What does Holland do for birthday?

[Lizzie68]

My husband and I find the table singing and clapping embarrassing as we do not like drawing attention to ourselves in public. Somehow on one cruise the waiter knew it was my birthday and I asked him very seriously to not have the singing. I was very emphatic about it. They did it anyway. I managed a smile but I was not happy. The whole thing was very cringeworthy and I think they should allow passengers to opt out if they wish.

 

Maybe I am an exception and maybe not.

 

No, I don't think you are an exception at all. I wouldn't mind balloons on my door (to help me find my cabin more easily:D) but we have never mentioned any special occasion because we would both be mortified to have the singing and clapping.

[Hlitner]

My husband and I find the table singing and clapping embarrassing as we do not like drawing attention to ourselves in public. Somehow on one cruise the waiter knew it was my birthday and I asked him very seriously to not have the singing. I was very emphatic about it. They did it anyway. I managed a smile but I was not happy. The whole thing was very cringeworthy and I think they should allow passengers to opt out if they wish.

 

Maybe I am an exception and maybe not.

 

The last 2 years we happened to be on HAL ships during DW's and my birthday. It is the only time we bother to go to the Pinnacle (not overly impressed with the Pinnacle anymore) to avoid the singing stuff. As to the cake, since we have no desire to eat that thing in the Pinnacle we ask to have it delivered to our MDR table the following night....and pray that they forget :).

 

Hank

[sail7seas]

Our experience on Zuiderdam was similar on our B2B last year. I noted in our original booking that we had DH's birthday on day one and our anniversary on the last night.

 

Even sent an email a month before to our "PCC" reminding her of events.

 

Nada, zip, zilch on board- no one knew anything about it. Concierge said no one informed them. I found it troubling that they dodn't know about the anniversary as we got married on HAL a year before.

 

That is terribly disappointing. I'm sorry that happened to you. Someone slipped up badly.

 

[RuthC]

Nada, zip, zilch on board- no one knew anything about it. Concierge said no one informed them. I found it troubling that they dodn't know about the anniversary as we got married on HAL a year before.

At this point, considering the wedding fiasco (that was you, wasn't it???), I would be starting to take it personally. ;)

[frankc98376]

At this point, considering the wedding fiasco (that was you, wasn't it???), I would be starting to take it personally. ;)

That was us- thank you for remembering! I did send the PCC an email about 3 days in "thanking" her for remembering the birthday. On day 8 or 9 we got a bottle of Sparkling Wine and 2 red "Bon Voyage" balloons in our stateroom.

 

She called a month or so ago- laughed and said "I'll never forget to send balloons again". I didn't laugh and told her my anger had nothing to do with balloons.

 

We weren't amused. After the mess at our wedding we really hoped they could step up and do something nice for our first anniversary. The HAL I first sailed in 1982 really cared about their passengers and treated them right. Sad....

[sherryf]

If I end up booking the cruise I want this summer, we will be celebrating our Anniversary, but it will actually occur on the day we disembark. We'd like to celebrate it on the 2nd formal night. On Princess, you can mark on your Personalizer that you are celebrating something and what day you wish to celebrate. Is this possible on HAL? Or do we have to mention it to someone on board?

[frankc98376]

If I end up booking the cruise I want this summer, we will be celebrating our Anniversary, but it will actually occur on the day we disembark. We'd like to celebrate it on the 2nd formal night. On Princess, you can mark on your Personalizer that you are celebrating something and what day you wish to celebrate. Is this possible on HAL? Or do we have to mention it to someone on board?

 

I would do both

[sail7seas]

If I end up booking the cruise I want this summer, we will be celebrating our Anniversary, but it will actually occur on the day we disembark. We'd like to celebrate it on the 2nd formal night. On Princess, you can mark on your Personalizer that you are celebrating something and what day you wish to celebrate. Is this possible on HAL? Or do we have to mention it to someone on board?

 

Ask your TA or PCC (if you used one) to inform the ship of your Anniversary and date you want to celebrate AND once aboard, confirm it with Dining Room Manager and your steward.

 

[sherryf]

Ask your TA or PCC (if you used one) to inform the ship of your Anniversary and date you want to celebrate AND once aboard, confirm it with Dining Room Manager and your steward.

 

 

That seems like WAY too much work, compared to Princess. :rolleyes:

 

It's probably just easier to "celebrate" on our own.

[winddawn]

First time on Holland.

 

We will be having passengers celebrating birthdays on our cruise. I know you can purchase birthday package for $29 from Holland"s gift department.

 

On Princess, they put balloons and sign on door for free.

 

What does Holland due?

I booked Eurodam for my 50th birthday because I wanted to spend the day at Half Moon Cay. The ship did not call at HMC due to weather. I was disappointed, but that's the way it goes when you cruise. HAL did not do anything for my milestone birthday. I still had a nice time though.

[pmjnh]

Our upcoming cruise is our first on HAL. Previous cruises had us add birthday, anniversary info on the pre-cruise registration documents. I noticed that there is no place to put these events (we will be celebrating our 41st anniversary when on board).

One Princess, i has completely forgotten that I included our anniversary date

(6 months previously)and it was very cool to have balloons show up as well as a special dessert that night.

[cruisenfreak]

Princess and NCL make celebrating special. HAL...nothing.

[Christine Frances]

Unless it is my 100th birthday and my family has come from around the world, there is no way I would want to have a bunch of waiters stand around my table and sing to me. I would shoot my DH for arranging it. This is great for a 5 yr old but embarrassing for me. The waiters must be so over this - I have seen them go around the dining room from table to table singing. OMG. I would want to sink into the floor.

DH and I arrange our own "celebration" in our own way either by dinner in a specialty restaurant or room service in the cabin but tp be front and centre and having people doing the phony applause is down right embarrassing. Totally cringe worthy. I know I will be flamed but really, that's what the majority of the people around you are thinking.

[kittercat85]

We were on board the Amsterdam this summer for our honeymoon and my husband's birthday fell right smack in the middle of the week as well.

 

On I believe the second night of the cruise, they gave us a small cake and sang to us for our honeymoon. We were eating in the MDR that night.

 

On my husbands birthday, he had a card from the captain left outside the door wishing him a Happy Birthday. That night we had reservations in the Pinnacle Grill and I was wondering if they would bring anything out or mention it, but nothing happened. Not even a mention. We were okay with it though.