We have friends that just returned from the Oosterdam. It was their first cruise (other than a Windjammer with 200 people). we asked about thier cruise and they didn't think there was a Captain's Party and they didn't think there was any dancing. They did know there was a Captain's breakfast for returning passengers because their tablemates were going one morning.
Can someone tell us if there was a Captain's party and Bands and dancing on board any of Hal's ships. It's hard to believe any larger ship would lack these events.
We have friends that just returned from the Oosterdam. It was their first cruise (other than a Windjammer with 200 people). we asked about thier cruise and they didn't think there was a Captain's Party and they didn't think there was any dancing. They did know there was a Captain's breakfast for returning passengers because their tablemates were going one morning.
Can someone tell us if there was a Captain's party and Bands and dancing on board any of Hal's ships. It's hard to believe any larger ship would lack these events.
Thanks
Sure - there's dancing in the Ocean Bar & Crow's Nest every evening and Northern Lights disco.
HAL no longer has the Captain's Welcome Aboard party, but they do have a Welcome Aboard Champagne presentation on the first formal night, where the Captain introduces the Senior Officers........it's held in the evening after dinner . I think all the Captains are glad they no longer have to stand in line for a few hours shaking hands with people they don't know. We stopped going to the parties - we are long time Mariners and had gone to enough of them.
Your friends tablemates probably went to a Brunch, not breakfast held for Mariners (returning passengers).
Maybe your friends didnot read the daily reports with various daily activities etc.
Like DeeDee says, yes there is dancing, but the captain just gives a specch and introduces other staffmembers in the theatre.
HAL no longer has the Captain's Welcome Aboard party, but they do have a Welcome Aboard Champagne presentation on the first formal night, where the Captain introduces the Senior Officers........it's held in the evening after dinner . I think all the Captains are glad they no longer have to stand in line for a few hours shaking hands with people they don't know. We stopped going to the parties - we are long time Mariners and had
I think the primary reason they did away with this is because it increased the potential for spreading norovirus. The captain shakes my hand and poses for a picture with me. Maybe I'm coming down with something. Then he shakes the hands of the next ten people ... spreading it to them. Not good. So, then for a while they still had the receiving line for photos, but the Captain wouldn't shake anyone's hand. Even though there was a good reason for it, some people took offense. So eventually they just did away with the whole receiving line thing. Makes sense.
HAL no longer has the Captain's Welcome Aboard party, but they do have a Welcome Aboard Champagne presentation on the first formal night, where the Captain introduces the Senior Officers........it's held in the evening after dinner . I think all the Captains are glad they no longer have to stand in line for a few hours shaking hands with people they don't know. We stopped going to the parties - we are long time Mariners and had
I think the primary reason they did away with this is because it increased the potential for spreading norovirus. The captain shakes my hand and poses for a picture with me. Maybe I'm coming down with something. Then he shakes the hands of the next ten people ... spreading it to them. Not good. So, then for a while they still had the receiving line for photos, but the Captain wouldn't shake anyone's hand. Even though there was a good reason for it, some people took offense. So eventually they just did away with the whole receiving line thing. Makes sense.
Blue skies ...
--rita
I did hear a few years ago, this was the reason for no more hand shaking. I am not sure the entire elimination of the Capt party or the minimizing is for that reason. I think it is simply back to the changing times...
On the Eurodam two weeks ago we had a Captian's introduction and it was done on the first formal night and done in the showroom. We then had, on our next sea day (5 days later), the Captian's brunch for Mariners which frankly was 95% of the people on the ship.
Dancing everynight in the disco, 1/3 of the nights in the Crow's nest.
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HAL Maasdam 2006
HAL Zuiderdam 2007
HAL Eurodam 2008
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I've been on five HAL cruises. Even on Prinzendam their smallest ship they have all those events and something everynight. Where were you friends hiding? Didn't they read the daily event scedule?
I've been on five HAL cruises. Even on Prinzendam their smallest ship they have all those events and something everynight. Where were you friends hiding? Didn't they read the daily event scedule?
I'm thinking pretty much the same thing. They should have been more active in reading the daily schedule. On every cruise I've been on, HAL has had live music and dancing in the lounges ... Crow's Nest, Ocean Bar, Explorer's Lounge, etc., every single night. People gather there, beginning before the dinner hours, to enjoy a cocktail and perhaps a dance. Then the lounge might be a bit "dead" while the shows and dinner seatings are going on, but then after the shows, they will fill up again.
Now, true ... on many cruises, things die down by around midnight, especially if the cruise is a port intensive one. But if it's one marked by a lot of sea days, you'll often see activity in the lounges until well past midnight.
Shame these folks didn't avail themselves of more that the ship had to offer. Maybe they would have had a better cruise.
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