When did you take your first cruise?

TheSkipper · January 24, 2007

Our first cruise was in 1982 on Carnival Mardi Gras. 46 cruises later we are still going strong. Why? Probably the Love Boat series. :biggrin:

Gregswife · January 24, 2007

I had tried for many, many years to get hubby to go on a cruise, but he just didn't see the appeal in it. Back in 1995, I bought him a cruise for our family (including 2 teenage sons), as a birthday gift. As it was paid for, not much he could do about it, so he reluctantly went. He loved it and we have taken a cruise every year since, well almost, the year my son had his motorcycle accident and had 3 surgeries that year, we did not sail. We have a motorhome, so Greg likes to spend most of his vacation time "cruising the country" in it, so one cruise a year is all I get for now...

Peddler · January 24, 2007

My first cruise was when I was 11 and we sailed to England and back on the S.S.United States. This was a prefered way of travel as the airlines were just beginning the trans Atlantic passenger service and the cost for our family was quite high.

In 2004 I won a cruise (5 Day on the Ecstacy) in a sales contest within our organazation competing against 150 other sales people. This hooked us. We have cruised each year since and have booked in 2008 as well.

Ruined for life

Jim

Suzila · January 24, 2007

In the 1950's, my family lived in New York, and my uncle took the Queen Mary to England. The entire family (aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.), all got to see him off. It was so exciting to see such a big ship, and get to go on it. At the time I remember thinking you have to be reeeaaally rich to go on a trip like that. Didn't think I'd ever have the chance.

In the early 1970's my future mother-in-law took a cruise to Hawaii on an old ship. She had a bunk room (teeny tiny, and very dark) that she shared with someone she didn't know, and my future husband and I went onboard to see her settled. The ship was rocking IN PORT! and we both got sick. We swore we would NEVER go on a cruise.

Just about 20 years later, our children were about 10 and 11 years old, and hubby and I decided to take a 3 day cruise on Royal Caribbean Viking Serenade, ourselves, without kids...just to try it out. We stood in front of the ship before we boarded and looked at each other and said, "What the heck are we doing? We're both going to be sick as dogs the entire trip".

Well, we weren't. We loved it. We got off the ship, went to the travel agent and booked another cruise immediately, with kids this time. We've been cruising ever since.

So, I guess we were in our 40's when we went the first time.

DaCruzNut · January 24, 2007

My first cruise was aboard the Holiday, to the Western Caribbean, from Miami, onSeptember 16, 1989. If you care to read about it, click: http://www.cruisecrazies.com/som/2.php

Shari2 · January 24, 2007

My first cruise was back in 1979 when I was a very young widow. My parents were going on a cruise and wanted me to come along. My then 5-year-old daughter went to stay with her other grandparents, and I went with my folks on the "Carnivale." I had been watching the Love Boat series and thought at first that this ship didn't look anything like the Love Boat. LOL My single cabin was about the size of a walk-in-closet...LOL and if you wanted to curl or dry your hair you had to walk to a different floor and use a room that others were using, too. Our rooms weren't wired for hairdryers and curling irons. I just slept in my little pink rollers. LOL

When we first boarded, we had to check with the maitre d' to see if we got our dinner times that we asked for. We had to take early seating, and weren't too happy, and then the maitre d' told me that I had to sit apart from my folks and their friends and sit with a large table right next to them. I couldn't figure out why they wouldn't let me sit with my folks, but I know now. I was young and single, and they seated me with a large table of single gals. :wink2: I ended up having a great time, met a lot of nice people, and learned to love the sea. I will be going on my 9th cruise this fall.

cruisetarp · January 24, 2007

Back in 1964 - 2 years out of high school my 2 best friends and I went on the old Home Lines Homeric cruise to Nassau. This was before Paradise Island and the Atlantis hotel and I remember other than the straw market there was little to do but I fell in love with cruising. I remember we had to tender into town and had to climb down metal stairs they suspended from the deck. Back in those days we were warned not to eat or drink anything in port. I married a few years later and it took me until 1977 to convince Jim that we should cruise. After that cruise I had him hooked and we have been crusing ever since.

jacketwatch · January 24, 2007

We are new to crusing. Our first trip was in the summer of 2002. We did a 7 day cruise to the med from Barcelona on the Splendour of the Seas. We had an OV cabin but no balcony. Thereafter its been a balcony all the way. :cool2:

sailingrose · January 24, 2007

Our first cruise was our honeymoon in August 1984. We sailed on the Victoria on what would become Celebrity cruises. We took this ship as it was the only one that left on a Monday. We departed San Juan and did great ports, St. Thomas, Venezuela, & St. Vincent. I loved it! We didn't cruise again for 10 years for our anniversary(we were having kids) and we've been cruising many times since then. Our DD has been on more than 20 cruises and still loves it at 20.

SCIROCCO · January 24, 2007

Our first cruise was in 2001 a Anniversary gift from the Kids a 5 Day western Caribbean on the Celebration, I didnt want to go because when I was In the Military I went to Korea and then to Vietnam onboard a Troop Ship and I didnt want to get another one but I went and when we returned they had to drag me off the ship ,and the rest is history!