slightly redkneck traveling on Noordam

[lov2sailtoo]

Enjoy yourself, as everyone else has posted, no problem with the tattoo you will see a bunch of them. I have yet to enjoy a cruise as much as my first one, it was magical. My best friend has a pink flamingo on her back when she got married we used a product called Dermablend it is a cosmetic concealer. It worked really well, did not run or rub off onto her dress, totally covered up the tattoo. You can find it on the internet, we found it at JC Penny's.

 

Have a wonderful time!!!!

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Ditto what everybody else said.:)

[Old As Dirt Mom]

All these posts are hung....:( Let's bump this baby UP!:)

 

aaaaahhhh.....there are all the posts, much more better.....

[Lynne Myrna]

I had a whole speech prepared & typed.....but it wouldn't go through......so let me say this.......DITTO

 

BE WHO YOU ARE!!!!!!!!

[mamaofami]

:) I've been on quite a few HAL cruises and I would say there were very few snobby people that I ran into...probably none. Most people were friendly and just wanted to have fun. I don't think HAL attracts snobby people.

 

I wanted a tatoo but am alergic to pain, so I had one of those temporary ones put on my ankle in Mexico. My kids couldn't believe I had done it and I was so sorry when it wore off.

 

The dining room and night club are really cold, so a jacket or shawl is appropriate. I always wear black pants and a shell and some kind of beaded jacket or fancy top. But, on the other hand, if you want something stapless or sleeveless, go for it without worrying about what anyone else will think. Life is too short to worry about something you did when you were a teen.

 

:) :) :) The weight loss is something to be so proud of. I can't get 10 lbs off and would give anything to accomplish that. How did you do it?

 

Just relax and have a good time. Celebrate with your spouse and have a great cruise!

 

We leave on the Noordam on 2/7 and can't wait!

[Sailorgirlseattle]

Happy Anniversary and congrats on the weight loss! I worked very hard to lose 40 pounds (and five have come back) so I know what a big deal it is. Celebrate it, girlfriend!

 

I just got my tattoo last June - my only "regret" is it's where it doesn't show often enough! (Small of my back). In fact, I just bought a two-piece bathing suit for my Mexico cruise just to show off the tattoo!

 

Celebrate yourself! NO ONE will be offended by you and your positive, healthy attitude.

[snownyet]

Tatoos are trendy, let it be seen,nobody will think any less of you! As for attire, outside of formal and semi formal dinners go ahead and be comfortable as long as its not jeans or shorts in the dining room. On my first HAL cruise on the volendam, we saw a woman who wore a different basketball jersey every night, including the formals. That kinda stood out in the crowd but not one person said a word to my knowledge. Everywhere but the diningroom I'll be in shorts and a tee shirt or bathing suit as will most everyone else. Its YOUR vacation, enjoy it as you see fit.

[Tricia724]

Don't be afraid....you're going to have such a good time. And you'll fit in just fine with the rest of us average, middle-class people who love to cruise. Trust me....a huge lot of women won't be in those strapless gowns.

 

I almost always wear something with a jacket or some kind of sleeves. It's downright cold in the dining room and showroom at times. Also, I don't have a tattoo, but I don't have toned arms either. Many women wear a nice pair of black pants or skirt with a glitzy or dressy top. I'm sure you'll look fine. This isn't the academy awards....no one will be standing by to ask you "who" you're wearing.

 

You have so much to celebrate.....your anniversary.....your remarkable weight loss.....the realization of a dream.....please don't waste one minute being nervous. Relax and have the time of your life.

[madelinerose]

First of all, congratulations on the weight loss and 22 years of marriage!!! They're both amazing accomplishments, so give yourself a big attagirl and pat yourself on that tatooed shoulder! :D

 

Anyone who is classy enough to come to CC and express how she feels and tell it like it is, is certainly classy enough for my taste.

 

Also, remember, it's been said that only about 1% of all cruisers are CC members. There will be approximately 99% of the 1900+ passengers on your cruise who have probably never even heard of Cruise Critic. Your ship will be filled with people from all walks of life and the diversity of these folks will make for a wonderful time.

 

Relax, enjoy, be who you are! Isn't that what life's all about?

 

If, however, the tatoo is still an issue, here's a product that may help to relieve your stress:

 

http://www.dermablend.com/BeforeAndAfter.aspx

 

Good luck....may you be the belle of the ball! ;)

 

 

Karen

[grannynurse]

Hi Aprilwaters,

Welcome to the HAL board!

On my first cruise I was embarassed at dinnerbecause all I saw at the dinner table were all those forks, knives and spoons, and didn't know which one to use. Then a very kind lady who was sitting next to me sensed what was going on and whispered to me "start at the outside and work your way in". Believe me if anyone is snobby, and I haven't met but 2 or 3 over the years, they are not regular HAL cruisers. Go, be yourself and have a ball.

GN

[twinkletoes4445]

Congratualtions on the weight loss!!!!

 

Go on the cruise...and have a good time. I wouldn't worry about the tatoo or anything else for that matter. :)

[Jade13]

a wonderful gift from your husband.

 

I haven't been on this ship but you can see it has great reviews. Make sure to contact the Ship Coordinator for this particular ship. It will be someone out of the Washington office "Ship Services" department. Make sure they know it is your anniversary. They will bring you a cake.

 

You might want to consider the Pinnacle Grill that night (or you can do it any night that week to celebrate. You can celebrate every night! There is a 30pp extra charge but it is well worth it if you would like something like dry aged steak or Filet Mignon. My husband is a chef and we thought the crab cake appetizer was excellant (on the Veendam). I think the Pinnacle menu is the same on all the ships. Book/pay now to get the time slot you want. If you change your mind they will credit your cabin the extra 60 (two persons) that you have pre-paid (Btw, they asked if we were celebrating anything special and we got a fabulous chocolate mousse cake).

 

Also, just wanted to make sure you know that unlike most other cruise lines (I believe) room service is free, so you can enjoy breakfast delivered to your cabin on your anniversary and any other day. If you are not in a cabin with a mini-bar/refrigerator, rent one (again ship services department). It was an extra $2.00 per day last year and well worth it since the verandahs were sold out when we booked. We were so full after dessert (try the Creme brulee in the Pinnacle) that we had them bring the cake to our room and it was great for breakfast...Hal allows you to bring caned drinks aboard and we brought some for the cabin since Colas are extra and you can't use the drink card in the cabin. You can order the Card from ships services too. I think this ship has the drink card. It was about $18.75 last year for 20 Colas. (otherwise it is a $1.75 bar drink). Coffee, tea and ice tea are always free.

 

Also the room service cheese plate is always available and a great snack to order.

 

You will have a great time. HAL is such a great ship. All the cabins have fruit baskets and robes, not just the deluxe staterooms.

[innlady1]

April,

Go and enjoy! Tatoo's are very in today, so you've nothing to worry about. You've achieved something many of us have a hard time with....I would love to be able to say that I lost 100 pounds. Congratulations to you! This is only our 2nd cruise, but you will see that people are dressed in anything from strapless gowns (and I didn't see many of those) to tops or jackets and long skirts or pants. I'm a bit overweight and self-conscious about that, so I wear a beaded jacket with dressy black pants, and variations of that. And I felt right at home on our last cruise! ;) The important thing is for you and your husband to go and have a wonderful time!

innlady

[Jade13]

to allow her to get a tatoo. They are very in. We said no cause she is still young but she wil probably not listen and get one anyway if she finds the money.

[cq6]

Aprilwater,

You might not want to hide that tattoo. We went to the welcome seminar on our Noordam cruise two weeks ago and they gave a gift to the first person on stage with a rose tattoo. Four people rushed to the stage. Remember what Elenore Roosevelt said 'No one can make you feel inferior but yourself'.

[cruznon]

Aprilwaters,

What a wonderful way to celebrate your anniversary and the loss of 100 lbs! I really admire you.

You've chosen a wonderful cruise line for your first cruise and (from what I've heard) a great ship!

Don't worry,you will fit in just fine. Just relax, have fun and let yourself be pampered--you deserve it!

If the tatoo bothers you, there are lots of non-strapless dresses out there. You'll have a great time.

Welcome to the boards!

[IKE]

Go and enjoy your Cruise of a lifetime. How wonderful to lose 100 lbs. You must be so proud. Congratulations on your accomplishment. Have a wonderful and memorable Cruise. IKE

[dare2dream]

Congratulations on losing 100 pounds and surviving marriage for 22 years!!! I'm at 26 years and some days are incredible and some days I want to give up but I know tomorrow will be a better day. At this point I am in it for the long haul.

 

Please visit the 'Lose before you cruise" forum here under the fun stuff section of the boards and tell us how you achieved this milestone in your life. I need to lose a bunch of weight and love to hear the stories of those who have actually made it happen.

 

I'm a simple gal from Maryland's Eastern Shore and feel like poor white trash compared to others on the boards who are so well educated and well traveled. An unexpected inheritance allowed DH and I to enjoy a HAL cruisetour to Alaska in August 2005 for our 25th wedding anniversary. DH wanted to be on the ship for our anniversary and we were.

 

Being a "big girl" dressing up has never been important to me. For formal nights I wore a simple long skirt and a knit top. Nothing fancy at all, but I tried. I also wore sandles that lit up as I walked. I'm sure that caused some heads to turn, but I loved them and considered them my princess shoes. I know I was underdressed and I apoligize if I offended others, but this was my cruise to enjoy and I certainly did.

 

I often replay the many memorable moments of our trip in my mind to enjoy during my tedious daily routine called "reality". Everything wasn't perfect, but we had the right attitude and enjoyed every minute of our anniversary adventure. With the right attitude I know you will enjoy your trip also and treasure the memories for many years to come.

 

Happy cruising to us all,

 

Brenda

[caribbean girl]

How wonderful to look forward to a cruise and an anniversary cruise at that!! AND on a HAL ship after having lost all that weight!! You certainly have a lot to celebrate!! Enjoy the anticipation and have a wonderful time on your cruise. Trust me...as soon as you board that ship you are going to feel like you are just where you need to be. Savour every moment!:)

[Skye23]

I'm going on my first HAL cruise this year too and there's nothing to be nervous about. I've got my redneck roots also - heck, my Father in Law gave me 3 boxes of venison from some of the deer he shot this year as part of my Christmas gift. (For the record, nothing says love like homemade venison sausage, and the cooler to drive it home in....).

 

I'm in my early 30's, proudly queen-sized (although attempting to trim the kingdom down just a smidge), and I've got a tattoo also. I expect to fit in just fine with all the other cruisers. Not because I took cotillion classes and spent some of my teen years dancing waltzes in silk dresses while wearing white gloves and sipping tea, but because my mother raised me to have some manners. As long as you've got your manners everyone who's worth being around will treat you just fine. Regretfully there's nothing we can do about the idiots that think they're above such social niceties.

 

The other cruisers have good suggestions about the tattoo-hiding make up, or buying dresses that cover it, but don't feel you HAVE to. Only do it if you want to. I had my wedding dress custom made to cover mine not because I didn't like it, but because it didn't go well with the dress design. It was either raise the back to cover all of the design, or lower the back to reveal the whole tattoo - raising was easier. You'll find plenty of dresses that will work just fine however and aren't sleeveless. I refuse to wear sleeveless dresses myself... Check out the Fashion bb for some more tips - and coupon codes to www.coldwatercreek.com where lots of us have been getting our cruise outfits. The clearance section has some great buys!

 

And enjoy!