What’s your ideal Sail Away Celebration?

[BigMattT]

Admittedly my Koningsdam cruise from San Diego on the 27th was only my second HAL cruise… but I wandered into the aft Lido pool area almost by accident during sailaway… and was really surprised how “un-HAL” the party there felt.

 

Instead of something kinda classy and departure port-related, it was wedding reception music hits playing really loudly… with most people standing along the rails clearly not into the vibe. A few crew were trying to engage some people to dance—maybe 10 (optimistically) out of the 100 or so scattered in the area did so.

 

Have sail-away parties always been like this on HAL?

 

It felt like a huge missed opportunity to celebrate the start of an adventure at sea. Maybe something inspiring or contextually relevant to World Travel or the gorgeous California sunset we were watching? There’s a whole world of cinematic-feeling and culturally relevant music to choose from out there to match a spectacular view. (And I said as much in my survey.)

 

I know I would have probably stuck around and bought another drink if it didn’t mean listening to Love Shack and Taylor Swift. (I love both of them, but in the right place.) I departed in fear I was going to be pulled into an involuntary dance line of The Electric Slide.

 

What does your ideal Sail Away Celebration experience sound like and feel like?

[willoL]

I suspect this may get me in trouble, but one thing I adored abut Crystal cruises was the playing of "What a Wonderful World" at sail away.

 

What a privilege, it felt like, to hear such a beautiful thought expressed musically as I embarked upon an adventure!

 

So that may be my ideal send off, even now.

[oaktreerb]

We were taking photos from our veranda.  I love sailing out of San Diego. 

Fewer people were on the ship.  Maybe they were in the Lido or dining room.  Considering that most people had drink packages there should have been a party on deck.  Sailing out of San Diego in March can be chilly, not like Florida.

[oaktreerb]

In June of 2009 we attended our first sail away from Vancouver with food and drinks and lots of people around the aft deck of the old Statendam.  I have a picture to prove it.  Beautiful sail away but cool like San Diego.  I don’t like crowds but I’ll probably be out to see the sail away under Lions Gate bridge again in August 2022 on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

[BigMattT]

19 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

We were taking photos from our veranda.  I love sailing out of San Diego. 

Fewer people were on the ship.  Maybe they were in the Lido or dining room.  Considering that most people had drink packages there should have been a party on deck.  Sailing out of San Diego in March can be chilly, not like Florida.

Oh there were plenty of people there. But no one seemed to be enjoying the “party”.

 

55 minutes ago, willoL said:

I suspect this may get me in trouble, but one thing I adored abut Crystal cruises was the playing of "What a Wonderful World" at sail away.

 

What a privilege, it felt like, to hear such a beautiful thought expressed musically as I embarked upon an adventure!

 

So that may be my ideal send off, even now.

 

Why would that get you in trouble? That actually sounds pretty relaxed, refined, and a fitting departure. 

[dfish]

I've never attended the sail away party.  We have celebrated sail away on our balcony, on the balcony of friends, or at dinner.  

[Mosaic]

Free booze for an hour would help, lol. HAL used to have live music on the back deck. Had steel drums in the Caribbean.  It was a party. Now it is largely a nothing.

[RuthC]

HAL used to have a good time, with a band, not too, too loud, real sailing music, cruise staff organizing games and chatting with the passengers, drinks of course. Fun! 
Haven't seen anything like that for years, but would like to see it again. 

[StLouisCruisers]

My favorite sailaway was leaving Venice with Andrea Bocelli's "Time to Say Goodbye" playing for us.  A beautiful song for a beautiful experience.🥰

[Btimmer]

My favorite sailaway was when the Statendam left Seattle on its final voyage to Singapore and the fireboats were out shooting their water cannons while the Seattle office staff waved goodbye from the shore.  The Captain pivoted the ship 360° so all could have a view.  The rest of the voyage was memorable as well.

[albingirl]

We always love the crew on the shores in Ft. Lauderdale waving as our Captain blasts the horn repeatedly.  It feels like such a celebratory time!

[FlaMariner]

At 4pm (sail away in Port Everglades) her majesty is usually at the spa raffle drawing and I am there with her to double her chances.  

 

She's been quite lucky over the years. 

 

All fun.....

 

 

[kazu]

My favourites were on the Westerdam (2 of them) when Captain Van Eerten was in charge.  Sail a ways were al lot of fun.

 

My other were on the Prinsendam.  The munchies flowed freely and everyone was jovial.  Not only on embarkation day but every sailing out of every port on my last few cruises.

 

I miss those days 😉 

[Mary229]

4 hours ago, albingirl said:

We always love the crew on the shores in Ft. Lauderdale waving as our Captain blasts the horn repeatedly.  It feels like such a celebratory time!

My favorite shore party farewell was St John’s Newfoundland which is famous for its narrow deep harbor.  The locals line the shore and turn on the car bright lights all the while with car’s honking and people waving.  I will need to be more attentive this time in Fort Lauderdale.

Edited April 9, 2022 by Mary229

[Wakepatrol]

This

[Sir PMP]

When overnight in Bora Bora on the Ms Rotterdam, a Regent ship was leaving, playing loudly: Somewhere beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin...

[PACD_JG]

14 hours ago, Mary229 said:

My favorite shore party farewell was St John’s Newfoundland which is famous for its narrow deep harbor.  The locals line the shore and turn on the car bright lights all the while with car’s honking and people waving.  I will need to be more attentive this time in Fort Lauderdale.

 

Just saw Come From Away on stage last week, so this makes sense.  If you haven't seen it yet, they recorded an NYC show on Apple TV+.

[StLouisCruisers]

16 hours ago, Mary229 said:

My favorite shore party farewell was St John’s Newfoundland which is famous for its narrow deep harbor.  The locals line the shore and turn on the car bright lights all the while with car’s honking and people waving.  I will need to be more attentive this time in Fort Lauderdale.

 

The people of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador did that too for the Seabourn Quest in August 2018.  It was the first cruise ship visit there in 13 years.  They did the car headlights, honking and waving goodbye.  We all loved it!

[rkacruiser]

On 4/9/2022 at 1:27 PM, Btimmer said:

My favorite sailaway was when the Statendam left Seattle on its final voyage to Singapore and the fireboats were out shooting their water cannons while the Seattle office staff waved goodbye from the shore.  The Captain pivoted the ship 360° so all could have a view.  The rest of the voyage was memorable as well.

 

"Like" times many times!  That was a sailaway that cannot ever be forgotten!  

[rkacruiser]

Sometimes, I will attend the scheduled sailaway parties and sometimes I don't.  On the R and S Class ships, I often can be found on the open deck under the Bridge.  Even on the ships like the Eurodam that have a Deck 5 open deck, if the Master allows it to be available for the guests, I probably will be there.  My most recent sailaways have found me at the Seaview Bar, sitting at a table with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, people watching and watching as we sail from the Port.  

 

Other than the Seattle sailaway from  Seattle, among other very memorable sailaways was from New York, July 27, 1970 from Pier 40 on Rotterdam V.  My first sailaway when my traveling companion and I stayed out on deck so long, we almost missed dinner.  (The MDR had closed and our first dinner was in the Lido Restaurant.)  

 

Then, there was the final sailaway from Honolulu on the S. S. Monterey, bound for San Francisco and Los Angeles, when the CD and the lead female vocalist sang The Hawaiian Wedding Song as we threw our leis into the water as the ship pulled away from the Aloha Tower Pier.  

 

I could go on and on and on.  

[jeh10641]

My wife and I are not drinkers (of alcohol) nor are we big eaters (formerly heavy and now older). Our last cruise on Rotterdam (12/01/21) from Ft. Lauderdale, we met with Cruise Critic Roll Call followers at the not open for drinks Sun Bar (I think that was the name) on an upper deck, aft. There were about a dozen of us getting to know each other in person. It was very nice.

 

Any Sail Away from Ft. Lauderdale always brings great memories (and tears) of my parents. They lived for thirty years in the high-rise condos (portside) just before you leave the port waters into the Atlantic. My mother moved out in 2000 and my father died there in 1994. I remember how the residents of those buildings always tooted their airhorns (and more) as ships sailed past. 

 

Jim

[ger_77]

On 4/9/2022 at 9:16 AM, StLouisCruisers said:

My favorite sailaway was leaving Venice with Andrea Bocelli's "Time to Say Goodbye" playing for us.  A beautiful song for a beautiful experience.🥰

You’re right!  I’ve never cried at a sail away, but as we sailed out of Venice with Andrea Bocelli singing, tears were running down my cheeks and DH asked me why I was crying.  I could only blubber out “It’s just so darned beautiful!”  LOL. 

[0106]

Best sail always were on the old Windjammer ships; as they raised the sails, they played a Amazing Grace in the bag pipes, have a tear as I’m typing.

[rkacruiser]

29 minutes ago, ger_77 said:

Andrea Bocelli singing

 

I have sailed when this song was being played over the PA.  Btimmer, wasn't this song played when we sailed from Seattle?  

[BigMattT]

These are all wonderful memories!