Is Your First Cruise Usually Your Favorite?

[tvaud]

Just wondering how most people feel about their first cruise?

 

My first cruise was on the Carla C way back when and it was a very wonderful and memorable trip. I can still remember some of those tastes from the dining room. My favorite cruise or cruises were my SITMAR cruises....Fairsea, Fairwind and Fairsky. Every other cruise I take gets compared to them. Alas they are gone now...absorbed into Princess, but they will always be my favorites. Nothing beats top of the line Italian service. The one line that seems to be closest to SITMAR now...to me...is Celebrity. I'll be on the Crown Oct. 9th... I hope it will be wonderful too. I'd listen to DH and skip NCL. JMHO

[VaBeachCruisers897]

First cruise was very Exciting for us.... But it was difficult for us to relax because we spent 1/2 of our short first cruise trying to plan another and we had many conversations around the topic - "we should have done this sooner..."

 

I also remember having trouble saying "No" to all the bread on the first cruise.

[Tina G]

"Well, he can't understand why we would want to try other lines since he loved Princess and why be disappointed like he was on NCL. Now let me say, I also felt "at home" on Princess, but would like to try the other main stream lines. He's fighting me the whole way (not that that's bad!)"

 

WHAT???:eek: Your husband WANTS to take you on another Princess cruise, and you are saying NO!!!!!:eek: Lady, make the cruise booking while he's still HOT!!!!:D

[Clutterlady]

"Well, he can't understand why we would want to try other lines since he loved Princess and why be disappointed like he was on NCL. Now let me say, I also felt "at home" on Princess, but would like to try the other main stream lines. He's fighting me the whole way (not that that's bad!)"

 

WHAT???:eek: Your husband WANTS to take you on another Princess cruise, and you are saying NO!!!!!:eek: Lady, make the cruise booking while he's still HOT!!!!:D

 

Ok, so he's reading all the latest Princess brochures.............so I guess if he says next cruise is on Princess I guess I'll just have to give in and say OK:D !!! Really do feel at home with Princess but would still like to experience the other lines! Anyway, enjoying hearing the "first time" stories!! Brings back great memories for everyone. "Remember When"!!!!!!!!:)

[MilliesMom]

Our first cruise will always have a special place in our hearts as it is when my husband and I met. It was on the Pacific Princess.

 

In the last 20 years we have cruised with Princess, Norwegian, RCCL, and Carnival. Each cruise has been special and fun. It has also allowed us to see different parts of the country, leave from different ports and still look forward to more cruising.

[Clutterlady]

Our first cruise will always have a special place in our hearts as it is when my husband and I met. It was on the Pacific Princess.

 

In the last 20 years we have cruised with Princess, Norwegian, RCCL, and Carnival. Each cruise has been special and fun. It has also allowed us to see different parts of the country, leave from different ports and still look forward to more cruising.

 

So tell us, how did you and dh meet on the Pacific Princess??? Love these stories!!!!!!!:)

[JLC@SD]

My first crusie was on a classic.........Sitmar's Fairsea.....a grand lady who is no longer around. We also sailed on her sister Dawn Princess (Photo below, Sitmar's ex Fairwind). They were unique, small and personal....great service.

[Clutterlady]

My first crusie was on a classic.........Sitmar's Fairsea.....a grand lady who is no longer around. We also sailed on her sister Dawn Princess (Photo below, Sitmar's ex Fairwind). They were unique, small and personal....great service.

 

Wow, I bet the stories she could tell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tennisobo]

Our first cruise was on NCL Majesty. We had a great time but I wanted to try a larger ship. Next cruise was on the Caribbean Princess. I think that has been my favorite. Lots to do, beautiful ship, great service. Our cruise on the Star was very good and we had a great CC group. I still think the Caribbean was better, partly because we never had to tender, which made the port time longer and easier.

 

Now I'm ready to try the Diamond....that may be my new favorite because it will be our first balcony....and we got a stern cabin on the port corner. Can't wait!! :)

[DEERINH2O]

Ok, this one made me think, Hmmm, my favorite cruise would have to be my first 7 day cruise on RCL Voyager of the Seas. I had taken 2 or 3 of the 3 day, but when DH and I took our first 7 day, it did not disappoint. It still is my fondest of all my cruises, but I definitly look forward to trying many lines and many cruises to beat my favorite.:p

 

Kathy

[ladysheri]

I think my next cruise is my favorite.:)

 

I may have to agree with Cabana. Although each one has been special in its own way, including our Honeymoon in '88 on one of the original "Big Red Boats", I mostly look forward to the next one we are planning on taking.

 

OK, after a long pause, I remember that my first cruise involved a REALLY small cabin, running out of $$$ (in the days before cash machines on every corner) in Nassau and having to walk 3-5 miles, maybe more, to get back to the ship, and arguing over dressing up for dinner on formal night. Nope, first cruise was definitely not my favorite. :D :) :D

[chasetf]

I like to think that our first cruise was kind of like a first date, exciting, and a little mysterious, but certainly leaving us wanting more. We really fell in love with cruising our second time out. .

My first experience on the open seas was as a teenager. :) It was a special and unique trip that could not be repeated today. It was aboard the SS France (now the Norway on the beach of Alang :() We sailed first class on an Atlantic crossing in grand old style.

 

It took 28 years before my second open ocean experience. I do not know why it took so long, but we are making up for lost time. :D

[willysgrandma]

I think the answer is totally dependent on the ship you had for your first cruise.

 

Our first cruise was on the Celebrity Century when she was new. It was a spectacular ship, the midnight buffet stupified us it was so huge. We loved the ship, the food, the service.

 

Our next cruise was RCCL Sovereign of the Seas - a big disappointment.

 

We decided to go back to Celebrity for our third and did the Horizon, which was the worst ship we ever sailed on. Totally different from the Century. The food was great, the ship was awful and our server in the dining room was terrible.

 

We decided to try NCL Pride of Aloha, which was okay.

 

None of them measured up to our first.

 

We booked the Crown for Nov. 4 and did a tour of the ship and I think this ship will be our new one to compare the next cruises to.

 

Had I done the Sovereign or Horizon as my first cruise, I might never have cruised again.

 

We have a group of 14 people for the Crown and six of them are first time cruisers. I believe the Crown is going to be the ship they hold any future cruises up against.

[lindahope]

We booked an outside gty and received a suite on the Celebrity Galaxy. We travelled with friends and three of the four people in our group celebrated birthdays on while on board. Let's just say I had the BEST 31st birthday party with about 500 'new' friends. Nothing has quite compared, the next closest was the Carnival Glory inagural cruise. :cool:

[gelton]

Without a doubt the first cruise will always hold a special memory and will for most people get them hooked. I had one of the best times of my life on the HAL Zuiderdam and it didn't hurt that my first cruise was an upgraded balcony (breakfast on a private balcony as we came into port was almost to much to imagine for someone acustomed to the simple life like me).

But my favorite cruise would be my last cruise which was to Alaska. I think it was because it was so different than anything I had done before. I didn't have a balcony (although a rather large outside room was nice), but I really enjoyed the cruise. It was also on HAL (the Oosterdam) but I have also cruised on NCL(largest bathrooms in a cabin I have seen but small toilet area) and have a cruise in less than 2 weeks on Princess. Personally I would like to try other cruise lines, but so far there have been no disappointments.

[WeBeGone]

Like other things in life, you always remember the "First Time" but it's not always your "Favorite" or "Best Time". ;)

[Clutterlady]

Like other things in life, you always remember the "First Time" but it's not always your "Favorite" or "Best Time". ;)

 

Ya, ya........how true!!:p

[hshowalter]

Our first cruise was in Dec. 1984 on HAL!s Neiu Amsterdam & itwasn!t till we went on Renaissance that we had to say they were our favorite cruise Line . On 9-30-06 we will be on the crown Princess for our 56th cruise:12th with Princess. On 10-21-06 wewill fly to Rome for a 12 night Meditterian Cruise & then we will stay onboard for a 16 night trans Atlantic on Carnivals Liberty.Our favorite cruise Line is Celebrity. Our least favorite was Costa & Cunard.

[tvaud]

My first crusie was on a classic.........Sitmar's Fairsea.....a grand lady who is no longer around. We also sailed on her sister Dawn Princess (Photo below, Sitmar's ex Fairwind). They were unique, small and personal....great service.

 

The yellow stack and the "V" may be painted over, but you can't mistake the shape of that great ship. It brings a smile to my face.:) I miss Sitmar. It's nice to know others remember them fondly as well.

[tvaud]

Wow, I bet the stories she could tell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Shhhhh! I'm sure I'd fall into a few of those...:eek:

[Andee]

Our sixth cruise was our favorite--because after trying Celebrity, Princess, and Orient, we found Oceania, which is the best fit for us.

[piper28]

Like other things in life, you always remember the "First Time" but it's not always your "Favorite" or "Best Time".

 

I suspect my first cruise won't be my favorite once I get a few more cruises under my belt, but I DEFINITELY will always remember it. Course, my first cruise was the 7/11 Crown, so is that real surprising? :)

[Deloresgardella]

My first cruise was on the Fairsea in '82. I took my 14 year old daughter. At the time the ship felt so big I just knew we were going to get lost. I loved it, we had such a great time. They the officers could dance with you and sit to talk. I also went the following year.

Delores

[iancal]

Our first was also our favorite-10 days on the Crystal Symphony in Europe. And it was gratis to boot.

[dennbr9]

First Cruise was one of my favoite, it was our Honeymoon. But all of them have been great and like others here have said, my favorite is my next one.

 

Loved Princess this year, enjoy RCI, and love Celebrity., and had great service and enjoyed Disney.

 

Good luck on your choice, I am sure you will enjoy it.

 

Dennbr9