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Favorite Moments on Cruise Vacations


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My first cruise, a Pacific Coastal in May 2005, second stop was San Francisco.  The most fun was sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge, most of the passengers were on the deck, applauding as we went under the bridge, and people on shore waving to us.  Lots of special moments since then, but that one still sticks out.

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On 2/7/2021 at 10:01 PM, Mike981 said:

But there are so many moments that I feel so fortunate to have experienced.

 

My thoughts exactly!  Where does one begin?

 

2002, Volendam's Asia Pacific Cruise, our arrival in the Port of Tokyo, the welcoming that we received:  fire boats spraying water, news helicopters flying overhead videotaping our arrival (were we on "Good Morning, Tokyo" if they had such a TV program?), a large drum ensemble playing on the roof of the terminal as we were docking:  all that preceded the welcoming ceremony program held in the Wajang Theater involving the Port Officials and all of the Volendam's Senior Officers to which the guests who wished to attend were invited.  

 

Part of that ceremony was a beautiful, large Geisha doll in a plastic case presented to Captain Harris.  He said he would display it on the Front Desk's counter during the rest of the cruise.  It never appeared.  On subsequent cruises on the Volendam, the plaque that the ship received was mounted.   But, no doll.  During one cruise when our Hotel Manager in 2002 was the HD on that cruise, I asked him about what happened to that beautiful doll.  He remembered it, but he had no idea what happened to that gift that the ship received.  

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  • 1 month later...

Invited to dinner by the Holland America Line Ms Koningsdam Hotel Director where we shared the 36-ounce tomahawk steak.  We were joined by the Ms Eurodam drydock manager and I learned so much from both of them. 

 

On the last drydock, the Eurodam received 13,000 replacement LED light bulbs.  Dinner with the Hotel Director had three waiters standing nearby to accommodate any of our needs and to keep our water glasses filled.

 

https://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/gallery/ms-konigsdam-dining-options/IMG_2409.jpg

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On 3/12/2021 at 11:51 PM, Crew News said:

Dinner with the Hotel Director had three waiters standing nearby to accommodate any of our needs and to keep our water glasses filled.

 

Having opportunities like you had are precious.  They provide so many good memories.

 

The dinner looks delicious.  But, what about your wine glasses?  

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On 1/26/2021 at 1:19 PM, Laurie S. said:

I have so many, but one will always be very special to me.  My fiancée and I were on our pre-wedding cruise on Carnival Legend, which was doing a repositioning cruise to Australia.  He used to be a professional musician and we loved karaoke.  We had a special song and on the last night, I got up to sing it to him.  Halfway through the song, something went wrong with the screen and it stopped displaying the lyrics.  I knew the Spanish lyrics, but hadn't fully memorized the English portion.  Russ got up, grabbed the other microphone, and went down on one knee in front of me to sing them to me.  After the cruise, we flew to Fiji where we got married on the beach, and then did an underwater ring ceremony (both divers).  I lost him four years later, three days before our fourth wedding anniversary.

Oh, that's a sad ending to your post, but I'm glad that you had time with your husband to make many memories together.  All the best, Nicole

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2 hours ago, DuckTollerFans said:

I am awed by sailing by the Statue of Liberty.

And once, I woke up just as we were returning and sailed by her - around 3 in the morning.

 

That is an awesome experience.  Regardless of sailing from or to New York, the sight of the Statue ought to have some meaning to an American.  Seeing the Statue as one enters the New York Harbor and considering what those immigrants who preceded us must have felt---!  Those thoughts have gotten lost in the 21st Century among those politicians and citizens who argue about immigration issues.

 

What is so difficult about all of us--except for those who are native Americans--remembering that we are here because of our ancestors being immigrants?  

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Yep, I kind of cried a bit the first time we sailed out of NY. 

 

In 2019, we spent the day before our cruise visiting both the Statue and Ellis Island, my husband's first time there, and I hadn't been since 1978 (when  you could still climb all the way up). 

In early 2019, they opened the new museum near the statue.  It was fantastic, and I highly recommend a visit.   Only down side is we were a little tired by the time we got to Ellis Island and didn't give it the attention it deserves.   I tried to visualize my German great-grand parents arriving there with my toddler grandfather.

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  • 1 month later...

Mine is seeing the ship for the first time in person!  I don't care how many cruises you go on, seeing the ship in person is totally different than seeing them in pictures and videos!

 

I cannot wait to see my niece's face when she sees Anthem Of The Seas in November!

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On 4/28/2021 at 1:45 PM, broadwaybaby123 said:

Mine is seeing the ship for the first time in person!  I don't care how many cruises you go on, seeing the ship in person is totally different than seeing them in pictures and videos!

 

I cannot wait to see my niece's face when she sees Anthem Of The Seas in November!

 

Excellent thoughts and those first views of whatever ship always has an impact on me.  

 

I truly understand your comment about what you expect your niece's reaction may be when she first sees Anthem of the Seas.  I have experienced such reactions from young people when they see the "boat"--not even a cruise ship--on which they were about to embark.  

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  • 1 month later...
  • 8 months later...

My favorite moment is that feeling while walking back to my cabin, after meeting and having a blast with my new cruise friends; that is, the people I just met early on during the cruise.  It's comparable to, but not the same as, that pumped-up feeling after a really good first date.  The feeling where you just know it's going to be a really fun cruise, thanks to a combination of your social skills and being at the right place at the right time.

 

After all, you may go on a cruise for the relaxation and/or the destinations, but it's the people you meet who take your cruise from "good" to "great".

Edited by LandlockedCruiser01
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18 hours ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

After all, you may go on a cruise for the relaxation and/or the destinations, but it's the people you meet who take your cruise from "good" to "great".

 

Very well said!  When I consider the number of people whom I have met during my cruises and the good sized percentage of those whom I remain in contact and who are friends, it amazes me.  

 

One regret that I have is that I didn't think about trying to keep in touch with favorite crew members whom I got to know during some of my long cruises.  

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4 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

One regret that I have is that I didn't think about trying to keep in touch with favorite crew members whom I got to know during some of my long cruises.  

 

I'm different from you in this sense.  I refrain from getting too personal with crew members.  Even if they give me their corporate email and not their home/personal email, I'd still wonder if they did it out of obligation, rather than true interest.  After all, you can't overlook the elephant in the room: the power differential between passengers and crew, because gratuities.  It has nothing to do with me viewing them as "the help".  If anything, I don't want push myself past their comfort level.

 

So while I'm happy to extend human warmth and sincere respect to the crew serving me, I'm equally happy to keep a professional distance.  And before debarkation, I'll shake their hand, sincerely thank them, give them a well-deserved tip and a little extra, and part ways at that.

Edited by LandlockedCruiser01
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19 hours ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

 

I'm different from you in this sense.  I refrain from getting too personal with crew members.  Even if they give me their corporate email and not their home/personal email, I'd still wonder if they did it out of obligation, rather than true interest.  After all, you can't overlook the elephant in the room: the power differential between passengers and crew, because gratuities.  It has nothing to do with me viewing them as "the help".  If anything, I don't want push myself past their comfort level.

 

So while I'm happy to extend human warmth and sincere respect to the crew serving me, I'm equally happy to keep a professional distance.  And before debarkation, I'll shake their hand, sincerely thank them, give them a well-deserved tip and a little extra, and part ways at that.

 

Your point of view is well taken and quite valid.  I understand.  

 

The crew members that I wish I had kept in touch with were all on long cruises:  64 days, 113 days.  One becomes part of a "family" on such cruises.  At least, in my experience.  

 

On one cruise, I learned from my MDR Steward that he was working on the Volendam to try to earn enough money to open his own restaurant in Indonesia.  I wonder if he ever did.

 

On another cruise, my Wine Steward and I became friendly; he liked to talk about his family when he had time.  During a port call in Manila, at the Mall of Asia, we happened to meet each other and his family was with him.  What has become of his family and him?  On that same cruise, my Assistant Maitre d' for my section of the DR and I happened to meet during a port call when his family was with him.  I met his wife, his Mother-in-law and his children.  On two later cruises when I again met him, he had been promoted to the Maitre d' position.  Is he still working for HAL?  How has his family fared during this pandemic?

 

And, then, there is my Cabin Steward on this same cruise.  Only on his second contract with HAL and would not have won the "world's best cabin steward award".  We became friendly; we talked about our families; he was homesick.  (I was not.😄  I am on a world cruise.)  For personal and family reasons, he confided in me that he was going to "jump ship" when we got to Singapore.  I reminded him of the consequences of doing such a thing.  But, he did; was caught by ship's security; was fired.  Whatever has happened to him?  And, to the family that he so dearly loved?  

 

When one cruises often on a single cruise line, relationships develop between a guest and crew members.  When the guest returns for another cruise, it's rather like a high school/college reunion at times.  "Haven't seen you for.....  How are you?  Etc.")  

 

 

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  • 3 months later...

1. My very first cruise as a 16 year old sophomore on a marching band trip! It was such a new, different experience and I was with all of my very best friends. (March 1996...way different time for sure.)

 

2. Bringing my now-husband, then-boyfriend on his very first cruise back in 2012. The first time we stepped onto the deck and into the atrium, finally getting to spill the beans about the surprise excursion I planned, seeing everything brand new through his eyes was so much fun. And, thankfully, he was hooked from the start. I'm still connected (via social media) with some MDR tablemates from that cruise!

 

3. Alaska - not much to elaborate on there! That trip was amazing in the actual, true sense of the word. I was constantly in a state of amazement by the wildlife, the landscape...everything.

 

4. Our entire honeymoon cruise was a dream. The best cruise we've been on to date. 

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