Your first Cruise was it on the SS Uganda

[SeaJane]

On 9/14/2018 at 7:04 PM, jessybell said:

I went on SS Nevassa ..which I think is the sister ship......there were 20 of us from South of England and we went to Minorca, Tangiers and Lisbon. In Tangiers so as not to lose any of us, we had to wear school uniform. That was back in the early 60’s...what a sight we must have made. We also could not use the same decks as the other passengers and the food was much like school dinners. Still I have fond memories of my first cruise.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

My first cruise was on SS Nevasa for pupils from Surrey CC schools -  I think it was 1971. We joined the ship in Venice and visited Athens, Crete, Tunis, Naples and Livorno flying home from Pisa. I remember it being very exciting and seeing some wonderful places which whetted my appetite for travelling abroad although I didn’t cruise again until 2012. There were major strikes in Italy so we were unable to visit Pompeii or any of the major tourist sites in Florence, but it didn’t spoil the magic of the trip.

[Donna2365]

My first cruise was on SS Uganda. It was a week long school trip and was either 1977/1978 and I was around 11 nearly 12 years old.

I’m from Durham, England but can’t remember where we boarded, but we visited Lisbon in Portugal and Corunna and Santander in Spain.

I remember sharing a dormitory with my classmates who were on the trip and other kids from other schools in our area on the trip. 
I was seasick the first night I remember, but after that night was fine.

I remember the pool on deck and watching dolphins, or sharks maybe, jumping out of the water.

I remember going for breakfast and there being a choice of ‘Continental’ breakfast or ‘Fried’ breakfast and I remember a pink blancmange they did with squirty cream on the top.

Also remember some kind of entertainment club on board the ship and a song we used to sing.

I remember there being shops and I’d bought gifts from my mum and dad.

 

Loved Spain and Portugal too.

 

Ive never forgotten this trip and remember lots and lots about it and for years I’ve wanted to relive the experience of a cruise again, .........maybe one day.

[Splice the mainbrace]

My first cruise was an 'educational cruise' on SS Uganda in Oct/Nov 1978. It cost in the region of £170 IIRC for the 2 weeks which is about £1000 in todays money.

 

We had some lessons during the sea days learning about the next destination and Greek history etc.. and slept in dormitories.

 

Itinerary was:

Fly to Venice

Venice

Santorini

Rhodes

Israel for Dead Sea, Bethlehem and Jerusalem

Crete

Naples for Pompeii 

Fly back from Naples

 

We are due to be on Arcadia in Oct 2022 for an Eastern Med cruise, it will be the first time that I have been to Crete and Rhodes since then.

[Denarius]

MY first cruise was on the Ark. Noah was a wonderful captain, but there were a lot of sea days and the weather was not so good - rained most of the time. And a lot of the other passengers behaved like animals ........

Edited June 22, 2021 by Denarius

[Ardennais]

18 hours ago, Splice the mainbrace said:

My first cruise was an 'educational cruise' on SS Uganda in Oct/Nov 1978. It cost in the region of £170 IIRC for the 2 weeks which is about £1000 in todays money.

 

We had some lessons during the sea days learning about the next destination and Greek history etc.. and slept in dormitories.

 

Itinerary was:

Fly to Venice

Venice

Santorini

Rhodes

Israel for Dead Sea, Bethlehem and Jerusalem

Crete

Naples for Pompeii 

Fly back from Naples

 

We are due to be on Arcadia in Oct 2022 for an Eastern Med cruise, it will be the first time that I have been to Crete and Rhodes since then.

It sounds far more exotic than my first exchange trip abroad with the school also in 1978 - Ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff and a 10 day stay on a farm in Brittany. We did have a wonderful time though, and the thing that I remember most vividly is all the oil on the beaches from the Amoco Cadiz oil spill just before we went. 

Edited June 23, 2021 by Ardennais

[Wimborne Lad]

Yes,  me too. 1969 with Dursley C.of E. Primary school,  Gloucestershire. Corunna, Lisbon,  Gib. and some place in N. Africa. 

 

Dreadful food, a bit scary and,  sadly,  I was too young to appreciate what an amazing adventure it was - especially in the casbah - anyone tell me where that was in N.Africa? I think I've still got the plastic folder with my school-work so I guess I can find it there.  

[grapau27]

Interesting read.

I only recognised a couple of names from our P&O threads now.

My wife to be was on a school educational cruise in July 1976 when she was 14 on Uganda sailing from Sunderland for 14 nights.

Our first cruise and her second was on Sun cruises Sunbird in 2003 followed by our second cruise together which was on P&O Aurora in 2003.

[Gettingwarmer]

Sailed on Uganda to Madeira, Casablanca, Cadiz. 
Also sailed on Devonia to Santander, Corunna, Lisbon. 
Such a long time ago and I was very fortunate to have travelled so early. 
No more cruises till 30 years later. 

[Flowerpower22]

My first cruise was on the Uganda in 1974. 

[bobstheboy]

My first cruise was onboard HMS Vidal in 1964, first port of call La Coruna. Okay not a cruise but I was hooked and still love sea days. First real cruise was Airtours Seawing and had over 40 since then.