Noordam Naming Ceremony

[djallar]

Sure ... you take a baby and you crack a bottle of champagne over his/her head. ;)

 

hmmm...so THAT's how I got that bottle shaped dent in my head... :p

 

Dave

[HeatherInFlorida]

Ruth--

 

I can't imagine them using a bottle of Korbel...

 

...that would be like sending your true love a HERSHEY Bar and Dandelions on Valentine's Day!

 

So, Brian .... are you saying you have a PROBLEM with Korbel???? I served it NYE with no apparent problem ... I did make sure my guests were slightly inebriated first;) .

 

They seemed quite delighted with my choice. They're lucky they didn't get Andre!!!:)

 

...........and besides! What's wrong with Hershey bars??????

[RuthC]

...........and besides! What's wrong with Hershey bars??????

Not a thing. :D Not a gosh-darned thing.:D :D

[Vic The Parrot]

I wonder if we'll get any kind of literature in our documents that pertain to the scheduled festivities? It would be neat if they allowed the pax access to the roof area of the pier to observe the ceremonies.

 

 

 

:cool:

[sail7seas]

Ruth--

 

I can't imagine them using a bottle of Korbel...

 

...that would be like sending your true love a HERSHEY Bar and Dandelions on Valentine's Day!

 

 

Brian.....I soooo love the way you think. Why shop at Wal-Mart if there's a Neiman's in town? :) :) :)

[sail7seas]

I wonder if we'll get any kind of literature in our documents that pertain to the scheduled festivities? It would be neat if they allowed the pax access to the roof area of the pier to observe the ceremonies.

 

 

 

:cool:

 

 

You should be getting your docs in the next week or two......... Let us know???

[PRINSENDAM]

You should be getting your docs in the next week or two......... Let us know???

 

 

 

Hi Guys,

 

My docs arrived a couple of weeks ago. There is no mention at all of the christening or indeed anything special for this departures. Simply says, embarkation is between 2.45 and 4.45.

 

Prior to 2.45 it says "ON YOUR OWN" !!!!!!!!!!

 

Some passengers will know that it is a maiden voyage but I's bet that there are a lot that don't! Some will even think it is the old NOORDAM and some will think they are on the CARNIVAL DESTINY!!! :eek: Cruise Critic members are expected to be on the ball though. No excuses!!!;)

 

Stephen

[sail7seas]

Well.....It seems that question is now well answered. :)

 

Thanks, AS ALWAYS, Stephen.

[Vic The Parrot]

I feel kinda gypped now! LOL

 

 

Oh well, I'm sure every one of us will enjoy the voyage regardless.

[bepsf]

So, Brian .... are you saying you have a PROBLEM with Korbel???? I served it NYE with no apparent problem ... I did make sure my guests were slightly inebriated first;) .

 

They seemed quite delighted with my choice. They're lucky they didn't get Andre!!!:)

 

...........and besides! What's wrong with Hershey bars??????

 

Heather, Dear--

 

I have no problems w/ Korbel -

(it comes from just north of me in California, you know)

...it's perfectly suitable for christening the new Waterpark of the Seas!

 

And I love Hershey's w/ Almonds 364 days of the year...

...but for St Valentine's, my true love had better send Godiva!

;)

 

S7S--

 

You and I are too much alike...

:D

...I just need a DH like yours to pay my Neiman's bill!

[JimandStan]

Prinsendam-

 

How on earth do you get your docs so early? Is it because you have pull with the line?

The rest of us, plebes, wont get our docs until 2 weeks before.

Hal continues to stonewall about the Inaugural festivities. I'm beginning to fear that they are planning something on the order of the opening of a local Walmart :(

Back to our cruise:

I've managed to snag a copy of your Cunard book. Is there anyone who might have copies of "The Spotless Fleet" before we leave?

LOL, the steward will think that we're terribly chic with two oversized art books on the coffee table!

[PRINSENDAM]

Prinsendam-

 

How on earth do you get your docs so early? Is it because you have pull with the line?

The rest of us, plebes, wont get our docs until 2 weeks before.

 

:) We start travelling next week and although we are back briefly after STATENDAM it is very difficult to tie down a delivery by DHL.

 

Hal continues to stonewall about the Inaugural festivities. I'm beginning to fear that they are planning something on the order of the opening of a local Walmart :(

 

I think the acutal christening may take place in the morning around 11am. This was the way it was done on PRINSENDAM a couple of years ago. But this is just my guess.

Unfortunately the NY piers don't lend themselves to the sort of hristening that can be done on the docks in Lauderdale. Just no space outside on the ledges.

 

 

Back to our cruise:

I've managed to snag a copy of your Cunard book. Is there anyone who might have copies of "The Spotless Fleet" before we leave?

LOL, the steward will think that we're terribly chic with two oversized art books on the coffee table!

 

 

LOL.... on the other hand he might not be impressed at all!!!! :rolleyes:

The new book is still at the bindery. There has been one small glitch. On the harcover, not the dustjacket, we wanted the name HOLLAND AMERICA LINE and a nice HAL logo in gold. Unfortunately they have found it impossible to imprint the logo in gold on the silk covering. Too bad. So... not everything is perfect! I'm hoping for an advance copy can be send down next week but I may already be away on STATENDAM by the time it arrives.

Stephen

[ekerr19]

Prinsendam-

 

The rest of us, plebes, wont get our docs until 2 weeks before.

Hal continues to stonewall about the Inaugural festivities. I'm beginning to fear that they are planning something on the order of the opening of a local Walmart :(

 

JimandStan -

 

You won't have to wait until two weeks before will you? I've never had docs take that long - we usually have them 30 days prior to the sailing date, but much depends on the travel agency.

 

I agree, HAL remains "mum" on any festivites for the passengers... :(

[JimandStan]

ErKerr19-

This is the first time we used a new agency (we were loyal, but the new agent was $1000.00, per passenger, cheaper than our regular guy!). They have told us to expect our docs 2 to 3 weeks before the sailing date.

We intend to be proactive about calling them to confirm that our docs are "in the pipeline", however, for that level of savings, we can learn to be patient!

[JimandStan]

Well, people, we've heard back from.....are you ready for this?...."The Noordam Festivities Dept.", over at Hal, and they are claiming that the weather in New York, in February, is too unpredictable to have the naming ceremony outdoors. They're going to hold a naming ceremony involving Ms. Maitlin in the Main Lounge, sometime after embarcation, and "the breaking of the champagne bottle" is going to be shown on video screens!

 

Personally, I'm very dissapointed!

[RevNeal]

Well, people, we've heard back from.....are you ready for this?...."The Noordam Festivities Dept.", over at Hal, and they are claiming that the weather in New York, in February, is too unpredictable to have the naming ceremony outdoors. They're going to hold a naming ceremony involving Ms. Maitlin in the Main Lounge, sometime after embarcation, and "the breaking of the champagne bottle" is going to be shown on video screens!

 

Watch it be a lovely, sunny 50 degrees. :)

[M.S JAZO]

Well there is a good chance it will be bad, So far its been very warm here in NYC, compared to a normal winter, and we have not had a major snow storm, so some say Feb and March will be bad, even maybe April

[blue whale]

We just received our parking permit and boarding pass for the Feb 22 event. On the pass is the agenda for the day: 10:30 am embark; 10:30-11:45 ship tour; 11:45-1:15 lunch in vista dining room; 1:15-2 dedication in vista lounge; 3 disembark. It looks as if we will have plenty of time to look around the ship. And it looks as if the dedication is an inside event, not a christening. Probably they did the actual christening when Noordam was put into the water out of dry dock?!

[Spender Nui]

We just received our parking permit and boarding pass for the Feb 22 event. On the pass is the agenda for the day: 10:30 am embark; 10:30-11:45 ship tour; 11:45-1:15 lunch in vista dining room; 1:15-2 dedication in vista lounge; 3 disembark. It looks as if we will have plenty of time to look around the ship. And it looks as if the dedication is an inside event, not a christening. Probably they did the actual christening when Noordam was put into the water out of dry dock?!

 

 

Just confirming what Blue Whale said.

[RevNeal]

They will probably televise on the screens in the Vista Lounge the formal breaking of the bottle, which will be done outisde. There might be a ceremony where wine or Champagne is poured over the ship's bell, though that may have already been done.

[JimandStan]

This may be our best boarding experience, yet!

By the time that the "regular" embarcation starts, we'll be finished exploring the ship, and fed!

LOL Just think, whenever we finish lunch, all of the cabins will "already" be ready!

If we can only find a cocktail waiter at the dedication ceremony with a heavy hand....:rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

Because the naming ceremony takes place just prior to the ship sailing on this Inaugural Cruise, it is possible embarkation may not begin at the usual early time that we have become accustomed to.

 

There are to be overnight guests who were on the ship February 21 and, presumably, they won't be departing until after the Ceremony. Perhaps they will vacate and their suitcases etc will be held someplace outside of the cabins they occupied and the stewards will have them all cleaned and ready?

 

I don't know......just speculating.

 

[ejbmorr]

Quote: This may be our best boarding experience, yet!

By the time that the "regular" embarcation starts, we'll be finished exploring the ship, and fed!

 

I am getting very curious about how many of the long time repeat passengers have not received an invitation to this luncheon that you are refering to. We come from mid-PA and have not been invited. Is it just a few who happen to be the primary ones contributing to this thread that were invited, or is it most of those we have traveled with in the past? It sounds very nice and maybe there are others who would like to have been included. We too will be celebrating a 100+ days at sea with Holland America, as I think someone else mentioned. It must be planned for those who are World cruisers as most of all of our cruises have been 10-14 days or so. Have fun and report at the "Get-Together" about the event.

[RuthC]

It must be planned for those who are World cruisers as most of all of our cruises have been 10-14 days or so. Have fun and report at the "Get-Together" about the event.

I won't presume to guess how HAL chose the guests for the parties, but will say that, at least for the Boston party, being a World Cruiser was not a requirement. I am not a World Cruiser; I do have a significant number of days aboard.

There are only so many seats in the dining room to accommodate visitors; obviously, not every Mariner can be invited. In the immediate NYC area there must be more than enough Mariners to fill the dining room several times over.

[blue whale]

Yes, I agree. We have not done a world cruise (though hope to do one soon), but have taken a number of longer cruises. Probably the total number of days is the major criterion. This would be "significant." Of course, geographical proximity to the pier is a second criterion.