No More Dutch Night

[Topsham]

Back in 1997 I made a cruise in the MAASDAM which included an overnight stop in Amsterdam. I had 1arranged to have 2 guests on board for dinner and we were given the large table in the middle of the lower level of the dining room. My guests were all Navigating Officers with HAL, home on leave. They arrived with their wives and girlfriends and after dinks in the Oceaan Bar we proceeded to the dining room. It was Dutch Night! They took one look at the hats and refused to wear them. I said, "Now you know how the passengers feel!":eek:

 

Dutch night has more to do with tradition and heritage than anything else. After all, we are saailing in Dutch flagged ships. All of the Norwegian lines, RCCL, NCL, RVL etc all celebrated on board with Norwegian buffet. Costa has their Italian night... as does Carnival I think. (Their officers are mostly Italian.) Saga Cruises does a night with full British 'fayre'... Union Jacks flying etc etc. Such a shame that HAL has dropped a simple dignified dinner celebrating their own heritage.

 

Stephen

[Himself]

Personally, I do not care that much for Dutch Cuisine. Years ago, I was on a cruise with some one from Holland and he said that the Dutch food on the Dutch Night one would never find in a Dutch Restaurant in Holland. However the Dutch creations on HAL were

what a Dutch Family might have in the home for supper on a given night.

[Copper10-8]

.....................

What ever happeneed to the traditional farewell song from the waiters? Cut I believe. What a pity. At least it was something the guys seemed to enjoy doing and it made for good tips!:)

 

Stephen

 

Like Dave (Retired Mustang) said, "Gelang, Gelang" is now performed by the dining room staff during the very last night of the cruise, after the infamous Master Chefs Dinner is over with. Glad they brought it back! The Indonesian crew does seem to enjoy performing it; even had some guys (incl. our asst DRW) playing guitar on Oosterdam last month:)

Gelang sepaku gelang

Gelang sirama rama

 

Gelang sepaku gelang

Gelang sirama rama

 

Mari pulang marilah pulang

Marilah pulang ber sama sama

 

Mari pulang marilah pulang

Marilah pulang ber sama sama

 

Meaning:

 

Goodbye, Goodbye

Let's say goodbye together

 

Goodbye, Goodbye

'Till we meet again

 

Let's go home, Let's go home

Let's go home together

 

Let's go home, Let's go home

Let's go home together

[Krazy Kruizers]

Greg:

I myself was on the Zuiderdam in October and they did NOT sing it on the last night. Also, they had baked Alaska and they did not have the Sparklers on it.

 

You are right!!

We were on the Zuiderdam for 2 cruises -- Oct/Nov -- no singing of the Gelang Gelang on the last night of the cruise.

There haven't been sparklers on the Baked Alaska on any of our cruises for the last couple of years - just Glow Sticks or whatever they call them.