Why I like HAL......

[HALOnlyCruiser]

I just joined the Boards yesterday, and am goimg blind trying to catch up on all 54 pages of posts. Don't know how I missed this site before, but I'm happy now!

As my dad used to say, "A difference of opinion makes horse races." I respect all other cruise lines and the people who love them. Our cruise counselor is a big Celebrity fan; the folks who own the cruise store love Royal Caribbean. I have taken only one non-HAL cruise. I was a sucker for an exceptional Inaugural Season rate on the Rhapsody of the Seas. It was a beautiful cabin..verandah on the stern. But I just did not feel as "at home" as I do on the "dam ships."

 

Here's why I like HAL so much, and please add your own obsevations/favorites.

......Getting up early and starting the day with a bowl of Bircher's meusli in the Lido (you either love it or you hate it. I love it:).) Then taking a cup of coffee up to the Crow's Nest to watch the sea go by.

......The Daily Quiz. On a B2B two years ago, my daughter and I won 9 of the 12 quizes! Really hauled in the "Dam Ships" stuff: key chain, mouse pad, luggage tag, luggage strap,

clock, etc. Never been that lucky again, but it was fun!

......Sleeping with the verandah door open so the ocean sounds lull us to sleep. (I know this is discouraged, but we always keep our cabin on the cool side, so the heater doesn't run.)

......Sitting up in the Lido in the late afternoon with a cup of tea and writing in my travel journal. If you're there around 5:00, some of the staff will show up for staff dinner.

......The Crew Shows. I always seem to be on board the week of the Filipino show, but I think I like the Indonesian one better.

......The Indonesian Farewell song in the dining room the last night.

.....The Crew Farewell song "Love in Any Language" sung after the Disembarkation talk. I took video of it on my camera two years ago and downloaded it to my computer so I can watch it over and over. Burned a CD of it, too! One of the cast told me two years ago that HAL was going to drop it or replace it. Please, NOOOOOOO!!!!!

......The position map on the TV in the cabin, although I wish it had its own channel. Usually I have just missed it and have to sit through "Know Your Ship", "Know Your Officers". "Time Around the World". and the "Lifeboat Drill". Sometimes I get up in the night and turn it on just to see where we are.

......The special "2 for $2" on Alaskan Amber during the past few years on the Alaska intineraries. This stuff is great, but we can't get it here, so on each cruise I buy two six-packs in our last Alaskan port to take back with me. They confiscate it when you bring it on board, of course. One year it came up missing, and it's a good thing they found it...I wouldn't have left the ship without it! They used to have a Juneau shorex that took you out to the brewery in Lemon Creek. Sweet!

......This summer I am looking forward to participating in the "On Deck for the Cure" walk. As a two-year breast cancer survivor (Go, me!) I am always happy to support my afflicted sisters. Good on ya for this one, HAL!

 

Here's what I miss:

Dutch Night

The column on the front of the daily sheet that was titled "Where's the Fleet" telling where each ship is on that day.

 

Here's what I don't get:

Why they can't post in the same daily sheet where the portrait-taking venues are. I've noticed it's not just on formal nights anymore, but just about every night. And if I only knew where they were set up and what the background was that was being used, it would be nice. Plus they could sell more pictures if folks could choose the backgrounds they most liked. As it is, you kind of have to just happen across them.

 

Here's my favorite Cruise Director:

Craig DiRocco from Vancouver. I'm in love!

 

Thanks for letting me post such a long letter!

[kakalina]

HALOnlyCruiser: Welcome to the boards. We too, only cruise on HAL. As you mentioned we tried someone else once, never again.

 

I miss Dutch Night, but more, I miss the flaming desserts being flamed at your table instead of some station you probably can't even see.

 

I always keep a journal and love to write in it in the Explorers Lounge while induging in a hot chocolate. Tea, for me, is a morning drink.

 

Love in any Language is also one of my personal faves. It is just a heart warming song no matter how many times I hear it.

 

Our favorite cruise director is John Challenger, and fave HotMan is Nick Berger.

 

I love the daily quiz, but I love daily trivia even more.

 

Welcome again, you will find we are a great, if sometimes vocal, group. Just about any of the regulars will cheerfully answer any question you might have, and someone just about always knows the answer.

 

Trisha

[HeatherInFlorida]

Welcome to the HAL boards! I think they're the friendliest on CC so I hope you enjoy yourself here. You'll find a lot of folks who agree with your exclusivity.

 

As for me, variety is the spice of life and you never know what you're missing unless you try different things. I love HAL, but prefer Celebrity. Still, I agree with much of what you say.

 

Tsk tsk sleeping with the door open:( ... not only is it discouraged, it's an absolute no-no.

 

While the position map is nice, I sure wish HAL would invest in a bridgecam on their ships like Celebrity.

 

Again, welcome! Look forward to seeing you around the board:) .

[RevNeal]

......Sleeping with the verandah door open so the ocean sounds lull us to sleep. (I know this is discouraged, but we always keep our cabin on the cool side, so the heater doesn't run.)

 

Naughty naughty. It's YOU who has caused the AC in my cabin to FREEZE due to the influx of Caribbean humidity and the running of the Air Conditioner all the time as a result! ;)

 

In truth, the damships do not have sufficiently designed ACs in the verandah cabins to allow this. You might be comfortable and fine, but your neighbors' AC will freeze solid. There is a REASON for the rules about keeping the verandah door closed.

[HALOnlyCruiser]

OK...duly noted. No more verandah door open. And it was in Eastern Canada, not the Caribbean. Guess I can sleep in the lounger out on the verandah.

Thanks for all the welcome notes. I need a support group already..."Hi. My name is Cindy and it's been 30 minutes since I visited the HAL Message Boards."

HeatherinFlorida: What a beautiful picture on your signature! Wow!

[dot73]

This summer I am looking forward to participating in the "On Deck for the Cure" walk. As a two-year breast cancer survivor (Go, me!) I am always happy to support my afflicted sisters. Good on ya for this one, HAL!

Welcome on board. I, too, am looking forward to the On Deck for the Cure Walk. It will be a good way to walk off some of that bread pudding that I cannot pass up every day. I am an 8-year BC survivor and every penny collected for research helps. Stay healthy and keep cruising!

[HALOnlyCruiser]

dot73:

My very best to my Sister in Survival. May you enjoy many more cancer-free years to cruise!

[BM64]

Please tell me more about the On Deck for Cure Walk, that is a great reason to book HAL IMHO. YOU GO GIRLS, stay healthy. It will be two yeas next month that I was diagnosed with melanoma and thank god no recurrence.

[Aussie Gal]

If only we lived closer we would be doing the On Deck for Cure Walk. Is it reserved for just one cruise or is it going to be on every HAL cruise as we will be on the Veendam in September and we could participate then.

 

I am now a 5 year survivor (this month) of BC and enjoying every minute of my life. :) :)

 

Jennie

[Himself]

Welcome to the boards. Like yourself, I am a HAL only person.

[SDHALFAN]

Chalk up another welcome to the HAL board. I too, have only "strayed" once from HAL and that was once too often.

 

I enjoy almost all of your favourites also. My favourite place to update my journal is at a window table outside the Lido. Once the journal is updated then I do the N.Y. Times crossword puzzle and if I manage to finish that (love the Friday, Saturday and Sunday ones since they are challenging) then I read my book until it's time for lunch.

 

One of my favourite things to do is grab a cup of coffee from the Lido and head up to the Crow's Nest in the late afternoon, when it is really quiet up there, and just watch the motion in the ocean - oh what a life, huh?:D

 

Valerie

 

p.s. Jennie/Aussie Gal: I believe that the On Deck for the Cure is going to be on all the ships. If I remember correctly there is something about it on the HAL website. Congratulations to all you cancer survivors - you have my utmost admiration and my best wishes for a very, very long healthy and happy life.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Cindy, I'm so sorry I missed that you are a breast cancer survivor. Good for you! And the same to all the others; I'm so happy for you and admire all who have to go through with this horrible illness. Isn't it wonderful to come out the other side appreciating life, perhaps, just a bit more than before.

 

The picture in my signature is the Prinsendam!:)

[raadsel]

According to the website it will be done on every cruise. It sounds like each person participating donates $15 (or more) to participate and HAL will donate at least $11.25.

On April 1, 2006, On Deck for the Cure will officially begin rolling out across the entire Holland America Line fleet, with approximately 500 On Deck for the Cure walks taking place on Holland America Line cruises worldwide in the year ahead. Guests will receive an in-room invitation to the event suggesting a $15 donation to the Holland America Line Foundation. Then participants simply put their sea legs to good use by walking around the ship’s deck for a total of five kilometers. Depending on the ship, guests may choose to walk up to 12 laps to reach 5K. Each participant receives an On Deck for the Cure t-shirt and Komen “Sharing the Promise” pink ribbon wristband as well as an invitation to a pink lemonade reception following the walk.

 

With 500 walks taking place aboard Holland America Line’s 13 ships, the Holland America Line Foundation will raise a minimum of $250,000 annually for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The Holland America Line Foundation will donate 75%, or a minimum of $11.25, of each $15 donation to the Komen Foundation.

[SDHALFAN]

According to the website it will be done on every cruise. It sounds like each person participating donates $15 (or more) to participate and HAL will donate at least $11.25.

 

I have to wonder why, if HAL is socially conscious, they are not donating the entire 100%? Or is it that HAL will match every participant's $15.00 donation with a corresponding $11.75 donation per participant - in which case that is incredibly generous and HAL is to be complimented on their generosity and social consciousness.

[HALOnlyCruiser]

First of all, thank you all so much for the support. It feels great! You're all terrific!

As for the $11.75/$15.00 discrepancy, they do throw in a t-shirt, so I guess the t-shirts must cost $3.25!:D

[Aussie Gal]

According to the website it will be done on every cruise. It sounds like each person participating donates $15 (or more) to participate and HAL will donate at least $11.25.

 

SDHaalfen,

 

From reading what was on the website, I believe that HAL is donating $11.25 out of our $15. The other $3.75, if my maths is correct, pays for the T.Shirt that all participants will be receiving.

 

I will definitely be in it when we are on the Veendam in September. We love walking around the promenade deck, that is one of my favourite things about HAL,- the wrap around deck - and this time it will be more enjoyable knowing that we are doing something to help in the cure of Cancer.

 

Jennie

[Aussie Gal]

To return to the original post why I like HAL here are some of the my reasons:

 

I mentioned in the above posting that I love the return Promenade deck with the teak floor.

 

I like receiving the tiles each time we take a voyage.

 

I like having the Yum Yum man serving out ginger each night after dinner.

 

I like the savouries that one receives in the lounges before dinner.

 

I love the fresh flowers around the ship and beautiful paintings.

 

I like to be able to order a proper breakfast to have in our cabin if we feel like it, especially on disembarkation day.

 

I also like the farewell song "Love in Any Language" at the end of the cruise it always makes me want to return.

 

There are so many more things that I enjoy whilst on board a HAL ship but cannot bring them to mind at the moment.

 

Jennie

[RevNeal]

OK...duly noted. No more verandah door open. And it was in Eastern Canada, not the Caribbean. Guess I can sleep in the lounger out on the verandah.

Thanks for all the welcome notes. I need a support group already..."Hi. My name is Cindy and it's been 30 minutes since I visited the HAL Message Boards."

HeatherinFlorida: What a beautiful picture on your signature! Wow!

 

Dear HALOnlyCruiser, Please know I was half-way kidding with you! :) Sometimes we pick on each other in good fun here ... so don't take that too seriously. And, welcome to the board. Our bark is FAR worse than our bite. :D

 

CHOMP!

[mim100]

Hello again, HALonlycruiser...and congratulations to you and all the other BC survivors out there....I'll be cheering you all on when you're doing your walk around the deck...wish I could be there too !!

[KateQ22003]

Good morning all!

 

I too am a breast cancer survivor - two years in March. We were on the Zuiderdam on that day last month to "celebrate". I vow to be cruising every year on that day! I was sorry to miss the cancer walk - they started on the cruise following ours. Maybe next year!

 

Does anyone know if there is a breast cancer themed cruise? I think it would be interesting to get together with all of my "sisters" and maybe attend seminars on dealing with life after diagnosis.

 

Have a great day,

 

Kathy

[doone]

Kathy, what a wonderful idea on the breast cancer themed cruise. My sister is a two time breast cancer survivor and would love to sail on one of those cruises.

[dot73]

I would make a point of going on a cruise like that. There are so many of us survivors (and families) out there, that we could easily fill a ship. I think it would be a great boost of confidence for recent cancer survivors to see how many of us there are and how many years we are cancer free. I know my self-confidence rises each time I hear of someone being still around many years after diagnosis. I was diagnosed at 40 and can't wait to celebrate my 50th birthday in 2007.

[HeatherInFlorida]

JMO, but I think any such themed cruise should be for all cancer survivors. All too often the focus is placed on just one cancer. My mother had lung cancer at 75, had 3/4 of her lung removed and is still with us at 94:) . My father, with colon cancer, wasn't so lucky. But my SIL was diagnosed with breast cancer at 40 and won the battle. She is cancer free some 15 years later.

 

People survive this horrendous disease for many reasons ... one of them is their own abiding strength, the courage of their loved ones living through it with them, lots of prayers and, of course, excellent medical care.

 

I thank God every day that I personally am not a victim of this illness, but I'm close enough to it to know that there is something very special about those who survive. I think they appreciate life just a bit more.

 

A themed cruise for all of them just might be a bit more energy than the ship could handle:D !!!

[HALOnlyCruiser]

revneal: I know you were just giving me the business, but on the other hand, I was being selfish. I didn't realize I could be affecting the climate in other cabins. Now I know, and I am grateful for the input. :) (Can't I open the door a crack?)

 

KateQ22003 (Kathy): Best to another Sister in Survival! We must have been diagnosed about the same time. I got the bad news January 29, 2004. There seem to be lots of us out there. How would we organize a group cruise? My TA is a Survivor, too! She is 10 years out and really helped get me through the hard stuff. Her advice was: "A cruise is good medicine!" (Not having another agenda, really, but knowing how I am always happy to go on a cruise). It is! That year my daughter and I took a B2B to Alaska, and it was the best two weeks ever! I pledge to walk for you and Mim100 and Jennie the Aussie Gal and BM64 and all who are with us in spirit as we walk around the deck. I am SO looking forward to this event! I think I will ask my TA about a BC/Cancer Awareness cruise. Great idea! Well done!

 

Hugs to you all for the warm support!

 

 

[9327]

Great thread! Congrats to all you cancer survivors! My mom is 76 and has been cancer free for 7 years.

 

I really love reading all the things you love about HAL - I go on my first HAL cruise (Alaska) in a few weeks -- I've copied your thoughts so I will be sure not to miss a one!

 

Thank you for sharing......