Cruising through the Years

[ColoradoJuli]

I am curious to hear from some of our 'senior' cruisers how much cruising has changed through the years. I have only been sailing since '99, but have seen some changes like the specialty restuarants. Seems to also be leaning toward a more relaxed atmosphere.

 

What are your thoughts?

[derf5585]

In 1835, Arthur Anderson proposed the idea of sailing for pleasure

from

http://www.pupilvision.com/schoolcruise/history.htm

 

William Makepeace Thackeray. In 1844

from

http://www.worldbycruiseship.co.uk/History%20of%20Cruising.htm

[GrannyJ]

My first cruise was in 1967 on the old Queen Elizabeth. Back then, there were three classes: First Class, Cabin Class and Tourist Class (or as we affectionately referred to it: "steerage"). Remember when Kate Winslett went down below to dance with Leonardo DiCaprio? Well, it was just like that but not as much fun. Our cabin was twice as wide as the bunks; when we opened the door, it hit the bunk. There was a small locker at the end of the bunks that held about 1 1/2 days worth of clothing. We were very lucky, though, as we had our own bathroom with a shower. Mind you, the toilet was almost IN the shower and when you were in the shower, you couldn't bend over to pick up the soap, but we were happy not to have to troop down the hall to use the communal showers. The walls were metal, the floor was painted metal. The swimming pool was a small, grim tank somewhere down in the bowels of the ship, filled with ice-cold salt water. I never saw anyone use it. Perhaps the first-class passengers had a nicer one. One of the cabin stewards sneaked us up to First Class for a look-see....sigh....that's the manner to which I would love to become accustomed.

 

I had really looked forward to sitting out on a deck chair, dressed in a fluttery frock, sipping tea brought to me by a white-gloved deck steward while I chatted cleverly with all my new-found friends. Reality was that it was colder than the summit of Mt. Everest out there and blowing like mad. I did venture out one time, to be wrapped in a blanket by the half-frozen deck stewart and handed a luke-warm cup of consomme that I couldn't decide whether to drink or soak my toes in.

 

This was one of the last voyages of the grand old lady, so things were getting a big shabby but still incredibly elegant to this corn-pone Indiana girl. The ship's personnel were predominantly English, Welsh, Scots or Irish, and were very formal and proper. The food was wonderful, but mostly English and a bit incomprehensible to a teenager, i.e. a popular breakfast item was pickled herrings on a bed of chopped onions. Not quite what I was used to, but I did try them. Once. Not twice. The menu listed such delicacies as "braised kidneys" and "spotted dick". Passed on that one. There weren't any buffets or room service. You presented yourself, properly dressed and on-time, to the dining room and you ate...course after course after course.

 

We were two teenage sisters returning to the US after three months of bumming around Europe on the cheap, and after a steady diet of youth hostels, sleeping in train stations, and budget meals, we thought we had died and gone to heaven. Alcoholic drinks were very, very cheap and there didn't seem to be any statuatory drinking age on the ship, so I had my very first highball, Tom Collins and martini......followed by my very first hangover. My sister had found a group of younger teens and I had fallen in with a group of older teens and 20's, so we had an active social life, which consisted, on my part, of drinking myself silly every night and then trying to dance in my new high-heeled pumps and fancy cocktail dress I had bought in London. Late at night, they turned off the stabilizers in order to make better speed and the ship would start rolling. The combination of alcohol, rolling ship, slick-as-ice dance floor, and very high heels often led to disaster. Luckily, my shipboard romance, a charming young Welsh gentleman on his way to graduate school at Wharton, was a good dancer and could usually keep me on my feet.

 

We passed the Queen Mary, going in the opposite direction and there was much hooting of horns and flashing of lights. It was a major occasion.

 

The last morning, getting up early and watching the New York skyline appear was something I'll never forget.

 

That was then and this is now. I loved my first cruise and I hope I'll have many more cruises in the future to love.

[TXRoo]

GrannyJ, that was an incredible story. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

 

Here's wishing you many many more cruises! ;)

[popcorngal]

My first cruise was also in 1967, on the Sagafjord of Norwegian American Line. I went with my parents for 30 days, cruising the Mediteranean. The Sagafjord did not have different classes, and all one seating for breakfast lunch and dinner. Dinner was a real event every night, and most nights we dressed to the nines! I remember we had so many clothes to take for 30 days, that we bought big steamer trunks and sent them ahead to meet us on the ship. Sailing into and out of NY harbor was indeed a treat, especially coming home and passing the Statue of Liberty. Very moving, and it really gave a sense of what our ancestors must have experienced years before.

 

I don't recall that there was room service, and certainly no buffets. What I do recall is taking dance lessons, learning to do the tango, waltz and foxtrot with people that seemed downright ancient to me!:eek: There were first run movies, fun shows every night and a crew talent show and Norwegian dancers. Since I was the only kid onboard, I was asked to participate in the fashion show, modeling a very neat ski coat and hat from the gift shop. My parents bought the coat for me afterwards and I was totally thrilled! There was also a passenger talent show and I got roped into being part of the Can-Can line. Nothing like being a young teenager up there dancing with all these "old" women in crepe paper skirts and crepe paper covering our bras!:eek: Even funnier was the men's Can-Can line, with all the guys having balloons filling their "bras" and knee high socks! Too cute for words! I can't even imagine something like that happening these days!

 

Our cabin wasn't huge, and I had to sleep in the top bunk, but at least we had a porthole and a bathtub. And as a teenage girl, the thing I was most impressed with was checking out the cute crew members.;) We corresponded with many of them for years, and when we went back the next year, I had several personal tours in some of the ports.

 

It was a different time for sure and at the time I was sure if I saw one more castle or museum I was going to die! But it instilled in me a lifelong love of art and history, as well as cruising. As GrannyJ said, that was then and this is now, and I too look forward to many more cruises to love!

[ColoradoJuli]

WOW! Thanks so much for sharing. I was hoping that this thread would bring on some great stories and wonderful memories.

 

Please, continue to share.

[MrPete]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=65000