Cunard Countess

Back in the 80's we sailed the Cunard Countess 4 times through the southern Caribbean. The cruise director was a Brit named John Butt and he was terrfic. On our last cruise on the Countess was also his last,as he was retiring to live in Barbados, a place that he had grown to love over the years. Does anyone remember him and the Countess? I really miss the ships of that size 17,000- 25,000 tons, I enjoyed them much better than the new mega ships.

I sailed on the Countess in the early 80's, my husband and I were travel agents then, just a wonderful ship. I just wished I had gotten more interior photos. :(. I wasn't the camera bug that much as I got to be later. I barely remember John Butt, however I do recall going to the shows onboard. I wish they made more cruise ships that size. The huge ones are too much.

Wow, I cruised on the Countess in 1985 with a friend as our high school graduation trip. It was amazing for two 18 year olds at the time. We visited Venezuela, Grenada, Barbados, Martinique and St. Thomas.

A blast from the past :)

we sailed the countess in december 1986, just loved this ship and also the pianobar, later we were on the vistafjord and QE 2

hi I was an engineer 1980 to 85 on countess. I am going on a cruise for the first time this year on celebrity eclipes, any tips would be gratefully recieved.

funny I was just reading about the countess yesterday. I sailed her in 2002 as the olympia countess durning a trip to greece with globus tours. :D My first and only cruise till this september on the carnival ecstacy

We sailed on the Countess in 1985 for a two week Caribbean vacation. We also have fond memories of the pianobar and especially the two entertainers - Day 'n Nite.

We sailed on the Cunard Countess in April of 1996 and I was wondering if anyone had the agenda for the cruise that left from Puerto Rico. It was a seven day cruise. I am putting my scrapbook together and can't remember exactly which islands we visited. HELP!

We sailed in 1980, so it might have changed after that. We sailed from Puerto Rico to Venezuela, St. Lucia, Granada, Barbados and St. Thomas.

Our first cruise was on the Cunard Countess in September, 1980. A few days into the cruise, I realized I was pregnant with our first child!

We sailed a 7 day cruise from Puerto Rico.

Our waiter at dinner was Enzo. He was Italian, with a big bushy mustache! He was so polite and accommodating and had the biggest smile! He addressed me as "My Lady"! He helped make me feel so special! :D

Sailed on the Cunard Countess in the Summer of 1977. It was the week Elvis died. Had a great time on that ship. British crew and all that.

Did 7 days, Caracas Venezuala, Granada, Barbados, St. Lucia and St Thomas. lots of ports only 1 sea day.

The cruise liner postcard website stated the ship had a white funnel and did not have cunard colors until 1980? Frankly thats not what I remember from the 1977 cruise. It had red and black cunard funnels.

Anyway good days, sailaway with streamers and noise makers, baked alaska with the sparklers and shooting skeet with shotguns off the side of the ship.

Saw the old girl this evening 0n another board. A really sad sight.

http://www.cruisecurrents.com/article/14593

Saw the old girl this evening 0n another board. A really sad sight.

 

http://www.cruisecurrents.com/article/14593

Many fond memories of the Cunard Countess. So sad.....:(

We had our first cruise on the Countess in November 1981 on our honeymoon. We ere booked on the Princess; but it got commandeered to take troops to the Falklands.

Great time .... Met our lifetime friends ... the only other Canadians on the ship, who were also honeymooning ... we see them every year on our anniversary ; and cruised with them, on Oceania (Mediterranean and Australis/New Zealand) for our 25th and 30th.

On the Countess we ate with a fixed group each night. The ship's doctor sat with us. He was quote a character. He struck up an immediate friendship with a bride, whose husband had a medical issue and was taken off the ship mid-cruise

Cunard only sold these cruise to us Brits for 14 days or a 7 day cruise and 7 day hotel stay in either Barbados or St Lucia.........Looking at the prices in this brochure, our 14 day cruise, outside cabin, cost us £1910, roughly the same as today.

DW and I had our first ever cruise on the 14 night itinerary in May 1993 and enjoyed it so much we returned for further sailings in May 1994, 1995 and 1996. At that time my wife was employed for a company within the Trafalgar House Group and, as such, we were eligible for concessionary travel rates on Cunard ships :) From memory, it worked out about £35 per person per night which included return air travel on Cunard's exclusive charter flight service from London. Sadly that ended when Cunard were sold to new owners :(

Oh happy memories ;)

There is a page on Facebook: "Cunard Countess"

Yes, It was my fourth cruise .June 1988. It was scrapped due to fire last year 2014

I am from the UK and was on the Cunard Countess in 1991 with my Mum and a friend of ours (Barbara), we visited the Caribbean Islands (if my memory serves me correctly) of Barbados, Antigua, St. Kitts, Trinidad, Tobago, Grenada, Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Thomas, St. Lucia then back to San Juan, Puerto Rico to fly home from there. 

It was an incredible cruise, I loved every minute of it, the crew worked so hard and were all lovely, they made it so very special and the islands were breathtaking. 

On board the Countess I remember the rum punch parties, ice carving demonstrations, limbo dancing, the chefs with the baked Alaska desserts alight with brandy - it was all such brilliant, brilliant fun. I met a lovely passenger at a little market stall selling sea shells, he was an American fireman called Rob (pictured below) and do wish I had kept in touch. 

I would love to find out more details of the trip, what all of the excursions were, the names of some of the beaches/areas, etc. 

It is so sad that the Cunard Countess is no more, she was a magical ship to me xxx