Gulang, Gulang....... Goodbye Song

[Jemima]

I won't miss the song. The thought is good, the song was ok the first few times, but it doesn't grow on me. I've found it annoying the last few times. It also interrupts the flow of dinner for those of us doing open dining.

[cruz chic]

I won't miss the song. The thought is good, the song was ok the first few times, but it doesn't grow on me. I've found it annoying the last few times. It also interrupts the flow of dinner for those of us doing open dining.

I'm with you on this as well. Those guys work way too hard without having to entertain us.

[jhannah]

The more things like this that are taken away, the farther they get from the package that attracted us to HAL in the first place. It isn't just one thing, but a combination of practices and touches that set Holland America apart from other lines. Those of you who have sailed Holland America ships more than a few times know what I'm talking about.

 

With so much of what endeared HAL to us over the years going bye-bye, we may as well cruise Princess. Putting money where the mouth is, we're booked on Princess for 2009.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The more things like this that are taken away, the farther they get from the package that attracted us to HAL in the first place. It isn't just one thing, but a combination of practices and touches that set Holland America apart from other lines. Those of you who have sailed Holland America ships more than a few times know what I'm talking about.

 

With so much of what endeared HAL to us over the years going bye-bye, we may as well cruise Princess. Putting money where the mouth is, we're booked on Princess for 2009.

 

Agree with everything you said!!

We had a cruise booked on Princess -- cancelled it -- now I wish we hadn't.

[sail7seas]

Newcomers to HAL cannot understand what all those special touches did to make HAL different than the rest. There is a reason HAL has had so much brand loyalty from their guests....why so many of us returned again and again.

 

Galang Galang was one of many of those special touches. To date, so far as I know, only Maasdam has eliminated it but there is no reason to think it won't carry to the rest of the fleet.

 

Without these touches (so many of which have disappeared), brand loyalty is also going to disappear among the new comers. Us traditionalists who have sailed so many times with HAL and love the line so much probably won't stray very far, very often.

 

But, the next generation of loyalists needs to be created now. If HAL does not distinguish itself from the rest, how can it maintain the fierce loyalty?

 

Newcomers say....Big deal. Who cares about a song. Bring me dinner. They don't get it and I wouldn't either if I were them. Those of us who have sailed HAL for years and remember the extra graciousness, the special touches, the Dutch in Holland America, miss it. What we still love and keeps us coming back are the crews. HAL is still a good product. We still have wonderful cruises but we resent and miss the things that we miss.

 

All things change. Nothing stays the same. But some things change TOO much.

 

I'm done beating this horse but wanted to try and explain to new HAL cruisers that I'm sorry you will never experience the things we did and have mostly lost. It's too bad. Some of these things didn't cost a thing but returned immense pleasure and the desire to experience that joy and style again and again. That's why we keep coming back. It will be interesting to see how many loyal new cruisers HAL develops. I think it will be a constant jumping around cruise line to cruise line with no line loyalty as has existed for decades. HAL has probably anticipated this and thinks it is fine. Perhaps they are correct.

 

DH and I have every intention to continue sailing HAL....we wouldn't dream of not. We still love the ships and the crews ....it's all about the people!! There are no crews like those on HAL ships in our opinion. It's all about the HAL crews! But it is distressing to see how things have changed for them, as well. Anyone who sits back and watches and looks can see it for themselves. No one has to tell us.

 

 

MAASDAM IS STILL A GREAT SHIP and we had an amazing time on board. We love her as much as ever and that is a lot. We are very attached to that ship and why I take all changes so personally. We have had MANY wonderful cruises on her through the years and these two (back-to-back) from which we just were returned werew two of our BEST cruises ever on her. We could not have had anything more offered. We loved every minute aboard and we love HAL. We are simply saddened to have to adjust to severe changes. The basics of HAL are still the cruises and experiences and ships we want.

 

[sail7seas]

Agree with everything you said!!

 

We had a cruise booked on Princess -- cancelled it -- now I wish we hadn't.

 

 

You can rebook that cruise or book another. Nothing to stop you from cruising Princess or any other line that suits you. ;)

[luxurysailer]

HAL's executives are making the fatal mistake of salesmen, which is all they really are, by ignoring what their customers want and trying to sell them something they think the customer should want. It seems to me that HAL's post-cruise questionnaires formerly had a question to the effect: "Did this cruise meet your expectations?" That question did not appear on the questionnaire we filled out following our cruise on the Zuiderdam this past spring, but it should have. Although we generally gave high marks to all departments, we would have had to say that the cruise did not meet our expectations. The onboard experience on that cruise was the least enjoyable of any cruise we have ever taken. I initially thought this shortcoming was attributable to that cruise being the first after Zuiderdam was refurbished, but postings on this board make me think that HAL is undergoing a fleet-wide lessening in quality.

 

We had taken three Princess cruises since our last HAL cruise in 2004. On each cruise with Princess, I kept thinking Princess does not come up to HAL standards. I really looked forward to our cruise with HAL this past spring; but, boy, was I disappointed. It is astonishing how far HAL has fallen in just four short years.

 

I refuse to let someone tell me what I should want. I know what I want; and it appears HAL no longer measures up. Although Princess is not what I really want, it now comes closer than HAL. Consequently, we are voting with our feet and dollars and booking our Far East cruise for 2009 with Princess.

[Krazy Kruizers]

You can rebook that cruise or book another. Nothing to stop you from cruising Princess or any other line that suits you. ;)

 

It was an Alaskan cruise -- which left about 5 weeks ago -- c'est la vie.

[whogo]

Newcomers to HAL cannot understand what all those special touches did to make HAL different than the rest.

 

I suppose I am one of your newcomers with only three HAL cruises since 1999. What little touches am I missing? There are some bigger things that I can do without; the art auction clutter and all the announcements. But Gulang? These dinner shows are an amateurish production forced on a captive audience before dessert. Introduced by a head waiter in broken English (possibly followed by other languages) with no microphone skills who kills time until the last straggling waiters can abandon their real duties. Half the dining room has no view of the stairway assembly point. Others continue to chatter with their more interesting table mates.

 

I am surprised that a frequent HAL cruiser would miss it. Gulang does not get better with repetition. I do not want to hear "We are the World" on another cruise either. I vote "no" to baked Alaska parades. "No" to quinceañeras introductions as well. Let me dine in peace with congenial table mates.

 

HAL may not be listening to you, but they are listening to me if they eliminate Gulang Gulang.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I suppose I am one of your newcomers with only three HAL cruises since 1999. What little touches am I missing? There are some bigger things that I can do without; the art auction clutter and all the announcements. But Gulang? These dinner shows are an amateurish production forced on a captive audience before dessert. Introduced by a head waiter in broken English (possibly followed by other languages) with no microphone skills who kills time until the last straggling waiters can abandon their real duties. Half the dining room has no view of the stairway assembly point. Others continue to chatter with their more interesting table mates.

 

I am surprised that a frequent HAL cruiser would miss it. Gulang does not get better with repetition. I do not want to hear "We are the World" on another cruise either. I vote "no" to baked Alaska parades. "No" to quinceañeras introductions as well. Let me dine in peace with congenial table mates.

 

HAL may not be listening to you, but they are listening to me if they eliminate Gulang Gulang.

 

I know where you are coming from. We always sit a table for 2 -- thus our service tends to be much faster than in other parts of the dining room.

It has been at least 3 or 4 years since we have sat around waiting for the Baked Alaska Parade -- mainly because neither of us really like that dessert. It wasn't too bad a few years ago when there were only 2 dining times. Then HAL decided to go with 4 dining times. Naturally the upper level of the dining room having started dinner 1/2 hour earlier than the lower level was pretty well done with dinner around 7 PM. And the parade didn't start until around 7:30. Now with the AYWD dining -- the time still hasn't changed.

Same thing with the Galang Song -- it has been several years since we have stayed for it -- for the same reasons.

[doone]

I suppose I am one of your newcomers with only three HAL cruises since 1999. What little touches am I missing?

 

There are so many HAL traditions that have gone by the boards now that is sadens me and others, this song is just one of many. Maybe your just too new to appreciate what HAL once was.

 

I am with alot of you here, I am not sure I will sail again in the future. Its very sad when tradition disappears and that's what I feel has been happening right along here, cruising just isn't what it once was, but I am glad I was able to experience the "good ole' days".

[sail7seas]

I'm VERY sure we will sail again and positive we will sail HAL but we do notice and regret some of the changes.

 

[rebeljohn]

Dutch night.............We missed it on our last two HAL cruises..........

Funny, I had forgot about it unitl it was mentioned above. ...........

Hopefully, the Goodbye song will still be around when we sail the Noordam in Nov...............

[mariner]

I'd bet the Prince would change his mind if the waiters wore Bob Mackey gowns.

[SeaRay48]

I am so glad HAL offers in cabin dining for those who cannot stand a 2 minute goodbye song at the end of their cruise. Please take advantage of in cabin dining with so many of us can enjoy a wonderful HAL tradition.

[Jade13]

I was really surprised they did not have this on Eurodam Sunday night (even though it was a 3 night cruise). I kept waiting. I am totally convinced they can not do it because of AYW. How can they serve Baked Alaska, dim the lights and sing when people are being seated and coming and going at different times?