Changes in the way we cruise

[Adammara]

We first cruise on QE2 in 1991, and I remember in the early days of forums the thought of a huge 90,000 ton ship caused a lot of comment, now they are regarded as small ships. After 41 cruise we have just given up, with age and health issue we decided to quit.

[dkjretired]

DK you're spot on (but I DO remember there were buffets for dinner, but very limited offerings including what was on the menu in the dining room that night.)

 

I'll add that alcohol were cheaper on the ship than at some bars and restaurants on land.

 

The smoking being restricted is a positive (but getting rid of it entirely would be great if only to stop the jerks from smoking on their balconies.) Another BIG positive change is the accessibility for disabled passengers. That is WAY better.

 

Except for the formal night silliness, I miss those days of cruising.

 

Those casual dinners were nice. When I was talking about the buffets it was in the early 90s when they didn’t have the buffets for dinner or the casual dining.

[Covepointcruiser]

First, everything old is new again. In the old ocean liner days there was a strict class structure, especially for dining. Cruising did away with classes of passengers, and now the class system seems to be coming back, with dedicated lounges and restaurants. The ships, of course, keep getting bigger. My first cruise was in 1987 on Home Lines Homeric (boy I still miss Home Lines). That was a large ship at 45,000 grt, and 1,200 passengers. Now, 230,000 grt and over 6,000. It's all driven by economics. If they could build smaller ships and still make money, Azamara would be building new 700-1,000 passenger ships, instead of recycling 16 year old ships. Economics drives the price bundling too. The cruise fare for my 1987 7 day cruise, inside cabin was more than the fare for a veranda today, and in 1987 dollars. The difference was that in 1987, drinks were $2 or $3, not $14. The annoying nickel and dimeing and constant sales are the only way to keep the fares steady. I don't like it either, but it is what it is.

 

In the old, old days of cruising 1961, there were no classes on cruises. We traveled in cabins without restroom, insides, lowest category, and we had free access to all area of the ship. They was a first class large siting room and a first class promenade but on cruises they were open to all. On transatlantic crossings there were classes. Cunard has several dining room depending on cabin but other ships had only one. There was no lido but there was a buffet once a cruise in the promenade. They did have midnight buffets.

[I_r_a]

My first cruise was in another life, in 1967, on The Queen of Bermuda - her last cruise.

 

(Queen of Bermuda was built by Vickers-Armstrong Shipbuilders, and entered service in 1933, operating between New York City and Bermuda. . She continued in that capacity until November 1966, when Furness Bermuda ceased operations, and she was scrapped in Scotland the following month.

 

Queen of Bermuda measured 22,501 gross tons, and was 579 feet (176 m) long, with a beam of 77 feet (23 m). She was powered by a steam turbo-electric propulsion systems, which drove four screws and gave her a service speed of 20 knots (23 mph). She had a capacity of 733 passengers, all in first class. )

 

On that cruise, there were 600 of us.

 

 

We had an outside cabin, on one of the lower decks, with two Portholes. One day the ocean got a bit rough and all we could see was water.

 

 

Accommodations on the ship were not anything like they are today, but very plush compared to what we had at home.

 

Service was lux. Young men who looked like they were about to yell out, "Call for Philip Morris".

 

Waiters who changed their garb for bkfst, lunch, tea, dinner and midnight snack. (They wore the same outfits for Bkfst and elevenses.)

 

The level of service was superb.

 

When we arrived in Hamilton, Bermuda, we were informed that there was an airline strike in the offing and that almost all of the tourists had left the island.

 

Have you ever had an entire country almost to yourself? I have never gone back.

 

As you can tell, I was quite impressed.

 

It is true, the cost has not gone up very much, and some things have gotten better.

 

Ira

[helencruising]

I remember 15-20 years ago when people were upset that Princess starting charging $5 for what I think was the first specialty restaurant at sea. It was a TeX-Mex venue and I believe it included a margarita. These boards had posters saying it would ruin cruising and who would be dumb enough to pay extra for food that is already included. Now you rarely see a post not asking a question or talking about specialty dining. Outside of that Princess cruise, I have never spent a dime in a specialty restaurant, on over 18 cruises, except for one time in Bistro on Five on embarkation day.

Many posters including myself were also upset and wondered who in their right mind would do any time dining. Now that is all I do and half of my dinners are in the buffet.

What other changes have happened over the past 20 years in cruising that no one thought would ever occur or be popular?

 

I remember that restaurant on Princess. They had it on the Sea Princess when it was new and I think on the Star as well. Everything changes. It is part of life. I’m happy that prices still are relatively the same and there are so many more options to choose on a ship.

[Keith1010]

I think the biggest change I have seen is the number of cruise ships and cruise lines sailing around the world.

 

About 20 years ago we were looking to sail the Mediterranean for the very first time with our family and there were very few cruise ships and most were older ones. Fast forward to today and even Disney sails the Mediterranean.

 

Keith

[Globehoppers]

First, everything old is new again. In the old ocean liner days there was a strict class structure, especially for dining. Cruising did away with classes of passengers, and now the class system seems to be coming back, with dedicated lounges and restaurants. The ships, of course, keep getting bigger. My first cruise was in 1987 on Home Lines Homeric (boy I still miss Home Lines). That was a large ship at 45,000 grt, and 1,200 passengers. Now, 230,000 grt and over 6,000. It's all driven by economics. If they could build smaller ships and still make money, Azamara would be building new 700-1,000 passenger ships, instead of recycling 16 year old ships. Economics drives the price bundling too. The cruise fare for my 1987 7 day cruise, inside cabin was more than the fare for a veranda today, and in 1987 dollars. The difference was that in 1987, drinks were $2 or $3, not $14. The annoying nickel and dimeing and constant sales are the only way to keep the fares steady. I don't like it either, but it is what it is.

 

Agree wholeheartedly. My first cruise (sic) was as a youngster in 1949 across the Atlantic. Essentially the only way to travel with a family between continents at the time. First, Second and Third Class options. They did not mix. Dinning was always formal in First. The original USS United States, USS America, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary, USS Constitution, and the original Holland-America offerings.

 

Today's "cruising" is much different. However, "classes" appear to be making a comeback as cruise lines see increased profits from restaurants attached to cabin selection. More "hard sell" during the cruise and profits from shore excursions in port. It has become an entertainment business, not a travel option. We do enjoy sailing on Azamara for its size, service and itineraries, and do occasionally "cruise" on larger options across the Atlantic mixing that with river cruising (mostly Europe and last year in China with Uniworld) and expeditions (Hurtigruten to Antarctica).

[MALLE]

It's the little things.... Does anyone realize that in the buffet area we used to have trays to carry our food on?

 

 

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[happy cruzer]

What has changed is people and what they want. Typically, drink packages (before they were offered many complained that they were used to all inclusive resorts and wanted the same on a ship), no dress code and no 2 hour dinner are a common requests. I think Carnival does some cruises that do some of the throwback traditional things called Journeys. Most lines can't even do a true Formal night any longer because they are so unpopular.