HAL Before 1980

[We_like_to_cruise]

 

We had a lovely card slipped under the door every morning, with varying pictures of sunshine/clouds/rain, and the prediction for the day circled, with a temperature listed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[We_like_to_cruise]

Our first HAL cruise was our honeymoon on the Volendam in 1978. We remember all of our friends and family joining us on the ship for a Bon Voyage party. I am sure we drank champagne, but do not recall whether it was brought in by us or supplied by the cruise line.

 

Then, as noted previously, everyone had to leave the ship and they stood on the dock and threw streamers and confetti at us - just like in the movies!

 

We had a wonderful cruise to Bermuda and have many fond memories.

 

Fortunately, DW saved alot of "stuff" from that cruise, as we had a Honeymoon scrapbook/photo album.

 

Since we were a young (poor :)) married couple it was a number of years before we could afford the luxury - and at that time it was a luxury - of cruising again.

 

Last month we had our second HAL cruise and we really enjoyed it. We are working on a full review, but have been busy with work and home. We will finish it one of these days.:D

[We_like_to_cruise]

Here is the dinner menu from 1978.

 

 

 

[We_like_to_cruise]

And here is your daily Explorer.

Please note:

"INFORMAL DRESS SUGGESTED. Men are requested to wear a Jacket or Leisure Suit :eek: after 6 pm."

 

Also, Horse Racing at 8:30 p.m. You could "win a fortune!" :D

 

 

 

[RuthC]

Does this look familiar?

Sure does!

So do the menu and daily program posted later. It was the cover of the menu that was really interesting, though. Little Dutch sketches, later batched, signed by your steward, and presented to you on the last night.

Wasn't the program so, well, basic compared to now.

[LindaM]

Another thing that would be done on Homes LInes (Oceanic) is when they got your bed ready for the night, your night gown/ PJs would be placed on the bed in the shape of a body. Most times just pinched in at the waist. We would hid our night gowns, but they would all ways find them and put them out on the bed at night!

Did HAL do this too!

 

This is how a 25 year old thinks----we chose Carnival for our first cruise in the late 70's as opposed to HAL--because we didn't like the blue hulls!! What were we thinking??? They did the same thing with the nightgown. I also remember the steward coming in to wake us up---before wake up calls!! I had to take my hot rollers to a special room which had american electrical outlets!!

 

What I do remember is how escargot were served often and other expensive items. And Heinekin was $1.

[George C]

Cruise was almost a months pay for 1st cruise on Rotterdam 600 for the week ( for a single cabin, double was 400) , in 1977 , but I remember the Heinkens were 75 cents.

[geocruiser]

We_like_to_cruise,

 

I just loved reading the daily program, dinner menu and the caed showing the day's weather.

 

 

I don't know the price of beer on Oceanis because I never drink. But if I recall I would give $1. for a can of soda and that was with the tip.

[rkacruiser]

Cruise was almost a months pay for 1st cruise on Rotterdam 600 for the week ( for a single cabin, double was 400) , in 1977 , but I remember the Heinkens were 75 cents.

 

In 1970, draft Heinken was 25 cents. But, at that time, I did not like beer!

[kazu]

One thing I really liked on HAL - was along with the wonderful strings there was a girl who would come with cigars - the goal was of course to sell some at the end (now you can tell this is a long, long time ago).

 

I didn't smoke cigars - but I was fascinated by the music and her every night. She went through an elaborate rubbing of the cigar and everything and basically lit the cigar without ever touching it to her lips.

 

and she never smoked it - but she got it lit and would pass it to a gentleman:)

 

It was a truly artistic type performance that I enjoyed very much. No, I'm not trying to turn this into a smoking thread. She was very elegant and people would flock to listen to the music - watch her clever moves and drink their cognac (or whatever after dinner drink):D

[BJane]

What a great thread. We began our cruising in 1979 with 10 trips on NCL and RCI. In 1991 we decided to try HAL and chose the Westerdam for a cruise to Alaska. This was the Westerdam that had originally been Home Lines Homeric. HAL had stretched and renamed her and it was a beautiful ship. The dining room was below deck and had only port holes near the ceiling. We enjoyed the trip so much that we dropped NCL and spent the rest of our cruising days on HAL and RCI.

[libgal]

We came home from the UK in 1968 on the Rotterdam. Our two small children were with us, and they went to some sort of childcare place on the ship every day. There was a costume ball, which we mistakenly thought was obligatory, so we put some sort of costume togeter, and were then mortified to see that not many people were parading around. We boarded in Cobh and disembarked in New York. It was all quite elegant, and was courtesy of my husband's employer.

Prior to that I was on the Zuidercruis in 1954, when it was a student ship. Not at all fancy, but loads of fun. I remember a Dutch student string quartet was part of the entertainment. New York to Rotterdam and then 2 months later Rotterdam back to NY. The ship wasn't strictly HAL, but was close.

[brownblonde]

This is alot of fun reading about all the by gone days of early cruising.

Things have changed, some good and some not so good.

I don't know if it was the Home line that Ocean Monarch belonged to, but early 60's we went from NYC to Bermuda, being young things make a mark, we ate dinner each evening with the Ships Dr. He had been in the British Army and was so nice. Near the end of the cruise he invited the 6 if us to his cabin for drinks. The waiter was his right hand man and made our drinks for us. The waiter left to go to the dining room, finally after stories and jokes, the Dr. was called for services needed, when we got to the dining room it was empty and the waiter his valet was there waiting for us. What a fun thing to remember almost 50 yrs later.

We enjoyed Sitmar, Fairwind 2 times and then thankgoodness the credit was carried over to Princess and we are now Elite with them.

I had forgotten about the horse racing.

Remember the long gowns and the stole??

Leaving NYC in the 60's it was a hat and gloves the day we went aboard.

We have many memories but it is nice to be reminded of some forgotten ones. Thanks to all.

[geocruiser]

Of course the cruise lines still do a baked Alaska parade. I remember when they would put sparklers in the baked Alaska for the parade. When did they stop using sparklers?

[Stpatsirish]

DH and I are booked on the Maasdam next summer and I was thinking it would be my first cruise but then I remembered that I came to Canada with my parents in 1961 on the Ryndam. I have a few memories of that voyage but that may just be from looking at the photos my parents took. One of the activities they have a picture of is standing with their hands tied behind their backs while trying to bite into a piece of cake dangling from strings above their heads!

[Copper10-8]

.......................I don't know if it was the Home line that Ocean Monarch belonged to, but early 60's we went from NYC to Bermuda...........................

 

At the time, Ocean Monarch (1951) sailed for British-owned Furness Withy & Co.

Cool thread!:)

[Topsham]

At the time, Ocean Monarch (1951) sailed for British-owned Furness Withy & Co.

 

Cool thread!:)

 

 

Furness Withy owned the ship but she sailed for the Furness Bermuda Line. OCEAN MONARCH.... AKA OCEAN MANIAC or OCEAN COMOTION.

She would roll on wet grass as they say.

 

She and her fleetmate QUEEN OF BERMUDA were prime ships in their day... known as The Millionaire's Ships... mostly weekly service Ny to Bermuda.

 

I attended the Furness Bermuda reunion in England last year and another reunion here in Bermuda back in May. A group of them.... all ex bell boys and commis waiters off the MONARCH and the QUEEN made a trip to Bermuda for the reunion. They flew to New York from Uk then made the 7 day cruise in VEENDAM. I hate to report that they were not happy with the VEENDAM and thought she was very second rate!

 

Stephen

[Copper10-8]

Thanks Captain; Have a great Sunday!:)

[brownblonde]

Thanks for the answer. I've made notes so to remember. In fact I have the beach bag they gave us Black and Red. For years have kept some of our magazine photo slides in it.

That reunion must have been neat. Have those ships been scrapped??

[Copper10-8]

Thanks for the answer. I've made notes so to remember. In fact I have the beach bag they gave us Black and Red. For years have kept some of our magazine photo slides in it.

That reunion must have been neat. Have those ships been scrapped??

 

 

The Ocean Monarch you were one caught fire while being worked on in 1981 in Greece (under a different name and owner). A month later, a new fire broke out and she was deliberately sunk on site

Sitmar's Fairwind, born as Cunard's Sylvania, went on to become Dawn Princess (Princess Cruises), then Albatross (on charter for German operator Phoenix Reisen). She encountered serious mechanical issues in 2003, was sold for scrap, and broken up at Alang, India in early 2004

[philbob84]

I love this thread. any one have pictures of the ships interiors?

[prescottbob]

...1957 aboard the Statendam IV as a child. I was 7 yeasr old and shared a cabin with bunk beds with my 10 year old brother. Our folks were in an adjoining cabin. The ship departed Hoboken methinks (memories are a bit fuzzy these days) for a 14 day Caribbean Xmas cruise.

 

Some of the things I recall include:

 

1.A gorgeous indoor pool with an ornate doorway entrance & full size movie cinema.

2. Skeet shooting on the fantail &, of course, "horse racing".

3. Very arty, colorful menus (artworks really) with caligraphy used extensively for the dinner menus.

4. A primarily Dutch/european staff.

5. I don't recall any radios or TV's in the cabins.

6. Smoking was allowed pretty much everywhere including meals in the main dining room.

7. Aft pool was indeed salt water.

8. A masquerade ball where passengers won prizes for the best outfits (my mom brought old hula skirts for my brother & I to wear).

9. A passenger talent show.

10. A full 6-8 piece dance orchestra in the main lounge.

11. A true midnight buffet.

12. Ties & jackets required for most dinners for the men folks. There were a few leisure nights when we were down in the Caribbean.

13. Mixed drinks and beers were 25 cents (I have an old scrap book that has some receipts).

14. I don't recall much in the way of lectures or other activities we expect these days. I think they played bridge a lot & just enjoyed activites on the aft deck area. I just don't remember. I know they had the kids together for various activites supervised by members of the ship's staff (pretty much male).

 

Just some old memories.

 

Bon Voyage & Good Health!

Bob:)

[Topsham]

Thanks for the answer. I've made notes so to remember. In fact I have the beach bag they gave us Black and Red. For years have kept some of our magazine photo slides in it.

That reunion must have been neat. Have those ships been scrapped??

 

 

I have one of the beach bags as well! It was black and red stripe to match the colours on the funnel. Rather neat ..... if you saw one you know that person was a Queen of Bermuda or Ocean Monarch passenger... a but like the HAL Mariner bags.

 

When OCEAN MONARCH was built in 1951 she won an award for outstanding design. Every cabin in the ship was outside and had full bathroom.

 

Do a search on The Furness Bermuda Line Association. Lots of info there, photos etc and anyone connected with teh ships is welcome to join.

 

HAL had two ships about the same size as OCEAN MONARCH and came into service about the same time.... MAASDAM and RYNDAM. Wonderful little ships but they were built mainly for the tourist trade so not quite up to Furness standard. They were frequently in Bermuda on cruises out of New York. Used to visit them the late 60s.

 

I've tried to attach a couple of shots of the MONARCH and one of the great QUEEN OF BERMUDA.

 

Stephen

[geocruiser]

I remember skeet shooting. We were on (I think is was Chandris cruise line) and a friend of mine did shoot. The men were all giving her advice. They were shock when she started shooting. What they did not know she was a New York city police officer. Boy, could she was good at skeet shooting. It was funny to see peoples faces as she shot.

[George C]

=

9. A passenger talent show.

 

I did a Itilian line in 1979 and Phil Esposito ( NY Ranger and hall of fame hockey player) had a pie thrown at his face in one by his wife. Still have farwell menu from Marconi