Veteran's Partys ??

Someone mentioned on another thread that Royal does not have a party for our Veteran's. Well, on every Royal cruise we have ever been on there has been a party.

Our last Royal cruise was on the Anthem in March and they had a Vet's party in the Music Hall, It was standing room only. If you choose to, you could tell your story. Many did and there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Our CD, Abe said these get together's were very popular. No, they did not offer any free drinks, so really not costing Royal anything but the use of the room for about an hour.

Was this poster correct, and when and why did they stop? Or it is only on some ships?

My DH was a Navy Seal during Viet Nam. I/we thank all you Vet's for your service.

They are not parties. They are informal get togethers. Not every CD schedules them. On a couple of ships, a different officer led the group. They simply note in the Compass that a meetup is scheduled. We have seen dozens show, and we have seen only my husband and one or two others show.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

As a Vietnam vet, I would hope that they would do something. I remember how we were treated when we came home. Would love to see some more people get together to remember the sacrifices we made!!! :cool:

They are not parties. They are informal get togethers. Not every CD schedules them. On a couple of ships, a different officer led the group. They simply note in the Compass that a meetup is scheduled. We have seen dozens show, and we have seen only my husband and one or two others show.

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Maybe parties was not the PC term, but I don't need a lecture on how they are run. DH and I have been to many.

We thank your husband for his service.

As a Vietnam vet, I would hope that they would do something. I remember how we were treated when we came home. Would love to see some more people get together to remember the sacrifices we made!!! :cool:

My DH thumbed home from Norfolk many times , even without a uniform, his haircut gave him away. He had eggs, tomatoes, beer bottles thrown at him. He was called a baby killer. No parade for him, or you either.

Wish we could talk. Thank you for your service.;)

Does anyone know if they have these on Allure? We are sailing at the end of Oct and our nephew is in the 82nd Airborne at Ft. Bragg and currently in Special Forces training. I would LOVE to attend one of these get togethers to show my support.

Thanks to all of you for your service!

As a Vietnam vet, I would hope that they would do something. I remember how we were treated when we came home. Would love to see some more people get together to remember the sacrifices we made!!! :cool:

Yes, you deserve one. And we thank you all for your service!

For those who served, thank you for your service. USN 74-78.

The get togethers can be quite interesting. We did the 50th anniv of the D-Day crossing with RCL from England to France and we had a wild bunch of vets on that one. Simply put it was amazing !!:):)

DH (Air Force) and friend (30+years Canadian Navy) once attended and they were so disappointed as only 2 other vets showed up. They were looking forward to exchanging stories.

My dh attended one last year , there were about ten that showed up. Another cruiser came in thanked them and bought them all a round of drinks. Very nice gesture we thought. Thank you to all who have served.

 

My DH thumbed home from Norfolk many times , even without a uniform, his haircut gave him away. He had eggs, tomatoes, beer bottles thrown at him. He was called a baby killer. No parade for him, or you either.

Wow. I had exactly the same experience trying to hitch hike home. The haircut in those days was for sure a dead giveaway. Thank him for his service.

I have seen these scheduled and have been tempted to attend. Now maybe I will go and see what it's like. Hope I'm not the only woman vet there...it would be nice to network with another one.

USN, 1971-78

We normally cruise during Nov and have found most will hold a service of remembrance on 11/11 which is normally hosted by the CD.

When we cruised on EOS in Nov 2012 one of the offices who was ex USN arranged a get together on the evening on 11/11 in the VCL which was very well attended by former and serving military personal from around the world and drinks where served free of charge, this was a members so not sure if that made a difference, we were doing B2B and on the next cruise he held a more informal get together in the schooner bar drinks where also served and this was attend by about a dozen or so former and serving servicemen and their wife’s and partners. So I guess it depends on whether one of the officers on board is prepared to take the time and effect to arrange something.

We did a 4 Night sailing on Majesty last month. There was a No Host Veteran's Get Together on the Sea Day in the Viking Crown Lounge. We decided to make a visit... There were only 6 vets (Sue & I included) in the lounge.

We are both Navy Retired... Sue was a Navy Corpsman (67-70) and Navy Nurse (75-93), I was a Radioman & LDO (67-92)...

We are doing another Majesty next month and will try again..

Salutes to all the vets out there...

Dennis & Sue

Wow. I had exactly the same experience trying to hitch hike home. The haircut in those days was for sure a dead giveaway. Thank him for his service.

My, how things have changed, we are living in a whole different world.

I have seen these scheduled and have been tempted to attend. Now maybe I will go and see what it's like. Hope I'm not the only woman vet there...it would be nice to network with another one.

 

USN, 1971-78

You should NOT be the only woman who served there. Please go. On Anthem there was a woman who gave out laminated pieces of an American flag that had been lowered, half mast, during 911 to all the vets. DH keeps it in his wallet. I don't know if that was a legal thing to do with an American flag, but my DH treasures it. What a thoughtful thing to do.

Again to all who served......THANK YOU!!:)

I have seen these scheduled and have been tempted to attend. Now maybe I will go and see what it's like. Hope I'm not the only woman vet there...it would be nice to network with another one.

 

USN, 1971-78

Please go! It has been a few years since I was the only woman there.

My husband has attended them on our cruises if one is scheduled, but lately we have not seen one listed in our compass for the past 3 cruises unless we missed it.

Wow, we have been on a dozen or so cruises and never spotted one of these gatherings in the Cruise Compass. I will have to look closer. :) (USN 73-93)

Last cruise out of Galveston (Nav B2B Oct 2014) I was chatting with the bar staff in the pub and they mentioned the Veterans get together. I did not go but I did see it in the Compass. (USAF 81-85)

Last month on the Grandeur, they had their regularly scheduled Veteran's get together. It is almost always held on the first sea day. I've been on the Grandeur when they held 2 meetings if there was something special going on at the first meeting, like a Veteran from WWII, that didn't get their story finished. Also last month, on the last night of the cruise, they honored all Veterans, First Responders, Fireman, EMTs, Nurses and Teachers. It was nice and held in the Centrum.

Gwen :)

We have only been on 1 Royal cruise and we didn't see it listed.We have 2 upcoming cruises with Royal and will definitely look for the meetings. Does anyone know if Celebrity holds these?

Thanks to all who have sacrificed for our country. As for the Viet Nam vets, I am so sorry for how this country treated you. Y'all deserved so much more.

Renee

Make that 3 cruises with Royal and not 1 cruise. My fingers sometimes do their own thing,

Maybe parties was not the PC term, but I don't need a lecture on how they are run. DH and I have been to many.

I think what spookwife was trying to say was that the terminology of party and the expectations that conjures may be what confused the poster who you saw saying there was no party. That poster may not have known to look out for something called informal vets get together in the compass or on the notice board by guest services.

If they were only looking out for a party (something like the returning guests party) and never saw it they may have wrongly concluded that there was nothing held for vets.

You have to check the compass....they will usually schedule it on a sea day.

I would not call it a "Party"

Just a get-together. I've been to a few, and there were cruises were they did not have one, at least I did not see it in the compass and missed it.

Mostly held in the Viking Crown Lounge.

I too am a Vietnam vet..did 2 tours. Was stationed in San Diego and would have to fly home to NJ while on leave for holidays, etc. Coast to coast, very expensive for a 19 year old kid.

In those days they had what was called "Military Standby" where you could fly anywhere in the US for free. Just had to pay a nominal fee ($10?) which I think was maybe taxes.

AND you had to wear your uniform.

Needless to say, we did not take advantage of that after the first time experience, and paid 100% out of pocket for flights from then on.

Wearing your uniform in an airport, you were asking for trouble as already stated.

Even bartenders would ignore me.

Whenever I am somewhere for dinner or drinks, and I see a group of men/women in uniform, I will pick up their tab.

People think I'm crazy, but they have no idea what I went through and I will not let it happen to others today.

You won't be the only woman veteran. There were 4 of us at the Grandeur get together Sep 12th.