Where did you stay on your first cruise?

[Honolulu Blue]

Hi everyone!  It's time for another unscientific poll.  This was inspired by a post I read elsewhere.  I think the question is relatively simple and straightforward, though you guys have a habit of complicating things for me.  

 

For those who can't see the poll, the question is in what general class was the cabin on your first cruise?  Interior, Ocean View, Balcony, or Mini Suite and above.

 

Thank you for reading, replying, and voting!

[cruisemom42]

When I started cruising in the 1970s, there were very very few balcony cabins, and they were usually suites. Ocean view cabins were what most people had.

[screwsmcernst]

Our first cruise, 18 years ago, we had inside cabins.  Fast forward, to today, and we are usually in a Concierge Class balcony cabin.  I did really enjoy the inside cabin.  It was great for sleeping.  Nice and dark.  😃

 

[Mum2Mercury]

For our first cruise we reserved an inside guarantee and were bumped up to an oceanview.  

[mammajamma2013]

First cruise was in a guarantee balcony. Husband respectfully declines to stay in inside or ocean view. I once sailed in a mini suite but have no desire to book anything higher than a balcony.

Edited April 20, 2023 by mammajamma2013
Was going to add something else but it wasn't relevant

[ontheweb]

Inside, DW loved how dark it was so she could sleep, so we have basically been doing insides since then.

[Essiesmom]

First cruise in 1972 don’t remember what was booked but it turned out to have a porthole.  It also had a sink in the cabin but toilets and showers were down the hall.  EM

[ilikeanswers]

First cruise was almost all booked out so we went for the balcony as it was the cheapest option left. Anyway it turned out to be a great option since it was a ship that allowed you to keep the balcony door open. Never forget the experience of sleeping with the sound of the sea surging past the ship. 

Edited April 21, 2023 by ilikeanswers

[SPacificbound]

First cruse balcony on Rhapsody of the Seas Sydney to Honolulu.

 

Took a helicopter up, it was great!

 

I was hooked before we left the dock.

[kelkel2]

Our first cruise was in 2010 on the Carnival Ecstasy. We originally booked an ocean view but carnival called and sold us a balcony for a small bit more and we took it! 

[antmaril]

Our first cruise was in 1982.  My late husband and I took a Caribbean cruise on the NCL Starward. The ship was 17,000 tons.  We booked an inside cabin and I remember when I opened the door I was shocked at how small it was.  It felt like a walk-in closet.  I think I had visions of The Love Boat in my mind and this was NOT that.  Ha!   
 

 

[John Bull]

Not wishing to quibble, Honolulu Blue, 😏 but the cabin class for my first cruise isn't included in your poll....................................

 

Dormitory class 😜

Back in 1961, on SS Dunera, one of three retired troop-ships which were converted to schools' "educational" (yeah, right 🙄) cruises.

About 600 of us, sailing the Baltic from Southampton. That's when St Petersburg was still Leningrad, and Yuri Gagarin had become the first man in space - posters of him everywhere.

 

Ship's brig had been converted to a self-service laundry (yes, we had to do our own), but the padded cell remained.

Bunks in the dormitories were three high, communal showers, no air-con (just the big Dorade vents & portholes), dining on long tables and clear your own plates.

So I don't understand why some folk complain that cruising standards have dropped 🤔

 

JB 🙂

 

 

 

 

[evandbob]

1st cruise was solo, so I went with a very forward  "interior" fare class on Carnival that did have an ocean view window! Maybe one of 6 cabins designated as such on the entire ship.

[Honolulu Blue]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

Not wishing to quibble, Honolulu Blue, 😏 but the cabin class for my first cruise isn't included in your poll....................................

 

Dormitory class 😜

Back in 1961, on SS Dunera, one of three retired troop-ships which were converted to schools' "educational" (yeah, right 🙄) cruises.

About 600 of us, sailing the Baltic from Southampton. That's when St Petersburg was still Leningrad, and Yuri Gagarin had become the first man in space - posters of him everywhere.

 

Ship's brig had been converted to a self-service laundry (yes, we had to do our own), but the padded cell remained.

Bunks in the dormitories were three high, communal showers, no air-con (just the big Dorade vents & portholes), dining on long tables and clear your own plates.

So I don't understand why some folk complain that cruising standards have dropped 🤔

 

JB 🙂

Cute!  Thanks for sharing.  Let's call the ones with portholes "ocean view" and the ones without "interior".

[George C]

On 4/20/2023 at 4:52 AM, cruisemom42 said:

When I started cruising in the 1970s, there were very very few balcony cabins, and they were usually suites. Ocean view cabins were what most people had.

I didn’t think there were any balcony cabins in the 1970’s , first I saw was early 90’s.

my first cruise was to nowhere in 1975 in a inside cabin. 

[LHT28]

First cruise  '76  was a porthole  cabin  with bunk beds  w/c & showers  down the hall  😉

 

[JimmyTheSaint]

First cruise 10 years ago we had a balcony which we stood out on once. We've had 13 cruises since and all have been inside cabins. For us a balcony isn't needed and we can't justify the cost.

[TX Cruise Girl]

My first cruise was on the Carnival Ecstasy July 2010 and we had an interior.  A few cruises later I finally got a balcony and have had one ever since.

[clackey]

Our first was a 5 night out Galveston to Cozumel and Calica.  We booked an Ocean View, weren't impressed and have booked 20 cruises since.  All inside.

[Mary229]

Ocean view to Alaska in the late 80s.  The midnight sun almost did me in, I switched to inside cabins for many years.  I still use insides unless it is a crossing with many sea days when I get a balcony.  I have never stayed in a suite.  As long as a cabin is large enough to stow everything neatly I am  happy. 

[MJC]

We had a minisuite because at that time AmEx had a two cabin upgrade with the card we had. That didn't last very long! That mini was HUGE compared to nowadays. 

 

Edited April 22, 2023 by MJC

[lenquixote66]

On 4/20/2023 at 5:36 AM, Honolulu Blue said:

Hi everyone!  It's time for another unscientific poll.  This was inspired by a post I read elsewhere.  I think the question is relatively simple and straightforward, though you guys have a habit of complicating things for me.  

 

For those who can't see the poll, the question is in what general class was the cabin on your first cruise?  Interior, Ocean View, Balcony, or Mini Suite and above.

 

Thank you for reading, replying, and voting!

My first cruise was on a ship that only had portholes.

[Aquahound]

Interior cabin on the Sunward II.  

 

[Sekhmet]

Our first was in 1972 around the Greek islands, in a porthole cabin aboard the MV Delos, then run by a now defunct UK travel company called Clarkson's Holidays.  The ship was built in 1951 as a ferry plying between France and Morocco, ran aground in 1987 and was cut up.

 

Edited April 23, 2023 by Sekhmet

[hallasm]

I booked my first cruise in 1996 for air miles.  At that time, going on a cruise for a Dane was not very common - very exotic.

Caribbean cruise from Miami with ‘Sovereign of the Seas’ - the offer was for an inside cabin on deck 2 but we got an outside cabin. A fantastic cruise which I now after 30+ cruises still remember as one of the best.