Where Do You Experience Sail Away?

[RevNeal]

Where Do You Experience Sail Away?

I have three favorite places ... the aft deck for the party, a forward observation deck (usually the upper one, infront of the gym), and the Crows Nest. If the weather is cold or wet I'll park myself in the Crows Nest. IF it's pretty, I'll be outside. And, I'll usually start in the front, then move to the back for a drink and to pick up a HAL sailaway cup, then move back to the front. I almost never sit in one place for all of sail away.

[tomc]

On the Sports Deck, as it gives a clear view and is easy to move from front to back, or one side to another.

[dam1050]

Weather permitting, aft deck party ; otherwise balcony :)

Dave

[jazzsea]

When possible we enjoy sail away from our balcony. We open a bottle of champagne and toast our brilliance in booking another Holland America Line cruise.

When we are not in a verandah cabin we enjoy sail away from the Crow's Nest or the Lido Aft.

Drinking coffee this morning from my Volendam mug. Ah. What memories!

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

On our verandah is the first choice.

If we meeting people, either the Crow's Nest or the Ocean Bar.

And if there is a special aft deck party (like wines and cheeses) we go to that.

:)

[olderpilot]

The aft deck - hearing the band play is part of the experience for us - plus it's a joy to see all the fellow cruisers in such a happy mood.

[sail7seas]

If we do not go to Aft Pool Sailaway, we are either on our veranda or in Ocean Bar if we are meeting other people.

[CaptData]

I love sailaway music, so I'll be on the aft deck but I have early, upper dinner so I'll have to leave to eat dinner. If it is cold or rainy I'll find the Crow's nest, this is my first Hall so we'll see if I can find it. All my other cruises I had late dinner. :p :p

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Each of my only 4 cruises, Sail Away has been different but the very best was my first Sail Away. It was on Monarch of the Seas going out of Ft Lauderdale for the Western Caribbean. It was a beautiful March day. It was a very festive party out on the pool deck as we sailed out of Port Everglades and all the people on land by the beautiful homes waving good bye. Everything seemed so perfect. One year later on our second cruise going out of Port Everglades we had hoped to have arepeat of the fun on the Zuirderdam unfortuartely we had mechanical problems and the party soon fizzled. We actually ended up leaving sometime around midnight, we were in bed;) yes sound to sleep. I woke up around 1 and felt us moving. My third cruise we were at dinner and this past one HAL arranged to have the Sail Away Party at the Lido Pool but there was no one there everyone was up on the aft deck. It was cold but fun sailing out of Seattle.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/sites/family/beerchug.gif
Hopefully the Ryndam in November will be a traditional Sail Away:)

[RuthC]

From my very first cruise I have been on the aft deck with a gin + tonic in hand for sail-away.
When the party was brought indoors due to inclement weather I have still gone outside.
When sail-away was delayed until 1:00 A.M. (2003) due to a black-out I was there. (gin + tonic was consumed earlier!)
When sail-away was delayed until 7:00 P.M. (2004) due to on-loading problems I was there. (gin + tonic was comsumed earlier.)

It's my little version of "A Tradition of Excellence".

[RevNeal]

God bless you, Ruth ... and welcome home!

[GrammyPL]

We love sitting in the Crows Nest --- right in the middle if possable and clink glasses as we leave port. Of course, it is aways better if some CC people are up there with us. Penny

[Tatka]

I like sail away parties... This puts you in a mood.

I haven't been on HAL yet but on Century and Splendour they where by the pool.

What is a sailaway cup?

[MISSYLOU]

We are usually on our balcony unless we are leaving from FLL and have a Starboard cabin and then we make sure to get outside on the port side to wave at the locals as they bid us farewell. On hot, hot days we enjoy sail away in the Crows nest especially to watch the sunsets.

[Terri Lee]

I hate to admit this but I have never actually experienced a sailaway! The reason being that having had to get up in the 'middle of the night' in order to catch a flight at 7am or thereabouts,I am usually tuckered out by the time I have unpacked and been to boat drill.That is when I have a little lie-down and of course,promptly fall sound asleep!!

The one time that I was really upset with myself was when I slept through the sailaway in VENICE! I woke up just as we were almost through the Grand Canal but at least I could see what was left to see as thankfully I was in an outside cabin.I was exhausted after flying across the Atlantic to Venice via Paris so I did eventually forgive myself!!:o

I doubt if I will EVER catch a sailaway with my record!LOL!

Terri;)

[imsulin]

Aft pool for Sailaway! I will admit, though, that I refuse to purchase one of HAL's cheesy Sailaway drinks (that were made yesterday) in the cheesy Souvenier Glass. Instead, I have been know to indulge in draft beer. Once, though, over a Christmas cruise on the Zaandam, it was so freaking cold outside that I meandered into the Crow's Nest for a delightful evening of several Bailey's and Creams!

[tomc]

Tatka

What is a sailaway cup?

If we're talking about the same thing, it's a plastic drink container, very cheap, into which HAL sells alcoholic drinks (probably not very cheap). They have the HAL logo on one side and the ships' names on the other side. If you fill them with sand or anything, they look fairly nice. I don't drink alcohol, so I wait until people put theirs down and leave the area (obviously leaving them behind), then pick up two or three and wash them out in my cabin. They make nice gifts for friends, too.

[Roadwork]

We do sail away in many different places. If we have a verandah, we do it there, if not, out on deck. We like to celebrate with a drink.

[bepsf]

On Oosterdam, the party was on the aft Lido.
On Amsterdam, the party was in the midships Lido.

After each, its been retire to the balcony with a chilled bottle of bubbly and get ready for dinner at 8 in the Pinnacle.

[cactuslady]

Other. At the Cruise Critic sail-away gathering, naturally. :cool:

[arzz]

Ocean bar -- window seat, great view -- air conditioning and no direct sun (I am very sensitive to the sun)

[gliles]

Always at the sail away party, well except for once out of San Diego and we didn't realize how chilly it would be. To me, that is one of the best parts of the cruise watching us leave although this time we have early dining so I assume we will be getting ready for dinner :(

[joanagain]

how do you know where the sailaway party is?...i only remember finding my cabin (alone)...unpacking...doing the drill...back into the cabin to finish unpacking and jabbering...before setting out to explore.

..i vaguely remember seeing some people on deck... and wondering who THEY were :confused: ...how long does the sailaway party last...and finally, (i know this has been answered before...but it still escapes me...)

...is there an easy way to remember where the aft is...?

[gliles]

...is there an easy way to remember where the aft is...?
LOL, in my opinion, NO! I am always lost.

[Druke I]

For us:

Good weather - lower promenade.

Inclement weather - Crows' Nest.

[Slinkiecat]

how do you know where the sailaway party is?...i only remember finding my cabin (alone)...unpacking...doing the drill...back into the cabin to finish unpacking and jabbering...before setting out to explore.

..i vaguely remember seeing some people on deck... and wondering who THEY were :confused: ...how long does the sailaway party last...and finally, (i know this has been answered before...but it still escapes me...)

...is there an easy way to remember where the aft is...?
Is this one of the things listed in the papers found inside the stateroom? How about a Cruise Critics sailaway party? If nobody has replied to a Roll Call for a cruise, should we assume there is none?

Slinkie

[jima53]

Our only cruise so far was on the almost new carnival Miracle out of Jacksonville. The ships have to go under a nice cable bridge, The Dames Point Bridge, and it's such a close fit that crewmen are on the smokestack fin with a measureing stick as the ship goes under the spans. Kind of exciting for our first cruise. As the ship eased under the spans everyone on the upper observation areas started hollering and partying.

Jim
Next time in our suite balconey in about 2 weeks on the Zaandam.

[joanagain]

i like that, i like that...:cool: ...i am a hopeless romantic and not looking for a cure.

i can see it now, me and bette davis... as in NOW VOYAGER ...sailing away with a martini (ups! ...gingerale ) in my hand...

OK, where`s the sailaway party?

[debblue]

ocean bar, ocean bar,ocean bar its the best place to meet seasoned mariners of hal and of course the best bARTENDERS ON THE FLEET. i do take a walk to the lido deck outsideas we set sail but its the ocean bar to get in the mood for me