Happy HALidays!

[Two@Sea]

Oh, POA, on a scale of 1 to 10... you're a 147! Thanks for adding so much joy to the season!

[RuthC]

That was fab! Perhaps the best of them all, because you incorporated the thoughts of so many other posters.

A real community effort.

 

Thanks for the treat.

[Copper10-8]

Awesome Brian! You should be writing for someone! :)

[IRL_Joanie]

Absolutely loving these Brian:)

 

Love the 2 lines in Prinsendam "writing carols based on posts Is positively daft."

 

Awesome Brian! You should be writing for someone!

John, he is writing for someone, us, his fans:)

 

Joanie

Edited December 17, 2015 by IRL_Joanie

[POA1]

That was fab! Perhaps the best of them all, because you incorporated the thoughts of so many other posters.

A real community effort.

 

Thanks for the treat.

My pleasure, Ruth.

 

You're too kind in your praise. I think it's more of a "not awful" or "you've got a week to redeem yourself" kind of song.

[POA1]

Oh, POA, on a scale of 1 to 10... you're a 147! Thanks for adding so much joy to the season!

Thank you. I was shooting for 11 or 12. I hope you meant 14.7 and not 147. I'd hate to become all self-important. ;)

[POA1]

Awesome Brian! You should be writing for someone! :)

If you can figure out why that is, let me know. :)

[POA1]

Absolutely loving these Brian:)

 

Love the 2 lines in Prinsendam "writing carols based on posts Is positively daft."

 

 

John, he is writing for someone, us, his fans:)

 

Joanie

Thanks, Joanie! Don't tell anyone, but I keep writing until the voices in my head start to join the chorus. ;)

[Copper10-8]

If you can figure out why that is, let me know. :)

 

Me thinks it has something to do with talent ;)

[solocanadian]

You've once again outdone yourself! :)

Hear, Hear!

[POA1]

Excellent. For a real challenge, are you up for the Konigsdam, a ship nobody's been on?

 

Roy

 

Okay, Roy. Be careful what you ask for. This was written entirely from the Koningsdam's microsite at koningsdam.hollandamerica.com. If you sprain your tongue trying to sing Koningsdam, you've got no one to blame. ;)

 

Koningsdam the New HAL Ship

(Sung to the tune of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.")

 

You know Maasdam, and Amsterdam, Veendam, and Noordam,

Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, Westerdam, Zaandam

But soon you will meet

The newest HAL ship in the fleet:

 

Koningsdam's launching next year,*

With a voyage out of Rome.**

Then as she sails in Europe,

Amsterdam will be her home.

She has got Lincoln Center,

And a showroom called "World Stage."

Now there are two pianos.

The Billboard lounge is all the rage.

 

Then as summer nears its end -

Transatlantic trip

Koningsdam is set to sail

Winter from Fort Lauderdale.

 

Hope all the skeptics calm down

After all the fuss they've made

'Cause the Koningsdam's got a*

Full wrap around promenade.

 

Koningsdam's got new rest'rants

Dutch Cafe and Sel de Mer,

Tamarind, Lido Market

Pinnacle is also there.

Ocean Bar and Crow's Nest, too

The Queens Lounge with B.B. King.***

A lounge they call Explorer's

Grab a drink and hear some strings.

 

She's got brand new family suites

And some singles too.

They'll have demos culin'ry

Cook up something gustat'ry***

 

We hope that we can sail her

On the ocean blue some day

Meantime we must be content

With a webcam sail away!

 

*You'll have to practice this line. It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

 

**You try work Civitavecchia into a 7 syllable line.

 

***This line has the proper number of syllables: 7. However, you'll need to sing it a few times to get it to flow for you. Just think of it as CCChoir practice.

 

****Contraction for gustatory.

 

Dedicated to Hermey, who just wants to be a dentist.

 

Edited December 19, 2015 by POA1

[POA1]

I've been writing a Westerdam carol each week and posting it to the Saturday sail away thread. Tomorrow is the last Westerdam sailing before Christmas, so this marks the final Westerdam carol of the 2015 Holiday Season. If you haven't watched a sail away, give one a look. It will help get you in the mood for your next cruise and chase away the winter blues. (Oh, nuts! I'm rhyming when I type prose now.) Boytjie has been doing a great job putting up notices for each of the HAL sailings. Just look at the main message board for the notices. As an added bonus, the sail aways are almost always conflict-free.

 

This one's sung to the tune of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," so I owe apologies to John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie**.

 

 

Westerdam Is Tooting Her Horn

(To the tune of Santa Claus is Coming to Town)

 

Please webcam don't crash

Don't lock up on me.

Please, don't lose sound.

'Cause I want to see!

Westerdam is leaving port now.

 

She's passing the cam

And tooting her horn

If my screen locks,I'll sure be forlorn.

Westerdam is leaving port now.

 

The condos are saluting.

The Westerdam honks back.

Could this be a record number?

Oh, I think that we're on track.

 

Please webcam don't hang

Don't blow up I fear.

Crave my tooting fix.

And I want to hear!

Westerdam is blowing her horn.

Westerdam is blowing her horn!

 

 

[Jolie_Cruiser]

Thank you for your songs. They put sunshine in my rather dull Holiday season

[Vict0riann]

I just received my Christmas greeting from HAL - from the "Joyousdam". POA, please include in next carol! Or per NCL - Happy Hullidays! Everyone is coming up with witticisms!

 

Thank you for all these wonderful, inspired songs!:D

[serendipity1499]

This has to be one of the funniest things I've read. . . EVER!!

 

Edit to add: When pregnant women laugh it's not pretty sometimes. Especially when it's their 4th baby. . . LOL

Congratulations AlohaPride..My Great Granddaughter just had her 4th..They with two other Granddaughters & 2 other Great Grandkids s will all be visiting us sometime during the Halidays.. Still wrapping gifts for all 12 of them (can't forget the DH's) :D

 

 

POA.. I do agree with AlohaPride.You have really made me quite Happy tonight..:):) Don't know how you do it..

 

When our kids get here, have made a note to have them sing some of your songs.. We all love to sing in the family..

 

Our Kids Grandkids & Great grandkids all live close to their other Grandma & Grandpa.. Grandpa plays the Guitar, sings to them all the time & he also loves to make up songs..

 

E-mailed him tonight to check out your songs...When we all get together DH plays his harmonica..We have a grand ole time...Unfortunately I cant carry a tune, but try anyway..Loved your "Rudolph" & "Santa's coming to town" new songs..Can't get them out of my head..'

 

Thanks for the lovely time..Goodnight & hope Everyone has a joyous & peaceful Christmas & a Happy New Year..

[POA1]

Do You Hear What I Hear?

(You'll never guess what tune this one is based on.)

 

Said the people standing up on deck,

Do you hear what I hear?

(Do you hear what I hear?)

Ringing through the sail away air?

Do you hear what I hear?

(Do you hear what I hear?)

A toot, a toot, ringing through the air

Hark, as sail away it declares,

Hark, as sail away it declares.

 

Said the couple in the Ocean Bar,

Do you hear what I hear?

(Do you hear what I hear?)

Ringing through the air, honey dear?

Do you hear what I hear?

(Do you hear what I hear?)

A chime, a chime, Yum Yum Man doth play

To the dining room straightaway,

To the dining room straightaway!

 

Said the good folks watching B.B. King,

Do you hear what I hear?

(Do you hear what I hear?)

From the Queens Room Lounge, hear it ring.

Do you hear what I hear?

(Do you hear what I hear?)

The blues, the blues, grab your dancing shoes,

And we'll demonstrate our dance moves,

And we'll demonstrate our dance moves!

 

Said the people to the Crow's Nest staff

Please bring me a Wang Wang!

(Please bring me a Wang Wang!)

In a big tall glass if you can.

Please bring me a Wang Wang!

(Please bring me a Wang Wang!)

The drink, the drink, what a pretty sight.

It will help me sleep well tonight.

It will help me sleep well tonight!

 

 

Apologies to Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne Baker. Here's some interesting trivia: The song was written in October of 1962 as a plea for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I didn't know this until I looked up the song's composer and lyricist. In my defense, I wouldn't be born for about half a year, and this predates the practice of putting headphones to the mother's tummy to "play music for the baby."

[chefestelle]

This is the best one yet!

[POA1]

Need a Cruise! Need a Cruise! Need a Cruise!

To the tune of Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

 

Oh I'm really tired of the snowing,

With frozen winds a-blowing.

On icy sidewalks I slip,

Need a trip! Need a trip! Need a trip!

 

Oh, I got my HAL brochure open,

And I'm really, really hopin'

There's something for me to choose.

Need a cruise! Need a cruise! Need a cruise!

 

Then we finally leave the house

How I hate flying down to the port.

For the sake of my poor, dear spouse,

I've got be a good sport.

 

We're finally on the HAL ship,

Looking forward to our cruise trip.

I wear a big smile as I say,

"Sail away! Sail away! Sail away!"

 

Apologies to Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne, who wrote the song in Hollywood, California in 1945 - during a heat wave.

[guinnesshalfpint]

I so adore these, thanks for sharing the holiday cheer! [emoji485]

[Mitwif]

I'm heartbroken that there won't be a HAL cruise for us in 2015 [emoji25], but your tunes will keep me singing all day long! Next year will be a good year [emoji3][emoji3][emoji3].

[DeeniEncinitas]

POA-1

You have outdone your self today! LOL 🎄👍

"Do you hear what I hear" LOL with Wang Wang! Sitting here watching sail away

For the Eurodam and thought I Would chime in!

My husband said I sing funny and was laughing! Good lyrics!

I will miss them when New Years come:(

Thank you for such a wonderful group of songs for HAL! They should pay you for these lyrics so they can use them!

Denise:)

[Mystymom]

Thank you for the amazing, creative songs! They were a wonderful addition to our Christmas Season. You are so talented! Please wave at us Sunday as we leave Port Everglades on the Nieuw Amsterdam. May you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Safe and Healthy New Year! Evelyn

[Vict0riann]

Yes, Merry Christmas, POA1, and all our CC friends!:)

[Copper10-8]

Thanks for putting smiles on our faces Brian! :) Merry Christmas to you and DW

Edited December 25, 2015 by Copper10-8

[POA1]

Yes, Merry Christmas, POA1, and all our CC friends!:)

 

Thanks for putting smiles on our faces Brian! :) Merry Christmas to you and DW

Merry Christmas to both of you, and all the wonderful people on the HAL boards.