What are DAM Dollars?

[Sybird]

After 28 cruises ,finally taking a HAL cruise on Noordam in January.

I keep reading about DAM Dollars. What are they and how do I get them?

Thanks.

Sy

[hrhdhd]

I keep reading about DAM Dollars. What are they and how do I get them?

Sy:

Dam dollars are like HAL's play money. You "earn" them by going to daily activities, usually of a semi-athletic nature, on the ship. Each day, there are three or four activities, such as walk a mile around the promenade deck, basketball free-throw challenge, and golf chipping, that you can attend. On our recent Westerdam cruise, dam dollars were awarded for trivia, which was the first time we have seen that happen. For attending the event, you'll get a dam dollar. If you win, you may get more; for example, on some days the trivia winners got an additional 5 dollars each.

Throughout your cruise, you collect the dollars and then on the last day, there will be a dam dollar redemption during which you can exchange your dollars for dam merchandise. DH and I earned 20 dam dollars on our last cruise, and we exchanged them for a nice HAL picture frame. They also have hats, umbrellas, water bottles, beach towels, and so on.

Enjoy your cruise!

[LolaWiz]

A lot of folks really disregard them and the activities they include, but over the past cruise in October with my family, my mom was "hell-bent" on getting as many dam dollars as she could. In the process, she recruited myself, husband, brother and his finacee to help her.
We did golf chipping, putting, basketball... a ton of stuff. At the end of the cruise, we ended up pooling out dollars together. She was able to get a VERY nice HAL sweatshirt, cards and a few other small items. It is a good way to get to know the cruise staff and have a good time.

They are simple to get and your daily schedule will have all the DD events listed. You can pick and choose!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Since HAL started the "dam dollars", on all our cruises you could not get them for walking-a-mile or anything in the gym.

On some of our cruises there were a ton activites available to earn the dollars and you only needed a few dollars to get t-shirts and sweatshirts, etc.

But on our recent 23 day cruise, there were very, very few daily activities - sometimes only 3 a day (when people were off the ship) where you could earn the dollars. And the amount of money you needed for items was very high!!

Seems to differ by ship and itinerary.

[5 in OK]

Sy - cool name - we had so much fun collecting those dam dollars on our W'dam Alaskan cruise. My kids had an equal blast being allowed to say "Let's go get some dam dollars, mom!" - they went to every single activity where dam dollars were offered. One time it was misting and really choppy and rough - my crew was the only ones who showed up for the free throw contest (by now they were aquainted with the activities staff) and got 5 dam dollars each just for showing up - they were so excited - came running in showing off their dam dollars. The sea days are the best days to collect the play money - definitely gave them something to do each sea day.
At the end of the cruise they had this table set up by the indoor pool with stuff you could "buy" with your dam dollars. They had t-shirts, hats, water bottles, visors, key chains, etc... (all with HAL logos) you could buy. My husband seems to remember the water bottle costing 10 dam dollars.

Have a great cruise! It is just so much fun!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry - double post.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sy - cool name - we had so much fun collecting those dam dollars on our W'dam Alaskan cruise. My kids had an equal blast being allowed to say "Let's go get some dam dollars, mom!" - they went to every single activity where dam dollars were offered. One time it was misting and really choppy and rough - my crew was the only ones who showed up for the free throw contest (by now they were aquainted with the activities staff) and got 5 dam dollars each just for showing up - they were so excited - came running in showing off their dam dollars. The sea days are the best days to collect the play money - definitely gave them something to do each sea day.
At the end of the cruise they had this table set up by the indoor pool with stuff you could "buy" with your dam dollars. They had t-shirts, hats, water bottles, visors, key chains, etc... (all with HAL logos) you could buy. My husband seems to remember the water bottle costing 10 dam dollars.

Have a great cruise! It is just so much fun!

You were lucky that they allowed your children to participate and collect dam dollars. On some of our cruises, the children were told that the many of the activities were for adults only. And only adults could collect dam dollars.

Maybe there weren't a lot of children on board and thus they allowed them to participate?

[Dolphins]

Reminds me of a program HAL used to have some years back called the "Passport to Fitness" program. You got credit for various physical activities and earned a prize at the end of the cruise. We still use our Passport to Fitness towel. They should revive that program as an antidote to over eating.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Reminds me of a program HAL used to have some years back called the "Passport to Fitness" program. You got credit for various physical activities and earned a prize at the end of the cruise. We still use our Passport to Fitness towel. They should revive that program as an antidote to over eating.

We loved that program. Got some beautiful jackets, etc.

Unfortunately we saw too many people who would come to an activity - do nothing - get a stamp in their passport and walk away. That was one of the reasons they stopped the program.

[HokiePoq]

We've had a blast doing the activities for the dam dollars. I've collected a sweatshirt on the Alaska cruise and we got two nice Holland America towels on the latest one. Only problem is that these activities conflict with other things we'd like to do. You get to know other guests and the folks who do these things are fun loving people. I won the putting contest much to the distress of my DH and other real golfers who were competing. (I'm not a golfer.) An elderly man won the shuffleboard tournament. We all had a good time which was the goal.

[Stevesan]

We loved that program. Got some beautiful jackets, etc.

Unfortunately we saw too many people who would come to an activity - do nothing - get a stamp in their passport and walk away. That was one of the reasons they stopped the program.

Righto. I recall when HAL canceled the Passport program there was a firestorm of complaints on this board. Many were probably from the slackers.

Maybe they do a better job of vetting before handing out the Dam Dollars.:confused:

[5 in OK]

You were lucky that they allowed your children to participate and collect dam dollars. On some of our cruises, the children were told that the many of the activities were for adults only. And only adults could collect dam dollars.

Maybe there weren't a lot of children on board and thus they allowed them to participate?

You're right - there were very few children on the cruise to Alaska - maybe 12 teenagers and 20 or so tweens (not sure how many little ones) - we didn't even realize that wasn't the norm (kids and dam dollars).

I'm so glad to know - I'll warn the kiddos when we get to go on our dream cruise to Hawaii.:)

[Sybird]

Thanks to all that responded. Sounds like this is the same as Ship-Shape dollars on RCCL and the sports afloat on NCL.

I appreciate all your help

Sy

P.S. Happy New Year.

[hshowalter]

My wife & I were on the Noordam 12-12-07 & were able to accumulate $60.00 in dam money. We got 2 sweat shirts & 1 T shirt. The Noordam was a great ship.

[bermuda triangle]

We loved that program. Got some beautiful jackets, etc.



I loved the passport to fitness program too! I have a windbreaker and a duffel bag that I earned while participating.

[Gonzo70]

But on our recent 23 day cruise, there were very, very few daily activities - sometimes only 3 a day (when people were off the ship) where you could earn the dollars. And the amount of money you needed for items was very high!!

The value of the DAM is tied to the strength of the U.S. Dollar, so that may have been why the exchange rate was so weak on your cruise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I don't think so.

[shepp]

Sorry, but it seems kinda chintzy to me. You ace a trivia contest and you don't even get a plastic water bottle for your trouble, but you show up for 10 contests, don't get a single question right, and "win" something?? It reminds me of those self-esteem-boosting school ceremonies where every single student manages to win some award or other.

[SandRaven]

Sorry, but it seems kinda chintzy to me. You ace a trivia contest and you don't even get a plastic water bottle for your trouble, but you show up for 10 contests, don't get a single question right, and "win" something?? It reminds me of those self-esteem-boosting school ceremonies where every single student manages to win some award or other.

It's SO true that life is unfair, but cruisers are on vacation to escape "real life". I think that HAL is rewarding people for showing up, because an 85 year old probably isn't going to stand a chance against an athlete in volleyball or basketball shootouts, and the intellectuals will thrash the morons any day in team trivia. However, if no one is motivated to play, attendence will suffer. Awarding Dam dollars appeals to the competitiveness of many, and they'll get off their casino stools and pool chairs to socialize.

Sincerely,
Sandraven, proud owner of 3 sweatshirts, one T-shirt, hat and a small mug. :rolleyes:

[Krazy Kruizers]

It's SO true that life is unfair, but cruisers are on vacation to escape "real life". I think that HAL is rewarding people for showing up, because an 85 year old probably isn't going to stand a chance against an athlete in volleyball or basketball shootouts, and the intellectuals will thrash the morons any day in team trivia. However, if no one is motivated to play, attendence will suffer. Awarding Dam dollars appeals to the competitiveness of many, and they'll get off their casino stools and pool chairs to socialize.

Sincerely,
Sandraven, proud owner of 3 sweatshirts, one T-shirt, hat and a small mug. :rolleyes:

You are so right!!

Owners of 2 sweatshirts, 2 t-shirts, 2 beach towels and 2 coffee mugs and 1 cap.

[mhurdle127]

So that I understand this correctly -- no more dam mugs handed out as prizes at the Piano Bar for winning "Name that Tune"?

[kura]

If you are doing a back 2 back, can you accumulate your d dollars from the first cruise until the end of the 2nd cruise?

[Taxguy77]

Awarding Dam dollars appeals to the competitiveness of many, and they'll get off their casino stools and pool chairs to socialize.

Sincerely,
Sandraven, proud owner of 3 sweatshirts, one T-shirt, hat and a small mug. :rolleyes:

I doubt they want anyone to get off the casino stools! They leave that to me as I concentrate on only one person.:)