Home Lines M/V Atlantic

As a teenager ( I was about 17), I sailed with my family aboard Home Lines' then brand new M/V Atlantic from New York to Bermuda. The Line had come very highly recommended by many of my parents' friends. We were on only her eighth trip out of New York, and the ship still had that "new ship smell". She was in pristine condition, but it was obvious that there were still many kinks to work out. On one of the upper decks, which housed most of the main entertainment areas, the stabilizers did not seem to work, so there were times, when just walking around up there was challenging. The food, for which Home Lines was apparently famous, was sorely lacking on our trip, and the dining room staff did not really try to be all that accommodating. They would not veer from what was printed on the menu at all, and seemed to have an almost take it or leave it attitude. I also remember the they did not seem to have a very big activities staff. I remember there being two cruise hostesses Rosanna and Luciana, but other than the cruise director, Ralph Michelle and his assistant, that was about it.

Don't get me wrong, we had a really nice trip and I have since sailed on about 17 other cruises on various lines, but my Home Lines experience seemed to be drastically different than what alot of other people experienced. I would be interested to hear from others who might have been on the same ship around the same time to hear what their impressions were. I believe our sailing date was June 12, 1982.

Regards,

Dean

The former Atlantic is sailing in the Mediterranian as the Melody for MSC Cruises :D

http://www.msccruises.com/flotta/default.asp?ship_id=90&page_id=767

My wife and I sailed on the Atlantic in July of 1985. This was within a year of our honeymoon cruise aboard the Song of America in Oct. of 1984. As we were newly married, we were not planning another cruise so soon, but with no need for airfare, since it was out of NY, we were able to sail very cheaply. Compared to the SOA, this cruise was not nearly as nice. The food selction was poor and the quality not good. There were 10 of us passengers seated at a table for 8: very tight to say the least. While in Bermuda for about 3 nights, back then, no entertainment was permitted on the ship while in port. Except bingo. With not much spending money for a dinner and show on land, nights were long. We shortly realized that bingo could be expensive. Days were fine aboard the ship, and Bermuda was great. I remember the old horse auction and race day!!

We did have a great room overlooking the bow. We thought the ship was nice and the people pleasant. Tea time with great pasteries in the late afternoon was also nice, though something else that is no more. I remember Isaac Asimov was a passenger sailing on the ship at the time which was interesting. We also learned how he was rather interesting when talking alone to women!:eek: The sailing was smooth, though we did experience the outer conditions of a hurricane. As we were docked in Hamilton at the time, we did not have to leave the port as did other ships, who were moor off-shore. Overall, the cruise was nice but not comparable to our first cruise 9 months earlier. Still, the memories are fun!

I am collecting stories about Home Lines and what it was like aboard the ships for a writing project about this firm.

I first sailed with Home Lines about the first Homeric and then sailed with all of their ships until they went out of business. As a matter of fact I was on the maiden voyage of the Atlantic to Bermuda in 1982.

It was a great cruise line that did so much for the industry and left so many people with happy memories.

Keep your stories coming or contact me private to tell more.

Thanks

Hi we did the Doric Oceanic Atlantic and Homeric. Alot of Home line fans and Travel agents didn"t like the Atlantic all that much !! She wasn"t as big a hit as the Doric Or Oceanic was !! Some would tell you she started the down fall of Home lines .I like her much better as the Star ship Atlantic .We did the Homeric on the july 4th cruise in 1986 it was her 6 cruise and Liberty weekend in NYC .We were in the parade of Ocean linners .By them Home line wasn"t the same still good, just not like it was before in the 60"s & 70"s and early 80"s !! The one word that will always come to mind for me when saying The Home Lines is The Oceanic !! Just came off HAL Noordam 11 day cruise round trip from NYC .Like the old times on the Oceanic winter cruise from NYC .HAL has the biggest past passgers of any cruise line .On my 11 day cruise it was over 80% of the passgers .We have cruise with them 7 times .The one thing i like about HAL is it"s the most like the cruises we have done on Home lines .just the food isn"t as good .But people get more dress up on HAL them most other cruise lines. Also HAL is Carnival"s biggest money marker of all the Carnival family of cruise lines !!

I sailed on the MV Atlantic in May 1984, New York to Bermuda. My first cruise with a friend of mine. We thought it was great, had a ball. Now 26 years later my wife and I are preparing to go on the Celebrity Solstice Eastern Caribbean!

I was only 24 and the MV Atlantic was my first cruise experience so I nothing to compare it to. Several years later my wife and I took a 3 night cruise on the Carnivale! I couldn't believe how old that ship was compared to the Atlantic.

I sailed the MV Atlantic to Bermuda when I was 14 years old ... was my first cruise, and definitely my favorite! All Italian crew - can't be beat! I believe it was the week of (or incluing) April 24th in 1983.

My wife and I left on a Honeymoon cruise to Bermuda on the Home Lines M/V Atlantic from NY 30 years ago today (6/25/83). It was both wonderful and magical. Memories still last all these years later. We had a great time !

I really liked home lines also sailed Melody about 10 years ago, old ship but in preety good shape

I sailed Home Lines Atlantic to Bermuda in 1982. It was my first cruise and my friends and I had THE BEST time! Everything was perfect. It was my first cruise and I had nothing to compare it to at that time. Fast forward 31 years and after having been on other cruise lines, NOTHING compares to the Atlantic and Home Lines! :)

My wife and I had our first cruise on the Atlantic in 1988 for a Bermuda cruise. It was only a few cruises before the sale of the ship by Home Lines. Although you could see disappointment in the eyes of the crew we still felt the service was great. We made friends that we kept in contact with for several years. Bottom line is it hooked us on cruising.... Thank you Home Lines! :)

Home Lines started my obsession with cruising. My first cruise was on the Atlantic on August 3, 1985 when I was 16 years old. My grandparents took me and I'll never forget that experience. You reserved your deck chair for the week. There were no worries about getting a spot on deck. I still remember our table mates. In fact, I remember our cabin number. It was C76 on Continental deck. I've sailed on the Homeric years later after HAL purchased her and stretched her and renamed her Westerdam. Yesterday I disembarked HAL's newer Westerdam in Seattle. That was my 55th cruise. So you can see, Atlantic started it all.

Home Lines started my obsession with cruising. My first cruise was on the Atlantic on August 3, 1985 when I was 16 years old. My grandparents took me and I'll never forget that experience. You reserved your deck chair for the week. There were no worries about getting a spot on deck. I still remember our table mates. In fact, I remember our cabin number. It was C76 on Continental deck. I've sailed on the Homeric years later after HAL purchased her and stretched her and renamed her Westerdam. Yesterday I disembarked HAL's newer Westerdam in Seattle. That was my 55th cruise. So you can see, Atlantic started it all.

I sailed Home Lines Atlantic to Bermuda in 1982. It was my first cruise and my friends and I had THE BEST time! Everything was perfect. It was my first cruise and I had nothing to compare it to at that time. Fast forward 31 years and after having been on other cruise lines, NOTHING compares to the Atlantic and Home Lines! :)

My first cruise was also on the MV Atlantic, to Bermuda, in April 1982. Cruises today are NOTHING like they were then. It was first class all the way. I was just a kid, but I can appreciate what we had then compared to what they pass off today as a cruise. What an experience!

I/we sailed on the Oceanic 8 or 9 times, twice on the Atlantic, twice on the "new" Homeric. Home Lines was THE cruise line in the 60's and 70's. It was elegant and classy. Dinners were served off of silver trays onto clean plates with silverware changed with each course. Tableside preparation was common and ordering off the menu was encouraged. Midnight buffets were elaborate and totally over the top! I remember when the Oceanic did not have a casino and when it finally did, I think it was a dozen slot machines and a couple of tables. Men absolutely were NOT permitted in any public room after 6PM without a jacket and tie! Sailing out of NY, many Manhattanites would have wardrobes deliviered to the ship, rather than pack and "lug" luggage. Bon Voyage parties were common and often there would be 3 or 4 times as many bon voyagers on board as passengers. When departing, the bands would be playing out on the decks and streamers and confetti would fill the air. The pursers desk would be full of flowers, fruit baskets, champagne and other spirits waiting to be delivered to cabins as well wishers sent bon voyage gifts. A cruise departure was on par with a grand transAtlantic sailing. Truly an era that's gone!

I/we sailed on the Oceanic 8 or 9 times, twice on the Atlantic, twice on the "new" Homeric. Home Lines was THE cruise line in the 60's and 70's. It was elegant and classy. Dinners were served off of silver trays onto clean plates with silverware changed with each course. Tableside preparation was common and ordering off the menu was encouraged. Midnight buffets were elaborate and totally over the top! I remember when the Oceanic did not have a casino and when it finally did, I think it was a dozen slot machines and a couple of tables. Men absolutely were NOT permitted in any public room after 6PM without a jacket and tie! Sailing out of NY, many Manhattanites would have wardrobes deliviered to the ship, rather than pack and "lug" luggage. Bon Voyage parties were common and often there would be 3 or 4 times as many bon voyagers on board as passengers. When departing, the bands would be playing out on the decks and streamers and confetti would fill the air. The pursers desk would be full of flowers, fruit baskets, champagne and other spirits waiting to be delivered to cabins as well wishers sent bon voyage gifts. A cruise departure was on par with a grand transAtlantic sailing. Truly an era that's gone!

I started cruising out of NYC in Mid 70's and you are correct on the dress code everyone had jacket and tie, big lines was both Home lines and Hal then, I preferred Hal a little the best ships were Hal Rotterdam and Home lines Oceanic , very similar in size, both extremely elegant and both flag ships for there line.

Does anyone else remember how the interior of the Atlantic was decorated with so much leather when the Home Lines first introduced her?

Stunning, Italian leather, it is true.....soft as silk and impeccably worked, but the sheer AMOUNT of it was just odd...

On 2/29/2008 at 12:33 PM, mozfoz said:

My wife and I sailed on the Atlantic in July of 1985. This was within a year of our honeymoon cruise aboard the Song of America in Oct. of 1984. As we were newly married, we were not planning another cruise so soon, but with no need for airfare, since it was out of NY, we were able to sail very cheaply. Compared to the SOA, this cruise was not nearly as nice. The food selction was poor and the quality not good. There were 10 of us passengers seated at a table for 8: very tight to say the least. While in Bermuda for about 3 nights, back then, no entertainment was permitted on the ship while in port. Except bingo. With not much spending money for a dinner and show on land, nights were long. We shortly realized that bingo could be expensive. Days were fine aboard the ship, and Bermuda was great. I remember the old horse auction and race day!!

We did have a great room overlooking the bow. We thought the ship was nice and the people pleasant. Tea time with great pasteries in the late afternoon was also nice, though something else that is no more. I remember Isaac Asimov was a passenger sailing on the ship at the time which was interesting. We also learned how he was rather interesting when talking alone to women!:eek: The sailing was smooth, though we did experience the outer conditions of a hurricane. As we were docked in Hamilton at the time, we did not have to leave the port as did other ships, who were moor off-shore. Overall, the cruise was nice but not comparable to our first cruise 9 months earlier. Still, the memories are fun!


The 1985 season was my last working on cruiseships. The Atlantic was the last one I worked on. 
I used to run the Casino and was a slot technician too. 
I was working the very same cruise that you were on..I met Isaac Asimov..he was my favourite author! 
Good memories..good times!