Captain's Intoduction

[Riversedge]

We have sailed several cruise lines and have been on Holland America many times. We recently took 2 Azamara Cruises and were so impressed (and surprised) at how visible the captain was. He was around mingling with passengers and at the White Night party he was on the deck cooking along with several other officers. He was sometimes at the bottom of the gangplank wishing people a good day as they left the ship. One day when the tender process was a bit rough he was down on the ramp helping people onboard. It’s a small thing in the whole scheme of things but it did make the passengers feel special and showed us that we were ALL important, regardless of the class of cabin booked.

[rkacruiser]

Anyone remember when there was a ship's Hostess as part of the social staff? She also participated in these introductory functions to the ship's Senior Management.

[Copper10-8]

Anyone remember when there was a ship's Hostess as part of the social staff? She also participated in these introductory functions to the ship's Senior Management.

 

Yes, the lady in red/black in this pic is the social hostess making the introductions. The captain is Fredrik "Freek" van Driel

 

[rkacruiser]

Yes, the lady in red/black in this pic is the social hostess making the introductions. The captain is Fredrik "Freek" van Driel

 

 

I do not recognize this lady. But, I do recall another woman.

 

Surely don't recall the woman's name, but I first met her in that role on my Rotterdam V cruises in 1970 or 1971. Met her again on Pacific Far East Line's Monterey during a Hawaii cruise in 1977. And, then, once again on Royal Viking Sky in 1980.

[SWFLAOK]

We have our first HAL (and probably last) cruise coming up in December on the Prinsendam. We just finished our last cruise (and first on Regent) and the Captain greeted every guest as they boarded the ship. He was frequently seen around the ship, including a run of the whole ship for the "block party" pre dinner event on one of the first few nights. The cruise director and another top member of the crew ran the whole ship with him. We saw the captain a number of times, and he was always friendly and outgoing. And we were in a base Veranda Suite. We're on a Neptune Suite on the Prisendam cruise, so we'll see what happens.We like small cruise ships so HAL might not do it for us after they sell the Prinsendam.

[cruisereaders]

We are just off the Zuiderdam and saw the Captain several times. He was always out and about the ship.

 

 

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[Copper10-8]

I do not recognize this lady. But, I do recall another woman.

 

Surely don't recall the woman's name, but I first met her in that role on my Rotterdam V cruises in 1970 or 1971. Met her again on Pacific Far East Line's Monterey during a Hawaii cruise in 1977. And, then, once again on Royal Viking Sky in 1980.

 

When the position of 'social hostess' was still around (throughout the seventies, eighties, nineties and stopping in 2001) each dam ship was assigned such a person; Tonya Ward, a real good one, comes to mind. Another one was Capt. Edward van Zaane's wife, Apollonia van Ravenstein, a Dutch super (fashion) model

Edited September 28, 2018 by Copper10-8

[lazey1]

I remember the girl in the traditional "Volendam" costume and yes, she was positioned inside the terminal near the gangway which leads to the ship. Do not remember captain and senior staff with her at that location however. Those individuals are pretty busy prior to departure

 

 

 

The cruise I was referring to was in 1989 aboard the Noordam III. We had done an Alaskan tour/cruise and embarked in Juneau, after cruising the Lynn Canal aboard the M.V.Fairweather. Officers aboard the Noordam were Captain Jacob Dijk, Hotel Manager Hans Dernison and Cruise Director Bob Upchurch. Sorry but I can not find the name of the hostess although I did find a photo of her introducing people to the Captain.

 

One disturbing thing, the Tieneman Square Massacre was shown on the in cabin TV (black & white. Today I am sure that the scene of the tanks running over so many young students would not have been shown.