New Year's Eve : what can I expect ?

[holacanada]

Hi all !

 

I would take my first cruise in the holiday season and I would like to know if there will be special activities or meals given the circumstances? I will be on the Westerdam and would like to know if it is customary to organize an evening for the count of the year (kind Time Square).

 

Holacanada

[Hflors]

An awesome fun party with a count down until Midnight and then after midnight the party moved to the crows-nest. We did a holiday cruise two years ago on Amsterdam and to tell you the truth News Years was much better than Christmas! I know the dinner was Gala, but I don't remember what we had to eat. But both dh and I had a ball New Years!!!

[rkacruiser]

My experience from the 2016 New Year's Eve celebration on the Nieuw Amsterdam:

 

Gala Dinner in the dining room with excellent food selections. Noise makers, hats for the gentlemen and tiaras for the women were at our place settings in the dining room.

 

The main party was in the mid-ships pool area with the BB King entertainers. I did not attend this event, but the crew moved furniture so much that I think it might have been a really crowded event that was expected.

 

I attended a more sedate and pleasant Party in the Crow's Nest with the Ocean Bar's music group performing. Some of us were dancing and it was a pleasant evening. Sparkling wine (champagne?) was served at Midnight with the traditional music of Auld Lang Syne being played.

 

Having enjoyed the changing of the year on the Prinsendam the previous year, I did find the Nieuw Amsterdam's celebration to be "different". Enjoyable, but I preferred the Prisendam's crews' efforts more.

 

I expect to be fortunate to experience another "turn of the year" this year on the Zaandam in the Southern Hemisphere. I look forward to seeing what memories the crew of the Zaandam will provide for her guests.

[ski ww]

We did the New Years cruise on the Eurodam this year, it was great. Big party & count down clock in mid ship pool. The MDR was done up for dinner that night. Enoy.

Allan

[Veronicat]

On the millennium cruise (actually 1999 — 2000), passengers were issued Holland America flashlights at dinner. (Remember the Y2K scares?) Also received a crystal Holland America champagne flute by Waterford.

 

Before midnight, everyone gathered on the Lido and on the surrounding upper deck. A large purple sparkly styrofoam "2000" floated in the pool. Champagne flowed freely. The captain did the countdown followed by kissing and a fireworks display.

 

I snuck down to the pool early in the morning and scavenged remnants of the 2000 for my entry in the boat building contest. Earned fourth place (out of four entries): a six pack of beer which my mother had to accept for me.

 

I did much better at the Chipping A Golf Ball Into The Life Preserver (youngest contestant, only female) winning first place.

 

And on Dutch Night, my cap (decorated by crew members as a keepsake) had a millennium theme.

[visagrunt]

New Year's Eve will be a Gala Night, even if Dec 31st is a Port Day.

 

Wine attendants will be pressed to the limit on that night. They will recommend making any special wine (i.e. Champagne) orders in advance, and for those of you with bottles on the go, or needing another bottle from your package, it can take time to get attention that night.