new to HAL!

[ViolaSwamp]

Greetings HAL cruisers,

 

Introducing myself as a new member of the cruisecritic boards. :cool:

 

I just booked a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise departing 1/2/09 from Fort Lauderdale on HAL Maasdam. Got a FANTASTIC deal through our favorite travel agency in the world - made even sweeter by HAL offering discounts to firefighters (DH and I are both volunteer firefighters and EMTs). We booked an oceanview room via guarantee - crossing our fingers to get an upgrade! ;)

 

We have been on two other cruises, both on RCCL. One with our three children, one by ourselves. This cruise will be just for us. I'm looking forward to trying out HAL, although I think it will be a bit "older" and more "formal" than we might like, I believe cruises are what you make of them and we're adaptable so we're bound to have a great time. :D

 

Hope to see some of you on the ship!! :)

[DMorris]

Welcome to cruise critic... you are going to enjoy HAL... the service onboard the ships is better then any other cruises I have taken... but any cruise is a good cruise of course.

[WeLoveCruising]

Welcome to HAL. The Maasdam is my favorite ship, the crew is just fantastic! I hope you will find the food and service to be much better than your RCI cruises.

 

Dont worry about the "formal" part. The cruise will be more refined, elegant, and laid back....but not at all stuffy.

[fann1sh]

I am so excited for you! Hope you have a wonderful cruise.

 

If you haven't found it yet, here's the roll call for your voyage, so you can meet others who will be aboard Maasdam with you:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=833388

[fireman845]

Welcome to CC and your are right a cruise is what you make of it and You WILL have a blast!!:) :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

You have chosen a lovely ship for your first HAL cruise.

[ViolaSwamp]

I am so excited for you! Hope you have a wonderful cruise.

 

If you haven't found it yet, here's the roll call for your voyage, so you can meet others who will be aboard Maasdam with you:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=833388

 

Thanks for pointing this out!!

 

And thanks everyone for the warm greetings. :)

[NYGirl1002]

Welcome to CC Viola. I have to tell you to read lots of the topics here and you will learn so much about HAL. I was a new cruiser when i joined and this board helped me immensely!

[matondo]

Welcome aboard!!! Yes, crowd is a bit older overall but you will see all ages onboard. It is much quieter and more refined than other cruiselines but we love. My co-worker just got back from a Carnival cruise and said it was so crazy with kids, the ones next to them banged on the walls, the ones above jumped on the beds. You probably won't get any of that on HAL or at least we haven't. Make sure you go to tea at least once on the cruise.

[Taxguy7]

Greetings HAL cruisers,

 

Introducing myself as a new member of the cruisecritic boards. :cool:

 

I just booked a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise departing 1/2/09 from Fort Lauderdale on HAL Maasdam. Got a FANTASTIC deal through our favorite travel agency in the world - made even sweeter by HAL offering discounts to firefighters (DH and I are both volunteer firefighters and EMTs). We booked an oceanview room via guarantee - crossing our fingers to get an upgrade! ;)

 

We have been on two other cruises, both on RCCL. One with our three children, one by ourselves. This cruise will be just for us. I'm looking forward to trying out HAL, although I think it will be a bit "older" and more "formal" than we might like, I believe cruises are what you make of them and we're adaptable so we're bound to have a great time. :D

 

Hope to see some of you on the ship!! :)

Volunteer firefighters and especially EMTS qualified are real-life heros in my book. Thanks, even though I may never meet you, and hope the only time I see the Vols. in action is at a fund-raiser!:)

We have never been on HAL but have our 1st booked. Having been on a number of cruises, the most important thing is "bound to have a great time."

[ViolaSwamp]

Why thank you taxguy, that is very kind of you to say! Now please don't take offense when I say I don't want to see you at YOUR "fundraising" as a TAXguy... hahaha LOL ;) :p

 

Thanks for the other welcomes and the tea tip as well... :)

[ricok987]

I will be travelling on your cruise on 1/2/09 aboard the Maasdam too. It seems to be a great itinerary. Plus, there are a few people on cruise critic that will tell you the Maasdam is their favorite HAL ship. As long as the weather cooperates I can't see how you can go wrong, and getting the money savings you mentioned is just the icing on the cake. If your lucky, maybe HAL will top that cake with buttercream flowers in the form of a free automatic upgrade!

Rich

[Himself]

Welcome to Cruise critic and I haope you have a great crise on the MAASDAM

in January. You will be where it is warm

[jhannah]

Let me extend my welcome, too. Both to Cruise Critic and the world of cruising Holland America style. You'll find HAL ships to be elegant without being stuffy. The crews are wonderful, and anxious to please. Enjoy your cruise on the Maasdam.

[cccole]

Greetings HAL cruisers,

 

Introducing myself as a new member of the cruisecritic boards. :cool:

 

I just booked a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise departing 1/2/09 from Fort Lauderdale on HAL Maasdam. Got a FANTASTIC deal through our favorite travel agency in the world - made even sweeter by HAL offering discounts to firefighters (DH and I are both volunteer firefighters and EMTs). We booked an oceanview room via guarantee - crossing our fingers to get an upgrade! ;)

 

We have been on two other cruises, both on RCCL. One with our three children, one by ourselves. This cruise will be just for us. I'm looking forward to trying out HAL, although I think it will be a bit "older" and more "formal" than we might like, I believe cruises are what you make of them and we're adaptable so we're bound to have a great time. :D

Hope to see some of you on the ship!! :)

 

 

You are going to love HAL. We have also been on RCCL and enjoyed it also. My daughter-in-law finished her EMT training and is in the SFO fire academy. You are all heros in my book!!!!!!

 

We did not find HAL to be a bit "older." It's all a state of mind. Have Fun.

 

Cherie

[ViolaSwamp]

Thanks everyone!! :D

[Williebill]

Welcome aboard!! BTW since I am also a Firefighter, what type discounts are you speaking?

[want2seaitall]

Sorry...I'm dredging up an old thread. But, I found this while trying to research HAL and Costa. They are 2 lines that offer discounts to fire and police. My husband is a 20+ year firefighter...formally from MA and now FL. Based on what I've read...it sounds like HAL will be a great fit for my husband and I. I called RCI today to see if they offered discounts to police and fire...since they have several other discounts...including airline workers discounts :confused:...and they did not. That was disappointing. So, I am seriously thinking of "jumping ship" over to HAL for an upcoming cruise.

 

We are looking into an Alaskan cruise out of Seattle. Any thoughts on the HAL ships that cruise this itinerary? Any HAL ships that you'd recommend staying away from?

 

Happy Holidays...and happy cruising!

[ViolaSwamp]

Greetings! At the time I booked we saved $100 per person on an oceanview cabin. :)