Birthday Cakes

[Seavoyage]

Hi All -

 

Can someone please advise if HAL automatically provides a birthday cake on someone's birthday or does that have to be ordered?

 

Thank you in advance.

[rosegrower]

On our recent Zuiderdam cruise, one of our tablemates received a cake on her birthday. She was not happy, apparently hates this sort of thing, tried to deny it but the server had a paper with her name and room number. We asked the server if the paper said who sent it and he said if your birthday occurs during the cruise your name is put on a list and you receive a cake. It was a delicious chocolate mousse cake and just the right amount for our table of six.

[CruiserBruce]

Not automatic. Has to be ordered.

[Seavoyage]

Given the responses...

 

Maybe it's different on different ships?

 

Will be in Pinnacle on the birthday night....does that make a difference?

 

Thanks again for any info on this...

[sail7seas]

If you really want one, verify in advance with one of the dining supervisors. Do not count on automatically getting one. :)

[USC-UVIC]

Hi All -

 

Can someone please advise if HAL automatically provides a birthday cake on someone's birthday or does that have to be ordered?

 

Thank you in advance.

When we booked our cruise with HAL, one of the cruise agent asked whether there was a special occassion, we mentioned that we are celebrating our wedding anniversary on such date, that night, they brought a cake for us to celebrate. I didn't order it so, if you mentioned that you are celebrating a special occassion, I am sure you put it on the computer with instruction for the crew. If you want one, I guess you will have to tell them, afterall dessert is free.

[Typhoon1]

Contact ships services in advance or speak with the dining room manager on the first night of your cruise.

[sail7seas]

When we booked our cruise with HAL, one of the cruise agent asked whether there was a special occassion, we mentioned that we are celebrating our wedding anniversary on such date, that night, they brought a cake for us to celebrate. I didn't order it so, if you mentioned that you are celebrating a special occassion, I am sure you put it on the computer with instruction for the crew. If you want one, I guess you will have to tell them, afterall dessert is free.

 

 

You and many others were lucky they were not disappointed, however, not everyone is so lucky. ;)

 

The best way to avoid disappointment is good prior planning. After a whole lot of cruises, we learned to ask for what we want. If we don't speak up, things can 'slip through the cracks'. A casual word to a Dining Supervisor makes for far better chance you will have your celebration cake. :)

 

Call it the 'voice of experience'. :D

 

[Seavoyage]

If you really want one, verify in advance with one of the dining supervisors. Do not count on automatically getting one. :)

 

Hi Sail thank you. Actually we don't want one - especially in the Pinnacle. Would rather have dessert options off the menu....hence why I am trying to find out if they automatically bring a cake....I think it would be so rude to send back....

 

I guess since no one is sure I will just speak with the concierge...thanks all for your replies.

[sail7seas]

Don't worry about the cake...... order what you want off the menu.

Often the cake is a very small, not so outstanding presentation that is more about acknowledging the event than creating a masterpiece of yummy. :D

 

If you will be in Pinnacle, it is highly unlikely you will have a cake on 'the' night without making a special request for it.

[GeriatricNurse]

Given the responses...

 

Maybe it's different on different ships?

 

Will be in Pinnacle on the birthday night....does that make a difference?

 

Thanks again for any info on this...

 

 

Would it make a difference in the Lido? :confused:

[choirgirl]

Given the responses...

 

Maybe it's different on different ships?

 

Will be in Pinnacle on the birthday night....does that make a difference?

 

Thanks again for any info on this...

 

We were on our honeymoon on the Volendam and had mentioned it to HAL when we booked. We dined in the Pinnacle Grill one night and were brought a "Happy Anniversary" cake at the end. They wrapped it in foil in the shape of a swan (we don;t get these in the UK - I was excited!) and I single handedly polished it off in the room

[sapper1]

Our last cruise started two days after my birthday and a cake appeared at the table during the cruise. I asked the waiter to please not have "Happy Birthday" sung as I do not like attention drawn to myself and find it very embarrassing. They would not listen to me and insisted on singing anyway as I sat there cringing and wishing it would be over. I know my husband didn't ask them to sing as he would never do that to me. The cake was quite good though-----I just wish it could have been delivered without fanfare.:o

[michmike]

about 10 years ago we cruised to celebrate 55th b'days for buddy and me who are a day apart in age (took the wives along to keep us out of as much trouble as possible) We were at a table for 10 and had 2 of the most memorable tablemates we've had in our years of crusing, a couple in their early 90s, who were a delight. Vi saw cakes being delivered the 1st nite and wondered what that was all about.. we explained that HAL provided them for anniversaries and birthdays, if notified a day or so in advance. We told her that we would be having cakes 2 nites running, later that week, to celebrate our birthdays.

 

Need to back up a minute and share that Vi, when sharing some of her background, had told us that her mother told her she was never to lie...... and then winked and said "unless it is absolutely necessary".

 

So anyway, Vi said that maybe she wasn't content to wait until later in the week and that at 90, tomorrow was never assured, and laughed.

 

So buddy and I hung back after dinner and told our waiter that the folowing nite was Joe and Vi's anniversary and we needed a cake. Next nite as dessert was brought out, the waiters followed with a cake and a crew of cohorts to serenade Joe and Vi for their anniversary. Joe and Vi played right along, completely nonplussed, and as the waiters left, she winked and said "it was necessary..."

 

So besides a cute story, the bottom line is let your waitstaff know a day or two before, in the event you want to make sure you get a cake.

 

Hal did send my wife an e-mail last Fri wishing her a happy birthday. Don't remember if that has happened in the past or not.

 

We're booked on Nieuw Amsterdam in Dec to celebrate our 65ths. Thought it was "necessary".

[sail7seas]

Hi Michmike,

I keep waiting to have the pleasure of sailing with you all again.

Seems we keep missing each other on the ships.

 

Great story. Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[michmike]

Sail - That would be fun. We spent the weekend w/ Ed and Carol (our cruising buddies) to celebrate my Carol's birthday. I told them that I crossed paths w/ you often online and they said to say hi.

 

This trip is Dec 9 sailing. Always room for more in the party. The chickens and monkeys are coming too *L*

[sail7seas]

Remind me.... which ship is up next for you? We are looking for a late fall cruise.

 

Please send our regards to Ed and Carol. :)

 

Back to celebration cakes :D

 

It seems every night on upper level we hear a table or two or more receiving a cake and hear the singing. Of course, HAL stewards do not sing traditional Happy Birthday but rather a song from their culture. If the celebration is close to us, we always join in the singing and round of applause. :) It's fun.

[Dakota Traveler]

Would it make a difference in the Lido? :confused:

 

 

We went to the Lido on my birthday to avoid the fanfair, but one of my traveling companions said something to one of the servers and it wasn't to long before I had a birthday cake and singing of "Happy Birthday" .

 

DT

[Oceanwench]

Last year we celebrated my birthday on the Westerdam. There were 9 of us, including my little grandson.

My daughters arranged for a birthday cake in the MDR, and they went down early and decorated the table with balloons and hats.

It was lovely!

The servers sang Happy Birthday - in English - and seemed very pleased when I requested they sing it in their native language too. I love that song!

All in all, it was one of the highlights of our cruise. My grandson particularly loved it, as he was 2 and at the stage where birthday parties are great fun!

[michmike]

Remind me.... which ship is up next for you? We are looking for a late fall cruise.

 

Sail - we're on the Nieuw Amsterdam 12/9 sailing. Will be our second trip on her. This itinerary is western caribbean which we haven't done in a while. HMC, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Mahogany Bay, Roatan. Have been to all but Roatan, but it will be a nice change of pace from the usual Grand Turk, San Juan, St Thomas stops.

 

You folks would certainly make a nice addition to the trip. Don't remember if we gave you one of the monkeys when we were together last, but can certainly see that there is one waiting for you if a December trip makes sense.

 

Cruisinetta is on that trip. I told her that we'd make a good, rowdy cheering section if she can get the ship building competition reinstated by then.

 

Mike

[sail7seas]

Sail - we're on the Nieuw Amsterdam 12/9 sailing. Will be our second trip on her. This itinerary is western caribbean which we haven't done in a while. HMC, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Mahogany Bay, Roatan. Have been to all but Roatan, but it will be a nice change of pace from the usual Grand Turk, San Juan, St Thomas stops.

 

You folks would certainly make a nice addition to the trip. Don't remember if we gave you one of the monkeys when we were together last, but can certainly see that there is one waiting for you if a December trip makes sense.

 

Mike

 

Thanks, Mike

We did NA b-to-b over this past T'giving. Nice trip.

 

NOW,,,,, if it was our birthday and we thought we'd get a cake to celebrate with the monkeys, that could coax us to repeat that cruise.

 

Thanks for the nice offer.

Rain check, okay? :)

 

[hvsteve1]

Our recent cruise was to celebrate our 40th anniversary. I mentioned at the Pinnacle that we were there because of that event and, at the end of the meal, we were presented with that small chocolate anniversary cake...along with our regular deserts. No singing, which was good. The waiter wrapped the cake in foil the shape of a picnic basket and we took it back to the room and put it in the fridge ,which we had asked be emptied of all the "honor bar" junk. A few days later, we got a pot of coffee from room service and celebrated.

 

Trivia: The reason many corporate owned restaurants (and cruise ships) don't sing "Happy Birthday To You" is because the song is still under copyright and the rights owners are fierce about pursuing corporations who use it without paying. I guess singing something in Indonesian is safe.

[CowPrincess]

Hi All -

 

Can someone please advise if HAL automatically provides a birthday cake on someone's birthday or does that have to be ordered?

 

Thank you in advance.

 

When we have advised our PCC that a celebration is occurring while on the cruise, the PCC has noted that info and a cake has appeared. When we have NOT advised that a birthday celebratin is occurring while on the cruise, we have still rec'd a cake (DH's birthday usually falls on a cruise day).

 

That said, if it is important to you, I would definitely make arrangements for a cake, with the Maitre d' I guess.

 

(My DH HATES getting a cake, and fuss, et al, on his b-day, so my problem is figuring out how to stop the cake :) )

[K&RCurt]

Our wedding anniversary and my DW's birthday are separated by exactly one week.

 

One year we cruised over our Anniversary. We did not inform the ship about our "special day", but some fellow cruisers DID. Even though we ended up dinning in The Tamarind that evening, at the end of our meal, after we got the desserts we ordered, Lo and Behold a cake came along with several wait staff and them manager singing some sort of Happy Anniversary song. The Captain and several of his Senior Staff were having dinner at a table near by and they all wished us a Happy Anniversary as well.

 

The next year we cruised a week later, over DW's Birthday and all of our kids and their fiance's came along. The kids spoke to our waiters the day before her birthday and arranged for a cake. They also managed to buy a huge number of balloons in San Juan and managed to get into our cabin and fill it with balloons and but a huge "Happy Birthday" sign on our door. DW was delighted.

 

I am quite certain that there would NOT have been an anniversary cake if our fellow cruisers hadn't arraigned for it. We were impressed that it showed up at Tamarind as we hadn't told them we were eating there that evening. We did inform our table mates and waiters.

 

I have no idea if the birthday cake would have appeared if our girls hadn't asked. It really would not have been missed by DW if it didn't, but it made the kids happy!

[michmike]

Thanks, Mike

We did NA b-to-b over this past T'giving. Nice trip.

 

NOW,,,,, if it was our birthday and we thought we'd get a cake to celebrate with the monkeys, that could coax us to repeat that cruise.

 

Thanks for the nice offer.

Rain check, okay? :)

 

 

Sail - a deal! We're looking at retirement within the next couple years and that will free us up to cruise more frequently and on longer trips. So with any luck, our paths will cross again.