I also loved the Oceanic (the Magrodome... so cool!), the Festivale (cause it seemed huge back then), Costa's Italia (sleek, gorgeous lines) and the Norwegian American twins.

quote:

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Originally posted by Dutch:
I loved the fifth Europa!

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[ 06-18-2009: Message edited by: Arison ]

[ 06-18-2009: Message edited by: Arison ]

ROTTERDAM was my "favorite" ship growing up and I have still never been aboard ... obviously a trip to the Netherlands once she is open will be in order.

I was fascinated by ships that were hard to obtain info on in the US.

EUGENIO C
ANDREA C
ENRICO C
ITALIA
CANBERRA
ORIANA
ACHILLE LAURO
MIKHAIL LERMONTOV
KAZAKHSTAN
ELLINIS

I loved the LEONARDO DA VINCI, NORWAY, FESTIVALE, ROTTERDAM V, OCEANIC, GALILEI, FAIRWIND/FAIRSEA, CARLA C, AMERIKANIS, and DORIC.

Some of my favorite ship brochures were for VISTAFJORD and SAGAFJORD.

I also found the tons of small Greek ships very intriguing. I think my favorites were the STELLA SOLARIS, GOLDEN ODYSSEY, JASON, and AQUARIUS. They seemed the nicest. I especially liked the AQUARIUS brochure which made the ship seem quite exclusive (although I don't think it really was). I have a cool

Back then, you may have had two or three sister ships, but none of this 8-10+ clones sailing around. It's a tradeoff. Cruising today is available to the masses, but it has come at a price.

Oceanic, Rotterdam, Doric and Statendam were the regulars and the 4 most impressed upon me. As a teenager I would take the bus into the city and visit the passenger ship terminal on the west side. Paying the $1 visitor fee I boarded these 4 every Saturday and crashed Bon Voyage parties. It was still the days of streamers and well wishers at the pier as they sailed away.

I memorized the brochures and scrutinized ever cabin and depicted fixture. I sailed with my family regularly on Rotterdam and when I was 14 I took my 1st solo cruise on Oceanic (paid for with my paper route). I did that every summer through college and even booked the same cabin and the same steward. I was welcomed as a member of the crew.

Both Oceanic and Rotterdam were in my sea career. Oceanic under Premier and Rotterdam of course under HAL. Both ships I worked aboard and at one point lived in the cabins I sailed as a youthful passenger.

Others that had some 'karma' were Sun Princess as an original Love Boat fan. She became Majestic for Premier which I was part of the inaugural staff. I vaguely remember sailing transatlantic on France, to again be with her in the inaugural years of Norway. Sailing to Bermuda aboard Sea Venture struck home seeing Pacific Princess depicted on TV.

There were many moments of *kismet* in my shipboard career, firmly rooted in my childhood wonderment of seeing those ships sail into the horizon. And when sailing to Bermuda as CD aboard Horizon from NYC, I could remember the boy 15-20 years earlier desperate to be aboard those ships leaving the westside piers.

When I moved to Tampa the Sun (Regent Sun, Doric) was sitting downtown as if she awaited me. She was soon lost under tow. And across the channel at the new cruise terminal was Horizon where my eyes immediately focused on the window of my former Deck 9 home.

Back in Greece a few years ago the rusting hulk of what was once Statendam burned my eyes with tears.

Now, when I see those ships end their careers. it is painful, as if my childhood home was demolished and my possessions were still inside.

I missed my farewell to Norway. I am going to see Rotterdam this summer before my month aboard Prinsendam. And I hope to see Oceanic again before she too is lost.

In some odd way, I feel I owe it to them. They have been the inspiration to my dreams and unlike so many people, I was fortunate to live my dreams.
How could a mere machine have shaped my life.

I remember being out in the snow on a 5 below zero day to watch the QE2 sail out on her world cruise.

I also snuck on the inaugural event for Crown Princess and was awestruck by seeing Gavin McLeod and Sophia Lauren on board.

And then I got invited to the Ecstacy NY open house when she was new and saw Bob Dickinson standing in the lobby by himself. Walked up, introduced myself and spent 30 minutes chatting with the marketing brains behind Carnival.

Windsor Castle had the best deck plans ever, huge fold out ones.

My (born 1974) very first cruise ship which started my love in the cruise ships I saw in the early 80`s in Cuxhaven during summer holidays.. .I am not sure, if DALMACIJA, ASTOR oder DANAE was the first... but one of them