Captains Welcome Aboard

[sail7seas]

Mariner and I were chatting quite a lot last night and I can assure you he really is fine. I will let him know you were concerned about him in the event he doesn't come here today and read it for himself.

 

It's very thoughtful of 'regulars' to be concerned about others when something doesn't sound just right.

 

We briefly talked about the change in the Captain's Party and he is unhappy about it. He did seem to react quite strongly. It matters to him.

 

Thanks John and Greg and Karin and the others for caring about a great guy. He really is an A-okay.

 

 

 

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Mariner and I were chatting quite a lot last night and I can assure you he really is fine. I will let him know you were concerned about him in the event he doesn't come here today and read it for himself.

 

It's very thoughtful of 'regulars' to be concerned about others when something doesn't sound just right.

 

We briefly talked about the change in the Captain's Party and he is unhappy about it. He did seem to react quite strongly. It matters to him.

 

Thanks John and Greg and Karin and the others for caring about a great guy. He really is an A-okay.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks very much, Sail for clarifying for us. I was hoping you would be the one to talk with Mariner. I just felt rather helpless because it was so late at night........Anyway, a Happy Easter and/or Happy Sunday to all.......

 

Karin

[sail7seas]

I have a suspicion that what we are hearing and seeing are changes in policies/activities brought about by the further development of a difference between 7-14 day cruises and the longer cruises as exemplified by the "Grand Cruises" of both the Amsterdam and the Prinsendam...The newer and larger vessels are on the shorter runs and the S,R and Prinsendam classes are more involved on longer schedules. It has been my experience that the longer [25days+] cruises are filled up almost entirely with Mariner Club members...It has only been 2 years ago that we were on a Grand Circle Pacific cruise of 65 days aboard Amsterdam with 1200 other "Mariners"...Over 500 "Copper" holders and 200 "Silver"...I'm sure some of you were there...Janet Lanterman joined us in Hawaii for the return to San Diego.[she is the God-Mother of Amsterdam]...Could my suspicions be right ????...What say you S7S ??...Rob.:confused: :confused: :confused:

 

 

I really don't know, Rob, but what you say makes sense. I think you could be right but no one has 'whispered in my ear' :) though I wish they would. ;)

 

Common sense tells me the vast majority of cruisers on a 65 + day cruise are going to be Mariners into the fifty plus age range. Most younger folks don't have the time to do such a long cruise. This is the market that wants to maintain the traditional HAL experience and those cruises will be the last to 'lose' those traditions.

 

Many of the cruisers (though certainly not all - DH and I do plenty of seven day back-to-backs) on short Caribbean cruises are younger, newer cruisers who either are unfamiliar with the traditions us more senior Mariners love and they don't care about them. Those will be the cruises where these things will disappear first. IMO

 

BUT, one also has to take into consideration per diem as well, I think. The per diems for 7 day Caribbean cruises are about the lowest HAL charges. The cruises in Canada/New England, Europe, Alaska and certainly exotic voyages are higher. The more you pay, hopefully, the more you get???

[sail7seas]

One additional comment to clarify what I said about paying less and getting less for Caribbean 7 days cruises. I think in many ways, the things that younger, newer cruisers are looking for show up first on those shorter sun and fun cruises. WE LOVE those cruises so please don't get me wrong. DH and I love what we call the sun and fun, down and dirty Caribbean cruises. We prefer the ten but will do the 7 days (back-to-back) if the ship we want is on that itinerary or the date works or whatever. We know it usually will be a different experience than our Canada/New England or European itineraries. But we love it for what it is.

 

The young, new cruisers don't care about the old traditions in some cases. They're okay with far more casual; less structure; more 'loosy goosey' so to speak. They want to come to the dining room when they want. Don't care about standing in a line to attend a traditional Welcome Aboard Captain's Party......I think. Correct me if I'm wrong. I by no means wish to generalize and say it applies to ALL. Of course it doesn't but it might apply to many. HAL is listening to them and I think they should......BUT THEY CAN'T STOP LISTENING TO US TRADITIONALISTS while they are at it. They have to and for the most part (so far) seem to be maintaining a balance.

 

These young family cruisers don't want their kids exposed to cigarette smoke. HAL is listening.

They want flexibility. HAL is listening. It isn't ALL bad IMO

 

 

HAL can 'get away with' eliminating some things on those cruises IMO and not have screaming masses the way they CANNOT IMO on World Cruise or 65 day exotic Pacific Rim itinerary, for example.

 

It does come down to budget also. You will still have the amazing crew, the spotless ship, the beautiful ship, the magnificent art, the fun shows, but you might get one less free drink or one less (included in the fare) something else. I think we can understand that that given itineraries are going to vary in the exact things that are offered.

 

[bepsf]

This "new" Captain's Toast is the way it's been done on X. *Didn't care for it one bit - especially since I've never been one to enjoy the shows...

 

Much prefer knowing who the management is aboard ship and having our chance to have photographs taken w/ the Captain before dinner (I'm sure there will be some revenue loss there...)

 

I also really don't see how one way or the other makes that much difference from a cost-perspective - so why the change???

 

And while we're at it - Saber-ing the bottle of bubbly on stage is just a bad idea IMO.* That alone is gonna cost some money if someone gets hit in the eye by shards of glass...

 

If this is the way it's gonna be - maybe I really do need to consider going over to Cunard...

:(

[sail7seas]

I'm not going to 'pretend' I'm going over to anyone. I'm so happy on HAL ships with HAL crews, it's going to take quite some drastic thing for me to even mumble I'd consider going elsewhere.

 

Every company knows people come and people go. For over 130 years HAL has had plenty of people coming for them to continue on doing what they do best. Providing wonderful experiences at sea.......

 

No cruiseline can be all things to all people. None can be perfect. But HAL is 'dam' good enough for us.

 

 

JMHO....

 

 

 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I myself hope this is just another experiment. I find the Captain's Reception and the greeting of the Captain with picture op a grand tradition. On our recent cruise it was so wonderful and I made sure my first timer friends that cruised with us were there to have this wonderful cruise experience. I am totally with Mariner that this does upset me a lot but am being optimistic that it is just an experiment. I can actually think of a few Captains that would hate to see this tradtion go away, but then I also think there could be some that would prefer it to go away.:eek:

[Copper10-8]

........The wine master tried to open a bottle of champagne with a sword. However he was unsuccessful -- shattered the bottle -- glass and champagne flew everywhere -- just barely missed the people standing on the stage. (We were told that he opened the bottle at the second party without any incidents.) The captain made the remark "Well we survived that attack.".....

 

That, to me, would actually have been pretty hillarious to watch and something straight out of a Peter Sellers, Mel Brooks or Monty Python movie. Clousseau on the parellel bars "Ah, it's all coming back to me now" right before his dismount down the stairwell:D :D Gotta watch out with that "sword and bottle" routine:rolleyes: I would have been rolling on the floor.

[LizB1]

It's true this is another brainwave of the VP of entertainment, Bill Prince. No more traditional intro's with full staff onstage, just a quick hello and a toast before the show. No pictures, no handshake, a quick intro of the HM, CE, CO, EO, EOM and that's it. Currently being tested on several ships, Noordam for one.

 

From what I understand this is correct!

[bepsf]

I'm not going to 'pretend' I'm going over to anyone.* I'm so happy on HAL ships with HAL crews, it's going to take quite some drastic thing for me to even mumble I'd consider going elsewhere.**

 

Every company knows people come and people go.* For over 130 years HAL has had plenty of people coming for them to continue on doing what they do best.* Providing wonderful experiences at sea.......

 

No cruiseline can be all things to all people.* None can be perfect.* But HAL is 'dam' good enough for us.

 

S7S--

 

I hear ya - I'm not going anywhere right away just because of this...

 

...Besides - it suddenly occurred to me that saying "I'm going to Cunard because I'm not happy w/ HAL anymore" is like saying "I'm done with Lincolns so I'm buying a Jaguar"

;)

[Capital Cruiser]

Now the YUM-YUM guy dining mascot has more interaction with pax and represents a function/performance that distinguishes HAL from the others. I am betting they are not going to mess with him.

 

While we may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, on our recent 14-day cruise on the Veendam we only saw the Yum-Yum guy once or twice and only heard the pre-dinner chimes once. A couple of nights, the Yum-Yum guy was replaced by someone from the Pinnacle Grill. The rest of the time, there was simply a plexi-glass self-serve station set up to one side of the exit to the dining room. I really missed Yum-Yum and the lovely tiered serving platter we were used to every night on the Zaandam last year. We had early lower dining for what it's worth.

 

Back to the original topic, I would miss the chance to have a photo with the Captain. It is the one professional photo we buy and always the first thing my friends want to see when I return home. Can't really call it a meeting with the captain, though, as few words are exchanged and pax are moved throught the line pretty quickly.

[Copper10-8]

The Yum Yum man is no longer serving white mints for after dinner:(

[mariner]

Thanks to all for the concern.

 

S7S is correct. Mariner has not gone off the deep end, but he was, and is, most upset about this ``experiment.''

 

From my standpoint, the captain's party brings passengers and crew together to share a most unique vacation _ a cruise.

 

Princess began this informal toast things years ago when their ships got bigger. It was just impossible to get everyone through a line. In the process, passengers lost that bond with the officers and crew.

 

It's never been about the ``free'' drinks for me. It's a great chance to see how the captain and his staff interact. It's also a unique tradition that never happens on land.

 

Also think several have accurately pointed out the saber and sparkling wine thing has all the makings of a lawsuit waiting to happen.

 

Mariner just might have to lop off a cork before his Easter dinner.

[bepsf]

Originally Posted by misterX**

It's true this is another brainwave of the VP of entertainment, Bill Prince.

 

 

Is this the same dude who also came up w/ that gawdawful Tommy-Tune show???

 

He can go back to Princess...

[mariner]

He's also the genius who thinks NOORDAM needs just a cruise director and asst cruise director.

 

I just wonder if he's ever taken a cruise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

[B]We are long time cruisers and are very tired of standing in line around 4:30 to go past 4 photographers just to shake the captain's hand. Many times lately we are not even introduced to the captain - just a "And this Captain...". We have also been on some HAL ships where after standing in line and getting formal pictures taken, NO PICTURE was ever taken with the captain!!!![/B]

[Krazy Kruizers]

[B]Yes John -- everyone was having a good laugh - even the wine master!!![/B]

[Krazy Kruizers]

[B]There were white after dinner mints on our recent Maasdam cruises -- very few - but they were there. You had to among the first out of the dining room to get any.[/B]

[Chivalrygirl]

[quote name='mariner']Thanks to all for the concern.

S7S is correct. Mariner has not gone off the deep end, but he was, and is, most upset about this ``experiment.''

From my standpoint, the captain's party brings passengers and crew together to share a most unique vacation _ a cruise.

Princess began this informal toast things years ago when their ships got bigger. It was just impossible to get everyone through a line. In the process, passengers lost that bond with the officers and crew.

It's never been about the ``free'' drinks for me. It's a great chance to see how the captain and his staff interact. It's also a unique tradition that never happens on land.

Also think several have accurately pointed out the saber and sparkling wine thing has all the makings of a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Mariner just might have to lop off a cork before his Easter dinner.[/quote]

Cheers Mariner, I do hope you are enjoying your Easter dinner :)

[Chivalrygirl]

[quote name='Copper10-8'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]That, to me, would actually have been pretty hillarious to watch and something straight out of a Peter Sellers, Mel Brooks or Monty Python movie. Clousseau on the parellel bars "Ah, it's all coming back to me now" right before his dismount down the stairwell:D :D Gotta watch out with that "sword and bottle" routine:rolleyes: I would have been rolling on the floor. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

I only just found this thread, this Monday morning, and like you John this one just cracked me up. Had I been there I too would have been rolling on the floor. It must have looked hillariously funny :D :D

[LAFFNVEGAS]

[quote name='Copper10-8'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]The Yum Yum man is no longer serving white mints for after dinner:( [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]


[SIZE=3]John, we also did not have them on the Oosterdam Just the Braches red and white striped mints in a wrapper:( I would much prefer the others handed to be in a little napkin.[/SIZE]

[booboo29]

Just wanted to chime in that I too will be very sad to see the tradition of the Captains Welcome Aboard Party go away. I really enjoy the introduction of the staff. The Toast before the show concept doesn't appeal to me much as we usually skip the shows.

I will be interested to continue to hear reports from folks as they cruise and experience what actually happens. Hopefully this brainfart passes.:rolleyes:

Jennifer

[bepsf]

[quote name='mariner']He's also the genius who thinks NOORDAM needs just a cruise director and asst cruise director.

I just wonder if he's ever taken a cruise.[/QUOTE]

[FONT="Garamond"][SIZE="4"]I have a great idea for saving money.
[I]Let's fire him.[/I][/SIZE][/FONT]
:cool:

[mariner]

Brian,

You're too kind.

Let's put him in Jazzy's bunny suit and make him stand at gangway for pictures in San Juan!

[Golfette]

[B]Meeting the captain was a lovely tradition. Once. But standing in a long line & shuffling along just for a 30 second handshake and mechanical smile has long since lost its allure. [/B]