Home Lines employees/memories?

[mr green]

A couple more things about the Homeric.

There was always free wine on the table at lunch and dinner, and myself and room mate, were the only ones at the table of six who drank.

There was a little 'night club bar' which we fequented each evening, however it closed promptly at midnght.:eek: Not to worry, since we were sailing west, the powers that be, set the clocks back at MIDNIGHT.:D :eek: :eek:

I rated this 'cruise' a.few years ago, and placed it higher than those that I had 'Norway' and 'Norwegian Wind'.

 

john

[NONNIE58]

hello sue

 

i laughed when, or excuse me lol, when i read that your daughter looses patience and thinks you are slow computer wise, my son said, :confused: "mom, i'm not sure you should even have a computer while rolling his eyes"!! but, for a web site where i can discuss home lines cruises i learn:D i'll give you a subtle hint about my age, the year i was born is part of my cool cruiser name, another hint, madonna and myself were born in the same year, but, that's where it end's, to be honest with you i'm glad i'm not like her!!:p if you could find a picture of vincenzo (the waiter) i would love it if you could post it, i will do the same if i have any, and by some miracle learn how to post a picture on the computer i hope someone writes a book about home lines, our room steward back on the doric "franco" said he was going to write one, but i'm still waiting, that was back in july of 1980:cool: i wish you luck in your job search!! and i hope you get to take that cruise with your niece and your daughter:cool: it's a compliment when the "younger generation" wants you around, you certainly did a good job turning them on to the wonderful world of cruising! i think the home lines cruising experience was transfused into our veins, i know it was for me, a spell was cast, and i'm still spellbound:rolleyes:

 

take care

nonnie58

[SueseaQ]

HI there Nonnie58,

Like I thought we were born just around the same time. I'd venture to say, I'm 1 yr your senior. I do agree this is a great place to try to improve our computer skills..LOL. My daughter too, gets the "rolling eye thing" going when I ask her to repeat something, or am not doing something on the computer fast enough for her. Like that good old song from the 60's states, "What's the matter with kids today". I'm sure you remember Paul Linde singing that song from the movie "Bye Bye Birdie". As for my niece wanting me to go on the cruise with her, I think she is a little afraid to go without an adult family member, even if she is turning 21. My brother and his wife will probably never go on a cruise because my sister-in-law is petrified of "being in the middle of the ocean and not being able to see land" and also fears getting sea-sick, poor thing. I tried to tell her it's such a great vacation, but she really is frightened. She had taken us to the pier on our last cruise and when she saw the ship (Crown Princess) she started to cry, saying she could not believe how big it was and that she could see the ship moving up and down slightly and just that was making her feel queasy. I had taken my niece on 2 cruises with my daughter and I on some of her milestones (16th birthday and high school graduation) everybody chipped in and paid her ticket as a gift. She was great company for my daughter as they are close in age, and let me tell you those kids had a ball! ..... :rolleyes: In a way maybe it's a good thing Home Lines is no longer around, with those gorgeous Italian crew members! I wouldn'tbe able to keep those two out of my sight for a minute, La Singora, Mama, would have to always be watching those guys around my 2 chichina signorinas! LOL ;) I remeber that's what they would call my girlfriends and I - "signorina" and "Chichina":rolleyes:....... The picture that I have somewhere, I think is of Vincenzo, the bartender, but maybe they did both jobs. I think this one is possibly the Vincenzo you knew because I remember you saying he was on the short side and this one was. I kind of remember waiter Vincenzo being taller, but both Vincnezos did have curly brown hair. I have to go look for that picture and then.....:eek: ....ask my daughter to help me post it...:eek:.....

Take care

Sue

[NONNIE58]

hi sue,

 

i agree, you would have to watch those two young girls very closely, if home lines was still in service with all those gorgeous, flirtatious, itlalian men cruising the atlantic:D how lucky we were!! that's too bad your sister-in-law is so petrified of cruising, she would have the time of her life, they due have plenty of anti-motion sickness medications, and also meds that would help calm her nerves! but she has to be the one to make that decision, maybe a three day cruise to nowhere, like myself and my husband recently went on would be good way to get her used to cruising:confused: it did the trick for my husband, by the way, being my senior by one year, still puts us in the same time frame, good thing, we can talk about all the good times on those famous home lines cruises that certainly did withstand the test of time:)

 

take care

 

nonnie58

[SueseaQ]

Well I found the picture I was thinking about, but I was wrong, that guy's name was Orlando...:o. But for some reason, I do have a memory of another Vincenzo, shorter and also with curly hair.....maybe danced with him at Disco 40 the year before..:confused: On my cruise in 1983 I kind of was "going out with" a waiter named Sergio, so I really wasn't paying too much attention to the others...LOL...."Memories light the corners of my 'getting a little befuttled':eek: mind".....Sorry about the confusion of the "Vincenzos"...Oh to be young again and on a Home Lines Cruise!!!! Thank goodness for the memories, even if they are a little "blurry" at times.:eek:

Take Care,

Sue

[NONNIE58]

hello sue

that was so nice of you to try and find that picture, :) it has been a lot of years, i could see how a case of mistaken identity could occur! the important thing is those wonderful memories we have of home lines, the memories may not be as vivid to me as they once were, but they still have a special place in my heart, and always bring a smile to my face:D the cruise, i took recently with my husband, made me realize that a cruise still can be a whole lot of fun, but in a different way:cool: like the song says "we can't return, we can only look behind from where we stand" I believe the name of the song was "the circle game" sung by buffy st.marie, how's that for nostalgia? i'm really dating myself now:o

 

take care

nonnie58

[Marge106]

Wouldn't it be great if we could all post pictures of the Home Lines 'guys' that were special to us. What a bunch of laughs we would have. The funniest thing would be that some us would have pictures of the same "special" guys. What a hoot n holler......

Dearest Hubby and I are off on the RCCL Voyager tomorrow. It really is great that I'm still cruising, the only thing is now I am much much older and much much wiser.

Still I have no regrets about those Home Lines days, that are definitely the memories that light the corners of my mind and more importantly that hold that special place in my heart. As a matter of fact I still keep in touch with my "special" fellow and now we can laugh together at what a dog he was in those days. Now for him retirement is right around the corner.

What say you Cruizin75

[mr green]

One thing I remember very well from my 1955 Atlantic crossing. We were on deck, about half way into the crossing, when we thought that the captain had gone mad. We did a 360! Then the penny dropped, we were at 'The Point of No Return'.

This is the only time that it has happened to me, other than outside of the Lions Gate Bridge [Vancouver], here we did THREE 360's! We dined with the navigator a few days later, [my wife said that he was just a kid] he claimed that he was checking his instruments.

 

john

[SueseaQ]

Nonnie58, you are sooooo right, it still brings an ear-to-ear grin to my face when I think back to those cruises and those guys and the special feeling of being on a Home Lines ship. Oh the stories we could all share, what a good laugh I'm sure we' d have :)

Marge106, it would be funny if we could all post our pics of those guys. Like you said we probably would have a few of the same faces in our collections, but like I said to Nonnie58, I would first have to figure out how to do it....is there a 12 step program for the technologically challanged :confused:

Does anyone know if any of those Home Lines reunions will be taking place anytime soon????

Sue

[NONNIE58]

hello sue, that marge 106 seems to think like us!!:cool: there's got to be someone out there who has videos especially of the doric/oceanic, i wonder if there is a way to find out, maybe that maritime magazine? i have a promotional video of them introducing the new atlantic, i saw a lot of the waiters, including my honey (and i'm sure a lot of other girls honey), but i didn't want to believe that at the time, they did make you feel like you were their one and only, when they were with you:D the quality of the video is fair and it's on vhs, i have to find someone who could put it on a cd, then by some miracle, and i do mean a miracle, i could post it for all who are interested in it:)

 

keep cruisin;)

take care

nonnie58

[SueseaQ]

Hi Nonnie, Hope all is well. Where did you get a promotional video of the Atlantic????? My, Goodness that's as good as gold to me LOL...Being my first and second cruises were on the Atlantic I'M SURE my (and how many other's as you so aptly stated ;)) honey must be on it......Marge106, and I'm sure many other gals out there think like us;) . Marge106 are you out there?? If there are no official Home Lines reunions taking place, maybe we could have our own, maybe find someplace to meet that would be centrally located for any of us that would want to go. We could all bring our photo albums :D ....Much easier than trying to figure out how to post them online.. :o HOORAY :D

[SueseaQ]

I'm sorry Marge106, you are on your cruise right now, Lucky person you! Hope you are having a great time, let us know how it was when you get back

Smooth Sailing

Sue

[ArubaGal]

Sue, I would be very interested in obtaining a copy of that Atlantic video. My "sweetie" was a cabin boy and he was in that video. I had friends who were on the cruise that it was being filmed on. I too would love to post some photos, but am also computer challenged. Sure miss those days, but am lucky enough to have a husband who also enjoys cruising and the islands.

[NONNIE58]

hi sueseaQ. Marge106, and Aruba girl

 

that video is probably over 20 years old, a friend of mine, also a home lines girl, was friends with a travel agent at the time, and if memory serves me correctly, that's where she got it from:confused: however, she taped something for me of our homelines cruise pictures, and after that it goes into the video of the "new" atlantic. I would have to go to someone who would be able to put only the atlantic video on a cd, like i mentioned before, it's on an outdated vhs tape and the picture quality is not that great, maybe he/she would be able to digitally remaster it? (to use an industry term):D i will look into it and keep you posted. I'm sure you girls would see "a lot of familiar faces" cute ones i might add;) A reunion sounds great, but, i would not be able to do an overnighter.:)

 

take care ladies, and smooth sailing to all of you:cool:

nonnie58

[SueseaQ]

Nonnie, wow, you were up very early this AM. I saw the time of your post. I hope you weren't having trouble sleeping. That happens to me sometimes and it drives me crazy.:( What a stroke of luck that you would have that video. I never knew that one even existed. I hope you have some luck getting it transferred to DVD, that would really be great, and what a trip down memory lane to see those familiar cute faces;) and even just the ship. The Atlantic was small by today's standards, but I loved that ship. The cabins were such a nice size, and I think because the ship was small, it had such an intimate atmosphere and the crew could really pamper us and make us feel so special. I remember when we got back from our first cruise, my girlfriends and I kind of went into a post-cruise depression.

Arubagal, Hi, I'm glad your still cruising:) . It really is the best vacation. I think for most of us here, it was that 1st Home Lines cruise, no matter which ship it was on, that hooked us forever. What continues to amaze me is how we all feel the same way about those cruises, the great memories and similar experiences we share.

If a reunion or get-together of sorts can be arranged, I really woudn't be able to do an overnighter either. We'll have to think of something, because I think it could be a lot of laughs, or as Marge106 stated a"hoot n holler". Hi Marge106, are you back yet??

Sue

[ArubaGal]

I was so totally hooked on cruising, probably cuz I was so in love. Don't know how I saved up the $, but I was up to 2 or 3 cruises a year. Home Lines was probably supported by gals like us! That very 1st cruise on the Oceanic was like heaven; Queen for the week. None of the cruises I have been on since Home Lines folded can measure up. Celebrity is close, but none have ever matched that awesome Italian charm !!!!

[SueseaQ]

ArubaGal, I couldn't have said it better myself. I went on my 3rd and last Home Lines cruise on the Homeric in 1987. I started cruising again in 1993, that cruise on the NCL, Dreamward. What a disappointment! I guess I was expecting the experience to be like Home Lines, but NO WAY!. I have tried Celebrity and most recently Princess. It's like I'm searching to find something that can come close, but....:rolleyes: I did like Princess, as I told Nonnie58, I think many of the people in charge, like Matre D ect. were from Italy and there was a little of that "flair". But I also think the ships are so huge that also has something to do with it. Home Lines crew just pampered the heck out of you. I remember being in the dining room and mentioning to my friends how much I loved what I had for dinner the night before, our waiter overheard me and brought me out some of whatever it was (I don't remember) and he also told us that if we wanted something that was not on the menu, we should just ask and he would get it for us....unheard of on the cruises of today. I guess we have to consider ourselves lucky to have had Home Lines cruise experience, as is evidenced on this thread, that company has given so many of us wonderful, wonderful memories. I don't see as much adoration for any other cruise line past or present. Besides the Oceanic, did you ever go on any of their other ships?

[ArubaGal]

SueseaQ, I sailed numerous times on Oceanic, never was on the Doric (as a passenger;)), Atlantic several times, and the new Homeric 4 times. The Oceanic was a class ship. Elegant, and what a ship should be. Now they are so huge with so many activities and decks, etc. Back then, who needed "entertainment". My first cruise was on the Oceanic in Sept 1979, and my last October 1987. I had even travelled to Italy to be with my sweetie for 2 weeks. He spent several overnights here in Ct, and also 2 weeks of one of his leaves. On my last cruise, I was with a group of friends, and my new on-land boyfriend.(I had finally started to date again after my longtime cruise relationship had ended.) My ex was the cabin steward port side and we were in starboard side cabin, same area, same deck. His best friend was our steward. Very awkward. But, as I like to say, my future and my past met. Spinelli, the pastry chef, was always sending me home with trays of cookies for "Mama". Onboard, my dinner wishes were my command. Done. No problem. Try to do that nowadays. Every cruise I go on, I request a hot choc souffle. Only once has my request been indulged. It is so much more impersonal now. But, with the large numbers of passengers, it is easy to see why.

[SueseaQ]

Hi ArubaGal, Oh, My Goodness!, you just reminded me of something else re: past meeting future, or in my case past meeting then current.. My then husband and I went on the Homeric in 1987, my last Home Lines cruise. My ex-honey was a waiter on the Atlantic. On the first night of the cruise, we walked into the Homeric dining room and who was standing there but my ex-honey!!:eek:! I think both our faces must have been like mirror images of each other, what a shock! We get seated at our table, and ex-honey's good friend was our waiter!:o! A few years prior, I had picked both of them up at Kennedy airport and drove them to the Atlantic which was in dry-dock at the time in Bayonne NJ. So he definitely knew who I was but was real cool about it, Thank goodness, because my now ex-husband was a very jealous person. It was really amazing that I did not run into ex-honey for the rest of the cruise, but I was a little uneasy that I would. I unfortunately never had the opportunity to sail on the Oceanic, she was so beautiful. My parents and a large group of their friends cruised on her in 1978, and as you recall there were some great Bon Voyage parties back then. Well they had some shin-dig that time and we all went on the ship to celebrate, and tour around the ship. It really was so elegant and classy. I knew from that point, that I would have to go on a cruise someday, and it had to be on Home Lines because of the Italian crew, being Italian-American, that was a no-brainer, but also because I lived in Brooklyn NY at the time, it was so easy, not having to fly to get to the port. Living in Brooklyn, made it that much easier to go down and see honey every Saturday when the ship was in port. LOL;). I have to admit, though my little romance doesn't sound half as interesting and involved as yours....I'm sure you must have some stories....So much fun reminiscing.....:rolleyes: Oh yes !!! The hot chocoate souffle.....with warm Gran Marnier sauce.....to die for !!! Haven't seen that combo anywhere else.

Take care,

Sue

Edited November 9, 2008 by SueseaQ

[Marge106]

Hi everyone...back from the cruise, funny thing is I think I might have a touch of Noro. Started feeling queezy on Saturday night and when we docked on Sunday, I could not wait to get home. Now I know better than this, I wonder how this happened.

I seem to be having a memory lapse, I thought the warm chocolate souffle had a vanilla sauce. They only served souffle once on RCCL. Spinelli also used to send me home with cookies, had we all known this we could have called him the cookie man.

Now on to much better things, Sueseaq, I loved your story, now thats a hoot n holler. I would love to have a girls only reuinion. It would be loads of fun. I'm sure many of us would recognize each other from hanging around on the pier. Suseaq are you still in Brooklyn. I used to pick up a girl in Brooklyn every Saturday and take her to the pier with me, she did not drive. Her name was Teresa R, I would love to know what became of her. I hope she settled down and is very happy. Where does everyone come from. I'm from Long Island not too far from JFK. I know some of us are from Connecticut. Just wondering where everyone would come from so we could arrange a central meeting place.

[SueseaQ]

Hi all, Hi Marge106, sorry to hear your not feeling too well, I hope it isn't Noro, but what ever it is hope it passes soon. I'm glad you enjoyed my story, it's funny now, but I was a bit of a wreck back then..LOL. I had totally forgotten about that till I read ArubaGal's story. My goodness, time surely has flown. I moved to Central NJ from Brooklyn last year, I don't remember a Teresa R, though. It used to be so exciting driving into NYC on those Saturdays. I remember getting butterflies in my stomach as I would drive up the Westside Hwy and as it would curve around, those famous yellow smoke stacks would come into view, what a beautiful sight! It really would be fun (and a hoot n holler :D) if we could get a girls only reunion set up. I hope we could do it and figure out a location that would be ok for all who wanted to meet. Oh, and the chocolate souffle, I remember it as a choice on a few different nights with different sauces, yes vanilla too, but my favorite was the Gran Marnier, it looked like a vanilla sauce but tasted differently............oh soooo yummy :)

Take care,

Sue

[ArubaGal]

Hi Sue and Marge. I remember the vanilla sauce also, and then there was also a Gran Marnier souffle they made. Talk about butterflies coming around the West Side Hwy. Owww. I lived for Saturdays. My land friends just didn't get it. But, a few friends who had also cruised did. How about going across the street to the restaurant/bar? It was way too crazy when the QE2 was in. The Englishmen literally took over the place. Not the same as the charm we enjoyed!! The bon voyage parties were awesome. Then, getting off the ship as late as possible before sailing to have those few extra minutes to tide us over til the following week. And hanging out in the parking lot, waving goodbye to them. I can feel the heartache already. They were such a bunch of charmers. We used to tease that we just wanted to reach out and pinch their cute little butts in those tight pants!!

 

Marge, what did you just come off of? Hope you don't have the Norovirus. They delayed a Holland America sailing due to an outbreak. Several of us are booked for the Oasis Nov 2010. It's still an obsession/disease.

[Marge106]

Hi everyone...we came off the Explorer this past Sunday. We really had a great time even though we missed a port. I've been on more than 100 cruises and our waitress on this ship was absolutely fabulous. Anyone sailing on RCCL, ask for Beatrice.

ArubaGal, I have a feeling we both know each other. ONce you mentioned the bar across the street and standing upstairs to wave good-bye, we definitely had to cross paths. How about the Seamans Club, they had the best gnocchi. How funny, some of the things we still remember. Whenever I speak to my 'friend' from HomeLines he can't believe that people are still talking about the ships and all the fun we had. My 1st cruise was in 1976, 32 years ago and to think I'm still talking to the same 'sailor'. So much has changed, we've both gotten married (twice for me), he's had 2 children and is soon to be a grandfather. I've retired from the company I worked for, he will be doing 1 or 2 more contracts with Costa and then will be retiring. We've actually both watched each other grow up. He learned English fluently, mostly from speaking to me, I've learned to speak Italian and taught myself to read and write it. Thanks to him, I developed a love of the sea and cruising and have been to many exotic ports such as Egypt, Israel, Russia, etc. DH and I will be sailing on his ship next March and he's hoping to be able to have his wife on board at the same time. That should be interesting, we've gone past the lovers stage and are now just very good friends. DH understands I had a life before we got married and he's actually spoken to him when he calls. Lucky for me DH has a great attitude, must come from the 2nd marriage thing. After all, we still do things with his ex. so I guess its the same thing.

Lets really get serious about a reunion after the holidays. Maybe we can do something in the city or halfway between all of us.

[SueseaQ]

Hi Everyone, My goodness, The bar/restaurant across the street - was it called the Olympic ??, Waving goodbye from the parking lot upstairs, the Seamans club - only went there once- Wow, talk about a walk down memory lane :rolleyes:!! Marge - 100 cruises - I could only wish and dream of going on that many. Home Lines really is responsible turning us all into cruise junkies - but what a great addicition. I do remember the crowds when QE2 was in port, but our Italian honeys had them all beat, for sure. My girlfriends and I were convinced they were hired for their looks and their winning personalities weren't bad either ;). I have a cousin who went on the Oceanic with her family when she was about 11 or 12. I even remember how she couldn't stop talking about that cruise for the longest time, still does today. Evidently, the waiters gave her and her sister so much attention. She even has a record album made by the Italian band who was playing on their cruise. When I would go visit her, we were both pre-teens at that time, she would have to play that album and sing all the Italian songs. We still joke about that. I do remember the crew always going out of their way for the younger kids onboard. I used to attribute that to the fact that some of them must have been missing their own children back in Italy, kind of sad in a way.

Marge, I'm game for getting serious about a reunion after the holidays. Meeting in the city would be fine for me. ArubaGal, you're in CT, Nonnie58 you're in RI, would this be too difficult a meeting place for you? Please weigh in and let us know.

Touch base with y'all later,

Sue

[NONNIE58]

hello, a reunion would be great, after the holidays is a smart idea, i'll try to get some of my other home lines girls to come along, if that's ok? thanks for including me in this soon-to-be reunion:D

 

smooth sailing to you:cool:

nonnie58