Is Holland america for Old People ?

[jewopaho]

Very cute reply, "veteran cruiser"; how many of your cruises were on those two lines?

Seven on Celebrity (and we definitely consider cruising with them when planning our vacations), one on HAL (which was enough to validate my contention and the general perception of the cruise line).

 

Al

[babyher]

JMO, of course, but the way 'old people' is used in threads of this sort, as a senior citizen the message I am 'hearing' is lack of respect or wish to associate with seniors. In some societies, elders and the knowledge they have accumulated is valued, not avoided.

 

We were barely 40 when we started cruising HAL and here I am all these years later and undoubtedly I have learned a little something along the way. :) We never considered the fact there were a number of seniors around us. If they were interesting people, we enjoyed them. If they weren't no matter...... we weren't taking them home with us.

 

Oh well.......

 

 

 

 

Having 4 kids in their 20s and working with a lot of people in the same age group. I sort of understand what some of them might mean.

 

Its not always the "age" in numbers , but the attitude and outlook.

 

The young folks don't want to hear about "In my day we walked to school 10 miles uphill each way with no shoes " Heck I didn't want to hear it when I was a kid (I am 52) :)

 

There are "cool" old people and "Uncool" old people *LOL*

 

 

From what I hear I am a "Cool' older person *LOL* So they tell me :)

 

Having 4 20 somethings in my life, I am a little more up on the current scene. Its not my scene , but I am a little more up on it than some others my age at work. I guess that makes me cool *LOL*

 

 

 

My kid's grandmothers are roughly the same age . My mom (the model for Sophia on The Golden Girls *LOL*) is the cool grandmother. She watches Game of Thrones , and Breaking Bad *LOL*

 

 

Their other grandmother hasn't liked a television show since Ed Sullivan and Arthur Godfrey. . She constantly tells stories to the kids that first you have to give a history lesson , so they know what the heck she meant by that . LOL Every things my kids assay and do gets met with "When I was your age my mother would have killed me if I said that" or "we would never say/wear/do that when I was a girl.

 

Which old person would most younger people want to hang around with.

[Aquahound]

I think we each get to decide for ourselves what we find offensive. It is not for someone else to tell us what we should think of statements we read/hear. Individual experience and reaction and all that. ;)

 

Ok. Be offended then. It's going to stop me from answering a question truthfully.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Aquahound

[Karysa]

Does HAL offer anytime dining or is all by set times and set table mates?

[Aquahound]

Does HAL offer anytime dining or is all by set times and set table mates?

 

Yes, HAL does have an anytime option. HAL calls it "As You Wish."

[grand isle joe]

......old people?.......let's just say the cut off age to participate in the "kids' club" activities is 45 years old..........enough said...................:eek:

[navybankerteacher]

My father always taught me that respect was something that had to be earned. Some of my absolute favorite people I have had in my life were seniors. They earned my respect and I very much hope that I earned theirs.

 

My father used to say that each new generation was a new invasion of barbarians - who needed to be civilized before they were permitted to take over. While harsh, there was some truth - and interaction between generations is valuable to each

 

Children are the future of mankind and I would think that seniors would want to get to know those who will be the future leaders and educators and scientists but if you read these boards those past child rearing ages seem to want to avoid ships that attract "hordes" of kids. So this argument could go both ways.:)

 

 

And seniors are those who are passing along the future of mankind - so those parent in the middle should still be seen as capable of learning from their predecessors as they rear their children - and if they emphasize avoiding ships which attract "hordes" of geezers, they are teaching their children that they will soon be disposable.

 

The argument actually goes more ways than two.

[navybankerteacher]

Karysa -- Sorry for making the first part of my response appear to be part of your post -- some of us geezers are not as techno-savvy as might be wished.

[Karysa]

Karysa -- Sorry for making the first part of my response appear to be part of your post -- some of us geezers are not as techno-savvy as might be wished.

 

I don't see what you mean but I certainly don't want to get credit for using the word "geezers" :eek: that was not me!!

 

I think people keep forgetting that HAL is not the only line that has seniors cruising on it. I was on RCCL in Dec and in Feb before and nearly half on board were seniors. Not choosing to cruise HAL is not saying one wants to avoid seniors. I just think that it means one doesn't want to sail with mostly seniors.

 

Let's face it if you polled the seniors on this site and asked them if they would like to sail on a ship that has 50 percentage babies to 25 year olds I think the overwhelming majority would say no. My goodness just look at a thread that says bringing baby or :eek:baby twins. You will see what I mean. Oh and then there's the kids and teens gone wild threads.

 

I have enjoyed many meals and have received dozens of compliments from seniors who have come across our daughters on board. This is not about senior bashing to me. I am nearing that age and am starting to look to see if HAL would be of interest to myself and DH. Right now Celebrity and NCL are our choices but especially when we have the time for longer cruises we will consider HAL.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Karysa

[cruisemom42]

It seems with all of the philosophizing that we have gotten quite far from what the original poster wanted to know. I'm pretty sure s/he meant no disrespect for the older crowd but merely wanted to know if HAL would have enough activities at night to provide the kind of entertainment they were looking for...

 

In many posts I've read that Princess and HAL tend to attract the same demographic. While they may be true as relates to average age (although in my experience the HAL crowd has been older....), it can't be denied that Princess has more things going on in the evening than HAL, and many would consider that a "younger" vibe, with no insult intended to anyone.

[grand isle joe]

.........let's just say the biggest selling items in all HAL cruise ship on board stores are Depends, hearing aid batteries as well as packaged dried prunes....................:eek:

[Aquahound]

.........as well as packaged dried prunes....................:eek:

 

You jest, but HAL is the only line I've sailed sailed that actually has a guy serving prunes at the exit of the Main Dining Room. That is no joke.

[Karysa]

You jest, but HAL is the only line I've sailed sailed that actually has a guy serving prunes at the exit of the Main Dining Room. That is no joke.

 

Ok I will need verification for this one!:eek::D

[Karysa]

.........let's just say the biggest selling items in all HAL cruise ship on board stores are Depends, hearing aid batteries as well as packaged dried prunes....................:eek:

 

You are cracking me up!:D

[sail7seas]

......old people?.......let's just say the cut off age to participate in the "kids' club" activities is 45 years old..........enough said...................:eek:

 

.........let's just say the biggest selling items in all HAL cruise ship on board stores are Depends, hearing aid batteries as well as packaged dried prunes....................:eek:

 

I suspect you are just trying to jiggle chains but really..........

 

May you always stay young .... (at heart).

 

[cbr663]

Ok I will need verification for this one!:eek::D

 

It is true. It is known as the Yum Yum Man and he stands at the door to the MDR and will give you mints, crystallized ginger, dates and whatnot as you leave. I don't know if prunes are available. While we sail HAL, we avoid the MDR at all costs so I can't say for sure exactly what treats are available. Perhaps I will take a look on our upcoming cruise?

[sail7seas]

The Yum Yum Man hands out minds, crystalized ginger and dates as stated above.

He has a cart outside the MDR doors and it is a nice touch for those who have a bit of mal de mer (the ginger helps) and the mints are nice for those who would like to freshen their breath. I have never seen a prune on his cart and suspect some people don't recognize the difference between a date and a prune. :D :eek:

 

[Aquahound]

Ok I will need verification for this one!:eek::D

 

Oh yes, it's true. They do have prunes.

 

And yes, I know the difference. I have date trees in my yard, so I know what a date is.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Aquahound

[Joal]

HAL is for refined passengers, no matter their age.

 

You nailed it!!

[sail7seas]

Oh yes, it's true. They do have prunes.

 

And yes, I know the difference. I have date trees in my yard, so I know what a date is.

 

I think you may be remembering seeing prunes in Lido. They are sometimes offered at breakfast with apricots.

 

I envy you date trees in your yard. Lovely. :)

Edited October 10, 2015 by sail7seas

[CruisermanVA]

I've taken only two cruises, both on HAL. There were few young children on either cruise - some, but not many.

 

If that appeals to you you'll love HAL (and I do). If not, find another cruise line.

[Karysa]

Oh yes, it's true. They do have prunes.

 

And yes, I know the difference. I have date trees in my yard, so I know what a date is.

 

You stating the same thing twice was not the verification that I was looking for but it made me smile.

[Aquahound]

You stating the same thing twice was not the verification that I was looking for but it made me smile.

 

Sorry. I just have fond memories of all the jokes my DW and I shared when we were first offered them on Nieuw Amsterdam. Even the yum-yum guy shared in our laughs. :D

[Karysa]

Sorry. I just have fond memories of all the jokes my DW and I shared when we were first offered them on Nieuw Amsterdam. Even the yum-yum guy shared in our laughs. :D

 

I can imagine that you do:)

[flresident]

On our last Holland America cruise, we had a tender port. Of the 100 people on our tender, 6 were on oxygen and 20 either had canes or walkers.

 

Sailing on a HAL Cruise you do cruise with an older group of people - but, the experience is more genteel than cruising on a more raucous cruise line, which we also do from time to time because of the itineraries, food offered, or cabin-types we like to try out like Cove-Balconies and Guy Fieri Burgers. To me, the HAL Ships are like staying in a sailing B&B, which my hubby and I happen to really enjoy. We have stayed in B&B's all over the USA, many of them after we arrived at our destination on our motorcycle.

 

The other night we were talking about golf and tennis on our courts and the golf course where we live and the topic turned to cruising. Our hosts stated they like HAL Cruises because of the type of people who cruise HAL. You don't hear a lot of 4-letter words and there aren't a lot of heavy smokers and drinkers, or kids running up and down the corridors. For their 50th Wedding Anniversary last month, this husband bought his wife a new red Corvette.

 

When she was 6 my daughter's right leg had been amputated because of bone cancer and when she was 45 the cancer came back and she had a hard time walking because the Chemo and Radiation made her weak so she was in a wheelchair and she couldn't breathe because she kept getting pneumonia from her esophageal cancer so she was on oxygen. She would have loved to have gone on a HAL cruise and I would have loved to have taken her but she died when she was 46.

 

Embrace all life has to offer because you never know what you might miss when you avoid someone because they are different. Look at Steven Hawking; such an amazing mind, and in a wheelchair with a robot-voice.

 

-Linda