Home Lines employees/memories?

Hi all

i use to work with homelines from 1981 to 1989 , i was on the

Atlantic for last cruise to the drydock , was my last time on

board after many years.

To many memories and good times , i use to work mainly on

the Atlantic , but i also worked on the Oceanic and Doric .

I would love to get in touch with all the passengers and crew

members to share the memory and who knows maybe we can

find out that we know each other..:D

Uf you like to get in touch you can email me at

bergomi1998@yahoo.com

ciao a tutti

BrooklynGirl2... I didn't know the Doric sank. I was on it in 1981 which was my first cruise. What a shame. I have an album of pictures that I took during that cruise.

By the way, I grew up in Brooklyn (Flatbush) many years ago.

Hi,

My first cruise was on Oceanic. We had a great time and have been cruising ever since. I don't remember too many of the crew. But I do remember how nice every one was. The food was great. I brought so many of the cruise pictures. The photographer (a short man) was all ways taking your picture and I had to buy them all. I do remember a band, I think the leader singer was Gino. I traveled with some friends of mine. I can remember that we would share a cab with some of the crew to go around town. I must say that was the best ship I was ever on.

Geo

I sailed on the Atlantic with my family in August of 1987 I believe it was, to Bermuda. I'll never forget our waiter, Giovanni DiNiro! I remember going out dancing with him in Hamilton at the club there, and going to Horseshoe Bay one day....to this day I love the cologne "Armani"--that's what he wore!!! I was only 18 at the time!!!

how funny that you mention the cologne. I was 20 and travelling with my mother. I remember my waiter wearing a "gallon" of cologne and my mother embarassing me when she told him that I thought he smelled wonderful. It was Brut and at that time a lot of the crew seemed to use it. He was also much more attentive to me after that. I always found those Italians to be very flirty and I felt bad for some of the young girls who seemed infatuated with them. I would do back to back cruises with 1 cruise with sis and then she would leave and mom would join me. I remember going to the discos with our waiters and the single girls at our table and 1 of them fell in love with our waiter. She was from Massachusetts and trying to figure how she could visit the ship and see him in port. She even asked me to keep an eye on him on the next cruise. I didn't have the heart to tell her that he met another girl at the pier as soon as the passengers disembarked and they left together in a cab. I was waiting for my mother to join me and saw everything. Then on the next cruise he tried to hit on me and I told him to get lost. He had pledged his love to the lovesick girl at my table. I do miss those Italians though. It was nice having someone to go ashore with and dance. I did meet a ship's electrician, Saverio Masseria at a disco and then found out he worked on the ship I was cruising on and we would meet on the deck each night to talk. He would even meet me on future cruises because he saw my name on the passenger list. Alas we never kept in touch when Home Lines was sold and it was hard because his english was not very good.

I just seen the thread on the Home lines, and i sail on my frist cruise on the Italia.in 1962. it was built in the 1930..after that i sail on the homeric.in 1963 for 13 days..... after that back on the Italiia.. the next on the brand new Oceanic . i think that was 1965 . from then on,, i sail on it about12 times. That was the first ship that had a sliding roof over the pool.. they had there own song called [ O OCEANIC SHIP] it was a beautiful lady of the sea.. when they said formal night ,, it was formal. and each guess was formally intro duce to the capt. they said capt. may I present mr and mrs jones.. the cruise drirector was Mr. DAWSON. and they would take a formal picture of you and wife with the capt. there was 2 formal and 3 semi formal and ment jacket and tie. all eveing , not just dinner. but that was what we wanted . then i got into an accident had to move fl. from n. y. since i have been on about 40 more cruises ..but cruise have change since then. i miss the way it was ... but still love cruising.. i will always have fond memories ot the HOME LINES. any ques. it will be my pleasure to ans. frankie bride

OMG I can't believe it. That's him. I wanted to marry Dino Vecchio. I have pictures of him still to this day. Dare I say he was my "first". That coming from a now 50 year old "Lady". But boy could he dance. And what a charmer. This is just too funny. I thought I was special:rolleyes:

Hey there :)

I couldn't believe when I saw your posting! WOW.... check this out:

Well, Feb 1979 I was on the Doric. Dino was a cabin steward at that time also. He must have been a charmer.... because I too, hung out with him. I was only 17 at that time... and yes, he could dance. We went to the disco in Puerto Rico (Leonardo Divinci's). VERY FUN! I thought I was special too... :eek: Just too young to understand I guess. I also have pictures. Oh, and I have a daughter from Feb 1979 cruise ! Just wondering if anyone else may have a son or daughter by Mr. Charmer also. CRAZY ISN'T IT? :confused:

Hi all

 

i use to work with homelines from 1981 to 1989 , i was on the

Atlantic for last cruise to the drydock , was my last time on

board after many years.

To many memories and good times , i use to work mainly on

the Atlantic , but i also worked on the Oceanic and Doric .

I would love to get in touch with all the passengers and crew

members to share the memory and who knows maybe we can

find out that we know each other..:D

Uf you like to get in touch you can email me at

bergomi1998@yahoo.com

 

ciao a tutti

Just wondering if you knew Dino Vecchio on the SS Doric. I was on the ship in 1979. Dino was a cabin steward. I believe he was originally from Sicily, Italy.

I would love to hear from you soon. :)

I started the line a long time ago and forgot about it. I read it the other day and it is wonderful, brought back so many memories and people.

Yes I knew Luciana Trevisan (sp?) hostest on the ships and her brother who had an Italian restaurant on Long Island. I wonder home many Italian restautants in New York/New Jersey owe their start to Home Lines? There was one in Manhattan years ago that was using the menu covers as their own!

I knew Captain Ruffaini and Captain Marosa -- Ruffaini passed away a few years ago and Marosa I head retired under strange circumstances. Wonderful to hear his son is working for Costa -- I remember meeting them on the street in Hamilton, Bermuda in 1985 when they were cadets!

There was the gentleman Chief Purser of the Oceanic Mr. Sulligoi. He retired in the early 1980s but what a gentleman he was. In his spare time on the ships -- yes he found some time -- he built models including the first one I ever saw of the 1982 Atlantic.

I miss the Italian dining room and all the hubbub all day long. Nothing was simple or easy -- there was always a lot of motion and sometimes comotion. Everett the cruise director always joked on the tenders there was a half dozen Italian officers and crew always yelling at one and another while when we were in port with a Holland America ship there would be one Filipino doing everything on the tenders.

STEVEDAN if you are reading this get in touch with me because we sailed on the same trips. I was aboard a number of X-Mas/New Years on the Oceanic from New York in the late 1970s. Now that was fun. On New Years Luciana always wanted a dance for good luck and the line frowned on her dancing with passengers but since I was a young man I got to do it and no one complained -- the least of all me dancing with a beautiful Italian lady.

Anyone else remember the golf pro's that sailed the Oceanic in the winter? We knew both Harry Cooper and Jerry Lambo well - as well as their wives Emma Cooper and Sis Lambo.

I could go on and on and on with happy memories :-) :-) but I will stop but please more peoople keep posting to the line and then Home Lines lives!

SS: Nice to hear someone who has as fond memories of the Oceanic X-Mas cruises as me. I don't want to give my name or address on a public bulletin board, so you can contact me on my email at stevedan@optonline.net.

Hi I was reading the letter you posted on July and I saw my name mentioned, I am the waiter that took care of you, Carmine Cozzolino, I live in New York m would love to hear from you Cruisinfamily, thank you

Hey there :)

I couldn't believe when I saw your posting! WOW.... check this out:

 

Well, Feb 1979 I was on the Doric. Dino was a cabin steward at that time also. He must have been a charmer.... because I too, hung out with him. I was only 17 at that time... and yes, he could dance. We went to the disco in Puerto Rico (Leonardo Divinci's). VERY FUN! I thought I was special too... :eek: Just too young to understand I guess. I also have pictures. Oh, and I have a daughter from Feb 1979 cruise ! Just wondering if anyone else may have a son or daughter by Mr. Charmer also. CRAZY ISN'T IT? :confused:

79 cruiser, are you saying that Dino fathered your daughter? I didn't get a child from him but I got something else that involved a gyno! Oh to be young and naive. I'll have to try to scan his picture into the computer and attach it later. I cruised in late 79 so I was after you. I had heard that he was getting married way back. It's just too weird that there are already three people who remember this gigolo.

Home Lines and gigolos? Wow must have been fun going ons. Now we know why the ships were so popular!

Wonder how many Italian restaurants opened in New York and the area due to Home Lines? Any because of a ltitle bambino?

Keep those stories coming.

Clearly Home Lines made some lasting memories. Wonder if any other cruise line endures as much with its past passengers?

Clearly Home Lines made some lasting memories. Wonder if any other cruise line endures as much with its past passengers?

79 cruiser, are you saying that Dino fathered your daughter? I didn't get a child from him but I got something else that involved a gyno! Oh to be young and naive. I'll have to try to scan his picture into the computer and attach it later. I cruised in late 79 so I was after you. I had heard that he was getting married way back. It's just too weird that there are already three people who remember this gigolo.

OMG -- I am so glad you answered me! Yes, I have a 27 year-old daughter from that little excursion! I was VERY naive... and I had just turned 17 on that cruise. I was on the cruise with my parents and sister.

Oh well, my daughter is a very beautiful italian girl with dark brown hair, big brown eyes and a beautiful smile. A very smart girl too!

I also kept a diary while on the cruise.. I just have to dig it out.

I would love it if you could get a photo scanned into the computer. It would be so nice of you. Tori would love to see photos.

He was just a player! If I only knew then what I know now..... I still have a wonderful daughter (Tori) :D

Take care - hope to hear from you soon.

OMG -- I am so glad you answered me! Yes, I have a 27 year-old daughter from that little excursion! I was VERY naive... and I had just turned 17 on that cruise. I was on the cruise with my parents and sister.

 

Oh well, my daughter is a very beautiful italian girl with dark brown hair, big brown eyes and a beautiful smile. A very smart girl too!

 

I also kept a diary while on the cruise.. I just have to dig it out.

 

I would love it if you could get a photo scanned into the computer. It would be so nice of you. Tori would love to see photos.

 

He was just a player! If I only knew then what I know now..... I still have a wonderful daughter (Tori) :D

 

Take care - hope to hear from you soon.

I hope Tori enjoys the few photos I have. Does Dino know he has a daughter? I will try to attach them. If it doesn't work then send me your email and I will send them that way. My email is margienj@comcast.net

Hi Margie, how are you? It's me Carmine Cozzolino, I happened to log on to this website and I saw your thread, I am replying , hoping to hear from you, I live in New York since 1984, that's when I quit working on the cruise ships. Glad to hear that you have a wonderful family, take care, Carmine Cozzolino

My first cruise as an adult was on the Oceanic. Fell in love with my waiter, Carmine Cozzolino. Kept in touch for a few years.

 

I've sailed on the Atlantic too. MargieNJ, I think I know Dino the cabin steward......took me to Forty Thieves for dancing too. Not too tall....curly hair? What the heck was his last name? It will unlock out of this 40+ year old brain of mine sometime. Something Italian that started with an 'M' I believe. I can't believe I don't remember it, as I would go into New York to visit him every few weeks.

 

Anyway, I loved my first cruise experience so much that I came home and quit my job and became a travel agent. Took many cruises.....at a nice reduced rate too. I eventually quit that job to go work on a ship. Had already met my husband by that time and my heart couldn't take the separation, so I came back and we got married. I have turned him on to cruising and my kids love it as well.

 

Gosh, can't believe how many people can remember the names of entertainers, engineers, etc.

 

We were just on the Crown Princess (the sailing involving the infamous tilt) and our tablemates had sailed the Oceanic. We spent time reminiscing about the ship. Recalled the reserved deck chairs and the individual deck steward we were assigned....I believe mine on the first cruise was Pino. All meals in the dining room. Dressy for dinner every night. Midnight buffets. Oh....those were the days.

 

I'm so glad I discovered this thread. Used to read cruise critic years ago and then not sure what happened but I stopped. Forgot it even existed. So glad I rediscovered it this week. Thanks to all for stirring up some of the memories.

OMG!!!!!! CARMINE!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe you posted!!!!!!!! How the heck are you????????? Goodness gracious.....last time I knew...you were married and had a daughter I believe. You had called my house and talked with my mother.

Are you doing well? What are you up to?

This is Lisa from NJ......blonde hair. I sailed the Oceanic in 1980 or 1981. I came home and quit my job and became a travel agent after that. I saw you again when I sailed the Oceanic. Another time I sailed the Atlantic and when we were in port in Bermuda, I took the tender over and visited you on the Oceanic. And then, of course, there were all those letters I wrote.

What fantastic memories I have from my first cruise. We cruise often and every time I cruise, I still tell people about the magical way you used two spoons to scoop up the crumbs off the table! I've never seen anyone do it since then. It mesmerized us and my friend Bonnie and I would make extra crumbs just to watch. Of course, I was willing to watch anything you did!

Seems like a million lifetimes ago, doesn't it? Well, I hope your life has been has happy and fulfilling as mine!

I have a wonderful husband and 2 beautiful daughters. My oldest graduates college in a few weeks and my younger one is completing her second year of college. They both love to cruise too! Sadly, it has changed. We still love it, but it's not quite the same. And, of course.......there is NOTHING like an ALL ITALIAN crew!!!!!

Well, I do hope you'll check the boards again and update me. I apologize for not checking them.....I haven't been on these boards since September.

Lisa

OMG -- I am so glad you answered me! Yes, I have a 27 year-old daughter from that little excursion! I was VERY naive... and I had just turned 17 on that cruise. I was on the cruise with my parents and sister.

 

Oh well, my daughter is a very beautiful italian girl with dark brown hair, big brown eyes and a beautiful smile. A very smart girl too!

 

I also kept a diary while on the cruise.. I just have to dig it out.

 

I would love it if you could get a photo scanned into the computer. It would be so nice of you. Tori would love to see photos.

 

He was just a player! If I only knew then what I know now..... I still have a wonderful daughter (Tori) :D

 

Take care - hope to hear from you soon.

Okay, just HAD to get in on these memories of the old days aboard Home Lines. First cruised on the Oceanic in - are you ready - October 1975. I've been on hundreds of cruises, so many of them aboard the Oceanic, the Doric, The Atlantic and the Homerice. I even sailed on the Bid Red Boat just to relive some of the old times - I thought- and although the ship was pretty much the same, nothing else was. There were no Italian crew and officers aboard the Big Red Boat. It was definitely the crew and officiers that made Home Lines the cruise line you couldn't help but fall in love with.

Dino Vecchio? Oh yes, quite a charmer, more charming to some than others, obviously, but always very polite and sweet, always very amusing, always very confident, and always the epitome of what is expected of an Italian male. You couldn't help but love that boy. And so many others just like him. Does anyone remember Danielle of that often mentioned Donzelli Orchestra? He would get out in the middle of the dance floor, invite the passengers to join him in a line dance, and then pay very special attention to each and every woman individually at some point in the evening. Each young lady came off that dance floor honestly believing she'd had the most special moment of her life. Don't know how he managed that for months at a time, or however long his contract with "the company" would last. He always looked so fresh and rested. Amazing.

From the Cabin Boys and Cabin Stewards - remember there used to be two crew assigned to your cabin to meet your every need and when they finished working at around 9:00 (after straightening the cabins of the 2nd seating dinner passengers), the night steward would take over and make sure you got into your cabin at the end of your day at sea (and also make sure you were not trying to sneak a cabin steward or waiter or some other rank of crew into your cabin!) Ah, it was great to single and sailing on Home Lines.

79Cruiser, how did you & Dino every manage to get together what with parents, siblings, and Night Stewards hagining around? The Home Lines company had very strict rules and regulations about crew fraternizing with passengers. We all heard about it all the time. Crew being sent home after a passenger complained, some other crew member being left in Nassau when it was found out he'd taken a passenger to the casino, the stories just went on and on. But they managed somehow, didn't they? And thank goodness they did. Love that stubborn Italian streak!

I could go on and on and on, but I would only bore the group and that's not my intent. We all have wonderful, happy and longlasting memories of our days with Home Lines. I tell everyone that I grew up on Home Lines ships. And I did. My entire life is different than it ever would have been had I not sailed on the Oceanic on 10/25/75 - the worst and best day of my life.

Well, that's my part in keeping this thread going. Who's next?

What great memories. I sailed the beautiful Oceanic 3 times in the early 80s and I was one of the girls who came to NY pier every Saturday and got on the ship for $1 and stayed before we HAD to get off.

I "dated" an engineer named Tony for a while (he turned out to be married with several children in Sicily). We had so much fun while it lasted, though.

I was infatuated and visa versa with a few of the waiters ... most of whom turned out married - even one who had a wife in the gift shop! hahaha. Luckily, I did not get in any trouble, but the flirting and fun were outrageous.

Paying $5 for a deck chair for the week, Caesar salad every night, flaming baked Alaska, $1 drinks, being introduced by name to the Captain ... on and on.

I have memories to last a lifetime ... I sent all my memorabilia to someone who saved Oceanic momentos a while back. I loved those menus.

I was on the Oceanic for NYE and what a blast! All the lounges were counting down. Dressing up for dinner every night! What a wonderful ship ... I love her to this day.

Thanks for your stories - keep them coming.

Good morning, Moondawgie. We must have run into each other every Saturday at the pier. Never mind the $1 to get on the ship, how about waiting for the man of the week to get off the ship and bring you a pass to get on at "crew deck" as his guest? That was living the life, for sure.

Speaking of the $1 to board the ship as a guest, were you cruising early enough to remember the very, very inexpensive cost of drinks? Someone else at this site mentioned the cheap pricing in an earlier posting, but it just occurred to me that I couldn't remember when the prices changed, just that they did and we all kind of took it in stride. Does anyone remember when this happened?

I distinctly remember when Home Lines went out of business and my friends and I went on our first Costa cruise we were given our first "cards" to use to pay for drinks, etc., and I flatly refused to purchase anything on the trip. No drinks, no souveniers, nothing. I was used to using my money to pay for things and no one was gonna make me use a card just so I would end up spending more than I'd planned on (which is what I'd been told was the reason for these early "sign & sail" type cards!) That was one thirsty cruise, I'll admit. To this day my friends that I sailed with politely call me a big jerk and have a good laugh.

I couldn't agree with you more......it was DEFINITELY the Italian crew that made the experience! My boss used to say that the Italian men had a way of making you feel like the best thing since sliced bread and would make the next woman feel like the best thing since pockets on shirts! She was so right. They had such a gift to make each and every woman feel like she was the most important woman in the world.

What was it that had us so mesmerized?....the dark hair, olive skin, the accent, their willingness to serve us, the way they would look directly into your eyes, as if they were looking right inside you or the way they could undress you with their eyes and get you all hot and bothered without even touching you! I suppose it was all that combined with our youth and innocence!

Yes, cruizin'since75, I remember those days well. That is so funny about the sign n' sail card. I don't remember when it changed. I do remember that the bars were open on the Oceanic on Saturday and you could sit and have a drink on deck before having to GET OFF.

CroozinFamily, you got that right about those Italian men. They sure had a way, and I was young enough to enjoy all that attention. I remember a few of them that were irresistible. Now I know how foolish women can be!:rolleyes: :D

I just ordered a brochure of the Oceanic - Nassau and Bermuda - from E-bay and can't wait to get it and see the pictures.

i recently found this thread. my father was on the original Homeric and the Oceanic cruises, and he's still around. he seems to doubt that anyone remembers him, thinking that everyone is gone from back then.

this is a rough history, from what he just told me. he was pretty enthused about people remembering these ships. his name is Umberto Proserpio.

on the Homeric:

1955-58 as a Busboy

1959-60 as a Bar Steward, Waiter

then he took time off, back on board in 1964

on the maiden voyage of Oceanic:

He boarded the Oceanic in Trieste for 401 days, back to Venice in May of 1966. He said the crew could barely believe they were back in port after that long, that they looked out the portholes at the people on land as if they were aliens.

1966-68 as a Captain

1965-66 as a Wine Steward

1969 came to America for good, started his own restaurant 7 years later.

anecdote:

Once as a wine steward in 1965, while gripping 3 loaded ice buckets in each hand, my father slipped in the middle of the dining room and flooded the dining room in water and ice. He told me that perhaps people might remember this! May 11, 1966, after the first year of sailing the ship docked in Venice for engine maintenance and upkeep. They carpeted the dining room to prevent the same situation happening again.

Chief Purser at the time was Eduardo "Dino" Grandi. He was sitting at a table with the Pope family when that accident occurred. My dad remembers many of the names on here, even though he left the cruise life before the 1970s.

My father translated the first cookbook of Mario Rato, the cook, into English. Apparently it sold very very well.

to make things even stranger-- my father was on the Homeric in the laguna outside of Havana in 1959 while the overthrow of Bautista ( Cuba libre) was going on. an American professor of mine who is about 5 years younger than my father, i just found out, was on the Homeric on the exact same trip. my father was 20 and my professor was 15.

Anyone remember a young kid from Milano named Umberto? That's my dad.