Did Your First Cruise Ruin All Others?

[sjmbruce]

So maybe not ruined, but did anyone else get completely spoiled by their first cruise? Now don’t get me wrong, my husband and I have been on some amazing cruises since that initial voyage. We’ve sailed to Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico and all over the Caribbean. Embarking in Puerto Rico was a fantastic experience. But that first one…

 

I think most people start out on a short cruise to the Bahamas or a slightly longer cruise to a few Caribbean islands. We started our addiction on a ten-day Panama Canal voyage aboard the Island Princess.  We flew into Miami and spent the night so we would have time to take an airboat ride through the everglades. We also visited Everglades National Park.

[sjmbruce]

We embarked and the ship pulled away from land in the late afternoon. We spent the first two and a half days at sea, doing anything and everything from lounging at the pool to those champagne art auctions. We finally made it to our first stop, Aruba. What a gorgeous island! We hired a private guide, Bully, and drove all over. My favorite part was the donkey sanctuary, where I was able to meet dozens of my favorite animal, the donkey.

 

[sjmbruce]

Our next stop was Cartagena, Colombia. It was our first time in Southern America. We visited the fort, then headed over to the walled city where we went into churches and museums all day.

[sjmbruce]

Panama was a long, amazing day. We of course went through the Canal, up until Gatun Lake. We boarded a bus that took us to canoes which were ready to take us down the river until we reached the Embera village. We met the people of the village, shared lunch, and heard about their lives. I met a five-year-old girl and talked in Spanish about ourselves. Before we left the village for our long canoe and bus ride back to the ship, I learned a traditional dance with the women of the village. It was truly a life changing experience.

[sjmbruce]

In Costa Rica, we went to a banana planation, rode a riverboat looking for wildlife, stopped at a beach for lunch, and went to the Jaguar Rescue Center where I met several animals in the middle of rehabilitation. Definitely a highlight!

[sjmbruce]

 

Our last stop was in Jamaica, where we decided to get a day pass to an all-inclusive resort and spend the day at the beach.

[sjmbruce]

Was it just a truly remarkable cruise? Or was it because it was our first? I don’t know if I care what the answer is. We’ll be chasing that cruising high for a long time. I can’t wait to get back to it.

 

Thanks for letting me relive my first time. What was your first cruise? 

[mammajamma2013]

Mexican Riviera on Princess. I loved the entire experience and decided this was something I wanted to continue. We went in November and the Dawn was decorated for Christmas. Beautiful!

 

I think it was remarkable because it was my first (and a surprise anniversary gift from my husband), but it definitely planted the cruise bug in me. I had wanted to cruise for several years prior so that played into it as well.

 

Love your pictures!

[sjmbruce]

7 minutes ago, mammajamma2013 said:

Mexican Riviera on Princess. I loved the entire experience and decided this was something I wanted to continue. We went in November and the Dawn was decorated for Christmas. Beautiful!

 

I think it was remarkable because it was my first (and a surprise anniversary gift from my husband), but it definitely planted the cruise bug in me. I had wanted to cruise for several years prior so that played into it as well.

 

Love your pictures!

Ooo you just reminded me that our first cruise was in December, so it was also decorated for Christmas. Definitely added to the magic! 

Our one and only Mexican cruise was to Cabo, but the Mexican Riviera is on my list. 

[ontheweb]

In late 2001, I said to DW why don't we try a cruise next summer to celebrate our 25th anniversary. She thought it was a good idea. I suggested Bermuda out of NY since we would not have to fly, and who wanted to fly at that point. She did not like that idea. (We have since sailed to Bermuda.) She suggested Alaska, but I said no. (We have since cruised to Alaska.) I found a Western Mediterranean cruise starting from Barcelona. She is an art teacher and I knew she would love the ports.

 

Great cruise, but I messed up in the port for Florence and got us on a train going the wrong way. She figured it out and got us back in time to actually get to Pisa, but not Florence.

 

Now as for your question, it actually inspired out cruise 10 years later when we did a cruise with almost identical ports. Even though we were obviously more experienced, we took the cruise line's Florence on your own. She pre-cruise booked timed entrances to the main 2 museums.

[Ashland]

We started off in the early mid 1990's with RCI to the Baja and Mexican Riviera...that started our addiction...and it's been full steam ahead since then as our cruises have gotten better and better.

Almost 30 cruises and have never had a disappointment...well maybe once on my one and only Princess...couldn't put my finger on what it was but something just felt off.

[bonsai3s]

Always loved traveling.  Backpacked all over Europe. Have traveled most of the world...but made every excuse NOT to cruise...just not my style.  Was I ever sooooooo wrong.

 

Yes, one of our first cruises "ruined" it for us........it got us addicted to cruising.

 

I've written about this before but don't mind writing it again.  It was our cruise on the Song of America.

 We were assigned to a table of 8.  We joined two absolutely wonderful Brits.  The other seats were filled by various ship entertainers, and the Assistant Captain (not really sure of his title but he said he was just below the Captain).  Some of the stories we heard could not or would not be appropriate for Cruise Critic...we had a blast.  Free wine and special meals every night...the female dancers who joined us ordered single liquor shots and proceeded to drink them with "no hands".

 

I thought...wow! this is so much better than being on a bus or train, packing and repacking....cruising was so much more relaxing...we (well, at least me) could go "brain dead" for days...no worries.

Yes, ruined for life....and I don't mind it a bit. Happy New Year to all! ☺️

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, sjmbruce said:

So maybe not ruined, but did anyone else get completely spoiled by their first cruise? Now don’t get me wrong, my husband and I have been on some amazing cruises since that initial voyage. We’ve sailed to Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico and all over the Caribbean. Embarking in Puerto Rico was a fantastic experience. But that first one…

 

I think most people start out on a short cruise to the Bahamas or a slightly longer cruise to a few Caribbean islands. We started our addiction on a ten-day Panama Canal voyage aboard the Island Princess.  We flew into Miami and spent the night so we would have time to take an airboat ride through the everglades. We also visited Everglades National Park.

Our first cruise was in 1973 from NYC to Bermuda.We hit a very violent storm and everyone on the ship got seasick.My wife and I did not cruise again till 1994.

[George C]

Loved my first 7 day cruise on the elegant Rotterdam out of nyc in 1977, liked everything about it , have cruised at least once a year since and many years multiple times. 

[mom says]

Our first cruise was an Eastern Caribbean out of Ft Lauderdale on the QM2. It certainly didn't ruin cruising for us- we has a wonderful time. But it almost spoiled us for other lines. We tried several different ones over the next 10 years before we discovered a couple that equalled our first experience. Those intervening cruises certainly weren't bad - we still enjoyed ourselves. They just couldn't live up to that first exposure.

[Aquahound]

3 hours ago, sjmbruce said:

Thanks for letting me relive my first time. What was your first cruise? 

 

I was just a teenager for my first cruise, so I only remember bits and pieces of it.  The best cruises came much later, such as my wedding cruise, an amazing 2 week European cruise, or my first Alaska cruise.  

 

Keep chasing that high.  Something like a new line or a whole new part of the world can leave you with that first cruise feeling again.  🙂

[navybankerteacher]

My first mass market line cruise did  ruin all subsequent mass market line cruises.  I was on Holland America -- before they decided to compete with Carnival and NCL -- when they had well prepared meals well served, with good entertainment and music in several venues every evening. 

 

They have come very close to catching up with the other mass market lines in their race to the bottom - in which cutting service to hold down fares to attract new customers seems to be the essence of their business plan.

 

It wasn't the newness of that first mass market cruise - it was the deterioration observed on subsequent cruises which ruined things.

 

  I have yet to see anything on any mass market line which comes close to that first one ---- only because they no longer try as hard.

[Shmoo here]

4 hours ago, sjmbruce said:

So maybe not ruined, but did anyone else get completely spoiled by their first cruise?

 

4 hours ago, sjmbruce said:

I think most people start out on a short cruise to the Bahamas or a slightly longer cruise to a few Caribbean islands.

We jumped in with both feet for our very first cruise - a 15 night Panama Canal cruise.  I don't think it ruined it for our subsequent cruises.  Since we wound up taking 20 something cruises in the next 10 years, we obviously loved it.

[ldubs]

OP - your first cruise looks like it was terrific.  Our first cruise was to the Mexican Riviera.  We enjoyed it a lot.  It did not spoil subsequent cruises.  We have enjoyed them all though some more than others of course.   I guess we have not tried to duplicate things.  Each trip is a looked upon as a new and often different experience.  

[ldubs]

3 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

My first mass market line cruise did  ruin all subsequent mass market line cruises.  I was on Holland America -- before they decided to compete with Carnival and NCL -- when they had well prepared meals well served, with good entertainment and music in several venues every evening. 

 

They have come very close to catching up with the other mass market lines in their race to the bottom - in which cutting service to hold down fares to attract new customers seems to be the essence of their business plan.

 

It wasn't the newness of that first mass market cruise - it was the deterioration observed on subsequent cruises which ruined things.

 

  I have yet to see anything on any mass market line which comes close to that first one ---- only because they no longer try as hard.

 

I don't do things I don't like doing.  I hope you have stopped using mass market lines.  

[evandbob]

My 1st and 2nd cruise experiences in 2003 were on a smoke free ship, so in that sense, I was definitely spoiled and irritated by successive smoke filled casinos, and non compliant balcony smokers, etc.

 

Otherwise, I was cruising solo for exploratory reasons, to see what being on a ship was like and how I liked the ports.  This lead to land vacations in ports/islands I was curious about but hesitant to book, like Roatan, San Pedro in Belize, Montego Bay and Negril, Playa del Carmen, and St Kitts among others.  In this way, the land vacays gave me much more of a feel for the port than a day trip from a ship could ever do, so I guess you could say almost 60 cruises later I am still an explorer.

[iancal]

They have all been good.  Each one of them- from the first to the latest.

[Joebucks]

Ours was a simple Key West and Cozumel, 4-day. I had been to Key West years prior too, so it was a safe bet. Riding around Cozumel on a scooter was the first time I had ever explored a foreign country. It was a first-time experience that I won't soon forget.

 

It also had Jay Leno performing live on the ship. I had always loved him growing up, and was thrilled I got to see him. That too, will also be a memory I keep.

[SelectSys]

21 hours ago, sjmbruce said:

Was it just a truly remarkable cruise? Or was it because it was our first? I don’t know if I care what the answer is. We’ll be chasing that cruising high for a long time. I can’t wait to get back to it.

 

I also remember our first cruise as being magical.  We started the cruise not knowing what to expect and left being hooked.

 

I remember somewhat similar experiences for cruises that were also first of kind for us in terms of radically different destination's/routes, but it was the first cruise that definitely set the hook in terms of wanting to return.

 

BTW - I have never experienced a bad cruise.

Edited January 1, 2021 by SelectSys

[navybankerteacher]

13 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

I don't do things I don't like doing.  I hope you have stopped using mass market lines.  

Of course — with the exception of an occasional Cunard sailing - they, alone among mass market lines, have made some effort -  and, more important, they offer the most civilized way to come home from our frequent visits to England.

Edited January 1, 2021 by navybankerteacher