Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

When was your 1st hal cruise??

George C

By George C,
in Holland America Line

 Share

Recommended Posts

cruisemom42 Great Review Rare

cruisemom42

Posted
Posted (edited)
So long ago do not remember ship.

 

Was either Ninadam, Pintodam or Santa Mariadam, 1492 :D

 

Chris was a difficult Captain to work with !

 

Ah yes, I was part of that sailing -- the golden age of cruising. The days before the great decline in food and service. I have to say still miss those tableside presentations of hardtack and wormy biscuits. The Spanish wines on offer were tasty, though somewhat lacking in variety and subtlety....

 

Of course, there was only one suite and Captain Chris and his officers insisted on taking it for their own use! Still, it was pleasant to lie on the (pitching) deck, wrapped in a blanket and sleep looking at the stars. Unless it was raining.

 

Since it was an inaugural voyage, there were a few things that could have gone more smoothly. The maitre'd shared with me that the ship did not receive the fine china for meal service in time for the sailing, but the improvised wooden trenchers provided a piquant touch in the MDR.

 

I felt the entertainment was a bit lacking -- I do enjoy a good crew show, but the daily sea chanties and dirges, accompanied only by a flute and drum (cutbacks again on the number of live musicians?) wore thin after a few days.

 

Also, what is with the crew uniforms -- short pants, a (somewhat grimy) white shirt and NO shoes...! I guess we all have to adjust to modern times and the dropping of standards.

 

All in all, it was an interesting experience; not sure I'd take a TA on one of these ships again. There were definitely areas of the ship that had problems with plumbing and A/C throughout the entire trip.

Edited by cruisemom42
Link to comment
Share on other sites
RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted
Ah yes, I was part of that sailing -- the golden age of cruising. The days before the great decline in food and service. I have to say still miss those tableside presentations of hardtack and wormy biscuits. The Spanish wines on offer were tasty, though somewhat lacking in variety and subtlety....

 

Of course, there was only one suite and Captain Chris and his officers insisted on taking it for their own use! Still, it was pleasant to lie on the (pitching) deck, wrapped in a blanket and sleep looking at the stars. Unless it was raining.

 

Since it was an inaugural voyage, there were a few things that could have gone more smoothly. The maitre'd shared with me that the ship did not receive the fine china for meal service in time for the sailing, but the improvised wooden trenchers provided a piquant touch in the MDR.

 

I felt the entertainment was a bit lacking -- I do enjoy a good crew show, but the daily sea chanties and dirges, accompanied only by a flute and drum (cutbacks again on the number of live musicians?) wore thin after a few days.

 

Also, what is with the crew uniforms -- short pants, a (somewhat grimy) white shirt and NO shoes...! I guess we all have to adjust to modern times and the dropping of standards.

 

All in all, it was an interesting experience; not sure I'd take a TA on one of these ships again. There were definitely areas of the ship that had problems with plumbing and A/C throughout the entire trip.

Applause! Applause!

Simply brilliant.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
G&G

G&G

Posted
Posted
Ah yes, I was part of that sailing -- the golden age of cruising. The days before the great decline in food and service. I have to say still miss those tableside presentations of hardtack and wormy biscuits. The Spanish wines on offer were tasty, though somewhat lacking in variety and subtlety....

 

Of course, there was only one suite and Captain Chris and his officers insisted on taking it for their own use! Still, it was pleasant to lie on the (pitching) deck, wrapped in a blanket and sleep looking at the stars. Unless it was raining.

 

Since it was an inaugural voyage, there were a few things that could have gone more smoothly. The maitre'd shared with me that the ship did not receive the fine china for meal service in time for the sailing, but the improvised wooden trenchers provided a piquant touch in the MDR.

 

I felt the entertainment was a bit lacking -- I do enjoy a good crew show, but the daily sea chanties and dirges, accompanied only by a flute and drum (cutbacks again on the number of live musicians?) wore thin after a few days.

 

Also, what is with the crew uniforms -- short pants, a (somewhat grimy) white shirt and NO shoes...! I guess we all have to adjust to modern times and the dropping of standards.

 

All in all, it was an interesting experience; not sure I'd take a TA on one of these ships again. There were definitely areas of the ship that had problems with plumbing and A/C throughout the entire trip.

 

Great review but I don't think you were on this cruise.

 

You did not attend the Meet & Greet !

Link to comment
Share on other sites
George C

George C

Posted
  • Author
Posted
We did Nieuw Amsterdam New Years 88-89. That is also the cruise that we got engaged on & I bought the engagement ring in St Thoms.

Allan & Marlane

 

I also got engaged and bought engagement ring there in 1990, but on another ship, Imperial jeweler , my wife still loves that store.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Vict0riann "Live from...." Rare

Vict0riann

Posted
Posted (edited)

Our first HAL cruise was in 1994, on the then MS Noordam to Alaska. Strangely enough, I was just going through my photos and found this of Noordam in Ketchikan.

 

We saw her again from the Westerdam in the Baltic, under a different name. She seemed so small.

 

a1480e4b645194e0853b395c97b2b199.jpg

Edited by Vict0riann
Link to comment
Share on other sites
casamariposa

casamariposa

Posted
Posted
Ah yes, I was part of that sailing -- the golden age of cruising. The days before the great decline in food and service. I have to say still miss those tableside presentations of hardtack and wormy biscuits. The Spanish wines on offer were tasty, though somewhat lacking in variety and subtlety....

 

Of course, there was only one suite and Captain Chris and his officers insisted on taking it for their own use! Still, it was pleasant to lie on the (pitching) deck, wrapped in a blanket and sleep looking at the stars. Unless it was raining.

 

Since it was an inaugural voyage, there were a few things that could have gone more smoothly. The maitre'd shared with me that the ship did not receive the fine china for meal service in time for the sailing, but the improvised wooden trenchers provided a piquant touch in the MDR.

 

I felt the entertainment was a bit lacking -- I do enjoy a good crew show, but the daily sea chanties and dirges, accompanied only by a flute and drum (cutbacks again on the number of live musicians?) wore thin after a few days.

 

Also, what is with the crew uniforms -- short pants, a (somewhat grimy) white shirt and NO shoes...! I guess we all have to adjust to modern times and the dropping of standards.

 

All in all, it was an interesting experience; not sure I'd take a TA on one of these ships again. There were definitely areas of the ship that had problems with plumbing and A/C throughout the entire trip.

 

Who was the cruise director?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cruisemom42 Great Review Rare

cruisemom42

Posted
Posted
Great review but I don't think you were on this cruise.

 

You did not attend the Meet & Greet !

 

Well, you know, I sort of just "lurked" on the roll call because I didn't want to participate in all the crazy activities you guys planned -- I'm not really a "walk the plank" type, and the "cabin crawl/clean the bilges" event didn't appeal to me either.

 

Unfortunately, I was busy at the time of the meet and greet -- I had to go down to the naughty room because they found the small cask of spirits hidden in my trunk. :mad: Wouldn't give it back til the end of the cruise....

 

Who was the cruise director?

 

Honestly, I think the guy was a bit of a crook. Literally. He told a friend of mine that he was a convicted felon back in Spain but they'd commute his sentence (death by hanging) if he agreed to work this cruise. If I had to hear one more joke from him about whether his cabin was smaller than his jail cell, I'd have tossed him overboard myself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dogo88 Holiday Sharing Rare

dogo88

Posted
Posted
I did the Rotterdam in 1977 7 day cruise out of NYC to both Bermuda and Nassau, great great cruise, cost was 600 for a single room, have cruised every year since, Heinekens were 75 cents.

 

We did our first on the Rotterdam in Sept 1978 out of NYC for our honeymoon. Had to outrace/bypass a hurricane. So instead of NYC to Bermuda then to Nassau. They did Nassau first. Still was a bouncing rough ride that first night. Many were sick. Entertainers on the stage were sliding through their acts while sitting on stools.

 

We had a aft inside cabin. The engines were loud and noisy trying to outrace the storm. But we had a great time. Ended up going through a hurricane a few years later on a different line. Made this first trip seem like the Circle Line.

 

Dan

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shrimp56

shrimp56

Posted
Posted (edited)

My first cruise on a Holland America ship as part of the Holland America Line was August 2012 Alaska RT from Vancouver. And we've never looked back.

 

My odd phrasing above is be cause first Holland America SHIP was Statendam IV after she had been sold to Paquet Cruises. Again it was Alaska RT from Vancouver since the ship carried a Glacier Bay permit with it. A lot of the ship's design remained. Our cabin looked very much like this one, with batik curtains.

 

SS-Statendam-twin.jpg

 

The best part was the beautiful indoor pool made of blue, green and gold mosaic tiles. It was stunning, but seldom used. It took me 31 one years to get back on a dam ship and Im dam happy we did!

Edited by shrimp56
Link to comment
Share on other sites
DocF

DocF

Posted
Posted

Looking forward to our first (see below). We have always cruised on Carnival and enjoyed ourselves. The ports we want to visit on on this cruise, the price is right and I have always admired HAL. I feel certain we will have a great cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rkacruiser

rkacruiser

Posted
Posted

Rotterdam V in July, 1970 from New York: 11 day cruise to Bermuda, San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Lucia, St. Barts, and St. Maarten. All European/Dutch crew; draft Heineken was 10 cents a glass.

 

Second cruise was Rotterdam V from New York: 9 day cruise to the same ports except St. Barts and St. Lucia. The changeover of crew nationality had started at that time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shrimp56

shrimp56

Posted
Posted
My first cruise on a Holland America ship as part of the Holland America Line was August 2012 Alaska RT from Vancouver. And we've never looked back.

 

My odd phrasing above is be cause first Holland America SHIP was Statendam IV after she had been sold to Paquet Cruises. Again it was Alaska RT from Vancouver since the ship carried a Glacier Bay permit with it. A lot of the ship's design remained. Our cabin looked very much like this one, with batik curtains.

 

SS-Statendam-twin.jpg

 

The best part was the beautiful indoor pool made of blue, green and gold mosaic tiles. It was stunning, but seldom used. It took me 31 one years to get back on a dam ship and I'm dam happy we did!

What I neglected to include was the name of that first Dam ship. It was ms Volendam, with rock star Captain Bos at the helm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
maxie99

maxie99

Posted
Posted (edited)
So long ago do not remember ship.

 

Was either Ninadam, Pintodam or Santa Mariadam, 1492 :D

 

Chris was a difficult Captain to work with !

 

-:- you made me smile--

Edited by maxie99
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...