Advice please - Special Occasions

[samchico]

Hi all

 

First cruise (obviously). It's our sixth wedding anniversary (first marriage for both of these oldies) while on board. I've read tips in these forums to tell them about special occasions.

 

I have lots of questions :confused: ....

Who would I tell?

Why; does one expect something nice to happen?

Is it all a bit tacky; like you're trying to get something for free?

What's the general etiquette for such things; I have no desire to be an obnoxious passenger :p ?

 

TIA

Samantha

[klfrodo]

You're right.

People want something for free and it is tacky.

I know of people who would tell the dining room staff that it's their birthday when in fact their birthday or anniversary was 3 months ago. Just looking for a free cake or attention.

When we have a special occasion, and we want to publicly celebrate this occasion, I order the cake and request it be delivered on a certain date.

[AmberCascades]

I don't know which cruise line you are going with or how other cruise lines do things, but I can tell you about our experience. We went on our first cruise last August. It was with Celebrity. We were so excited to be finally celebrating our 20th anniversary (3 1/2 years late) that we blabbed our excitement to the lady checking us in at the cruise terminal. Our travel agent also knew. One evening we were presented with a cake at dinner. We don't know who arranged it. A few weeks ago we were on the Summit. Our TA knew that my husband had retired the day before, as did anyone on the ship who would listen, since he was so happy he told everyone he met. One night they brought us a cake that said Happy Retirement. They even made that one gluten free since they were aware of his celiac issues. We weren't expecting it and it isn't advertised anywhere. With Celebrity you can order things as well like champagne and strawberries, rose petals on the bed, or decorations for your room. You pay for those things but you can order them ahead of time. I'm assuming other lines have special occasion things you can order as well.

[samchico]

Thanks for the replies :) Pretty much in line with my gut feelings.

[AmberCascades]

Hmmm.....since it was our first cruise and we had no idea about any of this, we weren't trying to get anything for free. It wouldn't have occurred to us that we would have gotten anything at all. My husband couldn't even eat the first cake since it wasn't GF. Sometimes the staff hears about things and they just want to do something nice. Sometime you talk and then people listen and then they do something because they like you. But I wouldn't count on it, of course. For our 25th next year I may order one of the celebration packages. Rose petals on the bed sounds like fun.

[samchico]

Ohhhh. I found this at the HAL website. Sounds nice ...

 

"Anniversaries — Anniversary packages include flowers in the stateroom and balloons on the door the day of embarkation. A photography credit will be applied to the couple’s on-board account, and the chef will accommodate a special dessert or cake request. The package is $48.95 per couple."

[AmberCascades]

Wow, that sounds really nice. Seems like a good price too. I hope you enjoy your anniversary cruise. Very exciting.

[Langoustine]

On our HAL cruise to Bermuda in 2011 my wife and I were celebrating both our birthdays (which are a day apart) during the cruise. There's a place on the HAL booking site where they ask if you are celebrating a birthday or anniversary, including the date, and we both checked "yes". On both nights the dining room staff brought us a small (free) birthday cake for dessert and sang an Indonesian birthday song. It was charming, and we loved it, but it was somewhat confusing to the waitstaff ("Wait, didn't we do this for these people last night?") The next time we sail on those dates, only one of us is going to check "yes."

Edited March 14, 2014 by Langoustine

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

I see that you are on the Volendam.

HAL will have a small cake sent to your table on the evening of your anniversary. Tell your TA to make the arrangements. When the cake is brought to the table, several of the waiters will Happy Anniversary.

If you choose to have dinner in the Pinnacle Grill that evening, just remind the Pinnacle manager that you have an anniversary that evening and you are expecting a cake. One thing - the cake will be brought to the table but there is no singing allowed in the Pinnacle Grill. You can still order dessert from the regular menu as well.

[Sue Do-Over]

Remember that most people on the cruise have something to celebrate -- anniversary, birthday, graduation, promotion, retirement, becoming grandparents, kids left for college, honeymoon, divorce... or finally saving enough money for a trip. So, no special freebies for celebrations -- you're already getting a steak dinner and all the dessert you can eat, right?

 

If it's your thing, they'll sing to you in the dining room. And you don't have to prove it's your birthday/anniversary. They'll bring a little cake or a slice of cake with a candle and sing a painfully off-key song. If they do, be sure to offer a tip -- all those waiters have been pulled away from their own tables to sing.

 

You can also order a special cake and decorations for your stateroom for a fee... something like $35 for $5 worth of decorations.

 

Our solution?? We go to the dollar store ourselves -- most of the decorations fold and pack flat. Leave a tip for your room steward, and he'll decorate while you're out of the cabin. Win, win!

 

We always have something to celebrate, and sometimes we make one up. We have used Halloween decorations in June, and St. Patrick's Day in October, anything to have a memorable decoration on the door so friends can find us. "Find us behind the Pot o' Gold"... everyone remembers where it was!

[samchico]

Thanks for all the replies :) Really looking forward to our cruise.

[spookwife]

Hi all

 

First cruise (obviously). It's our sixth wedding anniversary (first marriage for both of these oldies) while on board. I've read tips in these forums to tell them about special occasions.

 

I have lots of questions :confused: ....

Who would I tell?

Why; does one expect something nice to happen?

Is it all a bit tacky; like you're trying to get something for free?

What's the general etiquette for such things; I have no desire to be an obnoxious passenger :p ?

 

TIA

Samantha

 

 

if you want something you need to arrange for it and pay for it yourself. personally I think the whole cheesy 'candle in the dessert and half the wait staff crowding your table to sing Happy whatever' is embarrassing for everyone.

 

you can go online and pay for room decorations or to have a plate of goodies.

 

our last cruise we embarked on our 15th anniversary so I arranged ahead of time to have a bottle of Dom chilling in the cabin.

[cb at sea]

Almost everyone on the ship will be having some sort of "special occassion",....so your thing isn't that special....

 

If you want a fuss made, you'll have to pay for it....otherwise, make sure your traveling companions know...maybe THEY will make a fuss!

[Kempt00]

Yeah.. Our anniversary cruise was fantastic. It was our first cruise and our first time in Sydney too. We got unlimited buffet and unlimited beverages onboard, but no free stuff :). nevertheless, we absolutely enjoyed the trip. Now the light festival is upcoming and we are planning a Vivid Sydney Cruise on the harbour again.

[LA_CA_GAL]

You're right.

People want something for free and it is tacky.

 

Queen of Tacky here.

 

When we go on vacation when we board the airplane, check into the hotel, it is always our anniversary.

 

Have gotten upgraded to first class, got a suite upgrade one time .... BTW .... today is our anniversary ..... and so is tomorrow .....

[peety3]

We honeymooned aboard Coral Princess. Our TA put "Just Married" in our file, and although they didn't have anything for Just Married, they put Happy Anniversary on our door with balloons and a printed certificate, and provided a coupon for a free mini-cake to be redeemed any night during the cruise. Simple, quiet, no scene; just the way I like it.

[cruise_mojo]

I think on one of our anniversary cruises, maybe it was the 25th our TA had ordered decorations ( and a cake ) I bought decorations ( and a cake ) and a fruit and wine basket, the casino manager ordered decorations and maybe cake and some keychains......

 

so we had three sets of decorations hanging in our room! and a little pull up foil tree, the fruit, wine etc! pretty sure it was on NCL's majesty ( our 20th was on the Norway ) the 25th on the majesty and 30th on crown princess,

 

so let your conscience be your guide, I say it ought to guide you to mentioning it to the TA if you are doing that, and with Holland America I think they ask in the booking thing about special occasions too so GO FOR IT!

 

also ordering the package is nice because you know for sure what you'll get with that

 

we are cruising on the fascination with friends next month and they will celebrate their 15th anniversary on that cruise I bougth them "faster to the fun" and I think the husband is ordering flowers and maybe the choclolate covered strawberries:rolleyes: