Is Holland For Us???

[Tatka]

BTW, if there is a strong plurality that agree that they stopped writing music about 1950, that will give you the idea of the age of some passengers.

 

:D Yep ... My parents were born in 1951...

 

We enjoyed our cruise on Zuiderdam (minus service issues)... and we were 33/32/12 . Of course it was August and there where almost 400 passengers under 18 on board... and many families our age.

[HeatherInFlorida]

BTW, if there is a strong plurality that agree that they stopped writing music about 1950, that will give you the idea of the age of some passengers.

 

Captain, I believe our tongues were firmly implanted in our cheeks as we had some fun with Boriiing.

 

And just to be really clear (and I'm still playing;) ), Ruth said 1950. I (on the other hand) said 1980. For the record, I'm older than Ruth:D .

 

It's all about what you like, not how old you are. I know some young people in their 20's who idolize Frank Sinatra sooooo ......:) our taste in music is not necessarily a reflection of our age.

[Pudgesmom]

:rolleyes:

We are considering going on our first HAL Cruise on the Westerdam to the Caribbean in November 2006. We prefer a more refined cruise & really love the atmosphere on Celebrity & Princess. We enjoy the live music in the lounges, great food, and being pampered on a cruise. Our travel agent has been trying to get us to go on a HAL cruise for quite some time, but we are hesitating because we have read so much about the very elderly passenger base on HAL. We don't want to see the majority of passengers in walkers & wheelchairs. We are in our late 50's & early 60's, but like to have a good time & don't want activities to end on the ship at 9 PM. We enjoy eating at the late dinner seating & then going to the shows and bars for drinks & dancing. Will HAL be for us? :):)

 

 

"If you are are among the very young at heart."

 

Frank S.

 

Why doesn't anyone ever ask if the people already there will like you?:rolleyes: Remember, it will be harder for them to get away in their wheelchairs and walkers! :rolleyes:

 

Seriously, my husband and I are in our 40s and enjoyed HAL, never felt too young.

 

 

beth

[CPT Trips]

We're in our late 40s, early 50s, we like music from the 1940s right on through 2006. We were just on the Oosterdam last week. The atmosphere was refined, the ship beautiful, food delicious, service professional and friendly. The majority of passengers were not in wheelchairs/walkers. The youngsters and oldsters we met were all nice friendly folks. Everyone seemed to be having a good time - us included.

Pretty much our experience too. Great staff and fellow pax enjoyable.

As a 50 something, it's nice to be one of the "kids" on board:).

If you have to have the pool games and the band by the pool, then maybe HAL isn't for you.

[Oceanwench]

 

Although the avg. age was 70+, the majority weren't in wheelchairs and didn't use walkers. In fact, I can think of 3 passengers in wheelchairs who I personally talked to who were in their 40s and 50s. One was injured and 2 were suffering from muscular diseases like MS. Just because someone is disabled doesn't mean they don't enjoy late night entertainment.

 

Roz

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you ...

As someone whose DH has a neurological disease and must use a wheelchair to get around, I really appreciate your comment.

 

Amazing how a stereotype like that can be so hurtful to others.

 

Any of us could end up in a wheelchair ... and boy, would our eyes be opened! :eek:

[mama d]

no it will not be like spring break in daytona on board...... no stampeads after the toys that the dj's throw to the crowds, ; )

 

however, let there be chocolate and there shall be crowds ... some of those people can really move when chocolate is to be had. ;)

 

 

safe salings to you all!

[Captain Crunch]

Pretty much our experience too. Great staff and fellow pax enjoyable.

As a 50 something, it's nice to be one of the "kids" on board:).

If you have to have the pool games and the band by the pool, then maybe HAL isn't for you.

 

I concur, 100%. HAL is for those whose idea of children on the ship is pictures of grandchilren.

[CPT Trips]

I concur, 100%. HAL is for those whose idea of children on the ship is pictures of grandchilren.

Sorry, no grandkids:)

Good Cap'ns think alike.:D

[ryansmemom]

Sorry, no grandkids:)

Good Cap'ns think alike.:D

 

 

Sorry, I don't agree. There is nothing in this world more life affirming than a child. A world without the laughter and pure innocence of children in a dead world. When childen are on a cruise there is a life force that is palpable.

 

I am not saying I want to be on a cruise that is over run by unruly, unsupervised children. However, I do not want to see children banned from cruises. Put the blame where it belongs for these unruly children, on their parents.

 

Well behaved, well supervised, well loved children are a joy. They spead their joy to all who encounter them. They are welcome. They are the future. They are our imortailty. They are life.

 

This is one of my hot buttons.

 

Linda

[HeatherInFlorida]

Sorry, I don't agree. There is nothing in this world more life affirming than a child. A world without the laughter and pure innocence of children in a dead world. When childen are on a cruise there is a life force that is palpable.

 

I am not saying I want to be on a cruise that is over run by unruly, unsupervised children. However, I do not want to see children banned from cruises. Put the blame where it belongs for these unruly children, on their parents.

 

Well behaved, well supervised, well loved children are a joy. They spead their joy to all who encounter them. They are welcome. They are the future. They are our imortailty. They are life.

 

This is one of my hot buttons.

 

Linda

 

Very nicely said, Linda, and so true.

 

Of course, there will always be those who disagree, but one of your sentences stands out for me and I have highlighted it. Because of this we choose to cruise during non school vacation times because of the parents ... certainly not because of the children.

[rucruizin]

In defense of Boriing, I have played ping pong after dinner many times. That's the best time because it's cooler. There's nothing quite like a late night ping pong match with another couple to help you work off that late seating dinner. It's usually more entertaining than some of the shows I've seen.

 

Even the hot tubs on Carnival close very early. Personally I don't get in them, I know that there is no pee in mine at home...I'll wait.

 

As far as staying out late partying...done my share of that but looking forward to a little more laid back, relaxing vacation. My husband and I love to dance but have to stay away from the bars because of the smoke. If I'm dancing it's usuall on an open deck.

 

That brings up a question...Do they have bands/music on deck?

[HeatherInFlorida]

rucruizin, just to clarify ... I was teasing:) !!! He/she said that the entire cruise was so totally boring ... just terribly old people who didn't do anything. Needless to say when someone writes like that, my hair stands on end.

 

So when Boriing said that he/she couldn't even play a game of ping pong, I decided to make a joke meaning it wasn't exactly the kind of "action" he/she seemed to be looking for.

 

I honestly wasn't making fun of ping pong. Sorry if my joke fell short.

[rucruizin]

I'm not upset at all...just remembering some really good times with new friends made on ship and laughing to myself thinking about how much fun we had and how silly we were.:D

 

No worries...

[Navy_Chief]

So far we sailed on Carnival and HAL. We're sticking with HAL as we like the atmosphere of the ship, the crew, and our fellow passengers. My wife and I are in our late 40's and we met lots of folks our age and older in years but rivaled us in heart. I have met people from all over on the ship and wouldn't trade the experience.

[flashdog_1]

My daughter is 29 and will be accompanying me on Veendam 3/11. If there's a name that tune contest from the 40s, 50s and 60s she will know them all, not because i play them, but because she likes the songs!

 

We attended a Karaoke on Century recently and looked at the extensive list of music you could sing to. I only knew the ones from the 50s & 60s (nothing before that was offered) but she knew them all right up to the popular ones of the day.

 

On my first cruise on Summit, I was amazed at the number of people in wheelchairs, most of whom were in their twenties and having so much fun.

 

I kept running into a particularly attractive, outgoing woman in a wheelchair who invited me to attend her first lecture (of 4) that afternoon! The cruise was a special because of her! While waiting for a slow elevator I said, "I think I'll take the stairs" to which she replied something humorous on the order of, "wish I could join you."

 

She is Dr Rosemarie Rosetti, PhD, who carried the Olympic Torch during the 2002 winter Olympic Games. She has a syndicated monthly column with the National Speakers Association. She was a finalist in the Ms. Wheelchair Ohio pageant.She taught at Ohio State for 15 years. She is an expert on coping with change..In 1998 she was paralyzed when an 80' tree fell on her while she was riding her bicycle. She shared lessons she has learned in order to recover after a cris and to live with conviction.

[CPT Trips]

[quote name='ryansmemom'][FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="DarkSlateGray"]Sorry, I don't agree. There is nothing in this world more life affirming than a child. A world without the laughter and pure innocence of children in a dead world. When childen are on a cruise there is a life force that is palpable.

I am not saying I want to be on a cruise that is over run by unruly, unsupervised children. However, I do not want to see children banned from cruises. Put the blame where it belongs for these unruly children, on their parents.

Well behaved, well supervised, well loved children are a joy. They spead their joy to all who encounter them. They are welcome. They are the future. They are our imortailty. They are life.

This is one of my hot buttons.

Linda[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]
You misconstrued my quote and used it in a misleading context. I never said anything in either of my posts about banning kids on cruises, only that I have no grandkids (otherwise I would show the pictures). I'll let the other Cap'n speak for himself . . . I suspect he had tongue firmlyin cheek.
My experience cruising HAL is simply that there are fewer kids than on other mass market lines.