goldengirl123 Posted November 30, 2018 #1 Share Posted November 30, 2018 Does anyone happen to know if Holland America Presidents Club Members are still receiving Free wifi? And is it 1000 nights you need to get to the President's Club level? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Scrapnana Posted November 30, 2018 #2 Share Posted November 30, 2018 (edited) I believe it takes 1400 actual days to make President's Club and then it is by invitation - not automatic like the star mariner levels. Can't help with the wi-fi. Edited November 30, 2018 by Scrapnana 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted November 30, 2018 #3 Share Posted November 30, 2018 WCB -- has done several blogs from their recent World Cruise and another cruise -- they had free WIFI. It is 1400 actual sailing days -- no spending or suite extra points. And it is by invitation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Copper10-8 Posted November 30, 2018 #4 Share Posted November 30, 2018 President's Club member Dolly Smith; still going strong in her nineties! She tells a story when, as a thirteen-year old, she and a girlfriend hitch-hiked it from Santa Monica, CA (Los Angeles) to San Francisco, CA. Upon arrival there, they made their way onto a Matson liner bound for Honolulu and stowed away. They were discovered however, did make it to Hawaii from where they were returned to their parents back home 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruising-along Posted November 30, 2018 #5 Share Posted November 30, 2018 Thank you Copper for the photo and background story. Awesome lady, I would love to meet her some day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bay guy Posted November 30, 2018 #6 Share Posted November 30, 2018 We had the pleasure of meeting Miss Dolly while on the GWV this year. She's quite a character and a lovely lady. We saw her in the dining room several evenings sitting at a table for 2 and she always had a crew member eating with her. Our cabin steward told us that she used to have a tool belt and thought nothing of jumping in to help a crew member doing a maintenance job. The story was that she and her husband had owned a large plumbing company. Also, during our cruise, there were several occasions when we were given various types of hats to wear during special dinners and celebrations. Many passengers left them at heir tables when they finished dinner. When we were at our stops in the Philippines and Indonesia, there were very large parties held on board for the crew family members. Imagine our surprise when we saw Miss Dolly and her helpers giving those special hats out to all the children who came aboard for those functions. She was having a ball!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilvertoGold Posted November 30, 2018 #7 Share Posted November 30, 2018 Dolly is a lovely lady, a real character. We saw her in the, morning around 10 am, obviously just getting a start on the day after having closed one lounge or another the night before. I am thrilled to hear she is still sailing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkacruiser Posted November 30, 2018 #8 Share Posted November 30, 2018 Never met Dolly; wish I have could have done so. She is one of other "legendary" HAL guests. Anyone remember "Kissing Annie"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Copper10-8 Posted November 30, 2018 #9 Share Posted November 30, 2018 Mama Lou was another member of the club and was loved by the HAL crew! Unfortunately, she passed away a couple of years ago; May she rest in peace! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aotmc Posted November 30, 2018 #10 Share Posted November 30, 2018 Could you imagine sailing 1400 days (nearly 4 years!) and then not being invited to the club? 😱 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted December 1, 2018 #11 Share Posted December 1, 2018 1 hour ago, rkacruiser said: Anyone remember "Kissing Annie"? Oh, yes. I remember her well. She died cruising against medical advice, but doing what she loved. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Pete Cruiser Posted December 1, 2018 #12 Share Posted December 1, 2018 The President's Club members always fascinate me. Mama Lou was the first one I knew. She cruised regularly out of Tampa in the winter months and brought supplies to children in the poorer port calls. Dr Jack is another of my favorite PC members. We met him on the Veendam first going to Rio for Carnivale and then again this year also on Veendam going to Cuba. He always dresses in coat and tie for happy hour and dinner and usually joined us for classical music (Adagio). He is 90, quite fit and except for eye sight, gets along very well. On our last cruise on the Eurodam to Hawaii, we met a couple from Michigan who are PC who have apple orchards to fund their cruising habit! They are in their mid 60's, so have the potential to really rack up some big cruise number days. They did the Prinsendam this past summer and are going on the Nieuw Statendam in a few weeks when it gets to Ft Lauderdale. I've met others, too, and the one thing they share is a positive outlook on life and of course HAL. I've got a long way to go to get to 1400 days, but hope I'm up to the challenge. It will take the time, the money, and good health....and a positive outlook. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Copper10-8 Posted December 1, 2018 #13 Share Posted December 1, 2018 This is Mrs. Anne Marie Bartels, yet another HAL President's Club member who served as Nieuw Statendam's "Madrina" (different than godmother). The gentleman accompanying her is retired U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Keith Taylor, currently executive vice president, fleet operations for Holland America Group. Mrs. Bartels first sailed with HAL on the ship of state as well as "Darling of the Dutch," the 1938-built Nieuw Amsterdam II from Rotterdam to New York when she was 21 years old. She has since been on 79 cruises with Holland America, including 12 Grand Voyages. When on the GWV, she is in the habit of hosting (and funding) at least one party for the entire crew 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkacruiser Posted December 1, 2018 #14 Share Posted December 1, 2018 5 hours ago, St Pete Cruiser said: the one thing they share is a positive outlook on life Absolutely! The ones that I have met are not negative people, whiners, or looking to find problems. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkacruiser Posted December 1, 2018 #15 Share Posted December 1, 2018 4 hours ago, Copper10-8 said: Nieuw Statendam's "Madrina Copper10-8, Please define "Madrina". Is she the one that pushed the button to break the bottle of Champagne on the ship's bow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Copper10-8 Posted December 1, 2018 #16 Share Posted December 1, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, rkacruiser said: Copper10-8, Please define "Madrina". Is she the one that pushed the button to break the bottle of Champagne on the ship's bow? Howdy RKA; That'would/will be the primary job of the godmother, in Nieuw Statendam's case, Oprah W., during the naming.christening ceremony. The Madrina, in Nieuw S' case, Anne Marie Bartels, participated in the "coin ceremony" just prior to the ship's first float out from her building dock. The way I understand it, "madrina" while the ship is still in the yard and "godmother" when he ship is in the hands of the new owners Edited December 1, 2018 by Copper10-8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkacruiser Posted December 2, 2018 #17 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Thank you Copper! Captain Albert had a photo on his blog while the ship while was still in the dockyard of a practice run of the equipment going to be used to break the bottle of bubbly. That is why I thought the "Madrina" was involved with this tradition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Copper10-8 Posted December 2, 2018 #18 Share Posted December 2, 2018 59 minutes ago, rkacruiser said: Thank you Copper! Captain Albert had a photo on his blog while the ship while was still in the dockyard of a practice run of the equipment going to be used to break the bottle of bubbly. That is why I thought the "Madrina" was involved with this tradition. I read that also. My take on it was that they were making sure that the mechanism built to to smash the bottle of champagne to the hull was working properly. It would be embarrassing to many folks, incl. O, if it wasn't on the "big day"/February 2, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Copper10-8 Posted December 2, 2018 #19 Share Posted December 2, 2018 54 minutes ago, TiogaCruiser said: ........................... Does that mean NS has 2 "godmothers" once she is in her new owner's hands? Yes and no! It's kinda confusing! She already has a Madrina (Anne Marie Bartels) for when the vessel still belonged to the builder, was still in the yard, and had the "ceremony of the coin". Then her true godmother, Oprah Winfrey, will name her on February 2, 2019 in Port Everglades as HAL property (which, that handover from builder to owner/operator, occurred two days ago on the 29th in Marghera, Italy) Madrina in this context means more a sponsor, a patroness and/or a supporter. To make it even more challenging to understand, the word "Madrina" actually means "godmother" in Spanish The bottom line; when folks ask in the future who Nieuw Amsterdam's godmother is, the answer is Oprah Winfrey HAL godmothers; current ships: ms Maasdam - June Allyson, actress ms Veendam - Debbie Reynolds, actress ms Rotterdam - Princess Margriet of the Netherlands ms Volendam - Chris Everett, tennis star ms Zaandam - Ashley & Mary Kate Olsen, actresses ms Amsterdam - Janet Lanterman, wife of former HAL CEO ms Prinsendam - All employees of HAL represented by Rose Abello, vice president - public relations, Eva Andresen, vice president - information technologies, and Linda Ehlenberger, vice president - sales ms Zuiderdam - Joan Lunden, broadcaster/TV anchor ms Oosterdam - Princess Margriet of the Netherlands ms Westerdam - Renee Soutendijk, Dutch actress ms Noordam - Marlee Matlin, actress ms Eurodam – Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands ms Nieuw Amsterdam – Queen Maxima of the Netherlands ms Koningsdam – Queen Maxima of the Netherlands ms Nieuw Statendam – Oprah Winfrey, media mogul, producer, actress and philanthropist Former ships: ms Nieuw Amsterdam II - Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands ms Statendam IV - Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands ms Rotterdam V – Queen Juliana of the Netherlands ms Prinsendam II – Princess Margriet of the Netherlands ms Westerdam II – Clara van der Vorm, wife of former HAL Chairman Nico van der Vorm ms Nieuw Amsterdam III – Princess Margriet of the Netherlands ms Noordam III – Beatrice van der Vorm-van den Wall Bake, daughter of former HAL Chairman Nico van der Vorm ms Statendam - Lin Arison, wife of Ted Arison, founder of Carnival ms Ryndam - Madeleine Arison, wife of Micky Arison, CEO of Carnival Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkacruiser Posted December 2, 2018 #20 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Any idea as to why Oprah will be officially naming the ship after she has been in service for almost 2 months? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Copper10-8 Posted December 2, 2018 #21 Share Posted December 2, 2018 7 minutes ago, rkacruiser said: Any idea as to why Oprah will be officially naming the ship after she has been in service for almost 2 months? I thought Oprah was older than that.............. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Copper10-8 Posted December 2, 2018 #22 Share Posted December 2, 2018 8 minutes ago, rkacruiser said: Any idea as to why Oprah will be officially naming the ship after she has been in service for almost 2 months? Sorry, childish response! Back to your question, it is not unusual. The current Prinsendam, as Royal Viking Sun, left Turku, Finland on 26 Nov 1988 and sailed all the way to San Francisco for her christening on 08 Jan 1989 by actor Jimmie Stewart and his wife Gloria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkacruiser Posted December 2, 2018 #23 Share Posted December 2, 2018 6 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said: I thought Oprah was older than that.............. LOL! Thanks for your other explanation, however! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldengirl123 Posted January 3, 2019 Author #24 Share Posted January 3, 2019 So presidents club members get free wifi after 1400 nights. Does anyone know of any other 'perks' someone will receive when they become president club members? Someone once mentioned that they get free upgrades and extra ship board credit and gratuities are included. Can anyone verify this? We are only half way there, but just planning now to see if it is worth being loyal to Holland America to get to this level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bet410 Posted August 31, 2019 #25 Share Posted August 31, 2019 (edited) Has anyone heard if/when the number of sailing days needed for Presidents Club went up from 1400 days to 1500 days? We heard today at a Mariner Appreciation reception that it's now 1500 days. Not happy when we are closing in the coveted 1400 days! Would appreciate knowing if anyone else has heard the same thing. Edited August 31, 2019 by bet410 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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