Single Adults, 55 and older

In 1968, I boarded a cruise ship out of the Port of New York, called, “The Queen Anna Maria” It was later called, “Carnival Mardi Gras”, the first Carnival cruise ship.

The experience was quite different, in those early days. The food while good, wasn’t exotic, the choices were not like today and the services aboard were fewer. I believe we sailed to the Eastern Caribbean.

Queen Anna Maria

I had my own cabin then, as there were no additional charges for a single cabin. I really enjoyed the cruise, itself and couldn’t wait for another opportunity in the future. I then sailed the “Empress of Canada” which later became Carnival’s second ship, “The Carnivale”. Again similar ship but sailing to Bermuda.

Empress of Canada

A few years later, in 1978, I shared a cabin with three other young men in what was called, a “Quad” share. This was a seven-night cruise, sailing out of the Port of Miami. The three others were total strangers and this was my very first Singles “Theme” cruise. The price was only $299.00 for the 7 nights. Port and service fees were a nominal $50.00 additional. Up to that time, I found that when I went aboard a cruise ship, I was one of the only singles aboard.

One of the four young men was from Pensacola, Florida. His name was Don. His mother, Joyce was a very experienced travel agent who had an office in a small mall in Pensacola called, “A Traveler’s World”.

She booked a group of 40 passengers on this cruise and, I found out later, she sailed for free. She enjoyed her own cabin and, in my opinion, I thought that was quite a nice deal.

Don who was going to school to become a mechanic of cars, trucks and boats. (Later Don moved to West Palm Beach and rented jet skis to a lady who paid with an American Express Platinum card .. her name was Marla Maples. The name on the card was “Donald J. Trump”!)

It was Joyce who offered me the opportunity to organize a group to sail on a ship and she would not only split the commission, but she would give me the free cabin which she normally earned. I jumped on that opportunity and advertised in newspapers in certain seaside cities, including Plymouth, Massachusetts, Atlantic City, New Jersey and Georgetown, South Carolina.

Joyce Umphlett, “A Traveler’s World”

My first group was from Georgetown, South Carolina, where I got a call from a woman who owned a furniture store. Her name was Donna. She was quite well known in that area and she was the one who organized other activities for groups of folks, old and young. She asked me if I could get her competitive rates for her group and I told her I would not only get her the best ‘group’ rates, I offered her a free cabin for so many cabins booked.

Donna and I worked together and she became my number one sub-agent for group bookings.

Being a cruise agent during the infancy of C.L.I.A. (Cruise Lines International Association), started to take up much of my time during the period from 1992 to 2001. At one time, I was awarded a plaque for $250,000.00 in bookings over a one year period from the world leader in Cruise Agencies, “Cruise One” from Coral Springs, Florida.

My theme for cruises, “Singles Over age 55”. was different than most and, after a few years mine became a theme leader with this particular one. In 1995, I left New Jersey to live in Coral Springs, Florida.

I worked with a lady from Marco Island, Florida named, “Debbie” who also had the same theme. She called her agency, “Discount Cruises”. Mine was, “Singles Adventure Tours”. We teamed up in 1996 to book a “Singles Mardi Gras Theme Cruise” which sailed from New Orleans, Louisiana. This was via “Commodore Cruise Lines”.

The next year, Debbie and I, together, filled an entire cruise ship for a two week, “Mardi Gras, then Cruise package” for singles. The first week included a hotel package with all meals and then aboard the “Enchanted Isle” ship, visiting the Western Caribbean for the final seven nights. Of the singles aboard we had seven couples later get engaged and all were married soon afterward. We offered “Singles Shares” and together, we filled the ship with a total of 262 cabins.

I still keep in touch with one gentleman from Georgetown, a friend of Donna, named Rick, who is still very happily married to a lady who he met aboard that same cruise.

This was another wonderful “trip” which I had during my life of many occupations! I haven’t taken a cruise in a few years now and sure, I miss it terribly. But there will be other times when I will be back aboard a ship and I will have memories of so many times aboard other ships and other itineraries.