I was 10 when Generations came out. This was way before internet spoilers were around. I had no idea the ship would be destroyed, so when that whole sequence with the Klingons began, it kind of took my breath away sitting in that chair. First the stardrive section exploded and I remember thinking, wait, it's gone!? The part that always gets me is when everything comes to halt and Riker looks up at the sky through the bubble window at the top of the bridge. That, in combination with the music at that moment, always gets to me even to this day.
Gene always said the Enterprise was a character like any other, and loosing the E-D still gets to me when I re-watch the movie.