Your first cruise ship

[benatty]

Commodore Cruise Lines MS Caribe was my first cruise in about 1977. My sister and I loved the cruise to the Caribbean, but the truth is that the ship was small, the ports were poverty stricken messes and my parents couldn't wait to get off. Now, over 35 years later, my parents have cruised round the world 9 times, and my sister and I have a passion for cruising.

[chloemonkey]

First cruise was to the Carribean....1983 and yes I was hooked! So much so that I have not even been able to remember all of our past cruises in order to add them to my signature!

 

Number one was Royal Carribean "Song of America" and we got word a week or so before departure that we were being offered an "upgrade" to a suite....DH kept telling me that he didn't want it because it was on the Promenade Deck and that everyone could just look into our room! MANY years later....we have NEVER sailed if not in the top suite onboard each of the many vessels that we have been fortunate enough to have experienced....

 

I even remember "Owner's Suites" that were cabins that were NOT advertised in the brochures! You had to ASK for them......sort of like the "non publicized" menu at In and Out!

 

We continue to enjoy cruising....now with a family of 11 members and growing! Royal Suites, and for the past 45 years GArden Villas for our group! My how things change....still miss the dress code of the past, the tableside preparation of ceasar salad, daily special pasta courses.....cherries jubilee etc.....but also STILL enjoy cruising and no thoughts of stopping now!

 

Thanks for this trip down "Memory Lane!:

[Hozhoni]

Hmmm. My hubby and I were serving in Germany in the USAF 1991 and took some sort of land sea tour to France, England....probably not really a cruise ship it was huge and our tour bus drove right onto the ship. Our cabins has four bunk beds only...very strange and dinner was nice. I was a few months pregnant. We tried to walk on deck mid Feb while crossing the channel....we nearly froze that night and went back inside.....I remember thinking when we get stationed stateside I want to do a real cruise...it took another 10 years....for our 10th anniversary and 4 kids later, we took Majesty Oct 2001 just after 9/11...we have not forgotten....loyal to Royal. Our children love cruising too :)

Dawn

 

Sent from my DROID4 using Forums mobile app

[comet6270]

First cruise 1975, MS Southward, Cozumel, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Freeport (I think we skipped this stop). I was 20 years old and went with 3 girlfriends. We were the youngest on the ship by 30+ years I think! Spent our time with the band and the crew. Was a great time but never cruised again until NOW. Going NCL Jewel in February 2014!

[Kim is Cruising]

I've been on two cruises so far. 2011 on Carnival Destiny to Nassau and Half Moon Cay. 2012 also on Carnival Destiny to Half Moon Cay and Key West! Hoping to book cruise 3 next week when presales start for Carnival Splendor for June 2014 traveling from NYC to Bermuda. Can't wait!!

[dreadpirate3]

October 2008 on Sovereign of the Seas.

 

I was hooked on cruising before I boarded!

[QueenQ]

Hello Everyone!

 

New to board but not quite to cruising. First ship was Carnival Imagination May 2010 to Key West and Cozumel with my sister. Loved it so much took the exact same cruise again this past May with my honey.

[highscar]

The Empress of France, Liverpool to Montreal. June 3-10th 1953.

[springfire]

In 1976 I went to work as a Norwegian deckhand on the M/S Starwward. We did one week cruises out of Miami. The ship had one deck that transported cars and cargo.

[Kentchikan]

In 1976 I went to work as a Norwegian deckhand on the M/S Starwward. We did one week cruises out of Miami. The ship had one deck that transported cars and cargo.

 

I sailed on it twice once in the 70's and once in the 90's I loved that ship.

[Tre_220]

My husband and I spent our first anniversary on Carnival Sensation. This was a short cruise to see if I would like it or not. The cruise was 3 nights but that is all it took for me to catch "cruise fever". I am hooked!

[Kentchikan]

My husband and I spent our first anniversary on Carnival Sensation. This was a short cruise to see if I would like it or not. The cruise was 3 nights but that is all it took for me to catch "cruise fever". I am hooked!

 

I've often wondered if a 3 day cruise would engender a love of cruising or if it needed to be a longer cruise. Glad you caught the bug. There's nothing like cruising. Nothing. Although we do have friends who think we are nutsy cuckoo to cruise we love it.

[Scrapnana]

I've often wondered if a 3 day cruise would engender a love of cruising or if it needed to be a longer cruise. Glad you caught the bug. There's nothing like cruising. Nothing. Although we do have friends who think we are nutsy cuckoo to cruise we love it.

 

My first cruise that I can remember was a three day Florida to Nassau trip. I was hooked at that point and I was only 10!

[ryndam]

Our first cruise was on the Flavia - 3 days Miami-Nassau and back. With my parents and brother. It was a 14th birthday "present" for me. I still have the cruise ticket - $109/each for my parents, $54.50 for me. My brother sailed free since he was under 10 years old. Many years and even more cruises later, we are all still happily cruising.

[Kentchikan]

Our first cruise was on the Flavia - 3 days Miami-Nassau and back. With my parents and brother. It was a 14th birthday "present" for me. I still have the cruise ticket - $109/each for my parents, $54.50 for me. My brother sailed free since he was under 10 years old. Many years and even more cruises later, we are all still happily cruising.

 

It's great that you still have the ticket. I still have a lot of stuff from the Lurline. Such great cruise memories.

[I want to cruise]

First cruise was on The Big Red Boat!! In 1995. We cruised for a few days and then went to Disney World for 4 days. Been hooked ever since.

[Kentchikan]

First cruise was on The Big Red Boat!! In 1995. We cruised for a few days and then went to Disney World for 4 days. Been hooked ever since.

 

When I was a TA we used to sell a lot of those and people loved them. It ended when Disney got into the cruise business.

[momofmeg]

I've often wondered if a 3 day cruise would engender a love of cruising or if it needed to be a longer cruise. Glad you caught the bug. There's nothing like cruising. Nothing. Although we do have friends who think we are nutsy cuckoo to cruise we love it.

 

A 4 day on an old crappy Carnival ship hooked us. Carnival Tropicale that has long since been scrap! About 10 years before that we had did a Seaescape to Freeport from West Palm Beach and spent 3 days in Freeport for returning. That did not hook us and I now call that ferry service as it was NOT a cruise at all.

[Kentchikan]

A 4 day on an old crappy Carnival ship hooked us. Carnival Tropicale that has long since been scrap! About 10 years before that we had did a Seaescape to Freeport from West Palm Beach and spent 3 days in Freeport for returning. That did not hook us and I now call that ferry service as it was NOT a cruise at all.

 

Good to know thanks. I think cruising is addictive. Even going on the Queen Mary when we were docked in Long Beach was exciting and the bartender said she loved working there because it was like working on a cruise ship but you got to home every night.

[pamrose228]

My first cruise was in 1984 on the Britanis which was a Chandris ship (eventually became Celebrity). It was in the spring and was a 3 day/2 night to nowhere out of NYC. She was a grand old ship and looked like she was still in in 1960s.

[Tiggertastic]

the original OP asked whatever happened to the first cruise ship

 

Mine was rebranded and moved to australia many years ago

 

I loved the ship, best cabins we had ever had, although not a single balcony existed

[Scrapnana]

A 4 day on an old crappy Carnival ship hooked us. Carnival Tropicale that has long since been scrap! About 10 years before that we had did a Seaescape to Freeport from West Palm Beach and spent 3 days in Freeport for returning. That did not hook us and I now call that ferry service as it was NOT a cruise at all.

 

According to this article, the former Tropicale is still sailing as the Peaceboat.

[bluehenfan01]

My first cruise was on the Carnival Imagination out of Miami in around 2002-2003ish. I was actually cruising on my own and had a blast!! It was a 5 day western caribbean. We sailed to Ocho Rios and Grand Cayman. I just did a beach day in Ocho with some friends i met on the ship and in Grand Cayman i did the Island tour that took us to Hell. :-) I spent a lot of the time in the piano bar and to this day, Sonny the piano player has been my favorite!

[rjgdjg]

After years of toying with the idea of cruising, we finally took the plunge in 2006 with Celebrity's Constellation. We had the best room steward of all times--when he saw us in the hallway, he ran to open our stateroom door for us--the food was superb (Michel Roux was the Master Chef) and it was the days of the blow-you-away midnight buffets...

 

Today, 13 cruises later, while the midnight buffets are gone, we enjoy cruising as much as ever. - Diana, http://musingaboutcruising.blogspot.com.

[Grhamer]

Jewell of Seas in 2005. Sailed out of Ft. Lauderdale.

 

We were hooked! 18 cruises later we are looking forward to 2 more in 2014.