Your first cruise ship

[Kentchikan]

The up side is that you know what to expect, so you can choose to stay onboard and relax if you know a port is not that interesting, and you know how to use your time wisely in ports that are more interesting.

 

We've done that. It's like a bonus day at sea but with fewer people on board. It's heavenly.

Edited July 24, 2014 by Kentskie

[momofmeg]

I've only been to Nassau a couple of times and it was years ago. I've never been to Cozumel. I'm not wild about Cabo (L.A. South) but we always find some unique little corner to explore. Cabo used to be fun when it was a sleepy village. We look for parts that are more authentic than touristy. It's hard to do some places.

 

But it would be new for us. I mean we loved Ensenada, but I know that compares to how I feel about Nassau and Cozumel for you west coasters.

 

I do like new experiences I guess. Some places do make good repeats for me like St Thomas and Key West. Others, not so much.

 

We do have anew port for our upcoming cruise, St. Kitts, and we haven't been to San Juan in 14 years so we are happy to go back there. It is just we learned Celebrity Silhouette is having propulsion problems and they have shortened our port time as they can't drydock until January, so we are kind've disappointed. The cruise is still 4 months away so in the next 5 weeks we need to decide if we are going to cancel.

[beshears]

I may have already posted this, but my best girlfriend (I have more than one now :)) and I took our first cruise 25 years ago with a group called, The Foggy River Boys who were in Branson, Missouri for years, and retire. They were part of the entertainment on this cruise that we took.

 

We went on the Holland American Neu Amsterdam, and oh what a time we had, not knowing what a cruise was all about. To top this off, I have a top that has a ship and New Amsterdam on it, that I STILL wear. Of course I don't wear it every day, but it has been a good top for all these years. We so enjoyed the Indonesiaum people, and their performing on this ship.

 

After 25 years, we took our 2nd (I have cruised many times since, but with others) cruise on the Princess this time.

[Clemmie]

The cruising 'bug' started for us in the late 70's when we'd watch The Love Boat on TV...then we went on our first cruise in 1978 on NCL's MS Starward and we've been hooked ever since. I remember first seeing the Starward, thinking what a BIG ship!! Then the SS Norway pulled in next to it and overshadowed it. But no matter, we loved that ship and sailed on her twice. We're fortunate enough to be going on cruise #20 in November, all thanks to the fun we had back on the good old Starward.

[Kentchikan]

The cruising 'bug' started for us in the late 70's when we'd watch The Love Boat on TV...then we went on our first cruise in 1978 on NCL's MS Starward and we've been hooked ever since. I remember first seeing the Starward, thinking what a BIG ship!! Then the SS Norway pulled in next to it and overshadowed it. But no matter, we loved that ship and sailed on her twice. We're fortunate enough to be going on cruise #20 in November, all thanks to the fun we had back on the good old Starward.

 

I too sailed on the Starward twice and have great memories of her. The first cruise was in the 70's in the Caribbean and I remember the steel band playing on the deck while we basked in the sun sipping tropical drinks. The second cruise was in the 80's to Mexico and was also great. I remember the crew was impressed that I'd sailed the same ship so many years apart. Very friendly crew.

[berwyn]

The cruising 'bug' started for us in the late 70's when we'd watch The Love Boat on TV...then we went on our first cruise in 1978 on NCL's MS Starward and we've been hooked ever since. I remember first seeing the Starward, thinking what a BIG ship!! Then the SS Norway pulled in next to it and overshadowed it. But no matter, we loved that ship and sailed on her twice. We're fortunate enough to be going on cruise #20 in November, all thanks to the fun we had back on the good old Starward.

Was that the ship that had the 2 big fins on the back?

[momofmeg]

The cruising 'bug' started for us in the late 70's when we'd watch The Love Boat on TV...then we went on our first cruise in 1978 on NCL's MS Starward and we've been hooked ever since. I remember first seeing the Starward, thinking what a BIG ship!! Then the SS Norway pulled in next to it and overshadowed it. But no matter, we loved that ship and sailed on her twice. We're fortunate enough to be going on cruise #20 in November, all thanks to the fun we had back on the good old Starward.

 

Love Boat made me want to cruise too but we did not have the disposable income back then. We finally did a Sea Escape cruise which was really a ferry to Freeport in 1989, We we were not impressed lol! maybe BECAUSE it was ferry service and the port was Freepot? Lol!

 

In 1989 our anniversary gift to each other (15 years) was a lite 4 day Carnival cruise to Cozumel and key west. it was an old crappy ship but the dining room food and service was top topnotch and we were hooked!

 

Now we discovered lines that suited us better than Carnival and have not cruised that line in over 10 years. Of course some of the reason why other lines are better for us is our getting older; Carnival is just too much for us now. We have also taken a lot of much nicer cruises, to Alaska, Bermuda, Mediterranean, Panama canal a transatlantic that included northern Europe and Canada a west coast cruise,etc. Nevertheless Carnival Tropicale will a always hold a special place in my heart.

[momofmeg]

Love Boat made me want to cruise too but we did not have the disposable income back then. We finally did a Sea Escape cruise which was really a ferry to Freeport in 1989, We we were not impressed lol! maybe BECAUSE it was ferry service and the port was Freepot? Lol!

 

In 1989 our anniversary gift to each other (15 years) was a lite 4 day Carnival cruise to Cozumel and key west. it was an old crappy ship but the dining room food and service was top topnotch and we were hooked!

 

Now we discovered lines that suited us better than Carnival and have not cruised that line in over 10 years. Of course some of the reason why other lines are better for us is our getting older; Carnival is just too much for us now. We have also taken a lot of much nicer cruises, to Alaska, Bermuda, Mediterranean, Panama canal a transatlantic that included northern Europe and Canada a west coast cruise,etc. Nevertheless Carnival Tropicale will a always hold a special place in my heart.

 

I should have said our first real cruise was in 1998 our 15th anniversary gift to each other. I transposed those 2 numbers. In 1989 we did the Sea Escape "ferry service" that was NOT our first cruise Lol!

[Kentchikan]

Was that the ship that had the 2 big fins on the back?

 

It is (see picture) and it had an open air bar between the fins.

[BermudaStarz]

What was your first cruise ship? What cruise line, the year and the itinerary? (if you remember;) ) Did it get you hooked?

 

MY first cruise was to the Bahamas in 1972 on NCL's Sunward. Yes I was hooked but it took awhile to be able to pass that conviction on.

 

OUR first cruise together was in 1985 on Commodore Cruise Lines - Caribe 2 - it went to: Haiti - PuertoPlata, DR; - Puerto Rico - St Thomas and St Maarten. HOOKED you ask? We are at #35.

 

We LOVED that tiny little ship - it was such a perfect start to a life of joy, adventure, and friendships.

[Kolami]

Our first cruise was on the SS Oceanic of Home Lines in early December 1965 from New York City to Nassau and return it got us hooked. Next came SS Independence of American Export Isbrandtsen in Nov 1967, then Leonardo Da Vinci of Italian line Xmas/New Years 1968/69. NYC/San Juan/St Thomas/Grenada/Curacao/NYC. I do not believe that I have ever since, nor will ever in the future, eat food of the quality and preparation as we enjoyed on that cruise. I still have the menus from the Leonardo Da Vinci and the Oceanic.

[mohawk1129]

1981 Carnival Mardi Gras. Puerto Rico St Thomas Bahamas

 

 

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[John&LaLa]

Carnivale, 1989, 3 day Bahamas, $600+ PP, inside upper and lower

 

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[beshears]

Clemmie, that is strange that you mentioned The Love Boat. :) The reason I say this, and you may have never heard of her, but Janet Dailey wrote books on each state of the USA, and I believe she passed away a year or two ago. She was living in Branson, Missouri.

 

What I'm trying to get at is, I am reading the book that she wrote that is all about The Love Boat which was on TV years ago. I didn't realize that Princess was the one that had that ship. Even though it was years ago, I am reliving some of the things the characters are doing on The Love Boat, as I have done in the past on my cruises. :)

 

Twenty-five years ago my friend and I took (my husband won't fly) our first cruise together on Holland American Neu Amsterdam. What a cruise that was, not knowing what to expect. :) The end of April of this year, my friend and I took (I have cruised with others since) our 2nd cruise together after 25 years. :) I have probably taken about 14 - 16 cruises, and HOPE to do more!

[Kentchikan]

Clemmie, that is strange that you mentioned The Love Boat. :) The reason I say this, and you may have never heard of her, but Janet Dailey wrote books on each state of the USA, and I believe she passed away a year or two ago. She was living in Branson, Missouri.

 

What I'm trying to get at is, I am reading the book that she wrote that is all about The Love Boat which was on TV years ago. I didn't realize that Princess was the one that had that ship. Even though it was years ago, I am reliving some of the things the characters are doing on The Love Boat, as I have done in the past on my cruises. :)

 

Twenty-five years ago my friend and I took (my husband won't fly) our first cruise together on Holland American Neu Amsterdam. What a cruise that was, not knowing what to expect. :) The end of April of this year, my friend and I took (I have cruised with others since) our 2nd cruise together after 25 years. :) I have probably taken about 14 - 16 cruises, and HOPE to do more!

 

You might enjoy this book as well it's called "Love Boats" and was written by Jeraldine Saunders. It was the book that the show was based on. It isn't as timely now as when it was written but still fun. I remember the first time I saw the T.V. show "The Love Boat" I had been on several cruises and my first thought was that first time cruisers are going to be disappointed when they board and find that their cabins are not as large as hotel rooms.

[mainmast]

we first sailed on airtours sunbird which was formerly song of america rci in the days of the midnight bufets them were the days

[JamMouse]

We booked our room on the Crown Princess C601 "B2" and just checked my personalizer and my NEW room is C431 "B1". Which one is better? Please help this is our first cruise for our anniversary.

[Host Walt]

We booked our room on the Crown Princess C601 "B2" and just checked my personalizer and my NEW room is C431 "B1". Which one is better? Please help this is our first cruise for our anniversary.

 

I copied your post to the Princess board where you should get some good answers. Click here: Upgrade or is it?

[JamMouse]

Thank you

[Zqueeze1]

Awesome thread!!!

 

Our first time was during our honeymoon in Jun 1983 onboard NCL's MS Southward departing on a Sunday from Miami to San Juan, St Thomas, and Freeport. I was a poor second lieutenant in the Air Force and had never seen so much food in my life! We would sometimes go to bed, wake up at midnight and hit the midnight buffet. Unfortunately, it took us fourteen years to go on our second cruise and now we are regular cruisers.

 

Z and TB

[beshears]

Yes, I'm sure people will be disappointed when they see their cabin rooms are not as large as hotel rooms, but they must think of all the other things they will be able to enjoy on the ship, that a hotel might not have. :)

[Kentchikan]

Yes, I'm sure people will be disappointed when they see their cabin rooms are not as large as hotel rooms, but they must think of all the other things they will be able to enjoy on the ship, that a hotel might not have. :)

 

For sure but after the Love Boat debuted the thing I heard most from first time cruisers was, "The cabin's so small...not like on 'The Love Boat'." Of course cabins are larger now on most ships.

[momofmeg]

You might enjoy this book as well it's called "Love Boats" and was written by Jeraldine Saunders. It was the book that the show was based on. It isn't as timely now as when it was written but still fun. I remember the first time I saw the T.V. show "The Love Boat" I had been on several cruises and my first thought was that first time cruisers are going to be disappointed when they board and find that their cabins are not as large as hotel rooms.

 

Lol! We cruised on the Pacific Princess(September 2002) a month before she moved to Europe and became Pullamar. We had Aloha 270 and my daughter and MIL were in A272. At the time TV Land was running reruns of Love Boat. Shortly after we returned we saw an episode where the actor that played "Benson" was in that number stateroom A270. As you said, he had a suite, we had twin beds that were diagonal and could not be moved together as both were in the wall. Lol! The room was so small it was better the beds were situated that way as we would have had no walking room otherwise!

 

The funny thing is that is the only stateroom # I can remember that we had in 22 cruises! I suspect because I saw the TV show shortly after we returned

and so it stuck in my head.

 

BTW, one of my top five favorite cruises of the 22 we have taken! we loved looking around and seeing how much was like the show and what was different.

[Kentchikan]

Lol! We cruised on the Pacific Princess(September 2002) a month before she moved to Europe and became Pullamar. We had Aloha 270 and my daughter and MIL were in A272. At the time TV Land was running reruns of Love Boat. Shortly after we returned we saw an episode where the actor that played "Benson" was in that number stateroom A270. As you said, he had a suite, we had twin beds that were diagonal and could not be moved together as both were in the wall. Lol! The room was so small it was better the beds were situated that way as we would have had no walking room otherwise!

 

The funny thing is that is the only stateroom # I can remember that we had in 22 cruises! I suspect because I saw the TV show shortly after we returned

and so it stuck in my head.

 

BTW, one of my top five favorite cruises of the 22 we have taken! we loved looking around and seeing how much was like the show and what was different.

 

Great story. I remember those kinds of beds. In those days, as the comedians say, the rooms were so small that you had to go out into the hall to change your mind.

[dav3]

My first cruise was aboard the Carnival Ecstasy back in 1997. It was a 4 day out of Miami to Key West and Cozumel. Loved the never ending food and great service, been hooked ever since. Since then, I've sailed Carnival 6 times and RCI 1 time, looking at 2 RCI cruises for 2015.

Edited August 20, 2014 by dav3