Crossing the equator on a HAL ship

[grannynurse]

Has anyone been on a HAL cruise that crossed the equator? If so what is the ceremony like?

We've crossed the Arctic Circle but the most they did was give the opportunity to dunk in the pool. Everyone got a certificate though.

[jhannah]

I haven't done it, but would love to. Grumpy1 mentioned this in his ongoing Prinsendam world cruise report. Maybe you can find it. (Good luck!)

[xpcdoojk]

On RCI they do a silly apeasement of King Neptune, with the cruise director and the singers and dancers at the pool, there is something about pollywogs, etc, and gross things done to various officers of the ship and some passengers. It was a lot of fun. I think the experience is a traditional one, and it probably is more similar than different on all ships. They had to shut the pool down afterwards to clean it out on our cruise.

I am going to do a little search and see if I can find some descriptions of the ceremony. We got little certificates that went into the scrap book.

jc

[xpcdoojk]

Seems like after the "trial" and the mess we were all declared shellbacks, and everyone went back to what they were doing, except swimming in the main pool.

jc

[Pincus]

Grannynurse, we've done three crossings of the equator on HAL, and the ceremony described by the poster about the RCI fits the ceremonies we saw on both the old Noordam and Ryndam and Statendam. The only thing I would add is that the ship's senior officers sit as judge and jury determining which pollywogs will be dunked! The captain always enjoys this part of the ceremony.

If you have more specific questions, do ask.

[GrammyPL]

Pincus is right. That is what they did for our 28day Amazon Cruise in Dec. They also served a special drink (for a price of course.) You also received a paper saying you cross the equator. Penny

[Tatka]

On RCI they do a silly apeasement of King Neptune,
jc

This is not "what they do on RCI or on HAL" ... this is common international tradition crew does on EVERY cruise ship in the world when crossing equator.;)

[jimmy2x]

Just thought I would note that the ceremony is also done on US Navy ships. I have my "shellback" certificate from December 1973 hanging on my wall in the den. The initiation was pretty gross but also a lot of fun, and of course, we were all pretty young. Certainly a day to remember,

[WISCruiser]

Just thought I would note that the ceremony is also done on US Navy ships. I have my "shellback" certificate from December 1973 hanging on my wall in the den. The initiation was pretty gross but also a lot of fun, and of course, we were all pretty young. Certainly a day to remember,

I agree with you, jimmy2x, I'm a "Shellback" also ('73), and these "ceremonies" that they do onboard Cruise Ships would be - put to shame -, by what we probably both experienced on "our" ships. It would curl your hair what they *made* us SWIM through:eek: , But like you said, it was all great fun... especially what we did to the Shellbacks we could pin down the night before:D .

[RuthC]

grannynurse, I would drop the word "silly", but otherwise the ceremony was the same when I crossed. The only other thing not yet mentioned was "kiss the fish". (It was salty. :rolleyes: )

You did the "screeching" on the Scademia, didn't you? The crossing ceremony is actually easier! ;) It's lots of fun. If you ever have the opportunity to participate you absolutely have to join in.

[jimmy2x]

WISCruiser - remember kissing the Royal Baby Belly?:D

[Krazy Kruizers]

We did it on the Nieuw Amsterdam a few years ago. The ceremony was held at the aft pool. Any of the officers and crew who hadn't crossed the equator before were thrown into the pool after they had been "smeared" with "fish blood". After that we could all kiss the "frozen" fish (right from the freezer). A picture was taken of each individual who kissed the fish - you could buy it. And you also got a certificate delivered to your cabin in a couple of days. They did write down the names and cabin numbers of those who participated. They also offered T-shirts embossed with a picture of the fish and the date of the crossing on it.

[WISCruiser]

WISCruiser - remember kissing the Royal Baby Belly?:D

And how do I, back in them days when there were no "weight requirements:p " for sailors, you usually got one of the most salty senior chiefs with the biggest belly. It seemed like your face would get *swallowed* up inside that mass.:D
Ours was a Senior Chief BT and he smeared his belly with some kind of engine room glop (really tasty:o )!! LOL... anyways, nice seeing former "Squids" onboard this wonderful Board, take care.

p.s. Hmm... I wonder where they get those BIG guys now; with the stringent weight requirements now in force.

[wblynch]

Another "proper" shellback here.

That initiation is one I will never forget. Rough and cruel and probably has been legislated out of existence by now... what with women on cambat ships.. but I keep my shellback card like a badge of honor.

Back in the day, one was supposed to get a pierced earring to show he was a shellback. My problem is I didn't know which ear to pierce and wasn't willing to risk piercing the wrong one !!

Nowadays, I guess it doesn't matter what you pierce, or where !?!

I'm sure nothing on a CRUISE ship could barely approach a REAL initiation.

-Bill

.

[JDee]

Another trick was to swallow a raw oyster (they were safe to eat back then) on a string. Part 2, someone would s-l-o-w-l-y pull on that string until the oyster showed up....if the oyster didn't show up, deep, deep trouble....

Happy cruising.....

[jimmy2x]

Since my initiation was on an aircraft carrier and there were so many of us "polywogs", they had to do us in shifts. I can remember crawling across the hanger deck on our hands and knees to the #2 elevator where we were raised to the flight deck. We were supposed to quack like ducks and those that didn't were generally singled out for "special treatment". I kept my head down and quacked very loudly in the hope that somehow I would not be noticed.

This strategy failed miserably.;)

[wblynch]

Since my initiation was on an aircraft carrier and there were so many of us "polywogs", they had to do us in shifts. I can remember crawling across the hanger deck on our hands and knees to the #2 elevator where we were raised to the flight deck. We were supposed to quack like ducks and those that didn't were generally singled out for "special treatment". I kept my head down and quacked very loudly in the hope that somehow I would not be noticed.

This strategy failed miserably.;)

Jimmy, I was also on the "O"-boat. 1975-1976. I made the last West-Pac cruise and decommissioned her in Alameda. Yeah, she was old and rickety and we had electrical fires, it seemed like everyday.

As an Electrician's Mate, I remember standing watch in #2 and #3 engine rooms, 132 degrees. Pulling shore power by hand (no fancy winches for us).

We were at battle stations (after steering) one time during maneuvers and steering went out. Can you imagine steering an Aircraft Carrier during air ops, BY HAND ?? Yeah, that was fun...

Tough duty but I really miss that ship.

Thanks for the reminders.

Bill