Celebrating the Holidays with HAL

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Dear experienced HAL cruisers:

 

As you can see from my signature, my family and I are planning to cruise on Amsterdam over Christmas and New Year's. We will be on a 14-day cruise through the Southern and Western Caribbean, as well as a partial Panama Canal transit. As I've never travelled on Holland America before, what festivities and special events can we expect onboard during our cruise? Thank you in advance for your help!

[localady]

Great question Middle aged Mom!;)

I'd also like to know also as my family will be on the same "Dam" ship for the holiday cruise!!:D

[Old As Dirt Mom]

.....it IS a good question:) because you are the one who suggested that I post it on this board;) But if there's nothing festive happening on our cruise, which I sinceerely doubt, come on over to our cabin and help us celebrate:) Come on over regardless! We'll offer a toast or two to new friends and auld lang syne!

 

How's the gardening? I'm starting to work my little (well, not so little) tail off in my yard!! Spring has sprung with a vengeance:)

[Bill S]

We were on the Amsterdam for the 2003 holiday season and it was unique for us, being empty nesters and the first time away from our grown kids over Christmas in a long time.

First of all, the ship was decorated throughout with holiday trimmings, small wreaths on all the cabin doors, several Christmas trees, candy cane decorations, stockings, bows and boughs also abounded. Between the stacks was a framework of lights in the outline of a star. One each side of the stip there was a "Happy Holidays" decal (it was huge) and one also on the front of ship under bridge.

On Christmas Eve the crew and staff took turns singing holiday songs from their respective countries, holding candles--the showroom was packed with guests and crew alike. It was very special. After that, there was a huge holiday buffet in the atrium.

There were Protestant, Hebrew and Catholic clergy on the cruise who held services all through the cruise.

On Christmas day, shortly after noon, the CD made an announcement that Santa had arrived on-board and children received gifts from him. On New Years Eve, the Black and White ball was held in the main showroom- very festive and well attended.

When we disembarked on January 8 and the decorations were still in place! All and all, HAL tries, more so than usual, to make their holiday cruises real special events for everyone.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Thank you very much, Bill S, that is exactly what I wanted to know! Thanks for a very good description of what HAL does to make the Holiday season special:) And thank you for responding so promptly! This will be our first "Crusing Christmas", and I don't want my children to feel cut-off from the celebrations they know and love. It sounds as if we will not only enjoy our own traditions, but we'll also share some new Holiday experiences. I look forward to them!

[Crazy]

My nephew and I have spent the last three years on HAL holiday cruises. This past year we were on the Amsterdam. You will not be disappointed as HAL does a great job on the holiday cruises.

 

Enjoy

 

Upcoming cruises

 

Westerdam - Alaska 6/11/2006

Volendam - Panama - 2/1/2007 - 15 days

[Copper10-8]

For New Year's Eve, there will be parties in several of the lounges where they'll have traditional Dutch "oliebollen" pastries. Usually, at the conclusion of your dinner, they'll start handing out party hats and tiara's. At around 11:30 PM, they will be bringing in and serving glasses of champagne plus handing out more party favors such as noise makers, streamers, confetti, etc. Right before midnight, there'll be an official countdown and more dancing afterwards in to the early hours by passengers and crew. Depending on who your captain is, he'll be personally involved in the festivities (Frans Consen is a great one for that) Overall, it's a great evening and you won't regret having booked one of these!:) At 6:00 AM on New Year's Day, there is a reveille and a mandatory work-out session for all pax on the Lido Deck;)

[Logoladytcs]

Was wondering if anyone had been aboard a HAL ship on Easter - we'll be on the Volendam at the end of our Panama Canal transit.

 

Guess they'd do a traditional Easter dinner -

Barbara

[judithbiggs]

The holidays are the best on HAL. After my father died 10 years ago, we started a new tradiition by taking the holiday cruises. In the beginning, I had two kids in college and they had a blast. They met lots of nice people their age to hang out with in the evening. Now we are taking daughter and son- in laws with grandchildren and they enjoy all the activites as much as we did when we started doing this ten years ago. My mother at 80 loves the cruise and being with all the family as some are scattered across the country. Everyone does what they want during the day, but the rule is we all have drinks together in the ocean bar before dinner, and then have dinner together. The rest of the time is pretty well open to whatever. Have a great time.

[gizmo]

Was wondering if anyone had been aboard a HAL ship on Easter - we'll be on the Volendam at the end of our Panama Canal transit.

 

Guess they'd do a traditional Easter dinner -

Barbara

 

I did a 10 day canal partial transit over Easter a couple of years ago. There were some decorations for Easter in the dining room. The ship offered a special meal for Passover. Those interested had to sign up a couple of days ahead of time. That was about it.

[gizmo]

Was wondering if anyone had been aboard a HAL ship on Easter - we'll be on the Volendam at the end of our Panama Canal transit.

 

Guess they'd do a traditional Easter dinner -

Barbara

 

I did a 10 day canal partial transit over Easter a couple of years ago. There were some decorations for Easter in the dining room. The ship offered a special meal for Passover. Those interested had to sign up a couple of days ahead of time. That was about it.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Thanks very much for all replies! Copper 10-8, I appreciate the info about New Year's Eve. Oliebollen! Ik zit te smikkelen! (Hope I got that right). I think we'll skip that old Dutch tradition about getting up at 6 am on New Year's Day;)

[Copper10-8]

Thanks very much for all replies! Copper 10-8, I appreciate the info about New Year's Eve. Oliebollen! Ik zit te smikkelen! (Hope I got that right). I think we'll skip that old Dutch tradition about getting up at 6 am on New Year's Day;)

 

YW! "Ik zit te smikkelen" ("I'm enjoying that food") is right on!;) Where are you picking up all that Dutch lingo in Seattle?

[Old As Dirt Mom]

YW! "Ik zit te smikkelen" ("I'm enjoying that food") is right on!;) Where are you picking up all that Dutch lingo in Seattle?

 

Mijn moeder is Nederlands:) I speak kind of a "bast--d version of Dutch.

[Copper10-8]

Mijn moeder is Nederlands:) I speak kind of a "bast--d version of Dutch.

 

Dat is leuk om te horen and that also 'splains things!:) Is she doing OK?

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Dat is leuk om te horen and that also 'splains things!:) Is she doing OK?

 

Oh yes, thanks, she's doing fine. She is now a naturalized U.S. citizen (she figured that after forty plus years of marriage to my American father, and producing five U.S. citizens, that she might as well trade in her green card for a U.S. passport:) ). We're taking my mom with us on our August Zaandam cruise. I think she will enjoy being surrounded by a bit of "home." My mom was born in Semarang, Java, Indonesia, when it was the Dutch East Indies,and spent the first eleven years of her life there. After World War II and the Japanese invasion, there wasn't a whole lot left for the Dutch to salvage, and the Indonesians wanted Indonesia for themselves anyway (go figure). So my mom and her family travelled back 'home" to Holland. Some of them sailed on HAL, some of them on the Oranje line. My mom still remembers much of her Indonesian vocabulary. I think she will really have a good time on her HAL cruise this summer.

 

Sorry to digress from the original topic here, but after all, it is my thread.:)

[localady]

Oh yes, thanks, she's doing fine. She is now a naturalized U.S. citizen (she figured that after forty plus years of marriage to my American father, and producing five U.S. citizens, that she might as well trade in her green card for a U.S. passport:) ). We're taking my mom with us on our August Zaandam cruise. I think she will enjoy being surrounded by a bit of "home." My mom was born in Semarang, Java, Indonesia, when it was the Dutch East Indies,and spent the first eleven years of her life there. After World War II and the Japanese invasion, there wasn't a whole lot left for the Dutch to salvage, and the Indonesians wanted Indonesia for themselves anyway (go figure). So my mom and her family travelled back 'home" to Holland. Some of them sailed on HAL, some of them on the Oranje line. My mom still remembers much of her Indonesian vocabulary. I think she will really have a good time on her HAL cruise this summer.

 

Sorry to digress from the original topic here, but after all, it is my thread.:)

 

Karin-

I digress all the time around here....:p

and not just on my own threads!;)

What an interesting childhood your Mom must have had. I am sure she will love HAL and the atmosphere. Where else can she get Bittenballs or Bami Goreng ??? I am not sure if bread pudding is Dutch, but it sure is another fine HAL tradition!:cool:

[SDHALFAN]

Hi MAM (Middle-aged mom),

 

I wish I could claim the same title but I have a horrible suspicion that I passed the middle-age mark a few years ago.

 

First of all, you have chosen a great ship for your Holiday cruise. The Amsterdam is a beauty and she has a wonderful complement of officers and crew. My daughter, granddaughter and I spent this past Christmas/New Year's aboard the ship and had the best time. It was my third time aboard the glorious Amsterdam but my daughter's and granddaughter's first cruise ever. What a great start for them!:) I had so much fun on the Amsterdam that I'm going back, once again, next January for 49 days.:D

 

Even if you are not a "Night Owl" (and I am most definitely NOT), I would urge you to attend the Christmas Eve choir in the Queen's Lounge. Unfortunately it doesn't even start until 11:00 p.m. (and lasts for about an hour), but the choirs from the various nations represented on the ship are wonderful, singing Christmas Carols from their native lands, and it is really a very special way to celebrate Christmas on the high seas. (see Bill S's post). I try to stay up late enough every time I take a Christmas cruise, it is that special.

 

I hope that you, your family, and especially your Mom, will have a wonderful time this summer aboard the Zaandam and please tell your Mom, from me "Apa Kabar?" and for now, "Selamat Tidur". As you can see, my Indonesian is much better than my Dutch.

 

Valerie:)

 

p.s. It took me almost 40 years to "surrender" my Green Card and to this day I don't know why since I had considered myself an American citizen for years even though I wasn't. March 3rd, 1995 - proudest day of my life!!!:)

 

pps. Localady: I believe that Bread Pudding is actually British in origin. At least that's what I grew up with and why, to this day, I can't stand the stuff anymore. However, it can be done well, as on HAL, but I'll still save myself for the Cappucino Bomb, or something like that.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Thank you for your very nice and informative post.:) I'm looking forward to spending the Holidays on Amsterdam. I wish I could join you on your portion of the Grand World Voyage; it sounds simply wonderful! Have a super cruise:) you lucky lady!

 

I will do my bestest to stay up to listen to the crew choirs and their Christmas carol renditions. What a lovely tradition! My mother says "terima kasih banyak" (thank you very much) for your kind wishes, and for bidding her "good night" or "sleep well" (selamat tidur).

 

Thanks very much, dank u wel,

 

Karin

[Copper10-8]

Karin; you and your mom (and family) will have a great time on Amsterdam during the holidays, no doubt about it! Thank you very much for giving us a little bit about your mom's personal history of her live in Indonesia. Growing up in Holland, we always heard the great stories about what is was like to live in "de Oost" ('the East") (my uncle was in the MLD - Dutch Naval Air Service) and was stationed/lived on Sumatra for several years before and during the second World War. Amazing stories about living in those beautiful islands. It's way too early but selamat Hari Natal (Merry Christmas) and selamat Tahun Baru (Happy New Year) wishes to you and your mom in nine months! Het zal hier zijn voordat je het weet, geniet er van! (It'll be here before you know, enjoy!) :)