cruise ships

[Captain Gordon Whittaker]

"She who should be obeyed", finally agreed to try a cruise. "ISLAND ESCAPE" . She LOVED IT! All inclusive, (your bar bill is not more than your fare. brilliant shows, and BINGO!) Choose well and it is great. We have had 8 cruises on the "island Escape" . and she has loved it. No Bullsh*t and great value. For me, it is just great to be back on deck. She is a "proper ship", and easy to evacuate, if you observe the life rafts and emergency life jackets. I have to admit to knowing the Master, a Scot. from Ben Line, which helped, somewhat. I recommend her to you all.

[Capt Bill Davies]

Ben Line!!!! How do ex China boat men go down with him Gordon?

Brgds

Bill

[happy daze john in oz]

I have over the years gone via Changi international airportSingapore without going into the city centre. My last visit to there was wayback in the early 1960’s as a young man on a lifetime adventure.

My most recent cruise required me to join the ship inSingapore, so I ventured forth on my travels once again. My recollections ofSingapore all those years ago is much lost in the mists of time, but namesstill bring back those memories, Orchard Road, Bugis Street, Raffles Hotel. Allstill there, but what a transformation has occurred during that time since Ilast looked upon them.

Raffles has had a complete facelift, which has returned itto the glory of the days of the Raj, with staff members dressed in the uniformof that time complete with turban and looking the very epitome of those goldendays of the British Empire. The longbar complete with Gin Slings and peanut shells on the floor, so elegant in allits glory.

Orchard Road and Bugis Street, once the dens of iniquitywhere ladies of the night gathered to take their prey, where young men venturedin the anticipation of wonders to come. Bars peddling strange brews the like ofwhich we had never seen. Drugs for those who wished them, something foreveryone.

But life has now greatly changed; those streets now are thecentres of one of the world’s most successful metropolises. Gone those sleazybars, replaced by modern day shopping centres and towering apartment buildings.A city now the centre of financial governance, a city with productive factories,a simple and very efficient public transport system. A city, where no graffiti,rubbish or beggars are visible. A city, where it is safe to walk the streets atany time.

Then on to the Indian market area where the smell of Easternspices, Tumeric and Oregano, Cinnamon and All Spice sent my nasal passages on apath to delirium. For a time I wastransported in my mind to India and all its culinary delights.

Then on to china Town, where a cacophony of sound and lightsgreeted me. All manner of Chinese restaurants awaited me, alluring andbeckoning me to enter and sample their delights. Such is the Singapore oftoday, a far cry from those days of my misspent youth.

There are many reasons why people choose cruising as amanner of travel. For some it is the reward for a lifetime of employment, or tocelebrate a special wedding anniversary, a birthday or just as a means to seethe world from a different perspective.

For me all of the above but also none of the above. Since anearly age the sea has held a fascination for me, I am happiest when by, in oron it. Not for me the baubles that many find of interest on a modern day ship.The Bingo, Triva mornings, and other day-to-day pastimes. I do however enjoythe fine dinning, good wine and some of the excellent shows and artists thatfrom time to time appear on stage.

But it is more the simple things of the ocean that I enjoythe most. To stand by the bow of the ship and gaze across at the curvature ofthe horizon, where the clear light blue sky meets with the deeper blue watersof the ocean in a gentle kiss.
To stand at the stern and watch the foam carpet thatstretches out like a giant serpent behind the ship, disappearing from view.
Or to see a maturing sun in the western sky, rays reachingout through a Mackerel sky like giant fingers, to gently stroke the tops ofwaves.
Or to stand on the open deck beneath the light of a fullmoon and stare at stars hanging like bunches of grapes, glistening as theywould after the rain.
These are the delights that for me are some of thehighlights of a cruise. At night on an open deck, the solitude, with only thesound of waves breaking over the bow, to witness the early morning sun as itonce again begins the day.
To see marine life in the form of Dolphins gaily parading alongsidein such a dance that can be seen in no other place. With luck maybe a whale, orsometimes flying fish. To feel the anger of the sea, when nature in all herfury tosses the ship as would a rag doll be tossed in a washing machine. Suchbeauty is sadly lost on so many who would see more beauty in a beer than thesenatural wonders.

Then one morning I was for a few moments transportedback to my youth. I stood before the pantry collecting rolls for the breakfast table. I was in the self service restaurant getting lunch when the galley door opened. From there wafted the smell of bread, the same smell I had encounteredall those years ago. The memory often plays tricks like this at the oddest of times.

[Captain Kong]

Excellent description John,
That is why I go every year, to remember the good days.

Singapore is really something, the finest City in the world. I go nearly every year and it is always changing, except for Raffles, I always go there for lunch.
Cheers Brian
Thanks for the Memories.

[Tony Morcom]

For other livers of Singapore there is an excellent website with many images of it as we remember HERE

[Peter Sharpe]

This thread title Cruise ships of today will have to be changed to Resort Ships Of Today as that is what they are now known as, what next.Has anybody else heard this new title being bandied around.
Regards.
Jim.B.

P&O still call them "Cruise" ships. I have never heard of them being called "Resort" ships. Which company calls them this?

Cheers
Peter

[Keith Moody]

VERY INTERESTING GROUP OF PHOTO`S, DURRING THE PERIOD OF 1963-1968 THE COMPANY I FLEW FOR HAD THE MOD CONTRACT FOR MOVING TROOPS AND FAMILIES TO AND FROM THE FAR EAST WITH SINGAPORE BEING ONE OF THE MAJOR STOPS ON OUR ROUTE SYSTEM, SO I SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME THERE, THOSE EARLIER PICTURES BOUGHT BACK A WHOLE LOT OF MEMORIES OF WHAT SINGAPORE WAS LIKE BEFORE PRESIDENT LEE TOOK OVER AND MODENISED THE PLACE. DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THAT BACK IN THE "50`s" THE AIRPORT USED TO BE ALMOST DOWNTOWN UNTIL IT WAS RE-BUILT FURTHER OUT?
A LOT OF OUR PILOTS WERE EX WARTIME PILOTS AND HAD BEEN IN PRISON IN CHANGI, NONE HAD A GOOD WORD FOR THE PLACE.
FOR THE MARINERS WHO LOVED SAILING SHIPS THERE WAS A LONG LINE OF THEIR WOODEN HULKS LINED UP ALONG THE EMBANKMENT WITH THEIR MASTS REACHING FOR THE SKY AND THE BOWSPRITS HANGING OVER THE PAVEMENT, IT IS A SIGHT I SAW AND WILL NEVER FORGET
IT WAS ALSO A GOOD STOP FOR SAILORS WITH MANY BARS AND GIRLS, REMEMBER THE TAXI DANCES?
SHOPPING WAS THE OTHER GREAT THING ABOUT SINGAPORE, YOU COULD BUY STUFF OUT THERE THAT PEOPLE IN ENGLAND ONLY DREAMED ABOUT OWNING.

KEITH MOODY
R635978

[Keith Tindell]

I was looking on the cruise ship review sites, never been on a cruise, but my golden anniversary rapidly approaching,and just browsing. On i think it was P&O site there was a complaint that the company recommends £3 per day per person tips. I know you can opt out, but the report said that there was a questionaire to be filled in on the performance of you steward and staff etc, and if they did not reach a certain percentage on the form for performance, then the tips were withheld, ie it is treated as a bonus. This to me seems a complete liberty, they are on a pittance of a wage, what right does the company have to with hold the tips?. Certainly making me rethink a cruise. KT

[Captain Kong]

Hi Keith,
a lot of cruise Lines you pay 13 dollars a day per person so that is 26 US Dollars a day for the two of you so on a three week cruise, that is a few bob. that is $536 = around £364 pounds. tips.
Sometimes I go to the Pursers Office and sign a form saying I do not want Tips taking from my account.
Last trip this year on Queen Elizabeth, the catering in the dining room was crap, the food was crap, the waiters , Eastern Eurpeans very surley , unhelpful and total rubbish. I was not paying them
My cabin steward was a Filipino, he was always cheerful, helpful and we had long conversations of the Filpines and seafaring and had a laugh, He was good, so He got a big dropsy.
The Bar Tenders get 15% of all the drinks.
Cheers
Brian.

[Keith Tindell]

Thanks for that Brian, the bit that gets me is that the company witholds it as a bonus. If you put a tip in the staff tin in a pub, you expect the staff to get it, probably on a xmas share out, but if the landlord held onto it as a bonus, i would expect big trouble. However the ways of the sea have always been different i suppose, regards KT