Remember your very 1st Cruise?Just for laughs..

[neya]

Think back on your 1st cruise. How did you think the boarding process, drill etc.. was going to be? Our 1st cruise was in 2000 on the Century (we will go on our 7th cruise next week). I found this site and read as much as I could at the time, made lists etc... But still ,here is what I thought/assume would happen at the time: :D

 

1) Get to very port early. We got to Ft. Lauderdale around 10:00am (we drove there) and I was surprise to see everybody waiting around. I thought we would be boarding as soon as we got there. Because I though....

2)The ship dock for one day (after the previous sail)to be cleaned and prepare for the next trip. Imagine my shock to find out everyone was still leaving the ship that morning from the previous sail:eek:

3)Embarkation was inside of the ship!!!! Can you believe it??? What chaos this would be????

4) Every ship did exactly same thing, i.e. as soon as we boarded the Century there was a quartet playing classical music, the room attendants (wearing white gloves) were stading in a line waiting to scort was to our room! Boy did I have a surprise when we boarded the RCL Sovereign of the Seas the following year and no one was around us to show us where to go. Ha!Ha!

5) I was also shocked that the crew stays away from home for 6 months!! That made me appreciate their service even more.

6)First time I use the toillet and scared the creeps out of me, I was not expecting that strong suction.

 

These are the few things I can think of for now. After a couple of years, I pack less, drive to port last minute (with enough time to park, unload etc.). I now know that each ship and cruise line do things differently and it makes us appreciate every trip we take. I still get soooo excited with every cruise. For hubby and I cruising is a very special vacation we can't get enought of it.

 

Neya

[vicsjoy]

Aaaahhhh, there will never be another cruise like the first. I don't know if it was the cruise, the ship, or the crew but it will always hold fond memories for me. It was on the Vision of the Seas, to Mexico. My husband and I were renewing our vows, and it was the first time in 20 years that my mom, had all four of her children in one place. I wrote a book about it and thought the seven days were like magic. I guess they were because, when we first started thinking about it my DH was like the grinch at Christmas, by the end of the first night he was asking when is our next cruise. We have only sailed RC and every day the Captain on our first cruise was on the horn, I don't think I even heard the Capt. on the Sovereign, when we went to the Bahama's. We have now booked our third cruise this next May on NCL, and my list of cruises to take has gotten ever so long. My DH still says where are we going to next, and I still get excited about them, but now it is because I just like them. The magic is still there but it is not the same. So aaahhh!!! there will never be one like the first. Thank you for the memory lane.

[Arizona Laura]

My only cruise so far was the Carnival Victory Jan 07 Eastern Caribbean.

Kind of knowing what to expect but the anticipation. You read all the possibilities on this site but still have to experience them.

Thoughts:

the anticipation the night before in FL, the fourteen of us at the restaurant talking about our cruise the next day.

the size of the ship. Seemed so huge.

when the ship started moving wondering to self is it really moving?

hot muster drill, will never hook life jacket up so early again.

feeling actually so small when you look out over the waters and see nothing at all.

when the ship was rocking the first night hoping it did not get any worse.

the beauty of standing out on the balcony at night and day looking out, the sunsets and sunrises, feeling the breeze against your face.

yes too the commode even though you hear it flush so many times it still kind of scares you.

amazing when the seas are calm it is so weird to think you are actually on a ship with all the restaurants, bars, casino etc onboard.

remembering how tears came to the waiters eyes when I asked if he had any children.

the festive atmosphere on the ship..the music/drinks/laughter.

watching some young people toss ashes overboard and wondering how there are so few fires on cruise ships.

at each port getting off the ship and feeling so good to get out and walk around.

the beauty of St Martin (our great tour with Bernard) and St Thomas/Johns.

how sad it was to pack the last night.

how even sadder it was to wake up during the night and see Miami in the distance.

how even more sad to walk off the ship, leave our cruise behind, and know we had all day to wait for our flight back to Az.

 

Laura

[neya]

Vicsjoy: my husband was a crinch too when we were preparing for the cruise:p He was sooo crumpy and now days can't wait for next cruise but he still acts cool:cool: while I jump off the walls (with our 2 1/2 year old who has no idea why mommy is doing the "happy" dance)

 

Az Ocean Sky Breeze: ahhhh!! I also remember getting a little sad coming home. I remember our 1st dinner at home, honey looked at the table and said "I can't eat with just one fork anymore where are my 50 forks and knifes"?:)

[cruiserbryce]

our first cruise was on the Disney Wonder. We got there very early, around 11am, because we were worried it would take forever to get through the lines and on the ship. We got there, waited a very short bit and registered, we were on the ship within an hour and 10 minutes.

We were going with a group of people that had cruised many many times before I I remember I was full of questions. It seemed that I had a daily question to post on another disc board asking how things worked.

 

Of course in the end it all worked out b/c cruising is one of the best and hassle free ways to vacation, but at the time I didnt know that...no matter how many cruises we go on we'll always remember the first

[neya]

We will be sailing on the Wonder in 9 days!!! Can't wait:) We (read me) are extremely excited!!!

[ger_77]

We were on our first cruise in 1989 ... a very long time ago. We had heard about 24 hour room service, but didn't order anything because we thought you had to pay extra for it. :o By the time we went on our second one we had discovered Cruise Critic and knew better!

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[DKNYC]

My first cruise was a holiday cruise with my Parents in Dec 97. I remember sleeping on the most comfortable cot ever and falling to sleep to the sound of creaking wood and being rocked by the sea. I also remember all the new different types of Silverware on the table at meals. Waking up along side of a different Island each day was really cool.

The best was having Christmas and New Years with Family and about 1500 new friends. This is how I got hooked

[Forchunut1]

My first cruise was a solo cruise. I remember feeling a little out of place during the check in process as I watched families and couples excitedly getting ready to board the ship. But, I struck up a conversation with a couple while we were waiting in line and we ended up doing an excursion together and having a good time.

 

The main thing I remember is that everything seemed BIGGER than I expected - the ship, the dining room, the theatre - all but the cabin. :D

[basketsuze]

Our first cruise, in 1996, was on the Norweigan Dreamward (now the Norwegian Dream). DH & I had recently married and one of his co-workers invited us to join their cruising group. We had no idea what to expect.

 

We went out of New York to Bermuda in June. This group was pretty regimented and organized, which really wasn't great for us. For example, while at sea we were expected to have breakfast, lunch AND dinner in the Dining Room together. Not knowing any better, DH & I passed the buffet several times, thinking you had to pay extra to go in there! We were pretty lost!

 

To make matters worse, seas were rough, passengers (including me) were sick, DH asked the bartender at the pool bar if he could get a seatbelt for his barstool! I did not enjoy myself as much as I had on other trips we'd taken together.

 

At the end of the cruise, we both thought we'd never do it again!

 

Fast forward to my 40th birthday in 2003. DH told me we could take a trip, and since we had a cruise ship leaving out of Baltimore, I suggested we give it another try! I am SO GLAD we did!

 

We went on our own and had a BLAST! We met other passengers, did the cruise at our own pace, and got completely HOOKED! What a difference it made going by ourselves versus with a group where you had to be at such-and-such place at such-and-such time OR ELSE!

 

We're leaving in 3 weeks to go on our 6th cruise! Last year we took 3 friends with us, but made it clear that everyone should do their own thing and we'd hook up during the day only if it was convenient for everyone, and we'd have dinner together. Other than that, no one was locked into having to do something at a certain time!

 

We were on the Empress (by ourselves) on 9/1/07 and had a BLAST again, meeting so many new friends! We're leaving on the Grandeur on 10/28 (DH's surprise birthday present), and another couple is joining us! We made a point to tell them they should do what they want and we'll do what we want. We don't expect you to do everything we do and vice versa! It's going to be a fun time! We'll still make a point to meet our fellow passengers and a GREAT time will be had by all!!

 

So, it took the SECOND cruise to get me hooked!!

 

Suze!

[Cruz-On]

During my first cruise I caught a cold from my aunt who was my cruise mate. I love the ship but what I remember the most is my excitement when I first laod eyes on the ship that I was sailing I was like WHOA!! Then I remember that I head was so stuffy that all I really wanted o do was lay down but I was afraid I would miss something so I walked around feeling like my head was way to big for my body!!!!:eek:

[Cruisin'Kim]

) Every ship did exactly same thing, i.e. as soon as we boarded the Century there was a quartet playing classical music, the room attendants (wearing white gloves) were stading in a line waiting to scort was to our room! Boy did I have a surprise when we boarded the RCL Sovereign of the Seas the following year and no one was around us to show us where to go. Ha!Ha!

 

Our 1st cruise was on the Century as well, Celebrity is a great line to have your 1st cruise with, I assumed that with the amount of people boarding, there would be a huge line up - I was pleasantly surprised to walk right up to the counter and on my way to the ship within 10 minutes! I remember being greeted with champagne and orange juice as we boarded the ship, and our white gloved attendent showing us to our cabin. The meals coming to you with the silver covers that Alan our waiter would ceremoniously uncover each night, then turn the plate so that the Celebrity logo was always at the top of the plate and towards you. The last person I saw as I was leaving the ship was Alan - lined up with all of the other "off duty" personnel that stood waiting to say good-bye to "their passengers"! Everything about our 1st Cruise was magical, not that every cruise isn't fantastic, but there is something about the 1st...............:)

 

 

Happy Cruising!

 

Kim.

[Guest maler]

1st cruise was a 4 day out of Long Beach in 1989.

Ordered one of almost everything on the menu every night. (and ate it)

Missed the life boat drill and no one said a thing about it.

Up until 2am every night and up again by 6am and never got tired.

Went to see the midnight buffet every night but never ate anything.

Went to all the parties/shows and played all the games.

 

The Love Boat was the only exposure I had up to that point.

 

Now, 8 cruises and 20 pounds later....

I order and eat very selectively.

Never miss the drills

In bed by midnight & hopefully up by 8am

No more midnight buffets

Maybe 2 shows but no games anymore

Relax on the deck and in the hot tubs

 

 

I still love it.

[dappledumpling]

OUr first cruise was the Holiday in 1989. My wife talked me into it and I was very apprehensive...I brought a deck of cards and snacks..figured i would play alot of Gin Rummy while being bored in the room..Boy was I wrong..I also remember sitting on an outside and seeing the celebration thinking WOW has does that huge ship stay afloat.

[kakalina]

Our first cruise was in 2002 on the HAL Statendam. DH doesn't fly he is a plane crash survivor. We had always wanted to go to Hawaii and never thought we could. Someone suggested a cruise. With much grumbling DH decided he could "manage to stand it" just to get to Hawaii.

 

We leave on our 17th cruise next week. Addicted? You betcha!

[mr green]

Six days on the Windward, we thought it was great, so we could not understand why the experienced cruisers did not like it.

I am forced to say that NCL was better in the mid nineties, than it is now, but, by all reports most other cruise lines were even better.

It was however a good introduction to cruising, as far as my wife and I were concerned, even though we have long since given up on NCL.

 

john

[travelmatron]

I was a high school junior in 1965. We were on the Yarmouth on a spring break cruise to the Bahamas. It was a wooden ship with about 325 passengers. My parents had an outside cabin on the promenade deck; my sister and I were inside under the dance floor. I think our total cabin space was around 40 square feet. We had a bunk bed, a dresser, a sink, and a toilet. We took our showers in Mom and Dad's cabin. Mr. Brown was our cabin attendant. When we wanted something we used a hand held speaker phone to call him. A white gloved staff person walking the halls playing bells (like a marching band) called us to dinner. My sister, who was 14 and I were sure that none of the college guys realized we were still in high school. I remember thinking I looked quite sophisticated ordering Grasshoppers. Hmmmm, I wonder if those guys ever guessed.

[celbercrz333]

Our first cruise was on Celebrity Zenith from NYC to Bermuda on October 11, 2003. We added on a bus trip where everyone on the bus was on our ship. It started out in Washington, DC, picked us up at Baltimore Travel Plaza, then went on to pick up people in Wilmington, DE, Philly and the bus depot in NJ. What should have been a 3 hour trip, took 5 hours. We were dropped off right at the ship and thought things would be a hassle checking in. Things actually went fine with the exception of having to walk a whole lot more than we thought. Getting on the ship and finding our cabin wasn't too hard. Then we saw where only part of our luggage had arrived. Then finally hubby's golf clubs were delivered. They tore the travel bag a little so we would have to later go down to the lobby and see what could be done. They patched it with a patch and some superglue. End of story as far as the golf bag goes. Ok, first night out, first cruise and we hit a tropical storm. We were told that the seas had 11 foot swells. Our table mates look green. We are ok until we try to sleep. Not easy. We awake the next morning starting to pull into the harbor at Hamilton. We had enough time to dress and go up on the top deck to see the harbor. It's way windier than expected up that high. Rest of the trip was great, no problems, and sailing home was much nicer. Bus trip home takes 3 hours. More like it.

 

I do believe this is my 1,111 posting!!!!!!

[Catsway]

Our first cruise was in 1992 aboard the Carnival Mardi Gras out of Port Canaveral. I remember telling my wife that "I don't want anyone telling when to do everything"! Well we booked an upper/lower cabin in the stern of the ship. Back in those days, guests could accompany you on board prior to the ships departure so my in-laws drove us from our home in Daytona Beach and came on board to help us get settled in. Again, back in the day, they still threw confetti from the ship when we sailed away. We sailed a three day cruise to Freeport, Bahamas and back.

Some of the highlights:

1.) We had an upper/lower cabin but we slept together in the lower bunk <smile>.

2.) The hit song that the guitar player in the lounge played was Friends in Low Places.

3. We snuck our gin onboard in a tonic bottle plus a real bottle of tonic. I accidentally mixed my drink with pure gin and a lime (I poured my shot then topped it with more gin....LOL). By the time my wife had her hair done and was dressed, I passed out an she went to dinner without me. (I eventually came to and joined her for more Friends in Low Places in the lounge)

The bottom line was that we had a blast and we are leaving in a week with our daughters and 4 other couples to celebrate our youngest daughter's 21st birthday. I have become addicted to cruising. This will be our 13th cruise and I will never stop counting!

Wayne and Cathi

Miramar Beach, Florida

[BND]

Our first was the Carnival Fantasy out of Port Canaveral in Nov 05. I found out the hard way that I get sea sick. I missed the first night's dinner and went to sleep at 9 because of it. I fixed that as soon as I could with Less Drowsy Dramamine and Ginger (next morning in Freeport when the ship docked I felt great and made sure I continued the meds from the night before). Never cruise again without my drugs. We leave on Wed for San Diego for our Mex Riviera cruise next weekend and my meds are packed in two different bags just in case one goes missing. I need my drugs:D

[kloud9kutie]

i remember seeing our ship (Carnival's Imagination) for the first time as we were driving, well past our port on our way to miami beach because we missed our exit...and yelling and pointing at the ship and our clock and telling my DBF OMG we are gonna miss it omg omg (we had plenty of time atleast 2 hours). I also remember FREAKING OUT when the parking lady asked for 60 bucks up front...that wont be a shocker next time. But besides just being in so much awe of this little resort on the water...the only other thing i remember distinctviley is my waddlind around like a drunk sailor the first nite because i could NOT get used to the slight rocking of the ship (we sailed..mmm..the day before a TS hit the keys)...cracked me up though.

 

next cruise is in DEC...im SO excited for that one because everyone tells me im gonna be in AWE all over again when i set my eyes on Ms. Liberty (Carnival as well)

[sandy toes]

Goodness, the memories...My honeymoon to my ex many, MANY moons ago...We did a crossing on the QE2. How could I not be hooked forever? It was wonderful. I grew up a USN kid so I knew how large ships could be but I never knew they could be so lovely or so much fun! There were lines everywhere but none where as long as the ones to sign up for college classes each term, so I thought they weren't too bad. The food was great. We did a lot of the whole just married thing but saw so much and had a fantastic time. The classical grace of the ship just cannot compare with the maga ships, even with so much to do. A lot can be said for just getting to know one another...

[dolfansam]

My first cruise was out of our home port in Baltimore. My parents and both my nieces had cruises out of this port before. I was on deck at the sail away and about 30 minutes into the cruise the cruise director tells everyone to look up. I look up and we are going under a bridge, but it does not look like we are going to make it. A little bit of panic sets in, but then I realize it had to come into the port the same way. I have sailed out of Baltimore a few more times since then. It is fun to watch 1st time cruisers reactions as the ship passes under the bridge. The boat really was rocking for most of the cruise. We were sailing behind a Hurricane. My brother in law was truly green. I had always though that was just a saying, but I now realize people due turn green. I thought I was cursed with bad weather when on my 2nd cruise, we came back through a Noreaster.

 

I went on another cruise this summer with bunch of first timers, Caribbean Princess out of Ft Lauderdale. It was funny to see them looking for prices on the menus. Their reaction to hearing the engines in the dining room. The mild rocking of the boat, and they thought it was really rocking.

[Fergus]

Our first cruise was on the Mardi Gras in the mid-late 80's. My dh had won the cruise at his company Christmas party. We had an outside cabin with portholes (tiny, too high for me to see out of them!), bunk beds, and a bathroom so small that you had to step into the shower and close the door to get to the toilet! I remember the dining room and the baked Alaska, the thresholds on all the doors, and the movie theater, and riding in a cab with about 14 other people in Nassau!! There was a couple across the hall from us on their honeymoon........and they FOUGHT THE WHOLE CRUISE! :eek: All night long, they would be wailing - one of them locked out of the room with a suitcase - crying, yelling, beating on their door. Then complete silence all day - they had to sleep sometime evidently! It's a miracle that we ever decided to cruise again after that!!

[roxinsox]

My first cruise was in march 4 days on carnival after 10 days at disneyworld. Living in alaska we have an average of 4 ships in a day stopping during the summer. I took a disabled severly and persistently mentally ill woman who calls me mom despite being older than me...lol she loved the music and food! staff was great even the customs official she took a swing at when he tried to help pull her wheelchair over a hump! lol i think you can be arrested assulting one of those guys, and he was terribly sweet.