Typhoon1 Posted December 2, 2013 #26 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Good for her. We should all be so fortunate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilvertoGold Posted December 2, 2013 #27 Share Posted December 2, 2013 I know we are all saying that mathematically the 10,000 days would be impossible but could they now be stating "Mariner Days" Do we know what type of cabin Mama Lou stays in? I thought I once read she had a Verandah so that would give her double days on a S class ship. :confused: The one time we were on a ship with Mama Lou she was in an inside on main deck forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sun~ Posted December 2, 2013 #28 Share Posted December 2, 2013 On the Veendam in 2007 she was in an interior cabin as I recall. In fact I thought she told us she always books interiors and sometimes gets upgraded ..../QUOTE] I met Mama Lou on the Zaandam a few years ago. We had a nice chat and she told me she had an interior cabin. She told me about her pins that she collects and a couple of stories. She was a fair age back then, she must be in her late 80's now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LAFFNVEGAS Posted December 2, 2013 #29 Share Posted December 2, 2013 The one time we were on a ship with Mama Lou she was in an inside on main deck forward. OK so I was mistaken, but I do wonder if they do give her extra Mariner Days which would explain the difference in days. I would guess she does not spend that much on board. But I would not be the least bit surprised that they do not credit her with more Mariner Days ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fouremco Posted December 2, 2013 #30 Share Posted December 2, 2013 At the risk of getting flamed, I think that this had all the trappings of an urban legend. I've no doubt that "Mama Lou" exists, and that she may have spent an extraordinary amount of time cruising, but 10,000 days? And yes, I'm jealous! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DFD! Posted December 2, 2013 #31 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Doesn't matter how many. She's been around long enough to have way more than most of us. Good for her! I once had a friend who was a great story-teller. His wife was always correcting him about the details in his stories. His reply was for her to leave him alone and not let the details get in the way of a great story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fouremco Posted December 2, 2013 #32 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Doesn't matter how many. She's been around long enough to have way more than most of us. Good for her! I once had a friend who was a great story-teller. His wife was always correcting him about the details in his stories. His reply was for her to leave him alone and not let the details get in the way of a great story. LOL. Quite so! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storylady Posted December 2, 2013 #33 Share Posted December 2, 2013 We were lucky enough to meet Mama Lou on the Ryndam sailing out of Tampa back in 2009. Can't remember how many days she had then. We would see her with a different HAL top each day of the cruise. She even had a name tag that said Mama Lou HAL Ambassador. Enjoy this link from HAL Blog on Mama Lou. http://www.hollandamericablog.com/2010/10/27/cruise-diary-more-about-mama-lou/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HokiePoq Posted December 2, 2013 #34 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Mama Lou is headed to Miami tomorrow to get on the Maasdam (?) I think. I couldn't find a roll call for this, so I'm taking a guess at the ship. She just celebrated 10,000 days a few days ago. Just thought I would give her fans the heads up. Thanks for the update! I've been telling people about Mama Lou since we met her on the Veendam in 2007. So glad she's still on the move! Such an interesting person, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HokiePoq Posted December 2, 2013 #35 Share Posted December 2, 2013 (edited) At the risk of getting flamed, I think that this had all the trappings of an urban legend. I've no doubt that "Mama Lou" exists, and that she may have spent an extraordinary amount of time cruising, but 10,000 days? And yes, I'm jealous! :) She's for real! She retired to HAL ships instead of assisted living! She was on a walker in 2007, but got off at all the ports and walked around. Everyone onboard loved her, including us. She flew planes in WWII in Britain, married an American, and after he passed, came onboard. Her husband was an admiral in the US Navy. We were two doors down from her and she introduced herself after seeing our collegiate logo which was also where her children graduated. It was a privilege to meet her and I am thrilled she is still doing her thing onboard. I'm hoping it's the Westerdam she's getting on as we board there on Saturday. Edited December 2, 2013 by HokiePoq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HokiePoq Posted December 2, 2013 #36 Share Posted December 2, 2013 The one time we were on a ship with Mama Lou she was in an inside on main deck forward. She was in an oceanview down low with us in 2007. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fouremco Posted December 2, 2013 #37 Share Posted December 2, 2013 She's for real! She retired to HAL ships instead of assisted living! She was on a walker in 2007, but got off at all the ports and walked around. Everyone onboard loved her, including us. She flew planes in WWII in Britain, married an American, and after he passed, came onboard. Her husband was an admiral in the US Navy. We were two doors down from her and she introduced herself after seeing our collegiate logo which was also where her children graduated. It was a privilege to meet her and I am thrilled she is still doing her thing onboard. I'm hoping it's the Westerdam she's getting on as we board there on Saturday. Curiouser and curiouser... Here's a newspaper clipping about Mary Lou, a Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) pilot in WWII whose husband was Navy and whose father was an Admiral. http://wwii-women-pilots.org/classlists/docs/MLNeale,43-1.pdf Their stories are so similar, but... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyk47 Posted December 2, 2013 #38 Share Posted December 2, 2013 (edited) As others have said, and we've experienced, Mama Lou is very much real. Her story is legend and I don't think there is a HAL staff, particularly the wait staff, who don't know her or have at least not heard of her. Guess for those who haven't had the privilege we should also say she regularly, if not all the time, where's replica uniforms, at least the tops, of the wait staff and has her own HAL name badge. :D As for urban legends...we've never met the Bear Lady. :o:) Edited December 2, 2013 by Randyk47 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hal lover Posted December 2, 2013 #39 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Not Sail, but the short answer is "no". HAL doesn't sail out of Miami. In FL, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa. Apparently, Mama Lou is switching from Tampa to Fort Lauderdale. Thanks innlady! I didn't think HA went out of Miami! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirkNC Posted December 2, 2013 #40 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Wonder what she thinks about the new wine policy :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toad Posted December 3, 2013 #41 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Do you think she gets free internet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
innlady1 Posted December 3, 2013 #42 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Curiouser and curiouser... Here's a newspaper clipping about Mary Lou, a Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) pilot in WWII whose husband was Navy and whose father was an Admiral. http://wwii-women-pilots.org/classlists/docs/MLNeale,43-1.pdf Their stories are so similar, but... That is so cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thebes Posted December 3, 2013 #43 Share Posted December 3, 2013 (edited) D We were lucky enough to meet Mama Lou on the Ryndam sailing out of Tampa back in 2009. Can't remember how many days she had then. We would see her with a different HAL top each day of the cruise. She even had a name tag that said Mama Lou HAL Ambassador. Enjoy this link from HAL Blog on Mama Lou. http://www.hollandamericablog.com/2010/10/27/cruise-diary-more-about-mama-lou/ What a legend. I like how she helps poor people in ports like Guatemala. Good for her. What an inspiration to humanity :) Edited December 3, 2013 by Thebes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thebes Posted December 3, 2013 #44 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Wonder what she thinks about the new wine policy :p I also Wonder what she thinks of smoking in balconies or maybe she smokes herself in her balcony ;). LoL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trixiee Posted December 3, 2013 #45 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Wonder what she thinks about the new wine policy :p I wonder what would happen if she had a Dr's prescription for wine "for medicinal" purposes? Hey... Maybe she's on to something!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
innlady1 Posted December 3, 2013 #46 Share Posted December 3, 2013 We were lucky enough to meet Mama Lou on the Ryndam sailing out of Tampa back in 2009. Can't remember how many days she had then. We would see her with a different HAL top each day of the cruise. She even had a name tag that said Mama Lou HAL Ambassador. Enjoy this link from HAL Blog on Mama Lou. http://www.hollandamericablog.com/2010/10/27/cruise-diary-more-about-mama-lou/ That is so cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maha123 Posted December 3, 2013 #47 Share Posted December 3, 2013 We spent the last two weeks on the Ryndam and Mama Lou was on board with us. At the Mariner Medal Ceremony Capt. Timmers said the she had over 10,000 days at sea on Holland America Ships. She was always walking around with her walker, what a wonderful person, she is an inspiration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauranne Posted December 3, 2013 #48 Share Posted December 3, 2013 10000 Days possible. Meaning that she has been cruising for nonstop for 27 years. That's amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storylady Posted December 3, 2013 #49 Share Posted December 3, 2013 D What a legend. I like how she helps poor people in ports like Guatemala. Good for her. What an inspiration to humanity :) I couldn't find the newspaper article on Mama Lou that I read years ago. But it seems her sons didn't want her living with them even though Mama Lou and her husband helped them with their homes. They put her in assisted living. She didn't like it. She walked out of the assisted living place and moved to the Villages and started cruising. She decided to adopt the crew as her family. Her plan is to spend the kids inheritance on cruising. The article said she cruises about 11 months each year. The sons found out where she was when they read the newspaper article on her. (Hope I am not adding to the legend, but that is what I remember of the article.) Probably some of her days are extra Marnier Days for what she has spent onboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaofami Posted December 3, 2013 #50 Share Posted December 3, 2013 wonder what she thinks about the new wine policy :p lol ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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