What are the things that have changed about cruising since your first cruise?

[Airbear232]

2 hours ago, KreinKrunker said:

It's not the food that makes the clothes tighter, the salt air shrinks them.  It scientifically proven.🤣

Whew, that’s a relief!

[George C]

17 hours ago, Airbear232 said:

Hmmm, what’s changed?  Well, I’m fatter due to my cruising lifestyle.  Consequently, my clothes don’t fit so well.  What else, the kids are nearly all grown and I’m no longer their favourite person to hang out with.  Also, reached D+ on RCL and love my free drinks and BOGO on specialty restaurants.  This in turn makes me fatter and clothes are getting even tighter.  Also, kids are now even less likely to spend time with me.  And the cycle goes on.  🙂 

My tux’s went from size 44 long to 46 long to 48 long , now I no longer wear tux’s 😁😁😁😁

[lenquixote66]

Our first cruise was in 1973 on a Cunard ship.There was only one restaurant.Passengers were assigned to tables but they had the choice of tables for 4 or 6.There were no shore excursions.

The only activities were skeet shooting,shuffleboard and a pool.

The evening shows were great ,outstanding well known singers and comedians.

Every cabin had a porthole.

[Airbear232]

6 hours ago, George C said:

My tux’s went from size 44 long to 46 long to 48 long , now I no longer wear tux’s 😁😁😁😁

I’m making the push now, so I can get into my tux for New Years cruise on Freedom!  🙂 

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

28 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

Our first cruise was in 1973 on a Cunard ship.There was only one restaurant.Passengers were assigned to tables but they had the choice of tables for 4 or 6.There were no shore excursions.

The only activities were skeet shooting,shuffleboard and a pool.

The evening shows were great ,outstanding well known singers and comedians.

Every cabin had a porthole.

What did you do at port calls if there were no excursions? Anything besides just go to the beach?

[lenquixote66]

1 minute ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

What did you do at port calls if there were no excursions? Anything besides just go to the beach?

It was a 7 night cruise from NY to Bermuda.We were in Bermuda several days and found activities for every day..There were also night time movies on the ship.Although my wife and I traveled alone we became very friendly with other cruisers as well as many crew members.One night we went to a night club with both crew members as well as other passengers.

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

10 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

It was a 7 night cruise from NY to Bermuda.We were in Bermuda several days and found activities for every day..There were also night time movies on the ship.Although my wife and I traveled alone we became very friendly with other cruisers as well as many crew members.One night we went to a night club with both crew members as well as other passengers.

Thanks for sharing... Love hearing about the days of past!

[Host Kat]

7 minutes ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

... Love hearing about the days of past!

 

You should check out the What Ever Happened To........??? forum. That is where your fellow Cruise Critic members discuss the glorious past of cruising... the ships, the people, the cruise lines, the ports that bring back those wonderful memories.

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

2 minutes ago, Host Kat said:

 

You should check out the What Ever Happened To........??? forum. That is where your fellow Cruise Critic members discuss the glorious past of cruising... the ships, the people, the cruise lines, the ports that bring back those wonderful memories.

I had no idea that was a forum... Thank you!

[Host Kat]

5 minutes ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

I had no idea that was a forum... Thank you!

 

Please feel free to browse the Cruise Critic Community categories list of the various forums. I suggest you put the page link in your browser's Favorites for quick & easy access in the future. Please read a few threads in the different forums to get a feel for what each forum is about. Make sure you read any pinned threads (aka stickies) on the top of the first page of threads in most forums. You will find very important instructions or information there.

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

2 minutes ago, Host Kat said:

 

Please feel free to browse the Cruise Critic Community categories list of the various forums. I suggest you put the page link in your browser's Favorites for quick & easy access in the future. Please read a few threads in the different forums to get a feel for what each forum is about. Make sure you read any pinned threads (aka stickies) on the top of the first page of threads in most forums. You will find very important instructions or information there.

Doing that was actually how I found this forum... There's a ton to look through but obviously I missed that one!

 

I usually stick to the cruise line specific forums and roll calls. 

 

[BklynBoy8]

On The Queen Elizabeth 2

 

The Wonderful Midnight Buffet in the Columbia Restaurant.

 

I can remember the wonderful selection they laid out. I remember approaching the Columbia Restaurant door with the room dimly lite with the different stations Spot lighted.

 

Cheese, Seafood w a Ice Craving filled with Shrimp, Breads, Cheese, Craving Boards, Desserts/Sweets and Flambe Station ex. Banana Foster.to name a few.

 

Now it's Late Nite Snack at 11:30...

 

Remember it well.....

 

 

[CDNPolar]

Our first cruise together was 2017.  We took far too much clothing.  We primarily sail Viking which have no formal nights, BUT, we like to dress up in the evenings.

 

What we have done since 2017 and with 14 cruises under our belt since that first one, is curated a wardrobe for travel.

 

We don't travel with even one pair of jeans.  First they are heavy in the luggage, and for us not comfortable for travel. We find them hot to wear in warm climates and coming from a -20C winter homeland, we find them cold to wear in the cold temps.  (I know there are many that feel jeans are the only comfortable pant)

 

We have searched out and found pants and shirts that are travel friendly, wrinkle free, and easy to care for that pass in the evening and are comfortable for excursions too.

 

We come home from excursions, shower, change for dinner into a fresh outfit, and then we wear that outfit for dinner, the evening, and then for the next day outings.  Repeat.

 

We have so reduced the amount of clothing that we take with this method.

[MacMadame]

 

16 hours ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

What did you do at port calls if there were no excursions? Anything besides just go to the beach?

On my cruise, when we hit the Dominican Republic, everyone else jumped into taxis and were driven to the other side of the island where there was a known (by them anyway) shopping area. And for the other ports, there were tour operators waiting outside to sell people excursions. So there were excursions, they just weren't cruise line-sponsored.

[lenquixote66]

16 hours ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

Thanks for sharing... Love hearing about the days of past!

You are welcome.

[Donald]

When I started cruising in 1970, cruises were quite expensive.

Most passengers were quite well off, well dressed, well educated, well traveled.

Whenever a crew member tried to sneak into passenger areas out of uniform, it was easy to catch them. They were never as well dressed as the passengers.

 

Today, mass market cruises are very cheap, but for many of the passengers this is the most costly experience they ever had. Many are traveling on a birth certificate or have just purchased their first passport.

When a crew member tries to sneak into a passenger area out of uniform, it is very easy to catch them. The passengers are mostly dressed like they are going to clean the garage; the crew members are better dressed. 

[trummy]

I miss nobody being tethered to their cell phone. It was one of the reasons we loved cruising.

[ontheweb]

We have a picture of us from our first cruise in 2002.. I am wearing a jacket and a tie. DW is wearing a dress she made. (She was excited about formal from our first cruise and bought a pattern and material.) We no longer bring anything that could be considered formal. Last summer on the NCL Prima, I mostly wore tie dye tee shirts.

[lenquixote66]

On 8/4/2024 at 7:06 AM, ontheweb said:

We have a picture of us from our first cruise in 2002.. I am wearing a jacket and a tie. DW is wearing a dress she made. (She was excited about formal from our first cruise and bought a pattern and material.) We no longer bring anything that could be considered formal. Last summer on the NCL Prima, I mostly wore tie dye tee shirts.

On our first cruise in 1973 in all the pictures of Mrs.66 and I no formal attire.

[lenquixote66]

On 8/3/2024 at 3:19 PM, Donald said:

When I started cruising in 1970, cruises were quite expensive.

Most passengers were quite well off, well dressed, well educated, well traveled.

Whenever a crew member tried to sneak into passenger areas out of uniform, it was easy to catch them. They were never as well dressed as the passengers.

 

Today, mass market cruises are very cheap, but for many of the passengers this is the most costly experience they ever had. Many are traveling on a birth certificate or have just purchased their first passport.

When a crew member tries to sneak into a passenger area out of uniform, it is very easy to catch them. The passengers are mostly dressed like they are going to clean the garage; the crew members are better dressed. 

My first cruise in 1973 on the Cunard Ambassador the seven night cruise for my wife and I was $699.00 including taxes.

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

My first cruise in 1973 on the Cunard Ambassador the seven night cruise for my wife and I was $699.00 including taxes.

And today, you could cruise on a 7 night cruise with MSC for LESS than $699 per person.  Go figure.

 

Hank

[ldubs]

3 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

My first cruise in 1973 on the Cunard Ambassador the seven night cruise for my wife and I was $699.00 including taxes.

 

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

And today, you could cruise on a 7 night cruise with MSC for LESS than $699 per person.  Go figure.

 

Hank

 

 

Kind of sobering when you think of the value of $699 in 1973.   

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

6 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

 

 

Kind of sobering when you think of the value of $699 in 1973.   

Looks like $700 in 1973 would be worth $5k today, which is right in the middle of what I'd expect to pay for a 7-day cruise today (you can be much cheaper on some lines or way higher on others or in suites).

[Hlitner]

6 minutes ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

Looks like $700 in 1973 would be worth $5k today, which is right in the middle of what I'd expect to pay for a 7-day cruise today (you can be much cheaper on some lines or way higher on others or in suites).

We could have a lot of fun playing with the numbers.  I do go back to the mid 70s, with cruises so do "get it" about what we get today vs what we got in the 70s.  It is two different products.  In the 70s there was no such thing as atriums, cabin balconies, alternative restaurants, open sitting, etc.  In the 70s there were no onboard water parks, bumper cars, magic carpets, etc.  Ships were relatively "bare bones" when compared to what exists today.  

 

As to suites, back in the 70s most of the main stream lines (NCL, Carnival, RCCL, etc) had very few suites and there were no special amenities (outside the suite itself).  It was not until the 90's, that balcony cabins started to become reasonable, and the term "suite" took on a different meaning.  To us, the eye opener was the first time we cruised on the new Grand Princess that had over a thousand balcony cabins.  And I still remember going on the then, new, Sovereign of the Seas, which was the first ship to have a true atrium (which they called a "Centrum").  A few years later, we met the English marine architect/engineer that designed that Atrium which resulted in him being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.  We actually met him on a Renaissance cruise (the first time he had ever been on one of the ships he designed) and he explained that the key to Atriums was hiding vertical supports in the elevator banks. A simple idea, but he was the first to figure it out and make it work.

 

 Today, DW and I often cruise on small ship luxury lines.  With those small ships, all the cabins are "suites" and the prices somewhat higher than a regular cabin on a mass market line.  But even those luxury cruises are far less, in real dollars per day, then an inside cabin would have been back in the 70s.

 

Hank

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

3 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We could have a lot of fun playing with the numbers.  I do go back to the mid 70s, with cruises so do "get it" about what we get today vs what we got in the 70s.  It is two different products.  In the 70s there was no such thing as atriums, cabin balconies, alternative restaurants, open sitting, etc.  In the 70s there were no onboard water parks, bumper cars, magic carpets, etc.  Ships were relatively "bare bones" when compared to what exists today.  

 

As to suites, back in the 70s most of the main stream lines (NCL, Carnival, RCCL, etc) had very few suites and there were no special amenities (outside the suite itself).  It was not until the 90's, that balcony cabins started to become reasonable, and the term "suite" took on a different meaning.  To us, the eye opener was the first time we cruised on the new Grand Princess that had over a thousand balcony cabins.  And I still remember going on the then, new, Sovereign of the Seas, which was the first ship to have a true atrium (which they called a "Centrum").  A few years later, we met the English marine architect/engineer that designed that Atrium which resulted in him being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.  We actually met him on a Renaissance cruise (the first time he had ever been on one of the ships he designed) and he explained that the key to Atriums was hiding vertical supports in the elevator banks. A simple idea, but he was the first to figure it out and make it work.

 

 Today, DW and I often cruise on small ship luxury lines.  With those small ships, all the cabins are "suites" and the prices somewhat higher than a regular cabin on a mass market line.  But even those luxury cruises are far less, in real dollars per day, then an inside cabin would have been back in the 70s.

 

Hank

It seems like all everybody talks about now is how expensive cruises have gotten, but it sounds like in the grand scheme of things they've actually gotten quite a bit cheaper. 

 

Though when I hear the stories of old, it does sound like the service was quite a bit better than it is today.