When was the first HAL cruise you sailed on???

[Rotterdam]

Just interested in when folks on these boards first sailed on HAL.

[torpeedo]

Our first HAL cruise was a 10 day Seafarer aboard the Ryndam, February 12, 1995~~:p We now have our Copper Medallion and look forward to many many more years of happy HAL cruising!!

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Good Morning Rotterdam:

 

I don't know if my answer qualifies, but I made my "first" cruise in 1960, when I was a baby. :) If I recall correctly (IIRC, to use message board parlance) my parents took me on Statendam ( I don't know which one of the series) from New York to Rotterdam, the Netherlands (Holland). My mother and her family travelled on HAL between Holland and Indonesia during the years that they lived in Indonesia, when it was known as the Dutch East Indies, and was a colony of the Netherlands. This was in the pre-World War II era, and immediately after. They also travelled on the Nederland line, another Dutch shipping company.

 

I haven't been on a cruise ship since, although I am making up for that deficiency by taking two HAL cruises this year! Thank you for asking a good question:) Hope my answer wasn't too long-winded.

[FlorenceItaly]

was on the Maasdam, June 2004(New England/Canda). I have taken 3 HAL cruises since, and received my 25 day pin on the Oosterdam(returned yesterday). Not only was the Maasdam my first HAL cruise, it was also my first solo cruise. I had such a positive experience on HAL that I came home and booked another solo cruise for just two months later, on the Veendam, to Alaska.

 

Marie

[Albertiv]

Niewu Amsterdam 1990 Western Car.

3 since then

Sailing on Ryndam 4-2-06 14 days :D :D :D

[SHERGIB]

Rottergam-1973- New York To The Caribbean

[tomc]

Rotterdam, 7 days on the Inside Passage in Alaska, probably in the later 1980's. Did seven cruises there on the Rotterdam V. Later, shifted to the New England/Canada run for, I think, eight cruises on whatever ships were sailing. All HAL.

[shonuf]

First cruise was first HAL cruise: Veendam, spring 1998, Eastern Caribbean.

[Grumpy1]

Prinsendam, Jan 2005 Grand World Voyage, 113 nights. We have three more HAL cruises booked in the next 10 months. I guess we've found our "waterfront" home:)

[yiddishkopf]

My first HAL cruise was on the Ryndam around South America with a pre-cruise excursion to Machu Pichu, which was awesome.

 

In reading about the terribly sad accident this week, it brought back many memories although we weren't in that particular part of Chile. Chile is a gorgeous country with very high mountains, steep inclines, etc., but bad things can happen anyplace.

 

My significant other is a former sailor, having been on the USS Alabama during WWII. I had a hard time getting him on a cruise since he cruised 250,000 miles courtesy of the U.S. Navy, but once he tried it, he was sold. He declared the HAL food significantly more tasty than the galley on the Alabama!

 

Since that cruise in January of 2000, we've been on the Prisendam around Australia and the Statendam just this past January-February from Auckland to Sydney. Now aiming for Hawaii in 2007 to give Jack a chance to visit the Pearl Harbor memorial.

[liv2cruise4ever]

First HAL cruise was this last Dec. 3 on the Zuiderdam.:D

[RAYJO]

First cruise on HAL was 1996 on the Westerdam in the caribbean. Have since taken 7 cruises with HAL, and a few others with another cruise line. Sailing aboard the newest Westerdam in Nov 2006.

[seadancer]

Hello Yidishkopf

 

Tell your husband thank you from me. The U.S.S. Alabama was the first ship i ever stood on when i was 10 in Mobile Bay.She's the reason i love ships now. They must have taken good care of eachother.

 

 

Seeeuuuu

Jeff

[cruisenk]

May 2003 on the Statendam, from Vancouver to Seward. Fantastic!!! I'm ready to go again!

[kwc0127]

First cruise was from NYC in October 1982 on the Rotterdam. That set the standard for all future cruises. It was 10 days of fun, relaxation and friends.

[bobpatj]

Our first HAL cruise was in May, 2001, on Rotterdam - Barcelona to Venice. Since then, we've sailed on Rotterdam three more times, twice on Volendam, twice on Amsterdam and once on Oosterdam! We're looking forward to our first cruise on Zaandam in October.:cool:

[starysacz]

Veendam from NY to Bermuda in 1980 on HAL. Did not cruise for a while, but returned to cruising mostly with HAL (27th cruise coming up on April 5th). Tried a few other cruise lines, but continue to be a loyal HAL cruiser.:)

[Candy]

The old Noordam, 1998... the service sold us on HAL. That one was followed by 54 more HAL days and many more already booked. We have all but moved into Zuidy.

 

Candy the ZuiderPrincess

[serendipity1499]

"Ryndam" Southern Caribbean, Oct. 1998..Our April "Prinsendam" cruise will total 87 days, still 13 days short for our Copper Medals..Guess will have to book a 14 day Cruise very soon..:)

 

Since 1970 have been on several other Cruise Lines, but HAL remains our favorite! :)

[RlrCstr]

Nieuw Amsterdam, September/October 1983

On its first trip up the West Caost from Los Angeles to Alaska.

[Pyrate13]

Zaandam, 2002, I believe it was called a Seafarer. It was a 10 day that went to Bonaire, Isla De Margarita, St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay.

[JeannyCT]

October 1999, Veendam, Panama Canal

 

It was one of the best ships I've been on; some members of our group are still talking about Captain Peter Harris. He was a nice guy; very relaxed atmosphere on the ship. Unfortunately it wasn't that good in November 2004 when we were on the Veendam again.

[LizB1]

My first HAL sailing was on the old Maasdam in 1956 and it was Transatlantic to Europe.

 

My first cruise was on Rotterdam V in January 1967 from NYC to the Caribbean (two weeks).

 

In ten days I will be sailing on the Noordam which will be my 72nd sailing on HAL. Have had my Platinum Medallion since 1995 and now will have a total of 1074 days with HAL after this next cruise. I have also sailed on various other lines for a total of 12-cruises.

 

Guess you can call me one of the "old people" that have helped to keep the Line going all these years!

[arzz]

First HAL sailing was on the Statendam in '95 -- before (and after) that I had cruised many lines including the previous Statendam that was then in service for Regency cruises as the Regent Star. Then there was the break from cruising we took during the college tuition days -- but we have quickly made up for that with several cruises, mostly on HAL (five this past year and two more pending).....Oh......the glorious addiction.

[ger_77]

double post ... how'd that happen??? Sorry.:confused: