Crossing the Equator

Thanks for the replies. One of the itineraries I am perusing crosses the equator on the way to New Zealand but in HAL's detailed itinerary it is never mentioned as crossing the equator..the other one is a south pacific itinerary and it mentioned in the detail crossing the equator at least 2 or 3 times which is why I asked . I guess on board the ship that they would at least make note of crossing it even if they did not do a ceremony on the itinerary that does not detail that.

I would think you only get the certificate the first time?

We gotten a certificate every time (on multiple cruise lines) which quickly find their way to our trash can along with all the art auction and jewelry sale stuff. But as has been posted, the first time is special for many folks.

Hank

Strange, we did a crossing at the Prime Meridian on the Prinsendam 5 Apr 2008 and am now an official "Royal Diamond Shellback" . Wonder why the different names. Any way it was a ceremony, brings back good memories.

Allan

I think the title is different depending on what nationality the captain happens to be. Captain Jonathan Mercer is English and the Royal Navy calls it one thing, the US Navy calls it something else, and who knows what the Dutch call it. Anyway, our certificates were a little more fancy than what I've received in the past and it says we are Emerald Shellbacks. We crossed at about 11:30 at night and there was a pajama party in the Crow's Nest to mark the occasion. The King Neptune ceremony came the next day.

Well, I hate to be a Debbie Downer here, and I hope what I have to report turns out not to be true.

I was on the Zaandam in March, heading up the west coast of South America on a segment from San Antonio (Santiago) to Fort Lauderdale. I asked Nathan Hinajosa, the cruise director, about plans for the King Neptune ceremony when we got to Ecuador and the crossing of the equator. Nathan said that there would be no ceremony, and the activity is being cancelled across the entire HAL fleet.

Indeed, there was no ceremony on the Zaandam. Would like to hear if other ships had one since our equator crossing in late March 2018.

Well, I hate to be a Debbie Downer here, and I hope what I have to report turns out not to be true.

 

I was on the Zaandam in March, heading up the west coast of South America on a segment from San Antonio (Santiago) to Fort Lauderdale. I asked Nathan Hinajosa, the cruise director, about plans for the King Neptune ceremony when we got to Ecuador and the crossing of the equator. Nathan said that there would be no ceremony, and the activity is being cancelled across the entire HAL fleet.

 

I hope that turns out not to be true. The line-crossing ceremony is such a storied, naval tradition...

Well, I hate to be a Debbie Downer here, and I hope what I have to report turns out not to be true.

 

I was on the Zaandam in March, heading up the west coast of South America on a segment from San Antonio (Santiago) to Fort Lauderdale. I asked Nathan Hinajosa, the cruise director, about plans for the King Neptune ceremony when we got to Ecuador and the crossing of the equator. Nathan said that there would be no ceremony, and the activity is being cancelled across the entire HAL fleet.

 

Indeed, there was no ceremony on the Zaandam. Would like to hear if other ships had one since our equator crossing in late March 2018.

I also hope this is not true. To answer your request, we had the ceremony on Maasdam in April this year, on the Hawaii, Tahiti and Marquesas cruise. Here are links to the pages from my review in which I talk about it:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=56030019&postcount=19

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=56030066&postcount=20

Dave

on the King Neptune Ceremony in late April on our 40 day transpacific on Noordam......now it is bedlam.....they tell everyone who wants to participate (after pre registering) come to the Lido Pool.....it was a madhouse. hundreds of people had pre-registered as instructed by the CD on the previous day. "ceremony" was get crowded around the pool and 6 or so at a time jump in swim the pool and they had a huge Tuna for you to kiss upon completion. That did not last as it would have taken hours so just said go for it and of course the ship photogs were at the fish to get a quick $20 photo for you.....the crowds of swimmers and onlookers was pushing and was simply the worst run and organized event I have ever seen on HAL and since we have sailed only HAL since 1980's that is something to say. They should have had a better way of doing this.....what a disappointing experience!

on the King Neptune Ceremony in late April on our 40 day transpacific on Noordam......now it is bedlam.....they tell everyone who wants to participate (after pre registering) come to the Lido Pool.....it was a madhouse. hundreds of people had pre-registered as instructed by the CD on the previous day. "ceremony" was get crowded around the pool and 6 or so at a time jump in swim the pool and they had a huge Tuna for you to kiss upon completion. That did not last as it would have taken hours so just said go for it and of course the ship photogs were at the fish to get a quick $20 photo for you.....the crowds of swimmers and onlookers was pushing and was simply the worst run and organized event I have ever seen on HAL and since we have sailed only HAL since 1980's that is something to say. They should have had a better way of doing this.....what a disappointing experience!

We were on the same cruise. I do not recall any notices telling people to preregister the day before, but rather to register at the pool prior to the swim as we did. If there were "hundreds of people", they did not show up until well after the sign up time. Yes, there was the typical crowding of people who chose not to follow directions and of course the staff would never offend any of the rule breakers. I was surprised and glad that we and so many other passengers got to be active participants in a ceremony that we thought we would only be spectators. Actually, I thought the two lines of swimmers were quite organized. I was disappointed that we did not get cruise logs for the New Zealand segment and only a make shift log for the final leg, but I was not disappointed with the King Neptune ceremony.