HAL unveil details of the inaugural ceremony

[Gerd]

...

 

 

Hello all

 

I got today this E-Mail from HAL

 

 

Happy cruising

 

G E R D

 

 

 

 

quote :

 

Dear Guest,

 

We are thrilled that you will be joining us for the inaugural celebration of our newest Signature class ship, the ms Nieuw Amsterdam. We hope you are as excited as we are about this latest addition to the Holland America Line family. We look forward to welcoming you aboard, and want to take this opportunity to give you an idea of some of the inaugural events that will take place.

 

As you may know, on July 4th Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima of the Netherlands will name ms Nieuw Amsterdam in a dedication ceremony. There will be a number of ways in which our guests can share in this experience. While the ceremony itself will take place in the Showroom at Sea at 3:00 p.m., it will also be broadcast throughout the public areas on board the ship so that our guests may enjoy the ceremony from their favorite venue. For any guests who miss the ceremony or simply want to relive the excitement, it will be replayed on your stateroom television throughout the sailing.

 

In addition to the dedication ceremony, there will be many celebratory events throughout the cruise. On the evening of the 4th all of our guests are invited to a sail-away reception on the Lido Deck at 5:00 pm. Additional inaugural festivities will take place on July 6th. And many more surprises will be unveiled once you are aboard!

 

Again, thank you very much for choosing to celebrate this occasion with us. The patronage of our valued Mariners is of great importance to us, and we anticipate a truly memorable experience. We will see you aboard ms Nieuw Amsterdam very soon!

 

Best regards,

 

Stein Kruse

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

 

Our marvelous cruises : :)

 

MS Ryndam – Wayfarer – March 1997

MS Noordam - Transatlantic Island Hook - April 2001

MS Volendam - Southern Caribbean - April 2002

MS Volendam - Westfarer Caribbean - April 2004

MS Prinsendam - Windmills & Waterford – September 2004

MS Westerdam - Western Caribbean - April 2005

MS Statendam - Hawaii Circle - September 2005

MS Rotterdam - Vikings and Czars – July 2006

MS Veendam - Southern Caribbean – March 2007

MS Volendam – Panama Canal – April 2008

MS Noordam – Mediterranean Enchantment – September 2009

 

136 days - 34'665 Nm :

 

 

 

Future Cruise : :p

 

 

3+7 / 10-day Mediterranean Prelude & Inaugural Cruise :

 

 

 

12-day Mediterranean Empires :

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for the information. Will you be able to attend?

[Gerd]

...

 

Hello "Krazy Kruizers"

 

I hope we can make it – and because the E-Mail statement is in that direction, Anna and myself will be trilled to participate at this event.

 

And because my DW Anna is from the Netherlands….

 

 

 

Happy cruising

 

G E R D

 

 

[Ocean Travler]

wonderful to know who the Godmother will be

 

but

 

who are the Mariner Ambassadors?

 

Seattle must have made the selection since the dedication is now less than a month away

[scottjeanne]

Ocean traveler: What Mariner ambassadors are you refering to? There is no mention of them in this invitation.

[sail7seas]

Thanks for posting this, Gerd.

 

I am happy HAL did not disappoint you and they sent the e-mail they promised.

Hope you have a wonderful cruise and enjoy the Dedication Ceremonies. They really are something fantastic to view IMO

 

Have Fun!!!

 

[DutchByAssociation]

glad you got your answer Gerd

[Ocean Travler]

Ocean traveler: What Mariner ambassadors are you refering to? There is no mention of them in this invitation.

 

the dedication ceremony has 2 main events: the breaking of the champagne bottle against the hull with appropriate comments by the Godmother and the blessing of the Bell (which is then fixed to the bow) by the Mariner Ambassadors who are joined by the Captain. The ambassadors are selected by the head of the Mariner Society subject to approval of the "chain of command".

 

the ship will not sail with passengers until the bell has been blessed

 

I was surprised there was no mention of who the Ambassadors were since the dedication is fast approaching

 

sure Dutch by Association forgot to answer the question when he responded to the thread

 

ok Dutch: who are the Ambassadors?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Gerd

 

Glad that you both will be able to attend the inaugural!!

 

Have a great cruise.

[DutchByAssociation]

ok Dutch: who are the Ambassadors?

 

Believe in the past this has been revealed AT the ceremonies themselves and not in advance.

 

I believe it is always guests with 500+ days, but beyond that I'm not even sure what would get you even in the running.

 

I would do it... but I need that vacation time for my plans later this year on the sister ship ;)

 

So a long ramble later...

 

I dunno :o

[scottjeanne]

The ceremony is to take place in the showplace lounge. How are they breaking champagne bottles on the hull and dedicating the bell form there?

[scottjeanne]

The ceremony is to take place in the showplace lounge. How are they breaking champagne bottles on the hull and dedicating the bell from there?

[sail7seas]

Noordam's Dedication also took place in the show lounge and it was fabulous.

The Godmother, Marlee Matlin, pressed a plunger on the podium on stage which released a heavy cord outside the ship holding the champagne. The champagne bottle struck, just as planned, against the hull exactly on the lettering Noordam and it was visible to us in the show lounge by means of video display. The cheering and confetti and music and fun was electric.

 

Noordam's Bell was brought to the show lounge set into a large holder built for the purpose of transporting it. It hung from a support and four sailors wheeled it on stage in order for it to be blessed. VERY moving IMO

 

This is the blessing which is recited by the Mariners Ambassadors. Captain always participates.

 

"We bless the bell of the ms Noordam

as an extension of the vessel.

 

We wish upon the Noordam

Fair Winds and a following sea.

 

We wish safety for her operation...

Wisdom for her officers..

Good health for her crew...

And Comfort for her guests."

 

 

And Captain and Ambassadors poured champagne over her bell.

 

After the Dedication, of course, the bell was brought to its place on the bow of the ship.

 

 

 

[jtl513]

On the evening of the 4th all of our guests are invited to a sail-away reception on the Lido Deck at 5:00 pm.

Can't you just picture 2,100 people on the aft Lido deck! :rolleyes:

 

No mention yet about web-casting the ceremony? (I've been pretty much away from the boards for a week.)