Your first cruise ship

[tamsno]

Thanks for starting this thread Copper. The pictures are wonderful and everyone's stories are so much fun to read.

[Copper10-8]

Mine was on the Big Red Boat (anyone remember who owned that line? was it Premier?). The itinerary was Bahamas, and the date - this is where it gets sketchy for me ;-) I believe was around May of 1994

 

Loved that cruise - I've been hopelessly addicted since then! :-D

 

Cathy

 

s/s Oceanic (1965-present) Delivered to Home Lines for which she sailed from 1965 until 1986. Purchased by Premier Cruise Lines in 1986 and renamed Royale Oceanic and then Starship Oceanic. Later on in her career with Premier she was often marketed as "the Big Red Boat" and in 2000 she was actually renamed Big Red Boat I. Purchased by Pullmantur Cruises (Spain) in late 2000 for which she is currently cruising under her original name of Oceanic.

[Copper10-8]

My husband and I had took our first cruise last year on the Disney Wonder as part of the Land & Sea Package. It was our honeymoon! So far it's been our only one, but we do plan on cruising again...when we can afford it!

 

Regarding the itinerary, we left out of Port Canaveral, Nassau and Castaway Cay. It was only 3 nights and 2 ports. I'd do it again in a heart beat!

 

 

Disney Wonder (1999-present)

[MWGuy]

Well, let's see..it was the Carnival Carnivale` and approximately 1974 to St. John/St. Thomas/St. Maarten/San Juan. Flew first from Chicago to San Juan, saw a topless revue (vetty new experience for me!!), walked around the casino at (I think) the El Caribe` Hotel (totally hushed..very different from Vegas). We were 3 single (20s) females and 3 of the crew followed us around each stop!! We had lunches/drinks with them--that's all! :)

Lights out in the dining room for the baked Alaskas was a highlight. We had inside bunk beds and the shower was so narrow we could not bend over for leg grooming! Cabin steward was Korean. One of my friends is 6', blond and beautiful. He said to her, "Oh, so high..people in Korea not that high!"..another memory.

[Copper10-8]

Great thread John!

 

Our first cruise was onboard the M/S Statendam 2002 Circle Hawaii. My DH finally decided that if he was ever going to get to Hawaii he'd have to break down and cruise, as he doesn't fly.

Well, we did it and haven't stopped cruising with HAL since. Addicted, yes; happy, yes; loving it, yes.

 

 

m/s Statendam V (1993-present)

[prescottbob]

Ahoy!

 

1958. ms Statendam (prior model). Ten day Xmas Carribean 'float' out of NYC.

 

Hooked since? Si, mi amigo.

 

Any cruise ship, fishing / sailing boat, canoe or raft will do.

 

Bon Voyage & Good Health!

Bob:)

[haligonian37]

While it took a bit of convincing from my two friends, my first ever cruise was on the Westerdam on Superbowl Sunday, Feb. 4th of last year. It was a 7 day Eastern Caribbean itinerary with stops in the Turks & Caicos, Tortola, St. Martin and of course, HMC.

 

 

 

Did it get me hooked? I believe that would be the understatement of the year for me :) One reason I had taken that cruise was in memory of my mother, who had passed away less than a year before. She had traveled with her own mother to Hawaii and the Caribbean when I was just a toddler and would still talk about those trips more than 30 years after with as much excitement in her voice as when she had returned. With my next cruise (albeit with one of those other cruise lines....but I'll be back to HAL in Feb & Sept./08) I'll be visiting the birthplace of my grandmother (Fort Ricasoli in Valletta) and I'm beyond excited!

[Cuttle]

The first ship was Cunard Carinthia in 1957. She was only one year old at the time. She later became Fairland, then Fair Sea, etc. etc. etc.

 

Years later, November 1993, we cruised on the old Rotterdam, 16 days from Los Angeles to Newport News. A repositioning cruise through the Panama Canada. It was wonderful and we were hooked, not just on cruising, but with HAL, and we are addicted to the Panama Canal as we have done several repositioning cruises both ways since.

 

Carinthia, which had a long subsequent career with Sitmar Line and Princess Cruises. She was one of four sisterships built by Cunard between 1954-57:- Saxonia - Ivernia - Carinthia - Sylvania. Carinthia served with Sitmar Line between 1968-1988 as Fairland and Fairsea. Sitmar were bought by P&O Princess Cruises in 1988 and the renamed Fair Princess operated until 2001. After a short and undistinguished period as far Eastern gambling ship China Sea Discovery, she was broken up in 2005, briefly renamed Sea Discovery for the voyage to the breakers.

[earl_m]

My first cruise was on the Mardi gras in 1986, 4 day cruise to

the Bahamas, Freeport and Nassau.

[Copper10-8]

The Nieuw Amsterdam was the beginning of cruising for us. It was 1992 and I treated my Mom to an Alaska cruise, something she had long wanted. I was a 30-something working gal at the time, so we went in "shoulder season" (code: we froze) so I could afford an OV room. We had a blast. It was an easy move to convince my DH to take a Caribbean cruise on the Westerdam later that same year. We've been hooked on HAL ever since.

 

 

m/s Nieuw Amsterdam III (1983-present). Delivered to Holland America Line in 1983 and sailed for them until 2000. Purchased by American Classic Cruises in that year and renamed Patriot. Laid up in Honolulu, Hi in 2001 and auctioned off in 2002, returned to HAL as Nieuw Amsterdam. Sold to Louis Cruise Lines and chartered to Thomson Cruise for ten years. Renamed Thomson Spirit and currently sailing.

 

[Copper10-8]

My first was the Amsterdam, Alaska, 2002, and like both of you I came home with no desire to cruise again. The one that got me hooked was three years later: Westerdam, Baltic. I still prefer newer ships, and Noordam is my favorite.

 

m/s Amsterdam III (2000-present)

 

m/s Westerdam III (2004-present)

[Copper10-8]

Some things you can never forget! The old Noordam September, 2001, European capitals Copenhagen to Rome 14 days. A true "Grand Tour." Paris, Gibralter, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Provence, Tuscany. I was totally capitivated. My first cruise, first trip to Europe beyond London, first trip anywhere alone, and 9/11 happened 4 days out. It was very hard to be so far from home, but we became our own "ship family" listening to CNN all day and all night. There was even a huge storm with massive seas. HAL took good care of everyone and has never let me down since. I can't imagine a better way to see the world. Smooth sailing to all.

 

 

m/s Noordam III (1984-present) Delivered to Holland America Line in 1984 and operated for them until 2004 when she was time- chartered to Thomson Cruises and renamed Thomson Celebration

 

[cp556]

First cruise was Norwegian Caribbean Line's M/S SKYWARD, sailing from Miami to Cozumel, Cancun and Great Stirrup Cay. Sail date Oct 13, 1985. I'd booked a female quad share, and my TA at home had sent the payment to NCL, but not confirmed that my res was in order. So....when I got to Miami, traveling solo, I learned I had no cabin. I chatted with the purser and some other officials and ended up with an outside double cabin to myself.

 

When I got home, I confronted the TA, whose reply was "well, dear, these things happen". "Dear" realized that there might be a better way, and I ended up opening a successful cruise-only agency which I owned until I retired a few years ago.

 

Despite the goofs on my first cruise, I was indeed hooked. And remain that way!

 

I know that M/S Skyward sailed from Singapore for a number of years as Leisure World (and other names...I recall Shangri-La World). Wonder where she is now?

[GarySuzy]

Copper,

 

Thanks for starting this thread, and for the picture of the Azure Seas. We can remember the size of the cabins and when you took a shower you were standing next to the sink and the whole bathroom was covered with water when you were done. Also, we remember the pool was about 12 ft X 10 ft and fairly deep.

 

The thread has brought back great memories.

 

Thanks again:D

[SuiteCruising]

Our first cruise was on NCL Sunward II in 1981. Hated it and didn't cruise again until 2000 on the Grand Princess. Benn hooked ever since.

 

Bob

[Maasdam]

Made only 2 cruises so far. The first ms Costa Romantica in 2000 to the Baltic. My first HAL vessel (visit) ms Rotterdam during the Oosterdam dedication. My first HAL cruise a/b ms Zaandam to Alaska in 2005.

 

Greetings Ben.

[Sir PMP]

My first cruise was on the MS Nieuw Amsterdam in 1991, 10 day Alaska, with Capt. Jacob Dijk and Hotel Mgr Hans Dernison, after that it was all SS Rotterdam until the ship's retirement..

[luv2cruise450]

Our first real oceangoing cruise was on the Maasdam in 2000 sailing RT from Barcelona to the western Mediterranean and the ports were Tunisia, Palermo, Civetavcchia, Monaco and Marseille! We also did a pre stay of 2 1/2 days in Barcelona and a post stay in Madrid. Absolutely wonderful cruise and trip! It took a little bit of a hard sell to convince DH to give cruising a try. And we have been hooked ever since. HAL remains our favorite line and we love those DAM ships...but we have been willing to give other lines a try and have enjoyed ALL of our cruises. These days it's more the itinerary and timing that we look for in booking a cruise.

Happy sailing to all!

[james j feller]

SIR PMP,

 

When are you going on the EURODAM?

 

JIM

[JLC@SD]

Hi JLC,

 

We did the Fairsea out of LA in 1982. I remember the food was so much better on this ship compared to NCL. :rolleyes: :)

 

Enjoy!

Kel

 

...the food was an Italian cuisine......which we really enjoyed...:)

[JLC@SD]

 

m/s Nieuw Amsterdam III (1983-present). Delivered to Holland America Line in 1983 and sailed for them until 2000. Purchased by American Classic Cruises in that year and renamed Patriot. Laid up in Honolulu, Hi in 2001 and auctioned off in 2002, returned to HAL as Nieuw Amsterdam. Sold to Louis Cruise Lines and chartered to Thomson Cruise for ten years. Renamed Thomson Spirit and currently sailing.

 

 

We had an interesting experience in Alaska.

 

We were on Sitmar's Fairsky in 1984 and the Nieuw Amsterdam was docked next to us. We discovered that if you showed your Fairsky cabin key, they let you board and visit Nieuw Amsterdam. So we went aboard and enjoyed walking around on her.

 

.....never would happen today...

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise was on the Volendam, Pacific Northwest itinerary in April 2006.

 

That started a horrifying chain of events that can be seen in my signature on this thing :)

 

While I'm branching out a bit next week and next YEAR (NCL and Carnival, primarily to see what the fuss is about) my heart remains with HAL and I'm incoirporating at least one HAL cruise into every year regardless of anything else!

 

 

m/s Volendam III (1999-present)

[PathfinderEss]

Hi Melodie,

 

I am looking at a photo of me and my Mom from 1981 on the Western Cruise Lines S.S. Azure Seas. Would that be the same ship?

Your probably right altosax, though I think we took the Azure Seas more in the late 80's and from what another poster said it was under the Admiral Lines then. Thanks for the info.

[our turn]

Ours was in February 1991 on the Nieuw Amsterdam. The ports were Cozumel, Ocho Rios and Grand Cayman. We were in a very small inside room and knew that we wanted to cruise again in a larger suite. Kids, jobs and life in general kept us from doing so until February 2007. Now we can't imagine vacationing any other way.

 

Kim

[lazey1]

Our first cruise was an Alaskan cruise/tour. Our cruising was only 4 days on the old Noordam in 1989. We went with my parents who were in their late 70's and all 4 of us became hooked on cruising. The old Noordam is still my favorite ship. It was so beautiful, like living in a museum. Since then we sailed with my parents on the Westerdam in 1995 and the Ryndam Millennium Panama Canal cruise. DH and I have also sailed on the Statendam and Oosterdam in 2004, parents being to frail to join us, and on the Eurodam in celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary. Jane