Why I like HAL......

[mim100]

Having trouble posting today...apologies if this comes out twice...HALonly cruiser, when you know the exact time and date of your walk, let us know...would be really cool to do the walk here at the same time...can't be on the ship unfortunately but can do it here and think of you guys while I'm walking...

[KateQ22003]

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 !!!

 

Heather, I agree - I certainly didn't mean to single out breast cancer survivors. Unfortunately, there just seems to be SO MANY of us. My brother is a 33-year lymphoma survivor, so I do know first hand the devastating effects that a cancer diagnosis of any kind has on a family. God bless your mom - she must be one incredible woman.

 

I agree with you about the amount of energy that would be on board!

 

Kathy

[KateQ22003]

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.

 

Me too - I would love to sail with my sister, who has been my biggest supporter through the whole ordeal, even though I know she must be worried about her own future. I've been doing some searching but haven't come across any cancer-themed cruises yet.

 

Kathy

[Logoladytcs]

I would love to hear more about this if it comes about -

 

I'm a 24 year breast cancer survivor and am grateful that I lived to enjoy my grandchildren and my cruises. Unfortunately my husband wasn't so lucky.

 

If anyone hears anything about this - please add me to the "interested" list.

 

Barbara

[KateQ22003]

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!

 

 

 

I was diagnosed on March 29, 2004 - two months to the day after you were. I have a call in to my TA to see if there is any such a cruise, and I also dashed a quick e-mail off to the Komen foundation looking for information. I'm thinking one exists and we just aren't aware yet!

 

Thank you for thinking of me as you are doing your walk. Think of all of us who have driven back the beast and have lived to tell the tale, as well as those who weren't so lucky but have been a source of education and research results.

 

Kathy

[KateQ22003]

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.

 

I think we could fill a ship too - that's the sad part. Maybe we can put something together for your 50th!

 

Seriously, you have all given me food for thought. I am going to start a new thread over in the themed cruises area, because I feel guilty for sabotaging this one! Any of you interested look for me...

 

Back on topic - what do I love about Hal? The personalities and smiles of the crew, the attention to detail, and the feeling that I am the most important person on board. Am I the only one that gets choked up when they sing "Love in any language?"

 

Kathy

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I am just now getting a chance to read the boards since I have been so very busy here at work. I just also want to Welcome HALOnlyCruiser Cindy:)

I totally agree with you we love HAL, we have had two cruises on RCCL and at this point don't really want to waste out precisous vacation time trying another cruise line. Many of the things you mentioned are also the things we love about HAL. We have many traditions of things we do while we are on the ship but when you mentioned the "Love in any Language" We always watch the replay on the TV while we are packing the last night then have a good cry.:o I actually get misty eyed just thinking about it.

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Kathy (KateQ22003) and Lisa (LAFFNVEGAS):

Love In Any Language is a tear-jerker, all right. I replay it on the TV until my daughter is ready to strangle me! I hope that the cast member was wrong about them dropping it. I made a CD if anyone wants a copy of the song, or I can e-mail them the video. I am not sure what the policy is about revealing e-mails on the Boards, but I don't mind giving mine out.

It's actually a Sandi Patti song, and you can get the lyrics at www.thesonglyrics.com/p_song_lyrics/sandipatti_lyrics1.html

Not that I'm obsessed about it or anything, but when they sing it on the ship, they substitute Indonesian or Filipino "I love you" for the Russian. The Filipino is "Mahal Kita" (which is what is on my recording) and Indonesian is "Saya cinta padamu". Just a little trivia for ya!

[dot73]

"I think we could fill a ship too - that's the sad part. Maybe we can put something together for your 50th!"

Actually, my next cruise in January 2007, Hawaii/Tahiti (30 days), is my early gift to myself for my 50th birthday. My first cruise was to Alaska, six weeks after I finished my six months of chemo. Going on a cruise is a great way to celebrate and it is healing. There is something about being on water that just totally soothes me.

 

 

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Dot73:

Well stated and oh, so true! Nothing like being at sea to cure what ails ya! I must have been a sailor or sea captain in a previous life, the way I love the ocean. I was born in Kansas, grew up in Missouri, lived in Arizona and now Colorado, so it can't be that I've always been around the water!

[icehatchling]

HALOnlyCruiser, welcome to the boards! Personally I would really appreciate being able to see a video of "Love in Any Language." I have heard so much about it on these boards, but on the one cruise I've been on I managed to miss it. Thanks very much for putting up the offer.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Cindy, I forgot to mention I have a simliar picture of myself in Halifax as your avatar:D

[HALOnlyCruiser]

OK guys; Here's my e-mail. Please don't sell it to spammers:D. It is a 44MB file, and will take a while to download. Be patient. It's a Quick Time Movie. If you have dial-up....forget it! OR, I can burn either a video CD or DVD for you. The e-mail will come from by husband's work account, as my e-mail client won't support outgoing mail of that size. Make sure your e-mail client will handle incoming files of that size Not many do....!

cindydalm@juno.com

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Lisa:

Those lobsters in Halifax are great. I'm surprised you recognized it...the picture is so teeny!

Cindy

[HeatherInFlorida]

Cindy, I've put my email in my posts several times and never have had a problem with spam or anything else so don't worry about it. I also have it in my signature, but replaced the actual email address with "click here". Somewhere I heard it's better than way.

 

I'm with you about "Love in any Language". I just love when they do that at their show ... tears brim every time:) and make me feel all warm and fuzzy all over.

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Heather: How do you put the "To Email me: Click Here" in your signature?

Cindy

[HeatherInFlorida]

Heather: How do you put the "To Email me: Click Here" in your signature?

Cindy

 

Go to "Edit Signature" and wherever you want it to appear just type "To Email me:" Then type in your actual email address. You'll see it appear in blue as a link. Then highlight the entire email address and type "ClickHere" instead, but be sure not to use a space. Just type it as all one word the way I just did. That will take the place of your actual address but will still act as a link.

 

To test to see if it worked click on "Preview signature" and then click on the link and see if it opens and email to yourself.

 

That should do it!:) If you have any problem email me: here. ;) (I just did what I explained ... if you click on "here" you'll see how it opens an email to me).

 

Good luck!

[HeatherInFlorida]

You did it, Cindy!!! Looks great and it works!:D

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Heather, thanks I have to admit I did not know how to so it either:o

[cruznon]

HAL only,

Welcome to the boards!

I really enjoy this board and all the information, warmth and humor I find here.

Now...

Things I love about HAL:

*The beautiful art throughout the ship.

*Flowers--EVERYWHERE!

*The chimes that call you to dinner.

*Ordering champagne and getting your own small bottle of bubby!(I don't believe any other line does this.)

*The beautiful dark blue hulls!

*"Happy Birthday" sung in Indonesian...it's beautiful!

*The way the staff remembers your name.

MOSTLY, I just love stepping aboard and knowing I'll be spoiled for several days at sea....:)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Heather, thanks I have to admit I did not know how to so it either:o

 

I learned by trial and error!!!;) I saw someone else did it so I figured I could, too. You can do it with anything ... photo links, too.

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Cruznon:

Those are great things that I forgot. Thanks for the additions. We've got quite a list!

 

Cindy