Your first Cruise was it on the SS Uganda

Hi Folks,

Who many of us went to sea the first time in the SS Uganda.

yours Shogun

Hi Shogun

Yes my 1st cruise was on the Uganda in the early 70s.

If memory serves me right some of the ports we visited were Yugoslavia, Venice, Turkey, somewhere in Greece, Corfu & somewhere in North Africa.

Which ports did you visit?

It was pretty basic compared to nowadays, but we were not allowed in some parts of the ship as they kept us away from the adults!

My brother also went on one that took in Russia.

Your post finally got me to register so that I could reply.

Regards Valfrayne

Hi There,

glad you joined, have you done many cruises ?

did Uganda give you the sea bug for cruising.

Did you watch the film that they made on board her.

We sailed from Dundee to Amsterdam, Lisbon, Madria and la Coruna.

Highlights being a boy in Amsterdam at night enough said.

Meeting Halam Globe Trotters in La Coruna.

The Bay of Biscay real storm almost sunk us made the TV news back home, had to run and hde next to a super tanker.

Were ordered to bunks and to to hang on,

Ship was a real mess afterwards. But great fun as I did not get sea sick I think there was only about ten of us on the whole ship that could still stand up without being sick.

Cruise ended in Greenock.

yours Shogun

Hi

I shall probably turn into one of those people that take months to register but then can not stop posting.

Have only done 1 other cruise on Celebrity Zenith about 5 years ago.

I sort of enjoyed it!

We are now booked on The Artemis sailing from Southampton to the caribbean at the end of March. Slightly worried that the crumble factor is going to be quite high, but sure we will find some young at heart pax.

Did not see the film.

Highlights: being a girl in Venice & bartering in Africa, i still cringe at the memory.

We also hit a pretty bad storm, not as bad as yours but were still sent to our bunks. Did not get seasick, just remember sitting on the bunk eating mars bars whilst everybody else was throwing up.

When did you sail on her?

Have you done any recent P & ) cruises?

Regards

Valfrayne

Hi There,

It was the summer of 74 if I recall correct.

Have not done any P & O cruises.

Went Cunard, Air Tours, Princess 5 times with two more Princess booked.

Had a long look at P & O but think i made the right choice for me.

Princess is a slightly younger less formal type.

Have you been to the Caribbean before.

Where do you fly back from.

yours Shogun

Hi again

Told you I would get hooked.

Not sure if it was 71 or 72, have`nt thought about it for years, we flew out to Venice and returned from Yugoslavia where I lost my passport at the airport.

Thinking of trying Princess next time for the same reason.

We went to the caribbean last time, I do like the sun and are sailing back to Southampton. NO flying.

Regards

Valfrayne

Hi there,

No flying is good only done one Princess cruise from Southampton up to Norway last year it ewas cheap and good would do it again.

Was in Venice this year on the Grand Princess but it was very hot, most days we were around 100 I think athens was 104.

Have spent the last three years at Christmas /New Year time in the Caribbean am doing the same next year.

Which islands are you going to any that you have not been to before.

yours Shogun

Hi

We get to see Dominica, Grenada & Tortola this time round.

I think we will notice a difference in size of ship.

It`s a long time to wait as we also are you usually away in January, the celebrity was a new year cruise.

Hoping to do Norway in the summer.

Off to Cambridge for the weekend just bit cooler than the caribbean!

speak to you soon.

Regards Valfrayne

Hi There,

Was in Grenada and Tortola at the start of this year, I have a soft spot for Grenada first saw it many many years ago, was there just after the hurricane of a couple of years ago before the clean up had started looked very sad, things had got a lot better by the start of this year but the old churches where still in ruins.

Tortola has a new dolphin swim thing if you are into that.

Have never been to Dominica only sailed around the island but am going there at the end of next year.

Norway is very nice, we had a great trip by bus to see moutains lakes etc fresh food was very good. Everyone says its very expensive but if you buy local stuff we found it to be OK.

Are you taking a cruise to Norway.?

Never been to Cambridge.

yours Shogun

My first cruise was in 1968 0n the SS Nevasa, an educational cruise from Swansea to the Baltic, calling at Visby, Leningrad and Copanhagen. We had a great time, but I'm not sure the full fare paying adults did, with all of us tearing around:D

Hi

Cambridge was a nightmare getting there, M25 5pm on a Friday, we must have been mad, but it was worth it a beautiful city.

Have heard mixed repots on Grenada re hawkers. Did you find this compared to other caribbean islands?

Would very much like to do the dolphin swim in Tortola, have you done it?

Hoping to do the Norway fjords cruise late summer.

I had not heard of the SS Nevasa, they were great fun though and a great education although not in the way i suspect they were designed for.

I have to say that this site is a lot more friendly than the cc site on the offical P & O site.

regards

Valfrayne

Hi there

My first cruise was on SS Uganda - Nov 73. We flew to Malta, all very exciting as had never flown before. Last port of call was Venice and I flew home from there. It was a fantastic opportunity. On P&O Aurora there is the 'Uganda Room' which has a model of the SS Uganda in it - I always have a look at it when on board. Hooked on cruising now and have sailed with quite a few companies - but sail with P&0 more often that with other companies.

Happy cruising, Graham :)

Hi There,

Tortola Dolphin swim, have done this it is one of the better ones around.

however it is a tourist operation, some are set up as to teach people abouut sea life etc, this one makes money, however everything appears to be well run, have seen some which were very sad.

The water is cold, its ok once you are in it but those first steps.

They do a very good video , you get the chance to do a number of things with the dolphins, if you have never been up close with a dolphin then you must do it. If you can not swim etc not a problem you have a life jacket on at all times.

Since we last chatted book to go back to the Caribbean in a few weeks time on the Sun Princess

As to Grenada, there is a new cruise terminal with shops which are very nice well policed, outside well everyone wants to take you on a tour or sell you spice.

You need to be tough and polite, tell them you are going on a ships tour so do not need a taxi, tell them you bought spice already etc. Just do not stop and chat or you will not get away, they are nice enough people and have to make aliving some how, they just see you as punters to make money off.

The same is true for almost every island.

Grenada has a water taxi that will take you to a very nice beech just yards from were the ship docks.

If there are hawkers on the beech just pretend to be asleep and they will leave you alone.

You can chat on another site ship happens which is UK based.

Will need to search SS Nevasa sounds like an old eat indis company ship.

Nice to hear that the old SS Uganda still lifes in the minds of P & O.

yours Shogun

My first cruise was also on the Uganda!

It must have been late 70`s, and was a school trip. I remember being in a very basic inside dorm of about 20 girls, with very rough seas and a class room on board (yes, we had to do school work too!) One day we were allowed through the "passenger" decks and were shocked at the opulence and luxury compared with our quarters. The Itinery was Greece, Turkey, Isreal, flying home from Malta, I think.

Was it a P&O Ship? I didn`t know, but it certainly got me hooked on cruising - I now take my own kids on cruises.

We`ll be on the Oceana Christmas 07 cruise from Barabados...... only 395 days to go!!!!:D

Hi taf,

The Uganda was a P7O ship, will be on the Emerald Princess at Christmas 07 may be we will pass each other what islands do you visit,

your Shogun

Hi Shogun

We are going to St Lucia, St. Martin, St. Thomas, Antigua, Jamaica, Cozumel, Costa Maya & Grand Caymen. It`s a 2 week cruise.

This year we are on Costa Magica for Christmas (Costa Atlantica last year) going to San Jaun, St. Thomas, La Romana & Grand Turk.

I love cruising in the Caribbean, especially at Christmas time. Last year we were docked in Antigua on New Years Eve, next to P&O Oceana & Oriana. They were having such a great party from ship to ship, before departue. It was an hour or so of both cruise directors whipping up the passengers on both ships, calling to each other, singing songs together etc. It looked so much fun - we were watching from the decks of the Costa Atlantica (where everything was quite low key) and shouting over to the Oceana. We were waving my daughters Union Jack Bikini, the only thing we had, to join in the party! We were determined to do that cruise next time, but for this Christams everything was fully booked. So as soon as the 07 Itinery came out, we booked 3 cabins for the whole family. The Oriana & Oceana are again due to dock together in Antigua on 23 Dec - if you are there then, watch out for the party (don`t forget to take a Union Jack item!!!):D

I was also in Tortola last year, and loved it the Island tour, we just got on an open "mini bus" at the docks. My only regret is that we didn`t have time to go across to the Baths at Virgin Gorda. It is supposed to be spectaular, have you been there?

Where are you going on the Emerald Princess?

Hi

I was on the ship in the Sept of 75/or 76 ( I think!), we went from Southampton, where I was very ill for the whole of the Bay of Biscay ( Great thing jabs). Called at Lisbon, Gibraltar, Tunsia and Venice, we were supposed to call into Dubrovnik but the weather was bad so had extra time in Venice.

It was a great time! I have since cruised with P & O, Princess and Tompson's ( on the Rembrandt). All have been good, though the last cruise with Princess was amazing ( but mostly due to the great people we met). Hooked on cruising

Jo

Hi there Taf,

last year I was on the Sea Princess for Christmas at sea we ment up with one of the p & O ships in Grenada but can not recall which one.

This year I am going out a week later for new year instead so do not start until 29th, I am in Curaco 2nd Barbados 3rd Margarita 4th Dominica 5th

St Thomas 6th .

Next Christmas,

I fly Christmas day then

26th Ft Lauderdale

Princass Cays

At Sea

St Thomas

Dominca

Grenda

Bonaire

Aruba

At Sea

At Sea

Ft Lauderdale

At Sea

At Sea

Anigua

St Lucia

Barbados

St Kitts

St Thoma

At sea

Princess cays

Fort Lauderdale

Miaimi

16th Home

Do you think they will ever finish the airport at Barbados.

I like Tortola first went there well lets just say it was not last year or the year before that or the one be for that or....

Was there last year went to the new dolphin swim place was very good .

I think that the Christmas P & O cruise is the best from what others have told me.

Most other cruises I have done are nice but lack something on Christmas day, OK you get card from Captain little present, cracker on you dinner table, last year we ate at the onboard steak house there was only two other couples there, very nice very good service etc but our wine waiter was so pleased that we ordered some drinks as he had nothing to do .

What are Costa like heard so many different storries.

yours Shogun

Hi Jo,

Bay of Biscay was a great place we hit a bad storm there, ship was going up and down like a small fishing boat diving under the waves and coming back up through them decks awash with water.

Now I did not get sea sick but there was only about ten of us on the ship that did not.

Things go so bad that everyone was ordered back to bunks and the ship closed down.

We had to try and out run the storm and headed for a big super tanker,

we made the TV news back home as the ship was in so much trouble

we thought it was just all part of being at sea, it was only when we got back home that we saw the bits in the press that we understood how close we had come to being a lost ship.

I wonder how many of us have cruised because of the Uganda. and her sister ships.

Would be nice if something could be done again along similar lines.

We went to Amsterdam Lisbon, Maderia and La Coruna

What Princess ship have you been on.

yours Shogun

Hi Shogun,

We have just been on the Coral to Alaska. Liked the ship very much, best cabin we have had, very quiet ( but that might have been because we were the last to bed!). We were also very lucky with the weather.

I am sure that we have cruised because of the Uganda. I had enjoyed the trip so much we took our kids when they were 14 & 15. Apart from Florida they seemed to enjoy the crusie more than other holidays.

We have booked the Artemis for next April, looking forward to the Beirut stop!!

Jo

Hi There,

Not sure whats wrong summary tells me there are new posts but can not get to them, will try and see if this posts.

yours Shogun

This will be our 2nd Costa cruise - we enjoyed the first one very much.

Pros: - Really fantastic food, beautiful ship, large cabins, good entertainment, great service

Cons: Language. Everything is announced in 5 languages, entertainment is only musical & visual (magicians/pianists) no comedians, quizes, trivia etc, again because of the difficulty of the various languages.

What I really love about Costa is they have a flat rate 150 Euro charge for kids under 18. We are paying 1500 pounds each child on P&0 next year, as 3 & 4th passengers, it`s irrelevant whether they are kids or adults. So Costa is excellent value for money for us.

We have sailed P&O (Uganda!!), Royal Caribbean, NCL & Costa. All have plus & minus points. I am looking forward to the "Britishness" of P&O.

I am British but live in Austria, and being an "ex-pat" makes you very patriotic!

Looking at you Itinery, there aren`t any ports that coincide with ours, but it sounds a like lovely trip. Twice in Fort Lauderdale - are you doing a back to back?

Hi taf,

This years cruise is on the Sun which I think is moving to Aus next year.

Next years cruise on the Emerald Princess is a back to back, we were just going to book the first leg but TA said for a few hundred pounds more you can go back to back. Price was so silly we just had to say yes.

I know Princess do family fares, and that some cruises and cabins etc kids go free then up to certain age then reduced fare.

I thought about Costa offer very good prices but have been told that there is a lot of smoking on ship , we are non smokers.

Next year we fly christmas day which will be different will the planes captain dress up as santa. Turkey for the inflight meal , White Christmas for the in flight movie.

Have never done a P & O cruise well as an adult, but having chatted to a lot of folk I think I made the right choice going Princess, have done Cunard and Air Tours, I like the big ships of Princess so looking forward to the new Emerald. Have done the Grand and the Golden did a very good cruise last summer £399 for 10 days around UK and coast of Europe on Golden its was so odd to arrive into UK ports as a tourist intersting to see how people treated you until you told them you were a local.

yours Shogun

A back to back would be lovely - to stay on the ship when everyone else is leaving, great!

They have great prices for cruises just before and just after the holiday sailings. I would defiunately take advange of them, but we are stuck to the school holiday dates. Just wait until the kids are old enough to stay home alone - then there`ll be no stopping us!:D

As for smoking on Costa, we are all non smokers too, and have not noticed smoke any more or less than other lines. The Casino is always a bit on the smoky side on any ship, but we haven`t noticed it in the bars & restaurants. Actually, Italy has the one of the strongest no smoking regulations is Europe - a total ban in all bars & restaurants. This doesn`t apply to their ships though!!

Princess is my moms favourite line - I heard they are great, but on the sailings we have looked at they were quite expensive - always high season & no kids rates at that time. We cruised once with Carnival, but never again - we couldn`t wait to get off the ship! It was too roudy for us, and the ship felt dirty and shabby....

Only 3 weeks now before we head off to the Caribbean.

I hope you enjoy your trip over New Year!