All ashore who's going ashore

I am an old movie buff, and am watching a really old one now, with a ship segment. It reminded me of the one and only time I was on the QE2. It was in NY in 1969 I believe. My mother threw a Bon Voyage party on board. I wish I could remember the "all ashore who's going ashore" announcement. I was a teenager at the time and surely would not have appreciated the experience. Does anyone remember those days? I would live to hear the stories. Thanks.

Jeanne

I am an old movie buff, and am watching a really old one now, with a ship segment. It reminded me of the one and only time I was on the QE2. It was in NY in 1969 I believe. My mother threw a Bon Voyage party on board. I wish I could remember the "all ashore who's going ashore" announcement. I was a teenager at the time and surely would not have appreciated the experience. Does anyone remember those days? I would live to hear the stories. Thanks.

 

Jeanne

Yes, I have a memory from those days although I was very young at the time. We took a tour of RMS Queen Elizabeth while she was in port in New York during the summer of 1960. Alas, we were among those that had to go ashore since we were only touring the ship and not sailing. I can't say I recall the exact wording of the announcement. I don't believe is was actually the iconic announcement "all ashore that's going ashore", but I do vividly recall there was an announcement to that effect which we had to heed.

Regards,

John.

Yes, I have a memory from those days although I was very young at the time. We took a tour of RMS Queen Elizabeth while she was in port in New York during the summer of 1960. Alas, we were among those that had to go ashore since we were only touring the ship and not sailing. I can't say I recall the exact wording of the announcement. I don't believe is was actually the iconic announcement "all ashore that's going ashore", but I do vividly recall there was an announcement to that effect which we had to heed.

 

Regards,

John.

Thanks for sharing John. Sure wish I could remember the announcement. Just like I wish I knew why it seems important to me now. Happy sails to you.

Jeanne

By the time I made my first Cunard voyage - QE2 e/b crossing from New York in 1973 - the "no visitors" policy was in effect. The ban on visitors started, I'm told, because of a bomb threat the year before.

Other lines continued the tradition of allowing visitors for bon voyage parties. My experience in the 1970s for New York embarkations was that visitor's passes were not required. People simply walked on board. A donation for seamen's' charities was solicited at the gangway. We had a reception for friends on Holland America's Rotterdam in 1974. We ordered Champagne and hors d'oeuvres from the ship in advance. I do recall the "All ashore that's going ashore" announcement along with the sounding of chimes. Along with some friends we attended a bon voyage on the Leonardo Da Vinci on its last Atlantic crossing.

Other ports were not quite as easy for visitors. In Vancouver, the ships of Canadian Pacific didn't require visitor passes but P&O did. This was not a problem because the P&O offices were just up the street from the pier.

We had several bon voyage receptions in Southampton on the ships of P&O and Union-Castle. Passes were required but easy to get.

As the old cliché says: "Those were the days."

I am an old movie buff, and am watching a really old one now, with a ship segment. It reminded me of the one and only time I was on the QE2. It was in NY in 1969 I believe. My mother threw a Bon Voyage party on board. I wish I could remember the "all ashore who's going ashore" announcement. I was a teenager at the time and surely would not have appreciated the experience. Does anyone remember those days? I would live to hear the stories. Thanks.

 

Jeanne

Yes :). When my parents traveled in the 50s and 60s they always had parties for their friends on board prior to the ship sailing, and also we used to go to their friends parties.

When we were sailing, I loved that announcement as it meant we were off, and the adventure was about to begin. However I hated it when we were at a friend's party because it meant that we had to get off the ship, and then stood on the pier catching steamers and watching the liner sail off into the distance without me on board :(

Sadly I have no personal recollections of hearing that phrase or attending a bon voyage party on a ship.

However, when I fantasize about what it would have been like a certain musical number by Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell in the 1953 movie "Gentlemen Prefer Blonds" fondly comes to mind. The scene takes place aboard the Isle de France in New York City harbor where the two are in the midst of their own bon voyage party. The ship's steward momentarily interrupts the festivities with the famous phrase as he bangs the gong. The pair then sing "Bye Bye Baby" as they make their fond farewells.

If one must live vicariously, this is the absolute best way to do it:

I used to use my Bon Voyage parties to pay back social obligations-I lived in a very small apartment. My friends and work colleagues loved to come and drink, eat and have a good time for about 2-21/2 hours. The last party I attended was when my parents sailed on the France in 1974-all the lines welcomed the parties, none more than the French and Italians;champagne was really cheap, canapés were $10 per large platter and if you more than a handful of guests you got a steward assigned-it was all wonderful! My only party on QE2 was in 1971 in the Observation Bar, a beautiful room that went with galley extensions; they assigned steward Brian, a veteran of the Queen Elizabeth-he was superb. I had to cough-up a few bucks to Cunard to replace some wine glasses that a couple of my “emotional” friends used to try and hit the Rafaello which was docked across from us.

Had a party on the Royal Viking Sky in Ft. Lauderdale in 1979(?) but not as good because only a few folks were there-milder form of fun. By 1975 when I sailed-no more on QE2-and she was the only thing going. So all over.

I am an old movie buff, and am watching a really old one now, with a ship segment. It reminded me of the one and only time I was on the QE2. It was in NY in 1969 I believe. My mother threw a Bon Voyage party on board. I wish I could remember the "all ashore who's going ashore" announcement. I was a teenager at the time and surely would not have appreciated the experience. Does anyone remember those days? I would live to hear the stories. Thanks.

 

Jeanne

My wife says that the really fun part was riding back to the harbor on the Pilot boat.

Thanks for all the responses. I enjoyed everyone of them and the variations. Good one about the pilot boat!

Jeanne

Watch Season 5, Episode 13 Bon Voyage of I LOVE LUCY.

They do the "all ashore who's going ashore" a couple of times.

They travel on the SS Constitution from Europe to NY.

Always a fun one to watch before boarding any ship :D