How is Dolly Smith?

Were they of "Dolly" or Mama Lou?

 

I think I remember him posting photos of Mama Lou on her scooter dressed in her own HAL Crew shirt, weighted down by all the name tags, and at least 1 crew member hugging her:)

 

Sadly, Mama Lou is now cruising the heavens:(

 

Joanie

Who you described is definitely Mama Lou. Happy to have met her. Such an incredible lady. <3

Here is a picture of a Dolly from the HAL blog as she boarded Grand Asia on October 1, 2018. Still looking good!

 

Also shown Hotel Director Henk, Mariner Society director Gerald, Dolly, CAPT Fred and CD Hamish

 

Hal blog is here https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/destinations/asia-pacific/bon-voyage-to-the-grand-asia-and-pacific-guests/

Probably 2017. :D

Dolly is alive and well. I am on the world cruise on the Amsterdam at the moment and she's here too. Feisty and funny as ever.

I just looked at the blog and found out they paint a special logo on the front of the ship for the Grand Voyages! We leave Monday March 12 on the Prinsendam Africa and Mediterranean Grand Voyage and I will be looking for that logo on the front of the Elegant Explorer. Too bad we leave at 8 pm since my SIL and BIL always like to watch us sail from Fort Lauderdale and it might be too dark to see!

Dolly should be on Amsterdam and the 2018 GWV as we speak. Will confirm very soon

Dolly should be on Amsterdam and the 2018 GWV as we speak. Will confirm very soon

Is she the marvelous lady you introduced us to, on board the Amsterdam?

Is she the marvelous lady you introduced us to, on board the Amsterdam?

Yes Phil, she is, and still sharp as a tack!

We had a large group of Grand Asia folks with us on Oosterdam last September heading to San Diego to board Amsterdam. Was Dolly with us?

We had a large group of Grand Asia folks with us on Oosterdam last September heading to San Diego to board Amsterdam. Was Dolly with us?

Nope Frank; Dolly was not on Oostie with us that voyage

Yes Phil, she is, and still sharp as a tack!

Yes, she can be quite sharp ;p.

Yes, she can be quite sharp ;p.

CD Gene Young related at the Mariners award ceremony when he asked Dolly how many days she had sailed with HAL, she impishly snapped" none of your damn business".

I remember her also sitting alone with her glass of white wine every day for lunch at the Lido bar on one of our cruises - must have been Amsterdam Tales of the South Pacific, when Gene was the exceptional CD.

Yes Phil, she is, and still sharp as a tack!

Thought so, thanks for your reply.

You must soon be due to fly to Singapore.

Famous "Dolly story"

When she was about thirteen, me thinks in the late thirties, she and a girlfriend of the same age hitch-hiked from Santa Monica in L.A. County, her home at the time, to San Francisco. Upon arrival there, they made their way onto a Matson liner, "just stayed on board" when it was time for visitors to leave the ship, and sailed all the way to Honolulu, Hi. It wasn't upon arrival there that her father was notified where his little darling was

Here's Dolly on 04 Jan 2018, just prior to embarking on "her" Amsterdam on this year's Grand World Voyage

Dolly last night, March 20, 2020 on the Amsterdam,  She joked that she was going to hide out in crew quarters as we left the ship, terminating the grand world voyage in Fremantle. 

12 minutes ago, Captain Ricky said:

Dolly last night, March 20, 2020 on the Amsterdam,  She joked that she was going to hide out in crew quarters as we left the ship, terminating the grand world voyage in Fremantle. 

God bless her!! I was just telling my husband about her and wondered if she was still sailing!!

YOU GO GIRL 👍

Dolly is such an inspiration to all!

WOW 

Denise😊

On 3/6/2018 at 1:37 AM, OlsSalt said:

 

CD Gene Young related at the Mariners award ceremony when he asked Dolly how many days she had sailed with HAL, she impishly snapped" none of your damn business".

 

I remember her also sitting alone with her glass of white wine every day for lunch at the Lido bar on one of our cruises - must have been Amsterdam Tales of the South Pacific, when Gene was the exceptional CD.

On the world cruise just now ending she still has sat near the Lido bar for a late lunch, usually with a glass of wine, and plenty of stop-by chats with crew and passengers. She also was a regular in the piano bar when Diane was performing. A rousing rendition of Hello Dolly on Diane's last night.

21 hours ago, Captain Ricky said:

Dolly last night, March 20, 2020 on the Amsterdam,  She joked that she was going to hide out in crew quarters as we left the ship, terminating the grand world voyage in Fremantle. 

39 minutes ago, WriterOnDeck said:

On the world cruise just now ending she still has sat near the Lido bar for a late lunch, usually with a glass of wine, and plenty of stop-by chats with crew and passengers. She also was a regular in the piano bar when Diane was performing. A rousing rendition of Hello Dolly on Diane's last night.

Captain Ricky and Writer on Deck- I have enjoyed your WC blogs, many thanks for sharing your adventure. Hope your travels home go off without a hitch. 

Working on some final thoughts, probably two or three more posts for this cruise.  

Word has it that Dolly is being escorted to Oregon by one of the Adagio members from the ship.  The other Adagio member is escorting Mrs. Jones home.  They seemed like very nice young men and they played beautifully.
 

Linda R.

On 3/5/2018 at 1:12 AM, Copper10-8 said:

 

Nope Frank; Dolly was not on Oostie with us that voyage

I thought that Dolly Smith might have been on our 2018 Grand Asia.  Was that possible? She was always accompanied by a female companion, and would usually see her (or some woman who looked like her) in the Lido at lunch.

Dolly has certainly taken that cruise in the past, so could have taken it again. But onboard she rarely travels around the ship with anyone. This WC she was supposed to have a crew member with her whenever she left the cabin, but didn't always. Last year I did see her accompanied by a crew member, but did also see her walking around alone, too. 

30 minutes ago, RuthC said:

Dolly has certainly taken that cruise in the past, so could have taken it again. But onboard she rarely travels around the ship with anyone. This WC she was supposed to have a crew member with her whenever she left the cabin, but didn't always. Last year I did see her accompanied by a crew member, but did also see her walking around alone, too. 

Why?  Is she that frail that she needs a crew member's assistance?

4 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Why?  Is she that frail that she needs a crew member's assistance?

She certainly has failed quite a bit since we were roomies on the Voyage of the Vikings way back when. She was no spring chicken then, and it was 17 years ago! 

Just now, RuthC said:

She certainly has failed quite a bit since we were roomies on the Voyage of the Vikings way back when. She was no spring chicken then, and it was 17 years ago! 

Holy cow!! She's nearing 100!

2 minutes ago, RuthC said:

She certainly has failed quite a bit since we were roomies on the Voyage of the Vikings way back when. She was no spring chicken then, and it was 17 years ago! 

I just have to admire her determination to keep on cruising.  I am many years less than her senior status and am finding traveling increasingly challenging.  

God gave all of us different bodies.  He/she gave Dolly a truly "traveling body" until I call you home.