Parties/Activities on a New Years cruise?

[Avril]

I'm sailing on the Eurodam for New Years this year and I can't wait!! :D I've never been on HAL before so my question is, will there be younger people for me to hang out with and will there be parties (especialy on New Years Eve)? What sort of parties, activities, etc are there on HAL? Maybe they'll have a big deck party with a countdown at midnight. We're doing a 7 Day Southern Caribbean if that makes a difference. I just don't want to be stuck on a ship with a bunch of old people (I'm 24) who just sit around and play bridge and bingo and write letters all day. Just so you know what I'm use to on a cruise and where I'm coming from, I usualy sail on Carnival. :D

[NDCruiser]

Avril--

 

Like so much else, it depends on the ship! We were on Amsterdam last Xmas/New Year's. It was 2 weeks & on average an older crowd, but there was lots of action. Fantastic gala dinner, lots of party favors, free champagne at midnight, balloon drops, etc. The countdown was in the show lounge as it was very windy that night. Be warned that people really dressed up--at least 75% of the men wore tuxes & most women (even the teens) wore long dresses. The ship was beautifully decorated & the huge tree stayed up until Jan. 3. There were many multi-generation families. Most of the people playing bingo were young, not old. I attribute the older crowd to both the length of the cruise & the ship. Amsterdam is a flagship, built for long-haul cruises. We have also been on 2 different Vista-class ships, and they are glitzier & attract a younger age group. I suspect Eurodam will be like the Vista ships.

 

We have also celebrated New Year's on a Disney ship. There was a loud deck party with the deck band, and they shot off fireworks at midnight. Lot's of fun! We enjoyed both ship parties, but Amsterdam was definitely more sedate. Just for comparison, we will celebrate this coming New Year on RCI Grandeur.

 

We are early 50's, experienced cruisers, and were traveling with our 18 year old daughter. Hope this helps!

[Avril]

Thanks!! :D That does sound like it was a lot of fun on the Amsterdam. I hope ours is just as much fun. And a 2 week cruise, that must have been incredible!! I don't mind people really dressing up. The Formal Nights are my favourite nights on a cruise and the more formal, the better!! :D A Gala Dinner, noise makers and free champagne are all excellent as well. I wonder if because the Vistas (and Eurodam) attract a younger age group if it will be less formal? Did your daughter have a good time on the Amsterdam? We're pretty close to the same ages as you and your daughter. I'm 24 and Mom is 55. I can't wait for this cruise!!!! :D

They had fireworks on the Disney ship? :eek: Isn't that dangerous? It would be so awesome though!! :D

I hope you have an amazing New Years on the Grandeur!! :D

[NDCruiser]

Avril:

 

I'm not sure if the level of formality was the ship or the time of year (ie holidays). I tend to think, based on experience on other lines as well, that it's a bit of both. I doubt that you will feel out-of-place as long as you're dressed up. We were on a Vista-class last month in the Med, the crowd was somewhat younger, and suits/cocktail dresses predominated on formal nights.

 

To answer your second question, our daughter had a great time even though she's in the gap between the teen program & the singles activities. She is a very experienced cruiser and also an "only" so she's good at entertaining herself. Zuiderdam, which would be closer to Eurodam in size & feel, had lots more activities for all age groups. Amsterdam was pretty low key, but we knew it would be when we selected it--we wanted to do the Panama Canal.

 

This is probably a dangerous topic, but I think that you will be more pleased with the food and service on HAL. We will certainly not go back to Carnival. The evening shows are also more sophisticated. We saw 3 excellent production shows and a wide variety of individual performers on Zuiderdam. The production shows are Vegas quality, both in choreography and costuming.

 

Yes, the Disney fireworks were really fabulous! They turned the bow into the wind and shot the rockets off the stern, so it was completely safe.

 

If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to try & help.

 

Karen

[PathfinderEss]

I've probably been on 6 New Years cruises, one was on RC (not a good cruise), the rest have been on Hal, and they've been more fun then anyone should ever have. I think you will be fine Avril and you'll be on the first New Years for the Eurodam, I would expect them to really make it fabulous....