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Do you have a very special memory from one of your cruises?


Hflors
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I thought I would ask this question as many of you have a "number" of cruises under your belt. Do you have a very special memory from one of your cruises?....

 

I do: Seeing my Mother being pushed in her wheelchair to the dining room table by the Matre D. And her sitting at the table with the Dutch hat on her head. That was such a great cruise with my mom. I don't remember many other details other then these great memories and how grateful I am that we did this cruise with her before she passed. Oh yea I almost forgot she also thought calling "room service" was the greatest thing since sliced bread! (Being a mother of 8 who cooked every day for all the years I can remember I am sure it was a very welcome treat!)

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Our first cruise, years ago. We checked in and were handed our room cards with the express warning they contained all our on board account information and not to lose them. We proceeded to go aboard after passing by the obligatory boarding photo stop. We later purchased our boarding photo and both started laughing when we saw that we were both still holding on to those cards so tightly that our knuckles were white. :D A very happy memory!

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So many memories, every day of every cruise has it's special moments for me.

 

But, one of the better memories is on the Alaskan family cruise for my parent's 50th anniversary and the entire family standing on deck in awe of the glaciers calving in Glacier Bay.

 

Another one is sitting in the hot tub while sailing through Greenland's iceberg field - didn't get a single picture, but oh what gorgeous memories.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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Most of our cruises have some special memories!

 

However, two stand out.

 

#1 was celebrating New Years (2016) on the Zaandam in Antarctica.

#2 was the Canada / New England cruise we did (2012) with my Mom & Dad. Dear Mom is now passed but we have incredible photos from that trip many of which were used at her memorial.

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Too many to count but I'll mention a few.

 

1. From the Crystal Serenity Northwest Passage, our rendezvous with the Ernest Shackleton, our escort ship. Not only did they pull out all the stops deploying all the Zodiacs and helicopters, but it signaled the beginning of the unique phase of the journey. I got goosebumps again on the Zaandam in March in Port Stanley when I spotted the Shackleton docked at it's home port.

2. Not directly a cruise but in 2002 I was on primarily a land tour with a Canadian company that started in Inuvik, way above the Arctic Circle and traveled the Dempster Highway to Seward, then boarded the Zaandam to Vancouver. The first of the special memories was in Dawson City where I was walking back to my hotel and saw some familiar looking sweatshirts. It turned out to be the Chief of a neighboring Volunteer Fire department and my County Executive with their wives, both of whom were also active in the fire service. They were on a HAL land tour and also headed for the Zaandam. The second memory was getting a lovely view of a bear walking around for several minutes in Glacier Bay. Finally, I was the only American with about 25 Canadians on the tour. I enjoyed their hospitality for the Canada Day celebrations in Whitehorse. On July 4, I got to be the host as we visited Ketchikan.

3. My most recent special memory is a behind the scenes tour of the Amsterdam as I was docked on the Crystal Symphony in Huatulco.

 

Roy

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So many wonderful memories and special places. Thank you for starting this thread and giving me a chance to reflect and smile. The one that particularly stands out for me is our family cruise with our 3 adult children and their spouses.

 

We didn't begin cruising until our kids were grown and gone. They've always been a little bemused by our new "hobby" and we endured lots of good natured teasing. The opportunity to cruise together finally arose and we booked adjoining veranda cabins. I remember champagne sail aways, al fresco breakfasts, dinners with all of those beloved faces laughing and sharing this wonderful time. At one point my daughter turned to me and said, "Okay, mom..we get it. This is amazing." Freeze frame that one. I have a picture that I treasure showing all 8 of us smiling, sun kissed, and looking so very relaxed and happy.

 

Interesting that with all of the wonderful places we've traveled, the people we traveled with are my treasured memories.

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I have so many wonderful HAL memories but the best of all has to be 1997 on the Ryndam when my late husband (he died in September) and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary and renewed our vows onboard.

 

I am cruising again in December on the Veendam (his favourite ship together with the Ryndam) and will be scattering his ashes at sea.

 

Holland America was a big part of our lives for so many years and gave us some wonderful memories.

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#1: Sailing past the Statue of Liberty on the Golden Princess in 2002--and seeing where the World Trade Center had been.

#2: Seeing the launch of a space shuttle (Discovery) from the aft deck of the Westerdam shortly after sailaway in March 2009.

#3: Seeing a complete lunar eclipse on the Island Princess in December 2010.

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Im not a seasoned cruiser, we've only been on 2. But i have some memories that still kinda move my mommy soul. On our first cruise my youngest daughter was 7, and she didnt want to leave her daddy. She cried and cried when we left him at the port. The day we rolled back into seattle, she curled up in my bed and said, mommy. I loved the cruise. We should go for longer next time. And we did. :')

 

The second was on our second cruise. My 15 yo was NOT HAPPY being dragged away from his friends for two weeks. I took my oldest 2 kiddos dog sledding in Alaska and after wards he looked at me and said, mom. Thank you for making me come. This is amazing. My heart exploded. Then at the end of the cruise he said he was so happy we had a trip where we could actually connect, no tech, no friends.. just me and the kids. and grandma. :')

 

My third that actually made me cry was watching my 8yo son get so excited about the towel animal class. It was magic for him. We spent every night after that making our own in teh room, and the WONDERFUL room stewards brought us a bunch of eyes and a glue stick. and a bag of chocolates to munch on while we make animals. ;)

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Not nearly as uplifting as most memories posted here, but especially dear to me: Myself choking on and spewing red wine in the Crow's Nest and guffawing as VictOriann's DH told a most "unexpected" Irish joke, a moment that symbolizes the spirit of the entire Atlantic Adventure on the Maasdam.

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Doing an overnight HAL excursion in Cairo. Walking down the street in Old Cairo with a tour guide, a body guard(with firearms), and our bus driver. Only 16 people on our tour. Evening prayers in the background and people in the streets from the shops running up to us an touching us and asking us if we were American. Never forget that night. Had dinner that night at a roof top restaurant .

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A few.

 

My 1 day cruise on Volendam in 2006 - first cruise ever and started an obsession

My first 7 day cruise on Westerdam in 2008 - first time to Alaska and we went with my mom before she passed away

My first time on one of "my" ships on Eurodam in 2010 - When I worked for HAL, Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam were the ships I handled - This was also my first time in a Pinnacle Suite

My first 14 day back to back cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam in 2011 - Also finally had a chance to see "my" other ship (see above)

My 7 day Alaska cruise on Westerdam in 2012 - exact repeat of the one we took with my mom. We scattered some of her ashes just south of Ketchikan

My first time on a ship not yet sailing for the general public - 5 day shakedown cruise on Koningsdam from Venice to Rome in 2016. I also FINALLY met the first Guest Relations Manager I ever worked with from the Seattle office who worked on Maasdam at the time - Chrissie Beks.

***and with any luck***

The memories will continue with Nieuw Statendam in 2018 which will be the first time on a premier voyage AND first transatlantic

 

I've had some memories on the other ships as well, including some great friends we've met over the years on other sailings, but these are the big things that more readily stand out AND with this being in the HAL forums and all... :)

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I have so many wonderful HAL memories but the best of all has to be 1997 on the Ryndam when my late husband (he died in September) and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary and renewed our vows onboard.

 

I am cruising again in December on the Veendam (his favourite ship together with the Ryndam) and will be scattering his ashes at sea.

 

Holland America was a big part of our lives for so many years and gave us some wonderful memories.

 

I am so very sorry for your loss <|3

 

 

Favorite memory? Impossible to think of just one, more a global memory of how playful and light hearted we are when we get a chance to get onto a ship and leave our responsibilities behind us. So I guess my favorite cruise memory is finding our real selves, every time we cruise.

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Back in September 2003 slowly sailing into the city of Amsterdam in the still dark hours of the morning on the Oosterdam and passing the Centraal (railway) Station on the way to our berth at the Piet Heinkade. I immigrated from Amsterdam and the Netherlands to the States as an eighteen-year old. Standing on that balcony by myself brought back a lot of memories of my youth in that great city, as well as emotions (I had lost my parents thirteen days apart two years prior). Memories I still carry with me to this day and I will never forget!

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Not nearly as uplifting as most memories posted here, but especially dear to me: Myself choking on and spewing red wine in the Crow's Nest and guffawing as VictOriann's DH told a most "unexpected" Irish joke, a moment that symbolizes the spirit of the entire Atlantic Adventure on the Maasdam.

 

LOL - Vict0riann and her DH can provide many uplifting moments :) ;)

 

And your post brings me to the point. Every cruise is special whether it be a dinner with the captain, dancing with the captain, sailing past El Morro, entering Venice - the list is endless but....

 

 

along with the memories of our fabulous places, it's the people I have met, the friendships we have made and the joy that those people with just the example you gave add to our days on board, at sea and on our cruises.

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great question! One of many but....taking the MS Veendam through Manhattan past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. My grandparents took that path, and it was difficult, and I had tears in my eyes through that point of sailing.

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A most unusual sailing out of NYC one August.

There had been a massive blackout over the entire northeast, and beyond, the night before. Power was still off most of embarkation day. Flights were cancelled, as well as trains; streetlights were not working, and the ship could not provision. Even the check-in stations had troubles.

Sailing was delayed in an attempt to provision the ship, and allow more passengers to arrive and board, and we sailed about 1:00 AM. Very few people were out to enjoy it, due to the late hour.

It was a warm, balmy Friday night, with all the activity that NYC can muster on such an evening. We could see the cars, and hear the honking of an occasional horn. The lights twinkled as we slowly sailed to the Atlantic. It was magical.

Sailing out of NYC is always a thrill, as it's one of the loveliest rides in the world, IMO. But this time was special because of the unusual setting.

It can't ever be repeated.

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