What ever possessed you--to take your first cruise?

[Keith Rita]

In our case it was my commitment to Rita in my second life not to be such a workaholic and take some of the 25 or so weeks of vacation I had accumulated over the years and do some traveling--which was not related to work! We had already been to Las Vegas for the first time before we were married--so after we had a house built together we hopped on a plan in a snow storm and flew back out to Vegas to be married. After we returned home and had a reception for all our family and friends, we decided we needed to plan a belated honeymoon. I typed 'cruise' in a travel forum on CompuServe and we ended on our first cruise that Sept with 50-60 other folks from all over--including Alaska, and even one couple from Belgium. We still cruise and take other trips with some of these life long friends we met on that very first cruise.

We became cruise crazy! What about you, what got you hooked? :cool: :cool:

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

 

Owned a cabin cruiser for several years and cruised the rivers including up and down the Mississppi.

Husband still liked to tour Europe by bus.

I got sick of living out of a suit case and working all the time on the cabin cruiser.

Got rid of the cabin cruiser - talked him into a cruise.

Now he is hooked.

:)

[WindyCity]

I picked a cruise because that was the only place I could think of where my husband's work would not be calling constantly. He was close to being burned out and needed to get away from it all. We told everyone that to call him shore to ship or vice versa would cost $75/min - it worked - only 1 phone call came & that was just as we flew into Vancouver on his cell. Since we were in Alaska - cell service is not good, so they left him alone! It was great!:D

[rodree]

The business we were in had a trade show in Vegas and we decieded to attend. The airline,at the time, had a promo for seniors of a flight to anywhere in the U.S. for 25.00. Too good to pass up,but we really did not want to go anywhere.

Friends of ours who had been on many many HAL cruises convinced us.

We used our tickets to book the British Columbia land tour with the Maasdam cruise back to Vancouver. A flight from N.Y. to Seattle for 25.00. What a bargain!

Thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.Even had a substantial upgrade.

There we were,HOOKED. Been going on two or three cruises every year since. Have two booked right now.

If it had not been for that airline promo we would have missed out on a lot.

[Joanne G.]

First cruise was a gift from my son, as as combination Christmas gift and a thank-you for getting him though college. It was a total surprise. I had never seriously thought about a cruise, had certainly never talked about it. He wanted to do something special, and he outdid himself with that idea. He somehow paid for two people without knowing who the second person would be, so I could take someone along with me. I had a lot of friends at work while I was deciding! But it was an easy choice - my sister. For only her airfare to Miami, she could join me, but she had to be talked into it. Her vision of cruising was old people eating all day. Well, yes, that happens on a cruise, but that's not all that you see at sea. ;)

 

I was skeptical about it all, too. Would we be bored? Would we feel trapped on a ship? Would we get seasick? Would we like eating dinner with strangers? The answers turned out to be no, no, no and yes. We were hooked from the first day. That was 1997 on the Norway, and we have cruised every year since. After the first couple of cruises, her husband wanted to see what it was all about, and now he's hooked, too.

 

We now do endless research into cruise lines, ships, itineraries, dining choices, time of year, departure ports, cabins, and every detail before booking. But no cruise will be as exciting as that first one when my son made all the decisions for us, and we just got on planes and met onboard for a week of unexpected delights. :D

[RevNeal]

As a child I went with parents aboard the ss United States because they said so. :) Should there really ever be any other reason for a child to do what their parents tell them to do???

 

In 1994 I went on my first cruise as an adult because I was close to burn out from having just finished my doctoral work. My parents knew I needed a break, and so they suggested I join them on the Nieuw Amsterdam for 10 days relaxation. Mom called her "TA-dame" and found out that, even with only 3 weeks to go before departed, there were still vacancies on the ship. So ... they booked me in an inside cabin across the hall from my parent's outside cabin. I was happy when we boarded and, by lunch on the second day of the cruise, I was hooked for life.

[Mary Ann 2]

A year before our twenty-fifth anniversary, I decided that I had wanted to cruise ever since I saw Love Boat and that was what we were going to do even if we had to borrow the money to do it. We did some research and decided HAL was the best choice for our first cruise and booked the Zaandam over a year in advance for our anniv. We counted down every week until that cruise and were hooked before the end of the cruise on cruising! Now if it's more than a year since the last cruise or I don't have the next one booked yet, I start going through severe withdrawals and hubby usually gives in and lets me find the best deal and book it. We went to London the first of May and had a good time, but it wasn't a cruise and by the end of May, I couldn't stand the thought of waiting until Nov. for the next cruise and booked the Zuiderdam just three weeks out. That was great - only three weeks to have to wait!! We may not have much in savings to retire on due to our cruise addiction, but we will have had a great time getting there!

[Tatka]

My first cruise wasn't my decision as I was 14 at that time...

 

My first cruise as a adult and in North America happened last year. I really wanted to cruise but my husband wasn't thrilled with this idea and all our vacations were in Dominican Republic(nice! but little bit boring for me as I hate to lay on the beach for more than 20 minutes).

 

Finally! My husband decided to visit his friends in Ukraine and to make me happy bought us ( me and our 11 yo son) cruise on X Century! I loved it so much(of course!!!) we cruised in Med this May and booked another 2.

[KAJOKG]

The answer, cost. We have done extensive traveling all over. I swore I would never, never go on a cruise. Too restrictive, too crowded, too, well, too etc., etc., etc. Any excuse I could find. We retired to Florida, and in 2000 we saw a bargain fare advertised and decided that we wouldn't lose too much money if it was just awful, plus we didn't have to fly.....we booked a suite on the old Norway (once upon a time the luxury ocean liner SSFrance), and we were hooked! We are about to take our 8th cruise. BTW, the last minute fare was $600 each for a suite! So, a bargain and a surprise which opened up a whole new world to us "old" retirees!!!

[Vicar]

I had an aunt who complained about everything under the sun as if there was prize money involved. The food was terrible at this restaurant, The service was slow , its too hot , its too cold. You name it

 

Her and my uncle went on a cruise (The Old Oceanic) I was a kid at the time.

She came raving . the food was excellent, the crew was terrific, the ship was magnificent.

 

My whole family realized that a cruise had to be pretty terrific to pass my aunts "tough standards"

 

Little by little my parents and all my aunts and uncles went of cruises and they all raved.

 

When I got married and the subject of where to go on a honeymoon came up, I just remembered this and we booked The RCC Song Of America and had a ball. Been hooked ever since :)

[rex523]

I was a ten year old crazy about battleships and ocean liners. Alas, there weren't many left of either at the time. I rode my bike to the travel agency, got a stack of brochures from a very patient lady, and studied them thoroughly. I convinced my parents to give it a try, and we sailed on the Emerald Seas for a four day cruise to Nassau and Freeport. We all loved it. Thus began family cruising which terminated with a QE2 voyage six months before my sister's wedding. Everyone stopped cruising but me.

 

Last month I sat down with my parents and convinced them to join me on the Veendam in November. They jumped at the suggestion and are as excited as two kids.

 

My sister, who is a full time Mom with four little boys, is somewhat jealous! Now she's talking about a family Disney cruise next year.

[lcruiser]

For me was that one year I lost three immediate family members. That prompt me to get out of the rat race, start enjoying life. No to wait until I could not get around. You can not take it with you.... I have traveled in business and pleasure and disliked living in suitcases, so the natural decision was to try cruising.

[iluvcruzin]

I had 3 little ones and a husband at home, worked full-time and was a college student. I needed a break from family life so my friend asked me to join her on a 3-night Bahama cruise. I loved it so much I was hooked.

[2forTravelin]

Our daughter and son-in-law gave us a gift certificate for a cruise last year as a combination Christmas and Thank You present for being the daycare providers for our grandson his first year (although I told them that we would have paid them to do it - LOL!).

After 12 days in the Baltic being pampered on the Westerdam, we are converts. In fact, we booked our next cruise while on board so we'd have another cruise to look forward to.

When the little one is a bit older, we plan to return the favor and get them hooked as well.

[ASM]

My high school asked if we seniors would like the traditional Washington DC/ New York trip or if we'd rather take a cruise to the Bahamas and tour Florida. Well, duh! That was in 1970.

[ellieanne]

My first cruise was inpsired by an article I read in the Saturday Evening Post years earlier. The article was on Prince Edward Island, L.M. Montgommery, Anne Shirley and how you could tour Green Gables. The funny thing was, when we booked the cruise, specifically to go to PEI, HAL did not stop at PEI that year.

 

Last year, I finally made it to Charlottetown and Green Gables, but the better part of that cruise was St. John's and with sleet and icebergs in the harbor -- IN JUNE!

[Melianne]

For 15 years my husband and I had been unable to vacation because my Mom would always get sick just before we were to leave, or worse, while we were away. Even when I didn't tell her we were taking a few days for ourselves, she became ill. Every vacation ended in her being in the hospital and me being there with her.

In 1996 she passed away, very sad, but a mixed blessing because she was so uncomfortable.

After paying for funeral, etc., there was $1800 of her small insurance $$ left, so I JUMPED at the chance to get away. 'Booked a cruise on the rather modest NCL Seaward. My husband was hesitant so I purchased cancellation insurance for him and said I was GOING and I hoped he would come along. Of course he did, and was HOOKED the minute he walked onto the ship. I was HOOKED the minute the ship started to move away from land. I literally felt my troubles lift away.

 

I clearly remember our first morning at sea. It started out cloudy with light rain, but as we sailed toward Barbados the sun broke through the clouds, and as I stood on the top deck I drew my first really deep breath in YEARS! The afternoon became so beautiful, sunny and warm I thought I was truly in heaven.

 

Since then, whenever I've needed to take a mental break, in my daydream I go back to that place on the Seaward deck and take a few breaths of Caribbean air.

 

I am fortunate that we've had three cruising experiences - all wonderful in their own way - and that we have another one planned for December.

 

Now Dad is very sick, but I'm praying he'll stay stable through the end of the year . . . and into the next.

[SuiteCruising]

Fear of Flying! Living here in central Florida makes it an easy drive to Fort Lauderdale or Miami for a relaxing cruise with no pre-flight jitters.

 

Bob

[taszmom]

"Whatever possesed you to take--to take your first cruise?"

 

I wasn't possessed, I was invited! LOL! My boyfriend at the time invited me. I've been hooked ever since. And no, I didn't marry the boyfriend.

 

Met a new boyfriend a few years later who invited me on a cruise, and yes I did marry him (still together with 15 years under our belt).

[cruisinjudy]

The Love Boat did it for me. I was hooked watching the show every week! I couldn't convince my ex husband though. Once we went to Hawaii he wanted to go their every year. Well, then I discovered American Hawaii Cruises and I convinced him we could both be happy on a cruise around Hawaii. The marriage didn't last, but my love of cruising did. Now with my present husband we are cruising three times a year since we retired.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Tom and I Love to Travel, up till our first cruise March of 2002 we would go to Hawaii every year. We enjoy Kona on the Big Island, we have a hotel we like to stay at where the balcony looks right over the water. Well, with that being said we just never considered a cruise because 1. I get Very Motion Sick and just hated the thought of spending lots of money to be sick for a week:( . 2. Tom was sure he would be so bored 3.He thought he would hate being told what he had to where to dinner and where and when we had to eat.

OK so what happens but 3 days after Sept 11th 2001 a Credit Union that I send car loans to (I am a Spec. Finance Director at a car dealership) had been conducting a contest with all the New Car Dealerships in Nevada and not realizing were were ever in the lead. The winner of the contest won a Caribbean Cruise. Well, you guessed it I won the cruise. The timing was strange due to the fact the airlines had been haulted with the recent events, but I had a year to take this cruise. We decided that this would be a great way to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversery that was coming up in March. We choose the 5 day Western Caribbean on Monarch of the Seas and of course upgraded ourselves from what we won to a much larger cabin.

Prior to going we were sure this would be a one time vacation, this way we could say that we had cruised. I had to drag Tom shopping for at least a dark sports coat and dress pants. He was sure he was going to hate this part of cruising.

Well, the 6 months flew by quickly probably because we had gone to Kona Hawaii 2 times from the time I won the cruise. We were soon making the journey cross country to board our first cruise. Everything was a little different for us, the feeling strange about the Muster Drill, then the ship was crowded due to it being Spring Break :eek:

 

Well, it did not take long, I would say by the first morning that we decided we might actually like this cruising thing. Fortuately Bonine worked wonders for my motion sickness. The 5 days went by way to fast and by the end we new this was something we would really like to being doing frquently but possibly on a less active ship.

 

Our second cruise was not till a year later when we chose the Zuirderdam. Tom went out and bought a Tux (talk about a total change in attitude):cool:

After just a few days on the Zuiderdam we knew we found a Cruise Home with HAL:p. We are kinda creatures of habit, once we find something we like to do we do it over and over. We really like everything about HAL, yes there are thing that are not perfect but either is LIFE. Maybe because we don't know any better, the way HAL is now seems great to us.

 

Last Christmas we went back to the Monarch for just a 3 day cruise (she is now much closer to home now) just to see her from a different view after we sailed HAL. Then this past May we were on the Oosterdam to Alaska. We are sure HAL is our type of cruise. We are now booked on 2 more HAL cruises and I am sure when we return from our November cruise we will be booking another. As soon as we know where the NEW Noordam will cruise we will be booking that.

[bkonner]

I always wanted to do a cruise. I am fasinated with ships and air planes. I think the engineering is very interesting. Think about what it takes to get a ship filled with up to 2,000 people going! Its amazing. The ships today are great and I am just amazed they float. I love them!!!!!!!!!! (a lot of !!!, BUT THEY ARE REALLY COOL!)

 

My first cruise was on the Maasdam three years ago. I now do four cruises a year, mostly on HAL. Its a good way to live it up for cheap money! I like the Mariott in Aruba, but for me and my significant other (Rick) it costs about $ 5000.00 for a week. We can do HAL for half the money. A cruise is not perfect, but it is a great way to get away without killing your wallet. When you live in Massachusetts like I do, you have got to get out of the LONG, LONG New England winters. A cruise means I can do it twice a winter. I also am more of a pool guy. I have a place on the Cape, but I prefer the Caribbean. I have gotten so spoiled on HAL, that I can not even go into the water in Floriday any more because the Caribbean is SO WONDERFUL!

[OCruisers]

picked a cruise because that was the only place I could think of where my husband's work would not be calling constantly.

 

:D Funny & Soooooooooooo True! :D

 

THIS IS EXACTLY WHY WE HAVE BEEN ON 40+ CRUISES!!!!!!!!!! :p

 

:rolleyes: We own our own business and NEED a REAL break! :p

 

Happy Sailing! OCruisers

[Vancouver, BC]

Ditto to the above posts about getting husband away from email and phone. However, this was not what got me cruising. It was 1997 and I was 2.5 months into a 3 month leave from work to finish writing my master's thesis (and it was becoming very clear that there wouldn't be enough time to finish it).

 

My mother-in-law asked if I could drop her off at the cruise ship terminal here in Vancouver as she was Alaska-bound. I drove into the drop-off area at Canada place and said to myself - Eureka! I could do this too! I had never let cruising enter my consciousness prior to that. I went home and called the TA to see what could be arranged within the week for me and my daughters (my husband was going away on business).

 

Five days later my daughters (ages 5 and 7 at the time) and I were flying to LA to board Carnival's Jubilee for a cruise to the Mexican Riviera. It was such a wonderful trip that when I did finally complete my degree the following year, we had a family trip on the same cruise (this time on the Elation). Those trips got me hooked, although we have also done our share of all-inclusives and weeks away at our place in the woods.

[cdncruzer]

Our friend TOLD her DH (who did not like to travel, did not like the heat) that for their 25th anniversary a cruise WAS being planned... no ifs,ands or buts. At each occasion that we happened to get together, he would lament and go on and on about this tragedy called a cruise. We were quite excited for them, but still the DH was not convinced...however...wouldn't it be fun if we ALL went on the cruise?

 

......the rest is history.. and 4 new and eager faces boarded the Summit Jan/02!

 

(By the way....the DH is hooked on cruising and can't wait till Feb/05 to sail with us on our 25th!)