Memory Lane - Ding

[IcanSeaclearlynow]

Watching an old episode of Love Boat this morning hubs and I were laughing at how everyone boarded the ship.  "Hey I'm Joe where's my cabin?"   Doesn't seem that long ago (prob 2-3 years) that we all had to insert our cards into the slot to embark/disembark.  Remember the ding every time???  Now I have that ding stuck in my head lol.   
 

What are some memories y'all can share of ships you've travelled on?   Memories past or maybe not so long ago that show how much things have changed.  And for those that sailed back in the late 70's, early 80's, was it as simple as walking on and letting the crew check your name off a clipboard?
 

As you can tell, I wanna go down memory lane with everyone to hear something other than virus news for a while 😉

[Homosassa]

1 hour ago, IcanSeaclearlynow said:

And for those that sailed back in the late 70's, early 80's, was it as simple as walking on and letting the crew check your name off a clipboard?
 

As you can tell, I wanna go down memory lane with everyone to hear something other than virus news for a while😉

No, you checked in on shore and were given a cardboard card that had a handwritten name and the cruise date and a room key. 

 

As you boarded, your cruise card was checked and your name checked off. A crew member would then escort you to your cabin.

 

At some point, a visit to the purser's office was needed if you wanted a safe deposit box (no room safes).

 

Also needed was a trip to the pool deck area to pay the rental fee for your deck chair and to select its location.

 

Payment for expenses on board was in cash at time of purchase.

 

Remember, ships were much smaller and a cruise ship would carry only 500 - 800 passengers.

[IcanSeaclearlynow]

56 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

Also needed was a trip to the pool deck area to pay the rental fee for your deck chair and to select its location.

Dang you had to rent your deck chair?!? Wonder how many were rented & when they decided to throw that in as part of the cruise fare....
 

Were there mostly 3 & 4 day itineraries then?  

[linbobky]

Our first cruise was on the carnival holiday in 1991. back then you had the same waiter all 3 meals at the same table.there was no buffet as we know it today. they did have burgers and hot dogs on the lido for the sun people.

you either had early seating or late seating. the room steward would know when to clean your room. they also cleaned the room in the morning and the evening. you could also go to the shops and buy a bottle of booze to take back to your room.

those were the days!

Edited March 22, 2020 by linbobky
mispelled a work

[crusinpsychRN]

1 hour ago, Homosassa said:

No, you checked in on shore and were given a cardboard card that had a handwritten name and the cruise date and a room key. 

Never had this happen.

As you boarded, your cruise card was checked and your name checked off. A crew member would then escort you to your cabin.

Never had this happen.

 

At some point, a visit to the purser's office was needed if you wanted a safe deposit box (no room safes).

 

Also needed was a trip to the pool deck area to pay the rental fee for your deck chair and to select its location.

Never had to pay for a deck chair in past 40 years!

Payment for expenses on board was in cash at time of purchase.

What line did you cruse? Never happened to me.

Remember, ships were much smaller and a cruise ship would carry only 500 - 800 passengers.

 

[Host Carolyn]

I'm glad to see you guys getting a break from all that is going on now

 

BUT if it gets political, argumentative or snarky, it goes ...not gonna let this board get over run with these technically off topic to Carnival threads but I also know we all need to lighten up!!😊

Edited March 31, 2020 by Host Carolyn

[Host Carolyn]

Found cruise card from my 1st cruise on the Commodore Caribe -- loved the ocean liners -  and my name was my nickname aka "Caro" and they said it was okay because my name was right on the drivers license!!  We were on two years in a row and both times the Shirelles were guest entertainers --- it was fun hanging out with them and their spouses and hearing all the great stories about Motown

[crusinpsychRN]

On the Queen Elizabeth back in 1963 a steward would go up and down halls with a xylophone playing the same tune (I'll never forget it) announcing breakfast. 

[Butterbean1000]

I really miss that ding. 🛎

[siestakeys04]

I only started cruising in 2008 I do miss the ding and love hearing the lady say deck 9 lido 😂 

[crusinpsychRN]

I also miss the day of the week in the carpet outside the elevators.

[shof515]

25 minutes ago, crusinpsychRN said:

I also miss the day of the week in the carpet outside the elevators.

i think you got the wrong cruise line. i never seen this on carnival ships but i see pictures and videos from HAL ships that still does this.

[hattack]

in 1975 on the Oceanic sailing from NYC to Bermuda ..inside cabin for 4 on deck 1 with no in cabin restroom had to walk down the hall to a common area..main dining room was on the bottom deck with no windows ..skeet shooting off the back deck ..nude bathing area on the top deck ..the manifest was posted at the Guest Service Desk complete with cabin number and home city 

 

shuffle board tournament was the big full day at sea excitement ..safe to say the demographic make up of the guests was missing diveristy 

[hattack]

on the NCL Norway you could tell the deck and the day by the color of the carpet near the elevators 

[crusinpsychRN]

23 minutes ago, shof515 said:

i think you got the wrong cruise line. i never seen this on carnival ships but i see pictures and videos from HAL ships that still does this.

 

I did all the time. I've only been on one RCL and in 1963 QE. I remember it on Carnival and so do my kids who are adults now.

 

It was funny watching the guys wait for the nude bathing to start.

Edited March 23, 2020 by crusinpsychRN

[emceejay]

1 hour ago, Butterbean1000 said:

I really miss that ding. 🛎

The local Walmart has the exact “ding” as you approach the cosmetics aisle - presumably to alert you you are being recorded

[miataman19]

My first ever sailing on The Victoria out of San Juan, 1977.

 

[lottiegreen56]

16 hours ago, Host Carolyn said:

I'm glad to see you guys getting a break from all that is going on now

 

BUT if it gets political, argumentative or snarky, it goes or gets edited out and moved where everyone will find it....not gonna let this board get over run with these technically off topic to Carnival threads but I also know we all need to lighten up!!😊

 

way to lead from the front and set a great example for everyone on here.

[thesmiths]

Ding fries are done.

Ding fries are done.

 

 

Sorry just had to!

 

 

[Homosassa]

18 hours ago, IcanSeaclearlynow said:

Dang you had to rent your deck chair?!? Wonder how many were rented & when they decided to throw that in as part of the cruise fare....
 

Were there mostly 3 & 4 day itineraries then?  

Itineraries were 7 or more days (at least the ones I sailed on).

 

Except for the original Carnival cruises, booze/party cruises were not the norm.

 

I imagine pretty much everyone on board rented a chair.  It was nice. The chair was labeled with one's name and set up at the location that one specified. In our case, it was on the fantail looking out over the water.

[Homosassa]

18 hours ago, crusinpsychRN said:

 

Sorry, your post can't be quoted.

 

Here are the answers to your statement:

 

Cardboard sail card and room key: standard practice in the days before computers and electronic locks (talking the 1970s and early 1980s).  It was a technological advancement when the large room key was changed to a cardboard/plastic  card that had punches in it (like the old data entry cards) that could be read by the lock on the door.

 

Not sure if you mean you never had your name checked off or been escorted to your cabin. Remember, no computers meant no automated data systems. Everything was done manually.  Being escorted to your cabin was standard.

 

Boarding was a more leisurely affair with no mad stamped of "gotta get on the ship first" passengers. Because air fare and transfer to the ship was often included with the cruise, arrival of passengers was spaced out.  Cruises were sold by "X" number of nights, not by days.  It was understood that one boarded sometime in the later afternoon or early evening. The first evening meal was a cold buffet available to boarding passengers if dinner was not eaten before boarding.

 

Paying in cash: remember there was no automated system for scanning sea passes. One paid as one went for on board expenses (drinks, excursions).

 

Cruiselines I cruises on were Chandris (You known that big X on the blue smokestack of Celebrity?  That is the chi of the Chandris line), Sitmar (merged with Princess when Princess was an independent line), Norwegian Cruise Line,   

[sanmarcosman]

The chair hog chat these days wasn't an issue on my westbound for New York Atlantic crossing on the QE2 in May of 1988. When I made my cabin reservation I also reserved a deck chair for $7 for the 5 day crossing. The chair was discreetly marked with my name on the seat back placed there by the steward. I arrived each morning after breakfast to take in the crisp sea air and read. My Deck Steward Sean would tuck me in a heavy steamer robe embroidered with the Cunard company crest stitched across it.

 

At 11 AM Sean served hot beef bouillon with thick soda crackers to his guests. Afternoons at 3 PM was when Sean would wheel a trolley among his passengers and serve tea with assorted finger sandwiches and scones with clotted cream and fresh berries for us to enjoy from the comfort of our cozy cocoons. You have to remember that the Atlantic in early May is often quite brisk especially mid-voyage on the northern track.

 

 

 

Deck Steward Sean serves morning bouillon to a passenger, as we were known at the time.  

Edited March 23, 2020 by sanmarcosman

[IcanSeaclearlynow]

15 hours ago, emceejay said:

The local Walmart has the exact “ding” as you approach the cosmetics aisle - presumably to alert you you are being recorded

I can't wait to get back into WM to check out the cosmetic ding lol.  I've seen the camera but never listened for a noise.  I'll be stir crazy by that time & might have to run up & down the aisle to listen.

[IcanSeaclearlynow]

Thanks everyone for posting memories & pics!  I'm enjoying them all.  Since I've entered the 50's I've become so interested in life from the 60's, 70's & my fav time growing up, the 80's.  
 

The digital time we live in now is definitely convenient but sure do wish things were a lot simpler sometime.  

Edited March 23, 2020 by IcanSeaclearlynow

[crusinpsychRN]

Never was escorted to cabin on Carnival.

 

From Homosassa: Paying in cash: remember there was no automated system for scanning sea passes. One paid as one went for on board expenses (drinks, excursions).

I never paid cash on Carnival, all went to credit card on file. Got the tab at the end of the cruise with a nitro tablet!