Captains Welcome Aboard

[RetiredMustang]

I would just offer a personal opinion from another perspective. DW and I have been with HAL for 9 cruises now, and generally consider ourselves more traditionalists, but we stopped going to the Captain's reception after the first couple of times. We have also passed to the, shall we say, "graceful" side of 50 and have no young children, so we don't fit the demographic of the younger families either.

We have been to some Mariners events, and plan to do more since reading KK's description of the changes on an earlier thread, and went once to a suites reception (splurged for 30th anniversary on 14-day cruise :D ), and enjoyed it. But, frankly, we did not see what the big deal was about the Captain's welcome reception. We can take or leave champagne, hate the long lines and don't want our photo taken with the captain, so we stopped going. We also gave a pass to the reception on the QM2. Now we spend the time in an uncrowded Crow's Nest or Ocean Bar or Explorer's Lounge, even though I am in a tux and DW is in a formal gown, instead of with the crowds.

Dave

[RevNeal]

[quote name='mariner']Let's put him in Jazzy's bunny suit and make him stand at gangway for pictures in San Juan![/QUOTE]

Now THAT's a funny mental image! :eek: :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

[B]It's those long lines that are making us think twice about attending future Weclome Aboard Receptions. That's why we really enjoyed the new "Toast". Those who how eat at 8 and 8:30 have only one long line to wait in - the reception - they can go directly into the show. But those of us who dine at 5:45 and 6:15 have to stand in line for the reception. And then we have to stand in line again for the show while waiting for the 2nd reception to end and for the staff to clean up the lounge. Think we will just go to a lounge and have a pre-dinner cocktail.[/B]

[Krazy Kruizers]

[B]booboo29

After the "Toast" you don't have to stay for the show. There isn't anyone stopping you from leaving and going somewhere else.[/B]

[Krazy Kruizers]

[B]RetiredMustang

I really hope that the ships in the fleet will have this new Mariner lunch. We really enjoyed it.[/B]

[hammybee]

[quote name='RetiredMustang'] Now we spend the time in an uncrowded Crow's Nest or Ocean Bar or Explorer's Lounge, even though I am in a tux and DW is in a formal gown, instead of with the crowds.

Dave[/QUOTE]

I guess I am jaded by highly staged public relation tactics, regardless of where they occur or who they involve, although I respect that some pax enjoy the tradition.

I have been more impressed with the occasional sighting of a captain walking the decks, grabbing the arm of someone needing assistance, popping his head into the Laundomat, stopping at a LIDO or dining table to enquire and general casual interaction with a pax, some of whom may not even know who they are talking to, beyond someone in uniform.

The captain of any ship or industry, for that matter, can create more genuine goodwill in a 15 minute daily walk than he/she can, while standing in yet another reception line, posing for pictures, for hours on end. And talk about setting the tone at the top.........

Dave, hope to, one day, meet you and Mrs. Mustang, in the Ocean Bar or Crow's Nest.

[RetiredMustang]

[quote name='hammybee']
Dave, hope to, one day, meet you and Mrs. Mustang, in the Ocean Bar or Crow's Nest.[/quote]

Hammy,

What a nice thing to say! No doubt if we keep this cruising thing up, we'll be on the same ship at the same time someday and be able to meet in one of those, or at the "I Wish I Could Stay Here Forever" bar on HMC. I would like to meet you and many of the other constant correspondents on this forum :D .

Dave

[hammybee]

[quote name='RetiredMustang']Hammy,

What a nice thing to say! No doubt if we keep this cruising thing up, we'll be on the same ship at the same time someday and be able to meet in one of those, or at the "I Wish I Could Stay Here Forever" bar on HMC. I would like to meet you and many of the other constant correspondents on this forum :D .

Dave[/QUOTE]

Just look for the woman wearing a bathrobe and curlers, sitting on a barstool and chances are it might be me :), :), :)

[gizmo]

I confess :o . Mr. Gizmo and I never go. Standing in line is not our thing. We much rather go to a lounge and enjoy a drink before dinner.

I agree it is a tradition that many people enjoy. For those that enjoy this I hope they keep the tradition alive. ;)

[Copper10-8]

[quote name='hammybee']Just look for the woman wearing a bathrobe and curlers, sitting on a barstool and chances are it might be me :), :), :)[/quote]

Don't forget your thong please!

[RetiredMustang]

[quote name='hammybee']Just look for the woman wearing a bathrobe and curlers, sitting on a barstool and chances are it might be me :), :), :)[/quote]

Hammy,

And I'll be the guy who looks like my avatar -- classic, chiseled features, a Greek hero, if not a Greek god!:p NOT!:rolleyes: (Pretty cool avatar, though, at least I think so. It's Ulysses/Odysseus, and I've been looking for a good pic -- goes with my sig quotation, as he is an older Ulysses).

And DW will be the one who looks like Penelope -- closer to truth in her case than mine.

Cheers and good sailing,
Dave

[samikitty]

There was a full Captain's Welcome Reception. Intro & picture with the Capt, the Hotel Mgr and CD inside the lounge, bar drinks and Hal Cats. Full introduction of all the staff and employee of the month.

Looks like the trial run was short-lived!

[mariner]

What line?

We learned a long time ago, we sit at the Crow's and have a cocktail then make our way to the lounge by 7:30. Never had to wait.

I'll be the bedraggled one with shorts and ``They Went On Cruise and ALL They Got Me Was a Dam T-shirt'' T-shirt, with the size-two blonde. I'll be saying, ``Pass me the nuts and where's the guy in the bunny suit.''

[RetiredMustang]

mariner,

Good to see you are feeling better! I agree, we probably would not have waited in line if we had done as you said, but knowing us, once we got into a comfortable seat and had the cocktails served, a huge hunk of inertia would have fallen on us, and we wouldn't be able to get up until much later! Which, come to think of it, is pretty much what happens to us now.

I can tell you really enjoy them, as do many others, and in that case I do hope they continue to hold them so long as people enjoy them. Now, if they ever do away with those wonderful Indonesian room stewards, I'll not be so philosophical! :D

Cheers,
Dave

[Love Cruises]

We were recently on the NOORDAM (3/10-3/21/07) and they had the Captains Toast before the 8:30 pm show. Also, another day instead of the Mariners Cocktail Party in the lounge, there was a Mariners luncheon in the dining room. During the entire luncheon you could have any drinks from the bar you wanted (since we don't drink we had sodas). Also, the menu was at each placesetting in a little wallet size picture frame which had little fake gold overlays at top and bottom with the msNOORDAM and HALship logo on them. We thought that was a cute perk.

Most of the time on our many other cruises on HAL we didn't bother to go to these "so crowded" events but liked going to these two new "parties".

[mariner]

Dave,

I'm getting close to 50 and know the feeling of inertia. But that's never stopped me when Shakira is played.

Just think it's the one time on the cruise when all the passengers are together (albeit in seatings) sharing a moment.

Have viewed it as the time that binds. That's special.

I'll bet he's scared about the bunny suit.

[RevNeal]

[quote name='mariner']I'll bet he's scared about the bunny suit.[/QUOTE]

I doubt he's scared at all ... with a name that kinda sounds like "cruise" I'm sure he's confident in his future. :D

[bepsf]

[quote name='RetiredMustang']Hammy,

And I'll be the guy who looks like my avatar -- classic, chiseled features, a Greek hero, if not a Greek god!:p NOT!:rolleyes: (Pretty cool avatar, though, at least I think so. It's Ulysses/Odysseus, and I've been looking for a good pic -- goes with my sig quotation, as he is an older Ulysses).
[/QUOTE]

[FONT="Garamond"][SIZE="4"]Dave--

Your Odysseus looks shocked...
Could it be that he saw someone in the Dining Room on Formal Night in shorts and a Dam t-shirt?
;) [/SIZE][/FONT]

[RetiredMustang]

Brian,

Funny! But, to extend the conceit that he and I are alike in some ways, it's probably that he just got a look at his cruise statement: and remember, it was a 10-year cruise back from Troy, and the shore excursions were plentiful, but the killer was the bar tab!

Dave

(P.S. - Odysseus, a Greek from Ithaca -- I wonder, which frat did he belong to at Cornell?)