bow. This was a pre Carnival acquisition cruise. We had an obstructed oceanview room with a lifeboat in front of the window but we had natural light.  The rooms were set up the same and the shower curtain attacked you then too. It's been almost 30 years. I think it's time for Princess to update the room configuration to add a loveseat and a glass shower door. I have other pictures but have no idea where they are. The only reason I have this postcard is because my mother came across it and gave it to me. I scanned it onto the computer so I wouldn't lose it. Back then you had to use a camera and develop film so you were limited on how many pictures you could take  Now my pictures from my smartphone go to the cloud and get stored on my iMac when I connect to the internet.

 

I remember 2 formal nights with men wearing a tux and women wearing gowns. There were also two semi formal nights with men wearing a suit or sports jacket and women in cocktail dresses. Even back then someone wouldn't follow the dress code. We had a couple from Alaska sitting at our table. Every night, including formal and semi formal nights he wore jeans and a flannel shirt and she wore a casual sundress. There were only to traditional seatings so they let the couple in early to be seated so they didn't have to line up with the crowd. They claimed that the travel agent never explained the dress code. They were a very nice couple and we enjoyed their company.

[KevintheIrishDJ]

When I started cruising in 1970, there were no casinos!!!   😂

[paradiselivin1]

16 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

 

You must be very young.......or just started cruising maybe!😎

 

You're absolutely correct but not saying which....😉

[tailspintom]

46 minutes ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

When I started cruising in 1970, there were no casinos!!!   😂

We did the same year on the Chandris line's Amerikanis. New York to Bermuda.  It was very much more formal than today's cruising. Jackets at dinner each night and formal wear on formal nights. Chandris is now X. 

[dickinson]

On 10/22/2019 at 9:38 AM, PaperSniper4 said:

We have been cruising since 1989, not counting the one I did as a child in 1958. Our first was on the Carnival Mardi Gras back when Carnival had just two ships. Mardi Gras was a beautiful ship with all the brass and wood paneling, but our inside cabin was unreal: the toilet, sink and shower were all in one space about 4 by 3 feet! She was an old ship built in 1960 I recall. Our fixed berths were on opposite sides of our very tiny cabin. But we had a ball! We both were nearly in tears when our 4 day cruise ended.😧

 

How I wish I'd taken more photos and kept our folio at least. I do have an unopened deck of cards from that cruise, and another from our next cruise on the RCCL Sovereign of the Seas a couple of years later. Our first Princess cruise was on the first Crown Princess in 1990. Next month we're doing our third Crown Princess cruise; this one and the previous on the newer Crown Princess.

 

Our first cruise was about 1988 on the Mardi Gras.  Four day cruise.  We loved it!  I don't remember if we had a window but we did have a full size bed.  When talking with table mates about our cabins we mentioned something about the bathtub.  They were incredulous.  "You have a BATHTUB!!!!!.  I vaguely remember that the floor in the cabin may have been sloping.

 

Our next cruise we took our kids on NCL's Norway.  7 days.  I thought it was too long!!  I was bored.  It was a few years later that when we decided to cruise again we went back to Carnival because we had had so much fun on the Mardi Gras.  The Sensation, 7 day, did not disappoint.  We have been hooked since then.

[KevintheIrishDJ]

2 hours ago, tailspintom said:

We did the same year on the Chandris line's Amerikanis. New York to Bermuda.  It was very much more formal than today's cruising. Jackets at dinner each night and formal wear on formal nights. Chandris is now X. 

Remember being escorted to your cabin?

[tailspintom]

2 minutes ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

Remember being escorted to your cabin?

I do. And having a bunch of friend in the cabin and on the ship for a bon voyage. A safer time then.

[KevintheIrishDJ]

4 minutes ago, tailspintom said:

I do. And having a bunch of friend in the cabin and on the ship for a bon voyage. A safer time then.

Bon voyage parties were epic!