I was brought up in South Africa where my dad was a minister in Soweto. We returned to England in 1969. We couldn't afford to fly so we came by ship. The ship was one of the Union Castle Line and called the Edinburgh Castle.
I was only eleven but I remember very much enjoying the journey. But there weren't many passengers on board. I can't quite remember how many but I seem to think it was about a hundred. The voyage was three weeks long. My strongest memory is the breakfast in the dining room and being able to have scrambled eggs everyday!
I also remember having to anchor off Southampton for three days because the fog was so thick and we couldn't dock. The sound of the foghorns echoing through the channel remains with me to this day. I don't think fog is a problem to shipping any longer.
I returned from Kenya in 1964 on a Union Castle ship! We went from Mombasa to Tilbury docks in London, stopping at Cairo and Naples for excursions. There was a small swimming pool on one the decks. I remember being shocked by what London looked like, it was very grey the day we docked.
The trips from Africa weren't cruises - they were proper journeys.
My longest sea trip was c.1971 on a rather lovely Swedish Lloyd ferry from Tilbury to Gothenburg. We left at 4pm on Sunday and arrived early on Tuesday. The weather was gorgeous.
I like travelling by sea but I'm not in the slightest bit attracted by the big cruise ships.
I returned from Kenya in 1964 on a Union Castle ship! We went from Mombasa to Tilbury docks in London, stopping at Cairo and Naples for excursions. There was a small swimming pool on one the decks. I remember being shocked by what London looked like, it was very grey the day we docked.
Yes, I remember the swimming pool too. They lowered the deprh of the water for children in the afternoons. It was salty sea water in the pool.
When we crossed the equator there was a big party and ceremony involving green foam and people thrown in the pool.
I've looked it up and -
Crossing the equator on Union-Castle Line ships was a major celebratory event, featuring a theatrical "Crossing the Line" ceremony where passengers and crew were initiated by a costumed King Neptune and his court. Held near the ship's pool, first-timers were playfully judged, "shaved," and dunked, often receiving certificates, sweets, or enjoying deck parties and gala dinners afterwards
@Gramps49 thanks for the suggestion, but I prefer to spend my money on holidays that I know I'm going to enjoy. And aren't we getting off-topic? The question was 'would you want to live on a cruise ship', wasn't it?
We were '£10 Poms' and sailed to Australia in 1964 and returned in 1966. Not a pleasant voyage on the way back. Measles. Chickenpox. Ship's Fever. Days roiling and puking across the Bay of Biscay.
Wondering what the numbers branded on the arm of the Polish Jewish woman meant who shared the cabin with us.
Our mother having to barricade the door to keep amorous Italian sailors out. She'd separated from our Dad but he flew back a while later.
I remember our first day back in Blighty vividly. An uncle hired a car to drive us back to South Wales and everything so lush and green.
The trips from Africa weren't cruises - they were proper journeys.
My longest sea trip was c.1971 on a rather lovely Swedish Lloyd ferry from Tilbury to Gothenburg. We left at 4pm on Sunday and arrived early on Tuesday. The weather was gorgeous.
I like travelling by sea but I'm not in the slightest bit attracted by the big cruise ships.
Yes, I agree and it was a truly wonderful journey. Apart from when we hit the Bay of Biscay and I got very seasick. The idea of a modern day cruise ship holiday horrifies me, let alone the idea of living on one fulltime 😬
Of course there haven't been cabins available on Calmac sailings for a long time.
The worst night's (lack of) sleep I've ever had was on a CalMac ferry. We had booked a cabin, but this must have been at the time that they were removing the cabin ferries from service, because the ferry that turned up didn't have cabins - it just had lounges with reclining seats. None of us slept a wink, which was not great, because we arrived at Oban in the morning, and needed to drive across Scotland...
My beloved first cousin is a retired clergyperson. He was often employed (if that is the right word) as the resident priest/pastor on these sorts of cruises. He enjoyed it and of course it eked out his pension. He was though, he said, kept quite busy!
I had my third birthday on the boat going over and was five on the way back @boogie but can still remember a fair bit about it.
It was spooky visiting where we lived in Australia as although it had changed a great deal I still remembered and recognised some locations.
What was even spookier was that a friend's father had taken cine-film back in the mid-60s and lo and behold my twin brother, mother and father were on that as well as his family and other £10 Poms.
There is certainly a big difference between going on a cruise for a limited time and deciding to constantly live on one. I can (sort of) enjoy the former, but the latter fills me with horror.
Katrina Middleton and husband Kevin sold up and now live in luxury cabins on back-to-back cruises, working remotely from the ships
I have a question on this. When it says back-to-back, does that mean on the same ship or are they having to pack up and move from ship to ship every couple of weeks or so? If the latter, that is another back mark in my book. What a pain!
I won't link to the article as it has endless adverts. It was on Wales Online.
It looks like they are moving from ship to ship - in the Carribbean.
The couple are forced to stick to UK working hours, which can sometimes mean getting up at "silly o'clock" depending on which timezone they're in. Katrina says cruising actually works out cheaper for the couple than living back in the UK because they no longer have to worry about bills or petrol.
Katrina Middleton and husband Kevin sold up and now live in luxury cabins on back-to-back cruises, working remotely from the ships 🛳️
I couldn't do it. I'd miss the garden and the countryside and the dogs far too much - but could you??
Um...my in laws are doing this now, literally. I spent a week or two with them last summer in Japan, which was awesome; I'm very grateful for that perhaps once-in-a-lifetime experience.
It was kind of like living in a monastery of minor decadence. Free food, and quality! Free room. It was all very structured with limited entertainment, and a sampling of global cultures as you make stops at various ports. It all felt very swanky to me, like living in a hotel. I could imagine getting used to it, but I could also imagine finding it stifling to be in the same place for such an extended period of time. Also I was rather younger than most of the passengers and older than most of the staff, which felt a bit awkward. You'd have to be reasonably comfortable with your fellow passengers, though - left to my own devices (especially electronic) - I am very good at living like a hermit.
It would be like a spiritual discipline for me, with a lot of the same occupational hazards. I'm really not sure I could maintain it long term, but it's an interesting question.
Comments
I returned from Kenya in 1964 on a Union Castle ship! We went from Mombasa to Tilbury docks in London, stopping at Cairo and Naples for excursions. There was a small swimming pool on one the decks. I remember being shocked by what London looked like, it was very grey the day we docked.
My longest sea trip was c.1971 on a rather lovely Swedish Lloyd ferry from Tilbury to Gothenburg. We left at 4pm on Sunday and arrived early on Tuesday. The weather was gorgeous.
I like travelling by sea but I'm not in the slightest bit attracted by the big cruise ships.
Yes, I remember the swimming pool too. They lowered the deprh of the water for children in the afternoons. It was salty sea water in the pool.
When we crossed the equator there was a big party and ceremony involving green foam and people thrown in the pool.
I've looked it up and -
Wondering what the numbers branded on the arm of the Polish Jewish woman meant who shared the cabin with us.
Our mother having to barricade the door to keep amorous Italian sailors out. She'd separated from our Dad but he flew back a while later.
I remember our first day back in Blighty vividly. An uncle hired a car to drive us back to South Wales and everything so lush and green.
How old were you?
My OP was about a young-ish couple.
But treating a cruise ship like a retirement home is possible and increasingly popular.
I would still miss my garden and dogs too much.
Yes, I agree and it was a truly wonderful journey. Apart from when we hit the Bay of Biscay and I got very seasick. The idea of a modern day cruise ship holiday horrifies me, let alone the idea of living on one fulltime 😬
No to living on a cruise ship for me.
The worst night's (lack of) sleep I've ever had was on a CalMac ferry. We had booked a cabin, but this must have been at the time that they were removing the cabin ferries from service, because the ferry that turned up didn't have cabins - it just had lounges with reclining seats. None of us slept a wink, which was not great, because we arrived at Oban in the morning, and needed to drive across Scotland...
It was spooky visiting where we lived in Australia as although it had changed a great deal I still remembered and recognised some locations.
What was even spookier was that a friend's father had taken cine-film back in the mid-60s and lo and behold my twin brother, mother and father were on that as well as his family and other £10 Poms.
I have a question on this. When it says back-to-back, does that mean on the same ship or are they having to pack up and move from ship to ship every couple of weeks or so? If the latter, that is another back mark in my book. What a pain!
It looks like they are moving from ship to ship - in the Carribbean.
Um...my in laws are doing this now, literally. I spent a week or two with them last summer in Japan, which was awesome; I'm very grateful for that perhaps once-in-a-lifetime experience.
It was kind of like living in a monastery of minor decadence. Free food, and quality! Free room. It was all very structured with limited entertainment, and a sampling of global cultures as you make stops at various ports. It all felt very swanky to me, like living in a hotel. I could imagine getting used to it, but I could also imagine finding it stifling to be in the same place for such an extended period of time. Also I was rather younger than most of the passengers and older than most of the staff, which felt a bit awkward. You'd have to be reasonably comfortable with your fellow passengers, though - left to my own devices (especially electronic) - I am very good at living like a hermit.
It would be like a spiritual discipline for me, with a lot of the same occupational hazards. I'm really not sure I could maintain it long term, but it's an interesting question.