Second generation of cruiser?

[hazelson]

My parents never cruised but DH's did - a lot!...but they waited until he grew up lol.

I was looking through some photo albums the other day and DH's dad even kept the bar bills - cruising was very expensive back then. I was really surprised.

And some of the cabins were really, really tiny.

Do you have cruising parents?

[Shari2]

Hi Jen...

I went on my first cruise with my parents back in 1979, but it turned out to be the only one they went on, and I fell in love with cruising and have been on eight cruises since then, and have two more booked.

[cruisetarp]

Great question - what fun times those were for me.

My parents loved to cruise and in those days there were elaborate "Bon Voyage" parties onboard before sailing. All the music and people at the railing throwing streamers as the ship slowly left port - wow - I can still see it. Since my parents always left from NY if we left the pier right away and made our connections right we could be on the SI Ferry going home when the ship sailed in front of us and we got to see it again and you could still hear the music from the pool deck. The cabins were so tiny that we had to have our BV parties in the lounges since 6 people could not fit in the room.

Dollar for dollar my first cruise was nearly double the daily cost of what we pay for a cruise today and I often wonder how my parents managed to scrape the money together but then again, Jim & I managed to do it as well.

[rogue]

Neither of our parents ever cruised. We both cruised back in 1975 on a class trip (nice class trip), and always had cruising in the back of our minds, until it came out in 1999.

[Suzila]

My parents didn't cruise, but my hubby's Mom did. We drove her down to the L.A. port one time and she took a Hawaiian cruise by herself, which, in those days, were quite a challenge because she was disabled. We were able to take her right to her 'cabin'...I say 'cabin' in quotes because it was pretty much the size of a closet, there was a very small bunk bed, and she was sharing the room with someone she had never met before.

That was in the early 70's, and I remember feeling the ship moving, while it was docked. Made me feel sick and the ship hadn't moved yet!

Hubby and I made up our minds at that time...we would NEVER cruise!

[KeithnRita]

Rita's parents never cruised. My mother, who is 79, has been on about 10 cruises with my stepfather. My father, who passed away in 1987, was a 20 year old Paratrooper with the 101st Airborne that sailed to England in Sept of 1943 on the ill-fated voyage aboard the SS Strathnaver. The voyage was temporarily aborted in Newfoundland when salt water entered the ship's fresh water tanks. The ship tried to set sail again and struck rocks in the harbor and had to return to the Newfoundland port. After that another ship was arranged, the SS John Erickson. The total trip took six weeks until his regiment arrived in England. He jumped into Normandy the night before D-day, was wounded and captured 7 days later, and became a POW in one of Germany's cruelest POW camps. The few times he ever discussed his war experience he always said the time aboard ship was his worst memory. He never ever considered taking another cruise!

[55ChevyLady]

No, my parents didn't cruise, but Daddy was in the Navy and he cruised on the Pacific...on top and underneath...

Andrea

[Longboysfan]

Great question - what fun times those were for me.

My parents loved to cruise and in those days there were elaborate "Bon Voyage" parties onboard before sailing. All the music and people at the railing throwing streamers as the ship slowly left port - wow - I can still see it. Since my parents always left from NY if we left the pier right away and made our connections right we could be on the SI Ferry going home when the ship sailed in front of us and we got to see it again and you could still hear the music from the pool deck. The cabins were so tiny that we had to have our BV parties in the lounges since 6 people could not fit in the room.

Dollar for dollar my first cruise was nearly double the daily cost of what we pay for a cruise today and I often wonder how my parents managed to scrape the money together but then again, Jim & I managed to do it as well.

Parents never cruised - by my Grandfather Cruised into NYC back about 1898 or so. ;)

We started back in 1978 or so - old Home lines or was it the HAL old...old...Volendam.

Same thing there were elaborate parties where people would bring on the works in monster coolers and the go away was crazy about the ship. Groups would use the chairs to section off areas of the lounges to hold the area for their large party. Yes there were streamers and confetti all about the ship and in the parking lots above.

I think I remember our first cruise cost somewhere about $800 or so for the two of us. And yes the cabin was small...... Drink prices were about 80 cents for a domestic beer - bottle and a dollar for a Heineken. Mixed drinks were - I think $1.50 or so with the most expensive ones at $2.50.

[sailingrose]

My parents are cruisers and come with us often. Howie's parents went on 1 cruise for their 25th anniversary.

[DebbieandJerry]

We sent my parents on their first cruise for their 50th wedding anniversary. My mom thought every island looked the same. Guess I got my genes from someone else.