Should they get rid of the Baked Alaska parade?

[PoseidonGodoftheSea]

The first time I experienced it (on HAL) I thought it was a little on the hokey side. Even the crew members had pained expressions on their faces. The last thing I expected toward the end of an otherwise elegant evening was the loud fanfare music and everyone clapping along with it. I don't mind a little pagentry if it didn't lead to a migraine and blended better with the atmosphere of the "farewell gala" (the last formal night on a 7 day) although I'm at a total loss on what to replace it with, if anything.

 

I'm of the impression that other people are tiring of this, especially on the longer cruises with fewer newbies.

[JLC@SD]

.....well.......since I am the first voter......everyone knows how I voted......Kepp it....no big deal either way......I like the ice cream...:)

[iancal]

Deep six it. Well past it's best before date.

[Calliope]

Turn down the volume of the canned music; it's way too loud. What should be deep sixed is the silly Master Chef's Night.

[Vic The Parrot]

Please ....

 

 

Let's kiss it "Buh-bye" already .... :rolleyes:

[Suitegurl]

I am in favor of loosing it...

I agree with other posters, the noise and music need to go. I don't even enjoy eating it. IMHO there are alot of other desserts I would prefer. Maybe if alot of people enjoy it, they could move it to another night and not on a formal night. I have seen alot of folks leaving as soon as they finish their meals in order to avoid....

[741323]

I don't eat it so I say ditch it.....

[sab490]

I don't eat it so I say ditch it.....

 

Ditto!

 

- Steve

[catl331]

A little quieter and shorter. Don't like it already melted! Make it a tradition for Alaska cruises!:D

[FlorenceItaly]

I prefer no-hoopla at dinner. Heaven help me because my next two cruises are Carnival, lol. I haven't sailed them since 2003. We'll see how I feel about things. I leave in 2 days on one of them.

 

 

 

Marie

[m steve]

they start the thing. It's just too Disney for me. I also don't like baked Alaska. Rather get to the theatre or casino for an after dinner drink.

[peaches from georgia]

If you want a real treat go to the Pinnacle and order the Non-Baked Alaska made with Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia. It is to die for. Better yet, HAL should cancel the Parade and offer the same Pinnacle dessert in the Dining Room on the last formal night. NO Parade!

[Druke I]

It is well past its prime - dump it!

[FlorenceItaly]

If you want a real treat go to the Pinnacle and order the Non-Baked Alaska made with Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia. It is to die for. Better yet, HAL should cancel the Parade and offer the same Pinnacle dessert in the Dining Room on the last formal night. NO Parade!

 

 

I agree, the Pinnacle Non-Baked Alaska is wonderful.

 

 

 

Marie

[kakalina]

I don't care for it myself. I do recall how excited I was the very first time I experienced the Parade. I would hate to see it disappear completely for the first timers if no other reason. I do wish they would offer an alternative dessert as I really hate ice cream.

[SarasMommy]

I thought it was a little on the hokey side.

 

I happen to like hokey! To me it's all part of the cruise experience. If I didn't want to see that type of thing I would just go to a resort instead of vacation on a ship. I'm not even that fond of the Baked Alaska, but I do enjoy the parade.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I don't care for it myself. I do recall how excited I was the very first time I experienced the Parade. I would hate to see it disappear completely for the first timers if no other reason. I do wish they would offer an alternative dessert as I really hate ice cream.

 

Trish this is how I feel as well. It definitely is not my favorite diessert but to me it is a tradition. I remember our excitement of the first one and it was fun. It is also a lot of fun when you are with a large group and many are first time cruisers. To me there are several things that should stay tradition this being one of them another is the traditional Captains Reception.

I think I read that someone said change the music. OH NO you cannot do that either:eek: again that is just a HAL tradtional I hate to see it go away. I had to laugh I had ran to the mall a couple of weekends ago and went into JCPenny and what was playing on their music system but the music that is played for the Baked Alaska Parade:D All I could do was get this big grin on my face.

[sarplum]

I have nothing against the function. I have attended many professionl

dinners highlighted by an "Alaska" parade. However I do complain about

the product. It usually comes delivered in a half melted state and

usually is the worst desert on the entire trip. That being said, it is a

nice tradition and in a way I would hate to see it go.

[hammybee]

I had to laugh I had ran to the mall a couple of weekends ago and went into JCPenny and what was playing on their music system but the music that is played for the Baked Alaska Parade:D All I could do was get this big grin on my face.

 

Were you compelled to pick up a towel and twirl it in the air? :D

[bookworm0911]

Since the reason most feel it should be kept is that it is "a tradition" for first time cruisers I suggest that the tradition be changed to something else, like maybe a very special dessert the last formal nite to go along with the special menu, but no parade, no singing, and no silliness.

Since they are first time cruisers they won't know any different and there will be a "new tradition". Then everyone will be happy and HAL can be a little more "premium and classy" than Disney, RCCI, etc. ;)

[Seago2]

Love it! Yes, I twirled my napkin.

[Cruising-along]

We love it too -- granted we've only seen it once! :p But I think we'd still like it after many times -- maybe not by the time we'd seen it as many times as some of you have though....

[PoseidonGodoftheSea]

Trish this is how I feel as well. It definitely is not my favorite diessert but to me it is a tradition. I remember our excitement of the first one and it was fun. It is also a lot of fun when you are with a large group and many are first time cruisers. To me there are several things that should stay tradition this being one of them another is the traditional Captains Reception.

 

I think I read that someone said change the music. OH NO you cannot do that either:eek: again that is just a HAL tradtional I hate to see it go away. I had to laugh I had ran to the mall a couple of weekends ago and went into JCPenny and what was playing on their music system but the music that is played for the Baked Alaska Parade:D All I could do was get this big grin on my face.

 

They were playing that at Penny's?!!:eek: Maybe they thought it would uplift you into spending more.....if I had been on as many cruises as you I think the baked alaska parade would pop into my head too.

 

I voted to change the music, I really think I could get into it more if it was more elegant like a fine piece of classical dinner music.

 

I'm not a big fan of ice cream either and I had never even heard of baked alaska until I started cruising. Even then I thought it was a fish entree or something. I also knew nothing about the parade when I took my "maiden voyage"; all of a sudden the lights shut off (were we sinking I thought), then the window coverings lowered and so I knew something was being orchestrated.

[LadyFurn]

We went to the pinnacle on the baked alaska night just to avoid it on our last cruise. I don't mind the parade but I think there are many, many better desserts on the HAL menu than the Baked Alaska! I don't know if they still sing the Indonesian 'Goodbye Song' any more but I always enjoyed that one. I actually don't particularly like the farewell dinner menu either for some reason. Maybe I just associate it with having to leave the ship soon!

[Jemima]

DD and I always enjoy the baked Alaska parade. We also like the Master Chefs Dinner as long as the master cheif part is kept brief. These are both fun.

They are not excessive, LOUD, and annoying as are the nightly dinner activities and "contests" on Carnival. Those we couldn't take.