First Sight of a Cruise Ship?

[Jocap, Cumbria]

I'd only ever seen ferries, and thought that the ones from Hull were immense, so I couldn't believe the size of all the massive vessels in Fort Lauderdale when we arrived for our first cruise. Sea Princess was the most enormous ship I'd ever seen, other than containers and tankers- yet she's relatively small today.
Friends returning from the Isle of Wight came and told me about "the monster- sized" ship they saw in Southampton- they were awe struck... and it was Aurora!
What was your first sight of a cruise ship?

[Lawnmowerman, Tain]

Island Escape! Fair to say that after seeing the QE2 & Queen Elizabeth come down the River Clyde it was not impressive.

However, we had a fabulous time and went on to sample many more ships - Independence of the Seas and MSC Splendida being the biggest to date. Have seen Queen Mary 2 in Greenock and Invergordon - that was a very impressive vessel.

Bill

[PeterM, Southwell]

Superstar Gemini in Thailand. She's small, with no balconies as far as I remember, but we thought she was fantastic, and I was quite sad to leave her after a week.

[mike, lanarkshire]

Explorer of the Seas in Miami around 2003. Our cruise last September on Symphony of the Seas (Barcelona) was incredible. Massive ship but we loved it.

[Calgray, Yorkshire]

Saw the cruise ships sailing past all lit up while we were on holiday in Barbados. I said to my husband 'We will go on one of those one day'

We had a small life insurance mature some years later and I booked our first cruise. My breath was taken away when I saw Majesty of the Seas in Miami...… Heck of a lot bigger than the ones we saw at sea.

Medium sized compared to some I suppose, but fabulous to me at the time.

Carol

[Haworth, Wokingham]

We hadn’t really though much about cruising until we decided to go to Alaska, the first wow was the size of all the ships in Vancouver and the second was the atrium on Coral Princess our home for a week, never seen anything like it, can’t ever recreate that first moment.

John

[ilovesunshine, east yorks]

I remember the first time my grandchildren saw a cruise ship. Liberty of the Seas in Barcelona. The look on their faces was priceless. They said are we really going sail on that. It was big and for children would look even bigger.

[Jenkin, EA]

I am looking forward to the look on my granddaughters’ faces when they see Celebrity Silhouette for the first time shortly. It will be their first cruise and I will enjoy seeing a familiar ship through their eyes. Jen

[Wilba]

Superstar Gemini in Thailand. She's small, with no balconies as far as I remember, but we thought she was fantastic, and I was quite sad to leave her after a week.

That brings back memories.

We loved that ship and still talk about her now.

We then sailed on the then brand new SuperStar Virgo. Wow that was one stunning cruise ship.

We have sailed on Virgos former sister SuperStar Leo, now sailing as NCL Spirit on three occasions, but only under her current name...............Wilba

[cornish girl, falmouth]

Living in Falmouth [ first and last port in the UK] I was used to all sorts of ships sailing in, but the first time I saw a liner was the 'Queen of Bermuda' my next door neighbour was a steward on her, most of the lads were in the MN in those days , I dreamed then I would cruise the world [ and I did!!

Pity in the those days girls didn't have the opportunities to do the same as the boys and sail away. CG

[cymrucruiser]

Carnival Conquest in Trieste, Italy 2002 I think?

The first glimpse of the ship when approaching a Port never tires, it’s always special.

[Cooke, Ashby]

Our first sight of a cruise ship, close up, was Oceaan Majesty in Harwich. She looked huge!

the most memorable was our first glimpse of Seabourn Spirit, in Malaga. We flew in along the coast and there between the blue sea, blue sky and golden sand was this small, white ship. "There's our ship". "No" said my husband."That's someone's yacht". I was smitten and it has cost a fortune since!

[Babs , Hodd.]

Many years ago, around 1980, I saw SS Rotterdam in Durban harbour and thought she was beautiful. The next time I saw a cruise ship close up was in 2010 when we ventured on our first cruise on Emerald Princess - we couldn't believe the size of her!

[ilovesunshine, east yorks]

I am looking forward to the look on my granddaughters’ faces when they see Celebrity Silhouette for the first time shortly. It will be their first cruise and I will enjoy seeing a familiar ship through their eyes. Jen

It certainly is a different cruise with children. Have a fab time.

[Mrs M]

I still get tingles every time I see Queen Victoria, whether prior to initial embarkation or when ''coming home'' after an excursion.

I didn't get it with any of the other four ships I cruised with over the past three years.