Your first cruise ship

[marle7]

Mine was Majesty of the Seas, Royal Caribbean, 1995. Hubby had cruised before including a ship that actually sank. The ship's name was Oceanos.

[PatsyAnne]

My first was from Rotterdam to New York on the (Nieuw?) Amsterdam in 1970. I loved it. My next was in 1999 on the Endeavor (Cruise West) in Alaska.

[Copper10-8]

My first ship to visit was RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH during her brief stay as

an attraction in Port Everglades around 1969.

 

My first to actually cruise aboard was a 3 night cruise to Nassau from

P.E. in 1978 on LEONARDO DA VINCI while operated by Italian Cruises

International (a joint venture with Costa).

 

I was quickly hooked and sailed both a 10 night Caribbean on GUGLIELMO

MARCONI and a r/t transatlantic on QE2 in 1979.

 

Took my future wife on a 2 night to nowhere on VERACRUZ in '81,

followed by honeymoon on CARNIVALE from Norfolk in May '81.

 

Have not stopped since except to work to save up for more cruises........:)

 

 

 

RMS (Royal Mail Ship) Queen Elizabeth 2 (1969-present) Built by Upper Clyde Shipbuilders (John Brown and Company), Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland as RMS Queen Elizabeth II, also known simply as 'QE II', for Cunard Line. She was named after the earlier Cunard liner RMS Queen Elizabeth and served as the flagship of the line from 1969 until succeeded by RMS Queen Mary 2 in 2004. She was considered the last of the great transatlantic ocean liners prior to the construction of the QM2. Before she was refitted with a diesel power plant in 1986, she was also the last oil-fired passenger steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean in scheduled liner service. During almost 40 years of service, QE2 travelled the world and lately operated predominantly as a cruise ship, sailing out of Southhampton, England.

 

Queen Elizabeth 2's maiden voyage, from Southampton to New York City, commenced on 2 May 1969, and took 4 days, 16 hours and 35 minutes. However, HRH Prince Charles was the first "civilian" passenger to board the ship, on her voyage from the shipyard in Clydebank to drydock in Greenock. On board for the short journey was her first captain, William (Bil) Warwick. In 1971, she participated in the rescue of some 500 passengers from the burning French Line ship Antilles. On 17 May 1972, while travelling from New York to Southampton, she was the subject of a bomb threat. She was searched by her crew, and by a British military bomb disposal team parachuted into the sea near the ship. No bomb was found, but the individual making the threat was located and arrested by the FBI.

 

In April 1982, she took part in the Falklands War, carrying 3,000 troops and 650 volunteer crew to the South Atlantic. She was refitted in Southampton in preparation for war service, including the installation of three helicopter landing pads, the transformation of public lounges into dormitories, the installation of fuel pipes that ran through the ship down to the engine room to allow for refuelling at sea, and the covering of carpets with 2,000 sheets of hard board. Over 650 Cunard crewmembers volunteered for the voyage to look after the 3,000 members of the Fifth Infantry Brigade, which the ship transported to South Georgia. During the voyage the ship was blacked out and the radar switched off in order to avoid detection, steaming on without modern aids.

 

After the War ended, she returned to the UK in June 1982, where she was greeted in Southampton Water by HRH Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother who was on board the Royal Yacht Britannia. The Captain of the QE2 responded to the Queen Mother's welcome: "Please convey to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, our thanks for her kind message. Cunard's Queen Elizabeth 2 is proud to have been of service to Her Majesty's Forces." The ship underwent conversion back to passenger service, with her funnel being painted in the traditional Cunard orange-red with black stripes, but her hull painted an unconventional light charcoal grey. This colour proved difficult to maintain, and so was reverted to traditional colours in 1983.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 7 August 1992, her hull was extensively damaged when she ran aground south of Cuttyhunk Island near Martha's Vineyard, while returning from a five day cruise to Halifax, Nova Scotia along the east coast of the United States and Canada. A combination of her speed, an uncharted shoal and underestimating the increase in the ship's draft due to the so-called squat effect led to the ship's hull scraping rocks on the ocean floor. The accident resulted in her passengers being evacuated at nearby Newport, Rhode Island and the ship being taken out of service while repairs were made in drydock.

 

By the mid 1990's it was decided that QE2 was due for a new look and in 1994 the ship was given a multi-million dollar refurbishment in Hamburg, Germany. She emerged from the refit having every major public room refurbished. She also appeared for the first time with a Royal Blue hull.

 

In 1995, during her twentieth world cruise, she passed her four millionth mile mark having sailed the equivalent of 185 times around the planet. QE2 celebrated the 30th anniversary of her maiden voyage in Southampton in 1999. In three decades she had completed 1,159 voyages, sailed 4,648,050 nautical miles and carried over 2 million passengers.[In late 1999, she was treated to a multi-million dollar refurbishment which included updating various public rooms and passenger cabins. This refit also included the mammoth task of a complete hull strip (back to the bare metal) and repaint in traditional Cunard colors of matte black with a white superstructure.

 

While she was taken off the traditional "transatlantic" route (which was taken over by the Queen Mary 2 in 2004) QE2 still undertook an annual world cruise and regular trips around the Mediterranean. On 5 November 2004, QE2 became Cunard's longest serving ship, surpassing RMS Aquitania's 35 years. On 20 February 2007, QE2, while on her annual world cruise, met her running mate and successor flagship QM2 (herself on her maiden world cruise) in Sydney Harbor, Australia. This was the first time two Cunard Queens had been together in Sydney since the original Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth served as troop ships in 1941.

 

As Queen Elizabeth 2 approached her 40th anniversary with Cunard, questions began to circulate as to how much longer the ship could stay in service. Cunard had to consider the economics of maintaining a 40-year-old liner in operation, particularly with regard to new SOLAS safety regulations that would apply from 2010 onwards. Both Southampton and Clydebank had offered to take over QE2 after her retirement, but on 18 June 2007 it was announced that the ship had been purchased by the Dubai investment company Istithmar for $100 million. Her final voyage from Southampton to Dubai began on 11 November 2008, arriving on November 26 in time for her official handover the following day. She will be refurbished and more or less gutted during the transformation into a hotel, which is set to take around two years. She will then be berthed permanently at the Palm Jumeirah from 2012 as a "a luxury floating hotel, retail, museum and entertainment destination."

 

In a ceremonial display before her retirement, QE2 met her stablemates, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria near the Statue of Liberty in New York City harbor on 13 January 2008, with a celebratory fireworks display. QE2 and QV had made a tandem crossing of the Atlantic for the meet. This marked the first time three Cunard Queens have been present in the same location. At the time of her retirement in November 2008, QE2 had sailed over six million miles, carried 2.5 million passengers and completed 806 trans-Atlantic crossings.

 

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise was in 1997 on the SS Independence. It was with the now defunct American Hawaii Cruise Line.

 

 

SS Independence (1951- present) Delivered in 1951 as an ocean liner to American Export Lines. In 1959 she was rebuilt as a cruise ship but was laid up between 1969 and 1974. Between 1974 and 1976 she sailed as ss Oceanic Independence for Atlantic Far East Lines only to be laid up again between 1976 and 1980. In 1980, she was purchased by American Hawaii Cruises for inter-island cruising and reverted back to her original name. After the bankrupcy of American Global Line, the owners of American Hawaii Cruises, became the property of the U.S. Maritime Administration and sailed from Honolulu to San Francisco, arriving on November 8, 2001.Since 2006 the ship has been named ss Oceanic.

 

In February 2003, Independence was sold at auction for US $4 million to Norwegian Cruise Line, which also acquired ss United States. In July 2007, Norwegian Cruise Line announced that Oceanic had been sold with later reports claiming the ship had been purchased by an American company. On February 8, 2008 after being mothballed for 7 years, she left San Francisco initially for Singapore but that was changed to Dubai where she is currently laid up awaiting her faith.

 

__________________

[sunviking90]

First cruise was RCCL's Sun Viking in 1990. (RCCL was very different then) My husband and I were in our 20's and everyone else on the the ship was at least 50! (or so it seemed to us) We did a coastal repositioning from Vancouver 6 days to Los Angeles. Had a tiny inside cabin as it was all we could afford and I was getting on that ship no matter what! Sun Viking was only about 18000 Tonnes I think, and the trip was rough! One night the dining room was almost empty. We loved everything about that cruise! I still have the passenger list that they gave everyone. Times sure have changed!

[henepup]

My first cruise was the SS Norway in 1996. I was seasick the first couple of days, but as soon as I got my sealegs...wow what a wonderful ship. Unfornately the Norway is no longer....

Henepup

[aaerobear]

My first SS Leonardo DaVinci 1975 Miami/Nassau/Freeport/Nassau

 

Jeff's first the SS Zuiderkruis (HAL) in 1959 Hoboken to Rotterdam (9 days)

and return 2 months later

 

 

 

Ed/Jeff

[Copper10-8]

First cruise was RCCL's Sun Viking in 1990. (RCCL was very different then) My husband and I were in our 20's and everyone else on the the ship was at least 50! (or so it seemed to us) We did a coastal repositioning from Vancouver 6 days to Los Angeles. Had a tiny inside cabin as it was all we could afford and I was getting on that ship no matter what! Sun Viking was only about 18000 Tonnes I think, and the trip was rough! One night the dining room was almost empty. We loved everything about that cruise! I still have the passenger list that they gave everyone. Times sure have changed!

 

 

m/s Sun Viking (1972-present) Built in 1972 by Wartsila Shipyards in Helsinki, Finland as Sun Viking, she was one of the three original ships ordered by then Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as part of their early fleet. Along with her sister ships, Song of Norway and Nordic Prince, the class comprised the first purpose-built ships intended for Caribbean-based cruise travel.

 

In 1998 she was sold to Malaysian-based Star Cruises, the parent of Norwegian Cruise Line, and renamed SuperStar Sagittarius. In 2003, she was sold to Hyundai Merchant Marine Company (South Korea) and renamed Hyundai Pongnae and later that year just Pongnae (the traditional oriental fairyland ). In 2005, she was chartered by Kong Way-Asia Cruises (Hong Kong) and renamed Omar III. Asia Cruises decided to outright purchase her in June, 2007 and renamed her Long Jie, using her as a casino ship out of Hong Kong.

 

 

[Keith Rita]

Our first cruise, which was for our delayed honeymoon, was on the Carnival Sensation

in Sept 1997. Our first HAL cruise was our next cruise a year later on the old ms Westerdam.

[mamadot]

Our first cruise was on a lovely Renaissance ship and we had never wanted to cruise! You know we were hooked after that and have done too many to list! What is not to like?

[wilsonqbc]

1st one to visit was the ship Jason back in the 80's (very small)

 

Then the First one to eat on was Regent Sea or Star

 

To cruise on, Eugeneo Costa (for 1 Day only) Back in 1992 1st gulf war

they came to canada for some reason.

 

Ship I have eaten on the Most Def Maasdam or old Westerdam (came a lot here in the 90's)

 

But 1st actual cruise will be Eurodam for 7 days 28th Feb

 

I think i will enjoy it a lot, cruising around the Carribbean.

Been to some Islands but never cruised (Heck Im a landlubber) lol

[sunviking90]

 

m/s Sun Viking (1972-present) Built in 1972 by Wartsila Shipyards in Helsinki, Finland as Sun Viking, she was one of the three original ships ordered by then Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as part of their early fleet. Along with her sister ships, Song of Norway and Nordic Prince, the class comprised the first purpose-built ships intended for Caribbean-based cruise travel.

 

In 1998 she was sold to Malaysian-based Star Cruises, the parent of Norwegian Cruise Line, and renamed SuperStar Sagittarius. In 2003, she was sold to Hyundai Merchant Marine Company (South Korea) and renamed Hyundai Pongnae and later that year just Pongnae (the traditional oriental fairyland ). In 2005, she was chartered by Kong Way-Asia Cruises (Hong Kong) and renamed Omar III. Asia Cruises decided to outright purchase her in June, 2007 and renamed her Long Jie, using her as a casino ship out of Hong Kong.

 

 

Thank you copper 10-8 for those wonderful photos. She looks good in a dark hull! She was a wonderful small ship, the only one of the trio you mentioned that wasn't stretched.

Although Sun Viking was my first cruise, in the late 70's, early 80's during the "Loveboat" years we often toured the Princess ships here in Vancouver during Alaska season. I remember going into the P&O office downtown with my mother and simply asking the receptionist for passes for whichever ship was in town, and all she'd say was "How many do you need"!! We visited the Pacific Princess, Island Princess, and Sun Princess(formerly Spirit of London). Things were so simple then. Those were the visits that really hooked me and made me want to sail away one day!

[traveler111]

My first cruise was on the HAL Volendam 8/29/82 to Bermuda. It got me hooked. :)

[trvlcrzy]

My first cruise...DH and I traveled on NCL's Seaward for our honeymoon in January 1993. We had an inside cabin, and I remembered oversleeping on the first day (the private island visit). Back then, all food was served ashore for lunch, and we were awakened by the announcement that the last tender ashore would depart in 30 minutes.I still remember the names of our tablemates.

DH had sailed on NCL's Southward before (on his own), so he had received a great offer of 2-for-the-price-of-1 sailings. It took a number of years before we became financially stable enough to take cruises again! For some reason, those 2-for-1 deals were hard to come by!

Seaward was built by Wartsila in 1988 (42276 gross tons, 216metres in length and 1798 maximum passengers). Seaward was renamed Norwegian Sea in 1997. In 2005 she was transferred to the Star Cruises fleet as SuperStar Libra (2).

[BBQ Lover]

We did our fisrt cruise in July of 2007. I resisted cruising because I did not think I would like it. We are now hooked, big time! The following is our cruise history:

 

1. Sapphire Princess- southbound Alaska 7/2007

2. Dawn Princess- Mexican Riviera 12/2007

3. Royal Princess- 14 day Caribbean 12/2008

 

We are now looking to try either HAL or X. We have our sights mostly on HAL, either circle Hawaii on Zandaam or Caribbean on Noordam. We have heard good things about HAL and the ships look really nice.

[renebfl]

First cruise was the M/V Freeport with some high school friends. We had just turned 18 and could buy alcohol. We bought a bottle of vodka that we hardly drank. 1989, DH and I went on the NCL Skyward to Cozumel and Cancun. Coz was a tendered port we were to afraid to go ashore to Mexico at night, then the next day we went to the park to snorkel at Chab. I can remember the skyline of the few stores in town and we wondered what it was like there.Cancun, we did a booze cruise for the day.

[Copper10-8]

First cruise was the M/V Freeport with some high school friends. We had just turned 18 and could buy alcohol. We bought a bottle of vodka that we hardly drank. 1989, DH and I went on the NCL Skyward to Cozumel and Cancun. Coz was a tendered port we were to afraid to go ashore to Mexico at night, then the next day we went to the park to snorkel at Chab. I can remember the skyline of the few stores in town and we wondered what it was like there.Cancun, we did a booze cruise for the day.

 

 

Freeport (1968-present) built in 1968 for the Miami Terminal Transport Co (Freeport Cruise Line), running between Miami and Freeport (Bahamas). She was renamed Freeport I soon after delivery. In 1973, she was sold to Oy Birka Line Ab (Sweden). She reverted back to her orioginal name of Freeport for cruises between Stockholm-Helsinki. Later the same year, she was again sold again to Stockholms Rederi Ab for the Trave-Line service Helsingborg-Tuborg (Copenhagen)-Travemünde as Svea Star.

 

In 1976 Svea Star was sold to Bremer Schiffahrts for a summer car ferry service between Portland (USA) and Yarmouth (Canada). In winter she was chartered to Commodore Cruise Line for Caribbean cruises.She was used on 7-night, 4-island trips to Montego Bay, Port Antonio, Puerto Plata and Port-au-Prince, sailing every Saturday. In 1981 she was renamed Caribe Bremen and sold to Scandinavian World Cruises as the Scandinavian Sun for a Miami-Freeport service.

 

 

She was chartered to SeaEscape Cruises in 1985, followed by purchase in 1988. In 1992, she was sold to Belle Meade Shipping, and renamed Balanga Queen for the Corona Line between Karlskrona-Gdynia. In 1994 Balanga Queen was chartered to Hansatee, Tallinn (Estonia) and used on a Tallink route Tallinn-Helsinki-Tallinn-Travemünde. The same year, she returned to the Caribbean as Discovery Sun for Discovery Cruise Line. She is still operating for them on day cruises to the Bahamas out of Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale)

 

[Oca]

My first cruise was a TA from New York to Naples in the summer of 1967 on the SS Leonardo DaVinci. There were three very distinct classes on the ship: First Class, Cabin Class and Tourist Class. My sister and I were Tourist Class and had the most fun we had ever had in our lives. There was nothing fancy in Tourist Class but at our young ages, we were not looking for fancy -- we were looking for fun!

 

My second cruise was a TA coming home that summer from Rotterdam to New York on the SS Rotterdam. What a beautiful ship. We were awestruck by how lovely it was. That was our first encounter with what we considered 'fancy'. Being young, however as I said before, we preferred 'fun' so we were disappointed. Talk about spoiled brats!!

 

Then came 'real life' of job, marriage, children. My husband and I started cruising together in 2006 and now love it all -- the fanciness and the fun. We have taken 3 cruises together so far and have 3 more booked. We plan to take advantage of cruising during our 'golden years' hoping that the golden years go on for decades more.

 

Once you are addicted to something, even if 40 years has passed, the addiction is still there. This is a good addiction!

 

And the pictures of the old ships is wonderful. Thanks to those who have posted them.

[Taxguy77]

First cruise was RCCL's Sun Viking in 1990. (RCCL was very different then) My husband and I were in our 20's and everyone else on the the ship was at least 50! (or so it seemed to us) We did a coastal repositioning from Vancouver 6 days to Los Angeles. Had a tiny inside cabin as it was all we could afford and I was getting on that ship no matter what! Sun Viking was only about 18000 Tonnes I think, and the trip was rough! One night the dining room was almost empty. We loved everything about that cruise! I still have the passenger list that they gave everyone. Times sure have changed!

 

In your 20's everything is great.:D

Keep records of your cruises, wish I had.:(

Enjoy each cruise, all will have good and bad, just don't sweat the bad.

[cubzter]

My first cruise was in 1997 aboard Windjammer's S/V Polynesia sailing the Leeward Islands (St. Maarten, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Barts, and Anguilla).

 

And yes, it got me hooked...at least to that style of cruising. It really was magical. Listening to "Amazing Grace" at sail away, helping (if you wanted) to raise the sails, the games, the bar that stayed open until the last passenger went to bed, steering the ship, "saluting" the big ships (hee-hee). Another treat was sleeping on deck under the stars at night (this was by choice, you DID have a cabin...people actually WANTED to sleep up there and it was very common). In fact, the Windjammer experience--to me--was more like camping at sea with a young, rollicking, party-hard type of crowd...in other words, a BLAST!

 

I'm going on my first "big ship" cruise in a month (HAL Eurodam) and I'm very much looking forward to it, but comparing the two cruises would--I think--be kind of pointless since they're so very different and would, I think, do a disservice to both.

 

How she looked then:

 

 

 

Today "The Poly" rots at dock in Aruba after being seized during Windjammer's implosion. She recently failed to sell at auction despite a minimum bid of only $410K. Experts, it seems, believe it would simply cost too much to salvage her at this point.

 

Pics of her in her current condition can be seen at the following link (not for the faint of heart). :mad:

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/LibertyClip/Polynesia#5278527958404025490

[Copper10-8]

One more of SS Independence being towed (as Oceanic), almost a year ago in FEB 08, by two ocean-going tugs from San Francisco to Dubai via Singapore. She doesn't look good in this pic, having been laid up for six years and three months.

[Copper10-8]

NCL Southward. LA to Ensenada, Mexico 1993.

 

I didn't want to go on a cruise but DH finally talked me into it. Loved it. Although the ship does look strange compared to modern cruise ships.

 

 

 

m/s Southward (1971-present) Built by Cantieri Navali del Tirreno e Riuniti, Spa at Genoa, Italy in 1971 for service with Norwegian Caribbean Lines (NCL). After sailing from Italy via the Med and across the Atlantic, she was christened in Miami, Fl and began cruising from there to various ports in the Caribbean. In late 1987, the company changed its name from Norwegian Caribbean Line to Norwegian Cruise Line which reflected the repositioning of Southward from the Caribbean to the U.S. West Coast and, specifically, Los Angeles (San Pedro). Upn arrival to La La Land, she would operate on the three and four-night market with stops in/at Avalaon, Catalina Island, San Diego and Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.

Southward operated with NCL until sold to British-based tour operator Airtours/MyTravel Group in 1994. They renamed her Seawing and assigned her to subsidiary Sun Cruises for Mediterranean cruising. She was then purchased in 2004 by Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Lines who renamed her Perla and sailed her under than name until May 2008. She is currently still sailing in the Med but for Greek-based Golden Sun Cruises under charter, using the temporary name of Aegean Pearl.

 

 

__________________

 

[cruisequeen10]

Well the Love Boat TV show started it off for me. My first cruise was on the original Pacific Princess on Nov 27, 1980 - Mexican Riviera - Los Angeles to Acapulco - 7 days. Now I have over 20 cruises and still going strong.

[bodget]

msc armonia round the med 2007

[bettyboop16]

Our first cruise Nov.1996 on the Norwegian Seaward out of San Juan. We booked this cruise with 10 other couples.

Aruba was our first port. I had never seen a more beautiful place.

Hopefully, Jan.2010 we will take our 6th cruise on the Zuiderdam and we will see Aruba again.

Betty,