Memory Lane - Ding

[quattrohead]

20 hours ago, Host Carolyn said:

Found cruise card from my 1st cruise on the Commodore Caribe

I worked on the Caribe1 right at the end before it became the Regal Empress. I loved that old girl, kept us safe in the winter storm of 1993.

Us customer facing crew that lived on C deck had keys for the door, not sure about pax. But I do remember the secret door at the end of pax B deck that lead to the crew area....anyone else smuggle a date through that door ???

[pe4all]

First cruise - Home Lines Atlantic NY to Bermuda:  Great bon voyage parties where relatives/friends were allowed onboard before ship sailed to celebrate with us.  Upon sailaway tons of streamers were unraveled off ship as it sailed away from dock in NY.  When first onboard, we would go to Lido deck, pick out a spot for our deck chairs (heavy wooden ones!).  Our names were written on a piece of paper that was slipped into a slot on top of chair.  That chair and spot would be set up for us every morning.  No chair hogging, as everyone had their own chair!  Skeet shooting, hitting golf balls off aft deck area, watching them throw giant black bags of garbage off aft of ship while sailing, leaving long trail of bags behind us.  Horse racing , free bingo and free soda with meals.

[gatour]

On 3/22/2020 at 2:45 PM, 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. 

 

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.

My first cruise was on NCL Sunward II in 1981 and the my second cruise was on Carnival's Carnivale.  Didn't have to pay a rental fee for a deck chair.

4 hours ago, Homosassa said:

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.

My first cruise (see above) was a four day cruise.  Doing 3 and 4 day runs were fairly common for that ship along others.  During the 80's I took a seven day Carnival cruise every couple of years and at no time were we required to rent a chair.

[siestakeys04]

I was just watching an episode of Golden Girls and saw a picture of an old Carnival ship where Rose went on a cruise with the guy who will later become Miles Webber

[gatour]

On the 1982 Carnivale cruise, I remember them running out of butter on the about the second last day of the cruise.  They also ran out a few other items.

 

I also remember, the Captain coming on the speaker system while we were entering our first port.  It was either Nassau, St Thomas of a place called Sabana.  He announced there would be no jumping off the ship into the water.

[crusinpsychRN]

I miss the horse racing. Unsure why it was so much fun...

[shof515]

2 minutes ago, crusinpsychRN said:

I miss the horse racing. Unsure why it was so much fun...

go a journey cruise, they still do it

[sid_9169]

My cruising experience only goes back to 2010, but I vividly remember the first time I stepped on board. It was the Carnival Fascination out of Jacksonville, heading to Key West and Nassau. When I first boarded, I remember thinking "wow, this thing is huge" and of course, I had no earthly idea where anything was, much less my cabin.

 

Eventually, I did learn to navigate myself wherever I needed to be, and by the end of the second day, I was hooked. Day drinking out by the pool. Eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted to. Visiting new, and far away places (for me, at the time)

 

It was 4 years later that I took my next cruise, and my first "solo"... Since then, I've cruised 20 times on 2 different lines, and I can't ever imagine not wanting to continue. Now, here we are, in the middle of all this corona virus thing, and nobody has any idea when we'll be able to do it again. I currently have 3 more booked for later this year, and I pray that everything goes well between now and then, so I can get back to my happy place.........

[Homosassa]

4 hours ago, crusinpsychRN said:

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!

When was your first cruise?

 

I am talking 1976 for my first cruise. 

 

While Carnival existed then, it was not the same level of service that was standard on other cruise lines (most travel agents would not sell Carnival or, if they did, would strongly advise clients that had traveled on other lines that Carnival would not met their expectations).

 

I believe the first time I had  an on board account secured by a credit card  was on Sitmar in the mid 80s.

[sgttami]

My early days of cruising weren't on Carnival but I do remember:  RCL first cruise

 

1992...Passenger list.  At the end of the cruise you received a little booklet with the name of every passenger on the sailing and                their home state.

            Souvenier menus from the main dining room, for purchase at the Purser's desk

            No alternative restaurants, early or late dining was it

            Wine sommeliers in the dining room

            Midnight buffets every night

            An escort to your cabin and a comp glass of champagne

            Wearing dresses and gowns to dinner EVERY night 

            Horse racing and costume parties by the pool

            Smoking on the ship, anywhere and everywhere, except the elevators (LOL)

 

FUN TIMES!

  

[crusinpsychRN]

I always got free menus in dining room.

[PlayCousin]

My first Carnival Cruise was on Breeze in 2014.  Definitely not very long ago.  I sailed solo and had a 1A cabin with a porthole - great room.  By that cruise I had sailed enough that I wasn't overly impressed with anything (other than Guys Burgers and a hazelnut tiramisu dessert in the main dining room). My first cruise ever was on RCCL Monarch of the Seas.  Apparently that cruise was life changing because I was officially team cruise after that.

[tonit964]

On 3/22/2020 at 5:33 PM, crusinpsychRN said:

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

Actually, it was a metal plate in the elevator that would display the day of the week and it was on Royal Caribbean ships. I loved that!

[crusinpsychRN]

On 3/23/2020 at 6:30 PM, Homosassa said:

When was your first cruise?  1972

 

I am talking 1976 for my first cruise. 

 

While Carnival existed then, it was not the same level of service that was standard on other cruise lines (most travel agents would not sell Carnival or, if they did, would strongly advise clients that had traveled on other lines that Carnival would not met their expectations).

 

I believe the first time I had  an on board account secured by a credit card  was on Sitmar in the mid 80s.

 

[geckoaz]

My first cruise on premier/disney.  Miss the grand midnight buffet

 

The sculptures

[SurfCat]

Thought I'd post something on the lighter side in this weird time.

 

My wife was going through some things and found the portfolio from our honeymoon cruise on the Jubilee in 1989.  We are still happily married, btw.

Edited March 28, 2020 by SurfCat

[sanmarcosman]

Jubilee was a good ship. We have that same ticket jacket around here somewhere from '91 for a Mexican Riviera cruise aboard the Jubilee. 

[VentureMan_2000]

We did that same cruise, but in September of 1987.  We still have our portfolio too...

[PhillyFan33579]

On 3/22/2020 at 8:33 PM, crusinpsychRN said:

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

Royal Carribean still does that. 
 

I still remember my first cruise on Paradise and thinking how big the ship was. Now I live in the Tampa area and frequently see Paradise (before recent events) and think how small the ship is. My perspective has certainly changed over time. 

[crusinpsychRN]

My grandmother made me play bingo which I thought was only for old folks. I won $22! In 1964 that was a lot to me.

[BeachDiva101]

wow!  great stories!

[gatour]

I just remembered,  on Carnival in the early days you would get a "print" of the ship.  It was kind like a mini poster.

[IcanSeaclearlynow]

48 minutes ago, gatour said:

I just remembered,  on Carnival in the early days you would get a "print" of the ship.  It was kind like a mini poster.

Yeah we have a few of those too.  Last ones we got were on Conquest in 2008.  The waiters gave us a few.  They're really pretty.  

[crusinpsychRN]

On 3/30/2020 at 5:29 PM, crusinpsychRN said:

My grandmother made me play bingo which I thought was only for old folks. I won $22! In 1964 that was a lot to me.

 

$183 today! Just checked.

[Host Carolyn]

On 3/23/2020 at 2:05 PM, quattrohead said:

I worked on the Caribe1 right at the end before it became the Regal Empress. I loved that old girl, kept us safe in the winter storm of 1993.

Us customer facing crew that lived on C deck had keys for the door, not sure about pax. But I do remember the secret door at the end of pax B deck that lead to the crew area....anyone else smuggle a date through that door ???

No but I was smuggled through it😁😜. First two cruises on her got me hooked..enjoyed seeing her still seaworthy when we were sailing from Everglades. Wish I had done a 2-nighter just to be onboard again