Was cruising better in the 90’s

[wcook]

A bunch of great videos on the Cruise Nostalgia YouTube channel. Here’s a promotion for Princess, hosted by Murray Slaughter himself. Gotta love the classics, like the parade of baked Alaska. And long banned activities like skeet shooting. And kite flying - was that really a thing? Seems like a very bad idea. Enjoy:

 

 

[Zach1213]

2 minutes ago, wcook said:

And long banned activities like skeet shooting. And kite flying - was that really a thing? Seems like a very bad idea.

 

Safety was just a recommendation in the 90s 🙂

[wcook]

Bonus vid: Even if you think toad’s cruising is better, you gotta admit the commercials were better back then. Take it away Cathy Lee:

 

 

[George C]

Cruising has been changing every decade or so , ships keep getting bigger, dress code keeps going more casual. Glad we don’t go back to the 70’s when you wore suit and tie every night. Big plus is less smoking some lines like celebrity have no smoking at all inside .

[CruiserBruce]

2 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

 

Safety was just a recommendation in the 90s 🙂

As was environmental concerns, until some got caught dumping and the follow up lawsuits and fines.

[lenquixote66]

2 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

 

Safety was just a recommendation in the 90s 🙂

Skeet shooting was very popular in the 70’s

[K32682]

In some ways cruising was better thirty years ago and in some ways it is better today. Ships were smaller, the food and service were better, ports were not as crowded and onboard entertainment was better. 

 

Conversely, the onboard experience was often pretentious and rigid. You ate at your assigned table at the assigned time, suit and ties were required and silly "traditions" such as waving napkins over your head as servers marched in flaming baked Alaskas were strictly observed. 

 

I much prefer the more egalitarian environment on today's ships. The variety of dining options, the more casual dress standards and the less stifling environment make for a more relaxing and engaging experience. 

[Essiesmom]

Remember, back then there was no buffet or specialty restaurant.  Every meal eaten in the MDR.  All assigned dining.  Few balconies.  Things many posters today can’t seem to want to cruise without.  EM

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, Essiesmom said:

Remember, back then there was no buffet or specialty restaurant.  Every meal eaten in the MDR.  All assigned dining.  Few balconies.  Things many posters today can’t seem to want to cruise without.  EM

You mean no evening buffet. Our first cruise was in 1991 and there was a buffet option for breakfast and lunch. 

[navybankerteacher]

3 minutes ago, davekathy said:

You mean no evening buffet. Our first cruise was in 1991 and there was a buffet option for breakfast and lunch. 

Good point - applicable I think to most ships.  Also there was much better food wherever you ate - including room service.

[dolittle]

Everything is better with rose colored glasses . Our first cruise was 2001 most things are better today. Better ships, more dinning options ,more ports. One thing I do miss is midnight buffet, Xs was amazing showy and fun .

[dolittle]

4 hours ago, K32682 said:

In some ways cruising was better thirty years ago and in some ways it is better today. Ships were smaller, the food and service were better, ports were not as crowded and onboard entertainment was better. 

 

 

Started in 2001 but I think the entertainment is way better today . N,C,L. Carnival and Royal Caribbean are leading the rest, all are very good.

[Hlitner]

Was cruising better in the 90s?  Probably not!  But I do think it was better in the 70s and 80s!    Perhaps some of that is related to an era when we did not have these supersized mega ships.  But in those ole days everything was "Fixed Dining" at assigned tables.  All passengers got to know their tablemates, waiters, assistant waiters, etc.  Alternative restaurants did not exist on most ships.    We could debate whether this cruise experience was "better" but it was certainly different then what we experience today.  I will honestly say there were some things I liked better in those ole days and some things we like better today.

 

So I will tell you how different things are today.  Back in the 80s when we cruised on NCLs Norway (previously the France) they had Fixed seatings and real formal nights.  I still remember walking along the International deck on one of the formal nights when most of the men were in dark suits or Tuxedos and the ladies wore long gowns or very fancy cocktail dresses.  Those nights were special, and the atmosphere was magical.   And that was on NCL!  It was similar on RCCL (now RCI) where we had fixed seatings, the waiters would parade with backed Alaska (sometimes on their heads) and sing to the passengers.  In those days we also had some amazing midnight buffets, folks did not think it was proper to eat dinner at 5pm, and the evenings dragged on well past midnight!

 

So times have changed in many ways.  Whether it is for the better or worse we will leave for others to debate.

 

Hank

[Joebucks]

I didn't sail in the 90s, so I'm hypothesizing, but I'm going to say no. The brands that were here, have evolved into something different. Ie - Carnival and Royal went from luxury to mass market. Yet the "90s luxury" cruises still exist on different brands. For as much as people complain, the mass market cruises of today are the ones the consumers choose.

 

Some people just expect to pick and choose all of the best parts of past, present, and future, with the lowest price ever. Then they're allowed to go online and share it because "well it's my opinion".

[dolittle]

34 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

I didn't sail in the 90s, so I'm hypothesizing, but I'm going to say no. The brands that were here, have evolved into something different. Ie - Carnival and Royal went from luxury to mass market. Yet the "90s luxury" cruises still exist on different brands. For as much as people complain, the mass market cruises of today are the ones the consumers choose.

 

Some people just expect to pick and choose all of the best parts of past, present, and future, with the lowest price ever. Then they're allowed to go online and share it because "well it's my opinion".

I don't think Carnival was ever luxury .In fact that was it's breakthrough being for younger and newer cruisers .

[Mary229]

30 minutes ago, dolittle said:

I don't think Carnival was ever luxury .In fact that was it's breakthrough being for younger and newer cruisers .

I sailed Carnival in the late 80s and 90s. It was then known as a party ship but I was younger and that sounded just great. 😉

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, Joebucks said:

I didn't sail in the 90s, so I'm hypothesizing, but I'm going to say no. The brands that were here, have evolved into something different. Ie - Carnival and Royal went from luxury to mass market. Yet the "90s luxury" cruises still exist on different brands. For as much as people complain, the mass market cruises of today are the ones the consumers choose.

 

Some people just expect to pick and choose all of the best parts of past, present, and future, with the lowest price ever. Then they're allowed to go online and share it because "well it's my opinion".

Oh my.   So Carnival was never anything close to luxury.  In fact when I recall some of their older ships like the Mardi Gras and Carnivale it is hard to even think the word "luxury."  As to RCCL (we cruised them a lot back in the late 70s and 80s, DW and I still laugh about a so called "double cabin" we had on the Sun Viking.  The cabin had a port hole, and a real double bed!  It had the double bed because the cabin was actually too small for two twins :).  When DW and I would unpack one of us would have to sit on the bed with our legs on the bed so there was enough room for the other to move around the cabin.  It was far from "luxury" but we did love every minute 🙂

 

But you are right that those brands have evolved.  RCCL used to be about great service and white gloved waiters in the MDR who served veggies from large silver serving bowls/platters.  Our favorite RCI waiter (who later became one their dining room managers) used to come around and cut open our baked potatoes to spoon in sour cream, chives, bacon bits, etc. which he served from silver bowls.  While it was never luxury, the service was special.   But RCI sold its soul for large mega ships and changed the entire atmosphere of the line.   

 

But we should not forget the name of this entire Blog is "Cruise Critic.  It used to be if you just wanted to have a love affair with cruise lines you would just buy Cruise Travel Magazine!   But here on CC you get it all from love to hate and just about everything between.  I think we call that "free speech."

 

Hank

[Honolulu Blue]

19 hours ago, wcook said:

kite flying - was that really a thing? Seems like a very bad idea. 

Kite flying was no worse an idea than skeet shooting, IMHO.  Don't forget that Benjamin Franklin once flew a kite, intentionally, into a thunderstorm.  He survived. 🙂

 

As for your original question, one of my favorite philosophers put it best - "The good old days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."

[K32682]

1 hour ago, Honolulu Blue said:

Kite flying was no worse an idea than skeet shooting, IMHO.  Don't forget that Benjamin Franklin once flew a kite, intentionally, into a thunderstorm.  He survived. 🙂

 

As for your original question, one of my favorite philosophers put it best - "The good old days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."

 

Kite flying would be far preferable to dumping lead, shotgun wads and clay target shards into the ocean. 

[dolittle]

I always laugh when I see old movies of people skeet shooting off the back of a ship . I am sure it was one at a time (maybe two) on a ship of 800 or so. 

[Hlitner]

4 hours ago, dolittle said:

I always laugh when I see old movies of people skeet shooting off the back of a ship . I am sure it was one at a time (maybe two) on a ship of 800 or so. 

Actually, it was an option on the largest Ocean Liners and a daily activity on sea days...weather permitting.  In those days nobody was very concerned about the targets or some shot going into the sea as ships used to dump a lot more then these days when there are all kinds of environmental rules (not always followed).   I imagine that for those who had never been skeet shooting it was a lot of fun and a challenge (it is not that easy to hit those targets...especially when you are using a strange gun).

 

Now if you want a real laugh imagine a group of gown-ups playing "animal toss" where they toss stuffed animals at a target.  That was a popular activity on one of our longer HAL cruises!

 

Hank

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Now if you want a real laugh imagine a group of gown-ups playing "animal toss" where they toss stuffed animals at a target

 

A different version of the corn hole game?

17 hours ago, Hlitner said:

RCCL used to be about great service and white gloved waiters in the MDR who served veggies from large silver serving bowls/platters.  Our favorite RCI waiter (who later became one their dining room managers) used to come around and cut open our baked potatoes to spoon in sour cream, chives, bacon bits, etc. which he served from silver bowls.  While it was never luxury, the service was special.

 

Other lines had silver service as well and that included the way the entrees were served.  The service was indeed special and, at that time, at least for me, it was "luxury".

 

17 hours ago, Hlitner said:

I still laugh about a so called "double cabin" we had on the Sun Viking.

 

My traveling companion and I sailed on Nordic Prince is a double cabin:  two sofa beds opposite each other.  If we both were seated across from each other, our knees would touch.  Those cabins were small!  

 

20 hours ago, Joebucks said:

Ie - Carnival and Royal went from luxury to mass market.

 

No.  Both have always been mass market.  When the companies wanted an upscale brand as part of their companies, both went shopping with Carnival buying HAL and Royal Caribbean acquiring the company that became Celebrity.  Their desire for still more of an upscale brand led to the advent of Seabourn and Silversea.  

 

21 hours ago, dolittle said:

Started in 2001 but I think the entertainment is way better today . N,C,L. Carnival and Royal Caribbean are leading the rest, all are very good.

 

Yes and no.  And, it probably depends on the cruise line today.  On HAL, the entertainment once was very good to excellent.  Not so much today, though.  The reduction of live music offered began changing in 2002.  

 

On 8/10/2022 at 2:39 PM, navybankerteacher said:

 Also there was much better food wherever you ate - including room service.

 

I'd add much more consistently better food then.  The development of Lido Restaurants has been an advantage that the ships of the '50's didn't have.  The development of specialty restaurants has been interesting to observe and, I think, add welcome dining choices.  (I am almost sure, however, that as far back as the Olympic/Titanic era, there was a specialty restaurant aboard for First Class guests.  Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth both had the Veranda Grill that seemed to be provide a Supper Club type atmosphere at dinner.  I remember reading trip reports in Holiday Magazine about guests' experiences there.)

 

On 8/10/2022 at 12:12 PM, CruiserBruce said:

As was environmental concerns,

 

Increased concerns about the environment is a major improvement in the cruising experience.  As long as the cruise line does not take it to its extreme that seems illogical, at least to me.  I recall in 1970 and 1971 seeing bags of trash, etc. being thrown over the stern of Rotterdam V.  All ships probably were doing the same.  No one thought much about it until some of that stuff began washing ashore along our East Coast.  

[cruisemom42]

On 8/10/2022 at 2:34 PM, davekathy said:

You mean no evening buffet. Our first cruise was in 1991 and there was a buffet option for breakfast and lunch. 

 

I think em was looking back to an earlier time. In the 1970s and at least part of the way through the 1980s there was no dedicate buffet area on ships.  Sometimes they might bring out tables and set up a lunch buffet around the pool though.

[rkacruiser]

12 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I think em was looking back to an earlier time. In the 1970s and at least part of the way through the 1980s there was no dedicate buffet area on ships.  Sometimes they might bring out tables and set up a lunch buffet around the pool though.

 

You are correct.

 

Rotterdam V had developed their Lido Restaurant not too long before I sailed on her in 1970.  The concept was slowly being adopted by others.  1973, when I sailed on Home Lines' Oceanic, there was no buffet restaurant.  There was an underused dining room at the front of the ship (I think it had been planned to be a First Class Restaurant if the ship ever sailed two Class sailings).  If my memory is correct, on sea days, there would be a buffet set up there for lunch.  

[ldubs]

18 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Oh my.   So Carnival was never anything close to luxury.  In fact when I recall some of their older ships like the Mardi Gras and Carnivale it is hard to even think the word "luxury."  As to RCCL (we cruised them a lot back in the late 70s and 80s, DW and I still laugh about a so called "double cabin" we had on the Sun Viking.  The cabin had a port hole, and a real double bed!  It had the double bed because the cabin was actually too small for two twins :).  When DW and I would unpack one of us would have to sit on the bed with our legs on the bed so there was enough room for the other to move around the cabin.  It was far from "luxury" but we did love every minute 🙂

 

But you are right that those brands have evolved.  RCCL used to be about great service and white gloved waiters in the MDR who served veggies from large silver serving bowls/platters.  Our favorite RCI waiter (who later became one their dining room managers) used to come around and cut open our baked potatoes to spoon in sour cream, chives, bacon bits, etc. which he served from silver bowls.  While it was never luxury, the service was special.   But RCI sold its soul for large mega ships and changed the entire atmosphere of the line.   

 

But we should not forget the name of this entire Blog is "Cruise Critic.  It used to be if you just wanted to have a love affair with cruise lines you would just buy Cruise Travel Magazine!   But here on CC you get it all from love to hate and just about everything between.  I think we call that "free speech."

 

Hank

 

I think your comments about the white gloved MDR staff really highlight the personal attention that used to be part of the RCCL experience (and others).   I think the service is still very good and more than meets my needs.  But it sure isn't like the old days when there was more proactive attention to things.