When was your 1st hal cruise??

[serendipity1499]

Or first HAL cruise was for 10 days on the "Ryndam" to the Southern Carib. in Oct. 1998, with our Sailing club.. We booked our first Outside cabin, on that cruise, as we had insides on another line prior to that.. So much enjoyed looking out that window, that we never booked another inside after that..:)

[casamariposa]

August 1976. ss Veendam (formerly Moore-McCormick's "Argentina"). 16 days R/T New York to the Caribbean. Ordinarily we would have avoided being close to a hurricane, but we had to get in it to drop off the Dutch Consul's wife who was seven months pregnant in St. Marten! It was a harrowing ordeal getting her off the ship with the tenders smashing against the hull, but the wonderful crew did it. Of course we high-tailed it out of there after getting her ashore and got into Bermuda a half-day early.

[ctcruisedream]

March 2007 on the Noordam to the southern Caribbean out of Manhattan! I wish they would bring that itinerary back!

[WScruiser]

First time was the Zuiderdam in September, 2003 - 7 day to the Caribbean. We were immediately hooked on HAL.

Edited August 13, 2015 by WScruiser

[summer slope]

Correction to my post. It was the Zuiderdam.

[kftw]

First was 1985 on the Volemdam (which I sailed later as one of the Commodore ships). Tiny cabin with porthole. Rough weather made it look like we were in a washing machine.

[elusive_23]

October 3rd 2009

14 day Black Sea Explorer and Ancient Egypt on the Rotterdam!

[Alberta Quilter]

Mine was on the Zuiderdam in 2006. A three day cruise from Vancouver to Skagway to see if I could handle the seas due to an issue with motion sickness. Even though we sailed the supposedly calm waters of the Inside Passage, it was one of the roughest cruises I've ever had. But armed with seabands, I didn't get sick and have been happily cruising ever since!

[Ray in NH]

My first HAL cruise was December 1993, the current Maasdam's Christening and Inaugural Cruise.

 

Of course, not to be outdone, my Dear Wife's first HAL cruise was aboard SS Rotterdam in May, 1974 (out of NYC).

[RuthC]

We may have been right behind you. Our first was Statendam to Bermuda, July 1978. And it started an addiction for us, too.

 

I don't remember the cost, but it was a tiny inside upper/lower.

Mine, too, was a tiny inside with an upper/lower berth. It was one of those old, thin mattresses placed on the plywood platform. Hard as a rock.

I do remember the price---I paid $700 for it, which was double due to the single supplement.

[CJcruzer]

August 2005, Veendam to Alaska....... so far the Veendam is also my most recent sailing with HAL - May 2015 to Bermuda

Edited August 13, 2015 by CJcruzer

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

1978 on the old Prinsendam Alaska RT from Vancouver and not again until 2005 on the Ryndam Sea of Cortez.

Edited August 13, 2015 by SJSULIBRARIAN

[Cruising-along]

October 3rd 2009

14 day Black Sea Explorer and Ancient Egypt on the Rotterdam!

 

Good choice! That was our 2nd cruise in 2006. :D Still my favorite cruise to date.

[ellieanne]

1998 10-day Canada/New England, Montreal to New York. I evacuated the approaching Hurricane Georges only to sail through the remnants as it came off the East Coast.

Edited August 13, 2015 by ellieanne

[DeeniEncinitas]

Ryndam 2008 Sea of Cortez!!!

What a wonderful experience!

Denise :)

[dockman]

About 1972...can't remember which ship but do remember Heinkens were 25 cents.

[momatibm]

1988 - for our 20th Anniversary -- Rotterdam V. Inside cabin about $900 total for the cabin.

 

Only HAL since then.

[Topsham]

We sailed the old Volendam to Bermuda in 1982. IIRC, that was the year one ship did Sat-Sat and the other did Wed-Wed.

 

It broke my heart when HAL gave up the NYC berth. We sailed to Bermuda on NCL and Cunard several times after that. We were so happy when HAL brought back the NY/Bermuda run. Now it's Boston, which is still easily doable for us. But no early morning sail past the Statue of Liberty.

 

 

 

I went out again on the VEENDAM and VOLENDAM... as BERMUDA STAR and QUEEN OF BERMUDA. Good solid ships but Bermuda Star Line was not quite as HAL... but never, mind... still good cruises.

 

Well, 2016 VEENDAM is back again ... just 4 cruises. Better than nothing!

 

Stephen

[3rdGenCunarder]

I went out again on the VEENDAM and VOLENDAM... as BERMUDA STAR and QUEEN OF BERMUDA. Good solid ships but Bermuda Star Line was not quite as HAL... but never, mind... still good cruises.

 

Well, 2016 VEENDAM is back again ... just 4 cruises. Better than nothing!

 

Stephen

 

Tempting. I love being able to dock in Hamilton. Wish she could fit into St Georges.

 

I thought it was sweet that the two ships went through much (all?) of their lives as sisters, Argentina & Brazil, then with HAL, then with Bermuda Star.

[sppunk]

Westerdam, May 2008, Alaska via Seattle

[PathfinderEss]

Alaska, August 1995 on the Ms Ryndam.

[oaktreerb]

Alaska August 2005 Ryndam Rm 373 , 10/11 day cruise tour (first of many)

Vancouver

Ketchikan

Juneau

Sitka

Glacier Bay

College Fjord

Seward

Anchorage

Denali

Fairbanks

Edited August 13, 2015 by oaktreerb

[kalliekae]

1995. A Thanksgiving cruise with the kids on the Noordam in a cheap cabin that essentially had bunk beds. Loved the cruise, disliked the cabin.

[George C]

I went out again on the VEENDAM and VOLENDAM... as BERMUDA STAR and QUEEN OF BERMUDA. Good solid ships but Bermuda Star Line was not quite as HAL... but never, mind... still good cruises.

 

Well, 2016 VEENDAM is back again ... just 4 cruises. Better than nothing!

 

Stephen

 

Does anyone remember when Hal had several ships in Bermuda in 70's and 80's and you could go for a drink on one of the other Hal ships.

[maxie99]

_:)_ mine was the wonderful Rotterdam in 1988 -- with my mom and brother, it was my second cruise , and it blew me away,, it was the staff,-- the bartenders, MDR staff, and even the other pass. -- good memories, even to this day

Edited August 13, 2015 by maxie99