When was your 1st cruise and how much you pay for it?

My first cruise was on Home Lines Oceanic. I believe I paid about $545.

Oceanic was our first cruise too. It was in 1966 and it was $720 for two!

This wasn't my first cruise but it certainly was my least expensive. One month after 9-11, I happened to be in Miami visiting friends and we decided on the spur of the moment to hop on a cruise ship (Norwegian Wind) for a five-day Western Caribbean cruise. They were literally begging for passengers, since most of the already booked passengers had canceled due to travel fears right after the attack, and I paid the princely sum of.......$110!!! TOTAL!!! That's a true story. The ship had escort military-type boats both in the US and Mexico but other than that, it was a typical wonderful fun-filled cruise. Can anybody out there top that?

It might have been a different Norwegian ship, as we were on the Wind, boarding on 9/19/01 from Vancouver, B.C. to Beijing, China, for 31 days.

Happy to show you documentation.;)

Rick

I still have the catalogue for my first trip - Jan 1986. This was it. I paid $1565 for cabin F268 - a shared 4 berth inside cabin down in the depths of the original Oriana.

Technically this was my "first" trip - only because its the one I paid for. I had previously stowed away from Perth to Singapore in 1984 (at age 16 and 1 month!!) before getting caught by the captain and flown home. I promised him I would travel on the Oriana again with a ticket someday! And I kept my promise.

It might have been a different Norwegian ship, as we were on the Wind, boarding on 9/19/01 from Vancouver, B.C. to Beijing, China, for 31 days.

 

Happy to show you documentation.;)

 

Rick

My mum and stepfather were on that trip with you. They arrived in Vancouver on the evening of the 11th and after a night in a hotel they did an inside passage cruise on one of the "Dams" (Volendam in my faded memory) then joined the Wind for the big voyage to China.

Do you remember that the steward placed your night gown/pj's on the bed for you each night?

The good olde Days.

Our first cruise was 1984 on the NCL MS Southward

It was our honeymoon cruise

1982 HAL Veendam (not the current ship)

NYC - Bermuda 7 night. St. George / Hamilton

Paid about $1200 pp (with taxes) for upper/lower OV.

It did include RT transportation to the pier.

We won a free trip in November 1999 on Cape Canaveral's Dolphin IV. We were on one of its last cruises before being sold for scrap. I remember the food in the dining room - and the staff - being awesome, but the rest of the experience was pretty darn bad. Bad enough that it took us 10 years to try cruising again. :eek:

I love this thread and hearing everyone's memories of past cruises.

My first cruise (before many of you were born) was a free, all expenses paid, on the beautiful Marine Lynx.

Unfortunately, this was a troopship in 1952 and I was on my way to the Korean War.

Do you remember that the steward placed your night gown/pj's on the bed for you each night?

They also seemed to be available 24 hrs. as though they slept on that specific deck.

Our first cruise was in November 2001 on Disney Wonder. We went with friends who cruised before and I let them do all the planning. I am positive we over paid for everything because they went through Disney and bought their 3 Day Cruise (inside room)/4 Day Disney World with Airfare and Disney Shuttle. Our total for 4 was $4000 for the package.

My first cruise (before many of you were born) was a free, all expenses paid, on the beautiful Marine Lynx.

 

Unfortunately, this was a troopship in 1952 and I was on my way to the Korean War.

Thank you for your service.

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What a fascinating thread!

My first cruise was in 97 on Carnival but I didn't pay. I can't even remember what I paid for my first "I paid for" cruise in 01, but I recon it was around $300 for a 4 or 5 night Carnival Caribbean, inside. Can't really remember what I've paid for any of them! Maybe I should get my memory checked....

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A Northwest Airlines Vacation deal - Aegean 1 Greek Isle cruise in 1996. Ship had been leased to Renaissance Cruise Lines for the year. The cruise had to be dirt cheap or we wouldn't have been on it. Seem to recall something like $800 p/p for and outside including air (think it was 5 nights) with nights pre and post included in hotels, to which we added some nights.

People that had cruised before seemed disappointed with the ship, but we were happy with it - since we had nothing with which to compare. I did come off with a norovirus and we had a woman at our table that did nothing but complain, but amazingly it didn't dampen our desire to cruise again. It was a nice point to point itinerary from Istanbul to Athens.

I believe the ship is still sailing as the Agean Odessey.

was on the TSS Carnivale in 1990 a porthole cabin and it was free ( company paid for the trip)

My first cruise departed Sunday October 7, 2001 - Radisson Seven Seas (now Regent) "Journey Through Antiquity" sailing solo and also my 1st time to Europe.

Because of all of the extra security, armed military at the airports, I packed everything, and I mean everything, in one checked suitcase, which got lost! Luckily I had gone a day early and it showed up at the Inter-Continental Athens Saturday night. :)

We also had a bomb scare during my layover at Charles de Gaulle and had to huddle in a group behind a wall at the gate while disposition was made for an unattended bag. :eek:

We had 69 (or 79, I can't remember now) passengers and we were in Turkey the morning after the bombing of Afghanistan.

I got pulled out of a security line by Turkish police while re-boarding the ship after an excursion and thought one of the officers was going to spit on me when I showed my address as U.S.A. :(

The shop keepers in Santorini could not have been nicer in their concern for us all. :)

While on the hydrofoil to Capri an elderly woman sitting next to me was overcome by a look of fearful terror when she realized I was an American. I had told her "I am sorry Ma'am, I do not speak Italian", then she got up and moved her seat.

Even some of the crew were afraid to be onboard as they thought we would be a target. :(

But, I had the time of my life and never regretted going for a moment! :D

I was invited to the bridge to meet the Captain, got to dine with the Cruise Director, and met some absolutely wonderful fellow guests. Was even invited to join a couple for their private car tour during my post-cruise day in Rome and another couple invited me to join them for dinner at a fantastic local restaurant that same evening. I couldn't wait for the opportunity to Cruise again!!

Pre-cruise hotel stay, week long all-inclusive cruise, post-cruise hotel stay, gifts for family and friends back home - $10,000

Our first cruise was back in the 80's on the Cunard Countess -- 18,000 tons and no stabilizers. Cabin A6003.

It was a back-to-back cruise out of San Juan.

Don't remember what we paid for the cruises.

First cruise was Mariner of the Seas in March of 2004 out of Port Canaveral. Got married on that cruise. Paid approx. $700 for window cabin on Deck 2 or 3. Can't quite remember.

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1973 Emerald Seas to Nassau. No idea what it cost...

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First time was a few years ago on ncl gem paid around 900ish pp for a balcony cabin! We also ended up spending over 900$ on our account! Didn't realize how quickly drinks and specialty restaurants add up! :) now we stick to inside cabins and limit on board spending so we can cruise more often :)

My first cruise was in 1972 on the Emerald Seas, a four-day cruise RT from Miami over Christmas. I have no idea how much it cost -- I was nine!

The next year, we discovered Sitmar Line and took a number of cruises over the next decade on the wonderful Fairwind (Caribbean) and Fairsea (Alaska/Mexico).

It was a sad day when Sitmar was taken over by Princess.

Looks like the go to ship was The Emerald Seas in the 70's! My later 70's cruise was on board The Flavia, oh so Italian [emoji3]

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2009, Mariner of the Seas West Coast USA cruise. The itinerary was meant to be Mexican Riviera but because of the Swine Flu outbreak the itinerary was changed. Hooked after that. Cost was $AU1,600.00 for my wife and I in a balcony cabin plus under $1,000.00 for airfares from Brisbane to LA. When we got home we received vouchers from RCCL for $US350.00 each off our next cruise if used within 12 months which almost equated to a free cruise for one of us so we did the Mexican Riviera the next year. Fantastic both times. Have since done Alaska last year and looking at New England-Canada next year

1979 on the Fairstar $599

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My first cruise was in 1972 on the Emerald Seas, a four-day cruise RT from Miami over Christmas. I have no idea how much it cost -- I was nine!

 

The next year, we discovered Sitmar Line and took a number of cruises over the next decade on the wonderful Fairwind (Caribbean) and Fairsea (Alaska/Mexico).

 

It was a sad day when Sitmar was taken over by Princess.

My first cruise was on NCL's Starward in 1978. It was $625 per person, cruise only. We drove from Albuquerque to Miami (2 1/2 days). Small ship, very small cabins, so so food -- but I loved it.

My second cruise was on Sitmar's Fairsea out of LA (1982) $1,125 per person including airfare. Huge improvement over NCL, with great food and spot on service. Strange cabin off of a little back staircase (only four cabins in our area); twin beds and tile floors. There was a small kitchen across the hall serving room service.

I will take modern cruising over the good ole days anytime!

Kel:)