Your first cruise ship

[Crusing Bob]

Ours first two were on Disney Magic to Western Carib. and Mexican Reviera and we were hooked after the first one especially being my Navy background with lots of worldwide cruising at taxpayers expense.

 

We are hooked on Holland except my wife is taking a 4 day cruise on Disney to the Bahamas next August which didn't do anything for me for such a short time.

[Copper10-8]

Caribbean Princess, February 2007: Ft. Lauderdale, St. Maarten, St Thomas, Princess Cays, Ft. Lauderdale.

 

We liked it so much that we booked the same week for this year (also an RSVP charter). Then last September while we would be in Seattle there just happened to be an RSVP charter leaving for... so we jumped on! And this year on the Zuiderdam we booked for the same week next February on the Eurodam.

 

 

Caribbean Princess (2004-present) 4th Grand-class ship for Princess Cruises (Grand, Golden, Star, Caribbean)

[ekerr19]

Hey John... you think you can pull a Princess Carla out of your hat? I think Princess chartered her in the 70's or something, but that was my Mom's favorite ship. That and the Cunard Countess (I think it was called the Countess)... they also did a couple Sitmar cruises, but I'm drawing a blank on names.

 

Thanks SO much for the amazing memories and fabulous photos.

 

Especially brings a tear to my eye to see my old favorite, Noordam III. :)

[ellbelle]

First cruise- August 1987 (no hurricane, thankfully)

Ship Line- Costa

Ship Name- Daphne

Itinerary- 7 day, RT San Juan, PV. Ports included Antigua, Barbados, St. Thomas, Jamaica. That's all I remember.....lots of alcohol:eek:.....husband won trip as sales incentive and we traveled with a group of top sellers and the host.

 

Loved cruising from that day forward. We tried to cruise at least once a year since then, but had to take a break when our daughter was born in 1995. We waited until she was eight and took her on her first cruise (short one, RT Long Beach, CA), and now she has five under her belt (so to speak).

 

I can remember the ones we have been on with her, but the ones in between, not so much. What's with that????

 

Maybe more than you asked, but while I could remember......:rolleyes:

 

Cheryl

[Copper10-8]

Our first cruise was on the Carnival Mardi Gras--Carnival was testing the West Coast market in 1977, so DH and I gave it a try--inside cabin at front of ship on the bottom passenger deck--dark and small room. We liked, but didn't get hooked.

 

Years later (1995 I think) on the Carnival Pride we had a great veranda cabin. I remember standing on the balcony watching two whales as we sailed from Cabo San Lucas. I turned to my husband and said, " We're doing this again SOON!" The love affair with cruising began! Interesting...that moment is still so vivid.

 

 

Empress of Canada (1960-2003) Delivered in 1961 as the Empress of Canada to British company Canadian Pacific Steamships as their last passenger liner, to serve on the Liverpool-Canada line. Sold in 1972 to Carnival Cruise Lines and renamed Mardi Gras. In 1993 she was sold to Greek company Epirotiki Lines who chartered her to Gold Star Cruises as a casino ship, renamed Star of Texas. In 1994 she became Lucky Star cruising out of Miami. In 1995 she was laid up in Greece and renamed Apollon. In 1999 she was chartered as Apollon to Direct Cruises in the UK for one year. From 2001 she operated out of Piraeus for Royal Olympia Cruises (the former Epirotiki) on 3- to 4-day cruises. In December 2003, renamed Apollo for her final journey, she was beached at Alang, India, and scrapped.

Carnival Pride (2002-present)

 

 

[mariner]

Copper,

 

Tried to post my Stephen Card paintings of those ships, but dam if I can fugure it.

[matondo]

It was for our 25th anniversary. December 2005 on the Zuiderdam. When we were dating we loved to watch "The Love Boat" and we always wanted to take a cruise. We are officially hooked and will be taking our third cruise November 30, 2008 on the Westerdam.

[Copper10-8]

First cruise was ELLINIS Chandris Lines 1968.

 

All-time favorite: SEA VENTURE.

 

Honeymoon NORDIC PRINCE in 1989.

 

Most luxurious: Tie FRANCE and ROYAL VIKING STAR

 

Hooked until NOORDAM 2006. The nickle-and-diming got to be a bit much. But admit pangs when aboard EURODAM.

 

Likely to do VEENDAM in 2010 to Bermuda to fulfil promise to wife for anniversary. But really miss the old days.

 

Lurline (1932-1987) Lurline was launched in 1932 as the last of a trio of ocean liners built for the Matson Lines’ Pacific services. She was one of two Matson liners which provided a first class only service between Hawaii and the American mainland from June 1957 to September 1962, mixed with the occasional Pacific cruise. Serious competition from jet airliners caused passenger loads to fall in the early 1960s. After suffering engine trouble, Lurline was laid up until being sold to Chandris Lines in 1963. She cruised for Chandris until being laid up in 1980 and sold in 1986 to be scrapped in Taiwan in 1987

Sea Venture (1971-present) Built in 1971 as Sea Venture for Flagship Cruises, she operated cruises between the USA and Bermuda. Between 1975 and 2002 she sailed for Princess Cruises as Pacific Princess, famous for appearing on televison's "The Love Boat". Between 2002 and April 2008, she sailed for Pullmantur Crusies (Spain) as Pacific. She is currently operating on charter to newly-established Quail Cruises out of Valencia, Spain.

[mariner]

Outstanding Copper.

[mr green]

 

Mariposa II (1931-1974) Delivered in 1931 to Matson Lines and sailed for them until laid-up/mothballed between 1947 and 1953. Genoa, Italy-based Home Lines purchased her in 1953 and she entered service for them in 1954 as Homeric II, being used on the transatlantic runs to New York City and Quebec City, while running cruises to the West Indies in the winter. She suffered a major fire in her galleys and restaurants in 1973 off Cape May, NJ, and had to be withdrawn from service, ultimately being scrapped in 1974 in Taiwan.

 

Her replacement had one of the first retractable roofs, she was purchased by HAL in 1988, and became the Westerdam, [i sailed on her too], resold in the late '90's she became CostaEuropa.

 

john

[SAN]

First cruise was on Island Princess (Love Boat), 1983, 7 day Alaska, roundtrip form Vancouver. We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary and decided to celebrate every 5 years with a cruise. When the girls graduated college, we have tried to cruise every 2 years.

[cands]

Royal Viking Sea (1972-present) Delivered to Royal Viking Line (Norway) in 1972 as Royal Viking Sea. Renamed Royal Odyssey and sailed for Royal Cruise Line between 1991 and 1997. Became Norwegian Star for Norwegian Cruise Line in 1998 and for Norwegian Capricorn Line between 1999 and 2001. Transferred to NCL's parent, Star Cruises, in 2001 where she became "Crown" until 2002. Between 2002 and 2005 she sailed as Crown Mare Norstrum for Spanish Cruise Line. Renamed Albatros in 2004 and on charter to Phoenix Seereisen (Germany) for which she is still sailing

 

 

 

Albatros after being converted to aircraft carrier for the Belgian Navy

 

John,

This thread is great. Thanks very much.

 

Regards,

Steve.

[babyher]

I am really enjoying seeing these beautiful old ships.

 

Thank you for posting them and starting this thread in the first place :)

[pearliemae]

Our first cruise was on Commodore's Boheme in 1973. We cruised round trip from Miami to San Juan, St Thomas, Puerta Plata, and Cap Hatian. In spite of having to outrun a hurricane on the way back, we were hooked, and took the same cruise the next May, beginning a lifelong addiction.

[3 Fan]

Our first cruise was on RCL's Monarch of the Seas in 1993. Following our TA's recomendation we sailed on the Nieuw Amsterdam in 1995. And as they say the rest is history.

[legalslave]

My first cruise was on Royal Caribbean's Sun Viking, August 1986. It was an 8 day Eastern Caribbean cruise that actually gave two full days in St Thomas. It was great overnighting on the ship in St Thomas. Gave us time to do everything we wanted without rushing.

 

Diane

[rebeljohn]

May, 1989. SS Constitution with American Hawaii Cruises. 7 day cruise to four of the Hawaiiian Islands. This was my first cruise, and with wife number 2. (1st wife............no cruising)

First cruise with wife number 3(3 times the charm, right?!?) was on the Zenith, Nov. 2001. This was her first cruise............

[Essiesmom]

I was hooked long before my first cruise, which is why I took it at all...Home Lines original Homeric in August 1972. Ten days, NYC to San Juan, St. thomas, Martinique and St. Maarten. There had been a hurricane come through NJ the night before, so she was late leaving, and they came around covering the portholes as we left. Single cabin, next to lowest deck, bathroom down the hall. I didn't know any better, and loved it. I acquired a boyfriend in the crew, and repeated the cruise in Nov. It cost $345. the next year he was transferred to Oceanic, seven days NYC to Nassau, so I did that cruise twice. After that, I didn't cruise again until the first Royal Princess, to South America in 1999. I am trying to make up for lost time (although I wasn't idle...I did a lot of world travel by air/land). EM

[cp556]

John....

 

Bet when you started this thread that you never expected it to take off as it has! Nor to require so much work from you to post all these wonderful photos and ship histories.

 

I'm reading every word with great glee. Thank you SO much...

 

Carol in SC

[usha]

Our first cruise was on Century in 1996, 7 nights Western Caribbean. My husband had been trying to talk me into cruising for almost two years, and I wouldn't even consider it. Finally, he just put his foot down, and practically dragged me onto that first cruise, and you know what? When the cruise was over, he had to practically drag me OFF.:o I'm afraid it made a monster out of me.:D

[Cristiano]

I am wondering if it counts that I was only 6 months old!!! :eek:

 

My first cruise was on the Surriento in 1951 leaving Genoa (Italy) through Suez to Fremantle and onto Sydney.

 

 

Surriento (1949-66) The first true passenger ship in the Lauro fleet. Built as the Grace Line's Santa Maria, Surriento was bought in 1949 and refitted to carry 187 first class and 868 tourist class passengers on the Australian migrant trade.

 

Originally, she retained her two funnels from Grace Line days. In 1959 Surriento was rebuilt again, with a single funnel. Accommodation was rearranged for 1080 tourist class passengers, and she served on the Italy-Caribbean route. She was scrapped in 1966.

 

Then in 1962 I travelled with my parents from Sydney to Genoa with the " TN Sydney" and then back later that year from Genoa to Sydney with the "TN Roma"

 

Those two trips I remmember very well and we had a ball and as someone else here mentioned the class distinction was very apparent as we had the priveldge of being in 1st class!.

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

Cristiano.

 

PS Copper great thread!!

[Cristiano]

Excuse my indulgence but one can blame Copper!!!

Surriento in Sydney

 

[jschm27]

I'm a newbie to cruising but I'm hooked. Our first cruise (and only cruise so far) was on VEENDAM to Alaska in September 2006. This was VEENDAM's 500th voyage. Guess I like the sea going life. I was in the Coast Guard Reserve for over 30 years and never got tired of getting under way. Next cruise is on ROTTERDAM for a Panama Canal transit.

[Randy H]

Not counting the SS Catalina c. 1966, or putting my grand parents on the Monterey (three whistle blasts? was the warning for visitors to get off... yes, we boarded with the passengers back then.) We (wife and two children under 3) went on a family reunion cruise to celebrate my wife's father's 70th birthday, wife's stepmother's 50th birthday, their collective 20th wedding anniversary to the Bahamas all expenses paid...

 

Two years later all of us paid our own way for a Christmas cruise on Chandress, now Celebrity, or RCL... (in between we wife and I, no children, went on a three night out of LA)

 

We were hooked... (check signature for details....)

 

So this January we are off on a new family cruise... My wife's father died in 1994. Her stepmother turns 70 this year (and with her new husband) is taking her 5 step children, their spouses, the at least 8 of the 10 grandchildren and spouses (8), (plus one step grand child and spouse) and great grand children (I think 10 are coming...)

 

Its a great family...

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise was on the Disney Wonder with my father in 2004 (I was 48). Since neither of us had cruised before, we chose what was suppose to be a 4 night cruise (he chose Disney) and it went to Nassau and Castaway Cay. At Castaway Cay, we went on a snorkel excursion where my dad, as he put it---attempted drowning himself. If you've never been in a situation where you needed to be evacuated off the ship, you're missing quite an experience!

 

But I still fell in love with the "cruising" aspect of the trip and have been on 4 more cruises. Even with the catastrophy we went through, the employees were fantastic.

 

 

Disney Wonder (1999-present)