We Though We Knew HAL - ms Noordam's Naming/Dedication Ceremonies in New York

[Ziggy7]

I am so happy many seem to be enjoying this thread and that is great. For us, it was about being Mariners.....all of us (or most reading this board) are Mariners. If one Mariner was a part of it than ALL were.

 

But, before I continue on, I have something on my mind I wish to say.

 

 

I have re-read through all I have written here (and my husand read it with me last night for the first time. He never comes to CC, doesn't know how to find the page, let alone post). After reading it all, I saw a few things I wished I had worded differently. In some places I sounded like we thought we were pretty 'full of ourselves'. In another place, I expressed something very, very poorly. It came out sounding very different than anything I would have intended. It could easily have been mis-read and some could have found it disrespectful and discourteous. I am very sorry for my poor wording and wish to apologize most sincerely to anyone who thought I was getting 'a big head'.

 

We are, as I have said several times, an ordinary couple from Massachusetts who love HAL and that love comes from loving the people of HAL....the people on the ships and from the ships. What we experienced this week is extraordinary and the memories of a lifetime. But it all emerged from our loving and respecting the people and the ships that we go to as often as possible.

 

To quote (just this once, if I may) another of our regular posters on this Board..........."Thanks for listening".

 

 

(I'll be back later with the rest of the story. We're expecting snow and I need to pickup a few things.)

 

Thank you.

Sail, I have been reading this thread with so much excitement and enjoyment and I feel it’s really sad that you had to make this statement. Though I understand why you did!

 

You are a special person and you were chosen to represent us Mariners and I couldn’t think of a better person to be chosen for this honor. I'm sure with out a doubt you were floating on air that whole time and felt like royalty, which is how anyone in your position would have felt!

 

I'm just so glad you shared this with all of us and gave us a chance to feel some of the excitement too! Don’t be sorry and don’t apologize for feeling the way you should have!

 

My parents are on the Noordam and video taped the ceremony, so I will get to watch it. Many on her wont but you gave us all a piece of it and I say thanks you so very much!

[jhannah]

You are such a tease! ;) The ceremony is over ... your running descriptions so thorough, entertaining and exciting ... and yet there's MORE?????

 

I'll hurry back from church tomorrow to read your next installment.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Sail, talk about a Ciff Hanger:D This reminds me of the Days when watching Dallas and we had to wait till the next season to see "Who Shot J.R.?" :D Definitely looking forward to the next Instalment.

 

Oh BTW I also remember Queen for a Day when it was a really big Grand Prize to get a Wash Machine:eek: But then back then I also remember my Grandmother using a Ringer Washer.

[dougnewmanatsea]

Some final thoughts and still another overwhelming surprise in my final installment tomorrow.

Another cliffhanger? You certainly know to how to keep your readers at the edge of their seats ;) !

 

But seriously, it sounds as though the whole experience was just magnificent from start to finish.

 

Really, I must say, the thing that impresses me most is who you had lunch with! That is really an impressive cross-section of people.

[momtodogs]

I am just a passer-by, who got caught up in this really well written tale.

 

Someone suggested a title of "Her Serene Highness" for the new Mariner Ambassador; however, I can't help but think "serene" is the last word to describe her. Perhaps I could suggest ....

 

The Exalted (or even Exulted) One! She is certainly "on high" and "leaping for joy!"

 

Sail7Seas, I hope to meet you some day. I am an avid reader, and I could swear I could actually taste your filet! What a wonderful ride you have given us! I am about to embark on my first cruise as an actual HAL Mariner! What do they call rookies, in cruising?

 

My first, ever, cruise was on the Amsterdam (Alaska) in September, and on April 1st, my dad, sister and I are sailing on the Zuiderdam in the Caribbean! Can you believe it? On my first, ever, cruise ... I won the Caribbean cruise (bought a lottery ticket)! I am hooked!:D :D :D

[stanford's girl]

Sail,

My congratulations to you and your husband on this wonderful honor. I thank you for taking us along in your infectious excitement and sharing this fabulous moment with us.:)

[Hollyhawk]

could we all just forget those ringer washers, stoves with no vent and one bathroom houses! WE CRUISE HAL NOW.

by the way for anyone who feels the need to know I took a bath in a wash tub outside my great Gram's house, went potty in an out house and drew the water from a pump by the sink she so proudly had.

 

Soverign of the Seas 1988 B suite

Norweigian Wind 2004 family suite

Zuiderdam 6116 Blues cruise 2005

Westerdam 6169 Blues cruise 2006

[HeatherInFlorida]

Sail, that this is definitely one of the happiest, nicest threads of all time since I've been on the HAL boards. It brings us Mariners together to cheer for you and bask in the glow of your time representing all of us on the Noordam.

[RustaRoo]

Sail, once more I am completely enthralled and captivated by your exquisitely detailed synopsis. Thank you sincerely for your generous heart and spirit. :) Like everyone, I await your final installment but I don't want it to be over!! You have breathed life into your descriptions and I honestly felt like I was there. Thank you, thank you.

[dougnewmanatsea]

On my first, ever, cruise ... I won the Caribbean cruise (bought a lottery ticket)!

Now that is what I call beginner's luck :) !

[sail7seas]

Part VII

 

As we prepared to leave the Vista Lounge, Margaret Binnendyk, who had taken such good care of us throughout this whole experience (Bless her ) :), asked us to go to The Oak Room.

 

We started to leave with her but got separated. The one place we had not visited on the ship was Crowsnest. I don't know how that happened but we had forgotten that is where The Oak Room is. We saw Jazzie Jeff (DJ on Noordam) and asked him where it was.

 

In typical HAL fashion, whenever you ask a crew person anything, they go so far out of their way to help in every way. He tucked my arm into his and said, "I'll Bring you there"......and that is exactly what he did.

 

When we arrived we found most of our Lunch companions there. We all had a glass of champagne and Mr. Kruse said Holland America had a few gifts they would like to present.

 

There was an amazing Venetian Glass piece on the table and Mr. Kruse presented that to Marlee Matlin. I wish I could describe it to you but I'm not that gifted. Suffice to say, gorgeous .......

 

Then, to our complete shock.....we're still not used to all these immense surprises they kept springing on us......there was a magnificent crystal bowl from Tiffany& Co. he presented to us.

I tried to say a few words of thanks but at this point, I was incapable of speech. When my voice cracked and tears misted my eyes.......

Well, I guess that said it all.

 

Incredulous......They were Thanking US???? No....no, no.....It is us who Thank Them!!!!

 

Then they presented a strand of the creamiest, most beautiful pearls to Marlee. She put them around her neck and they looked lovely on her.

 

I think it obvious from all I have written here that DH and I lived a dream, had the time of our lives and have memories we will hold dear for a lifetime.

 

I have enjoyed sharing it here with all us Mariners. I can't thank you enough for the beautiful messages so many of you wrote. You cannot know how much they mean to me.

 

The only way to end this, that will please me........is to salute the entire company of Holland America Line. All of those who work to make our cruises great.

 

While we were with some pretty 'heady' company for those few days......it is the days, weeks, months, years that we spend on the ships that is what it is all about in terms of our 'usual' connection with HAL.

 

While the Seattle Headquarters people, of course, are critical as to what this company is; as to the leadership; the direction etc etc etc (endlessly) ....

 

What made us love HAL and HAL ships are those who work on the ships. Those who are in Seattle have the same mindset in terms of HAL guests. IMO They want us well taken care of, treated with courtesy and respect, welcomed warmly and spoiled to the degrees possible. They want every cruise to be the 'trip of a lifetime' . And that is what we first learned about HAL.....on the ships.

 

Now that my feet are back on the ground, I am starting to think about going to Ryndam April 2. We can't wait to be back on/in an HAL ship and to see the smiling faces of the crews/staff/Officers that are the people we have the contact with who make our cruises what they are. It was awfully hard leaving Noordam knowing that beautiful crew was preparing to take the lucky Maiden Voyage guests on their 'trip of a lifetime.'

 

Now we know that the people in Seattle and the crews are more alike than we had any way of knowing before this experience. All of them are individually and collectively remarkable people....each in their own way.

Thank you to everyone who gave us this incredible experience. To those who worked so hard making the Inaugural activities so amazing.

Thank you CC'ers for letting me share it all here.

 

 

Wishing us all (and the crews on the ships)

 

".......fair winds and a following sea"

 

On all our future cruises.

[Moonlight Beach]

Sail,

I usually only read the forum, but felt I had to thank you for letting the rest of us share in your incredible honor. I can only say you are just about the luckiest Mariner alive.

[mariner]

S7S,

 

Thanks for telling us about this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Your description clearly showed they picked the perfect ambassadors for NOORDAM and took as much care in their choice as we, as Mariners, do when picking our next cruise.

 

It's reassuring to know the people at the top are as concerned about giving us the best vacation as are the officers, crew and staff aboard who set out each day to exceed our expectations.

 

While your memories will be rekindled when you look at that bowl. your true sense of HAL will be realized every time you and DH cross that gangway. We hope we will together in the coming years.

[FlorenceItaly]

or y'all combine Sail's postings, and sticky it. This is just incredible, and I for one would like to read this over and over, and I know other HAL cruisers who may not get to the board real soon, would enjoy this. Please let me know.

Thanks.

 

Sail - Much thanks to you for sharing this with us. I feel like I was right there with you.

 

Marie

[RuthC]

This has been a marvelous adventure---both for you to take and for me to read about. Your attention to detail has brought me directly to NYC and right into the Vista lounge with you.

Now, when I do eventually watch the HAL video of the festivities I will think it's deja vu all over again.

Thank you for sharing your excellent adventure. And, thank you even more for sharing it in the fashion you did.

[babyher]

Sail,

 

What a wonderful report of a wonderful experience.

 

How can you even think you sounded full of yourself. Especially with your closing words thanking every HAL employee (not just the "Heady company") for making you love HAL so much.

 

Thank you again so much for sharing this wonderful exeprience with all of us :)

[Aussie Gal]

Sail,

 

Thanks once again for sharing this wonderful experience with us all. I am sorry that I have come to the finale.

 

You and your DH were great and worthy ambassadors for all of us Mariners and we thank you so much for a job well done.

 

Now, where can we see some photos. Living "down under" we do not have CNN in our home, so I have missed out on seeing any of the festivities.

 

Jennie

[HeatherInFlorida]

Again and again, thank you for sharing this incredible experience with us, Sail.

 

It's been such an amazing thread ... such a coming together of so many of us who felt we almost lived the experience through your words even though we weren't actually there with you.

 

I still believe, and will continue to feel, that Holland America owes you more than they can ever repay. You give them something money and gifts cannot buy ... your continued love and strong loyalty toward this cruiseline. I don't think I've come across one other person on this board who supports HAL as strongly as you do.

 

This has been so much fun to share with you from the very start;) right up until this moment. Thank you, my dear friend:) .

[wander]

What a fantastic, dream-like experience you had! Are you still pinching yourself? I really do appreciate you sharing it with us.

 

On several occasions I have had the opportunity to attend parties in Seattle with HAL management level folks. This included Kirk (then CEO) and Janet Laterman, Margaret B. and numerous department heads. We were just there as common folks who cruise with HAL, not as anyone special as you were. They all were just as warm and friendly to us as you describe. So I can attest that their warmth and welcoming was not just because of the wonderful honor you received, as they were the same to us as part of about 100 people at parties.

[Grumpy1]

Ahem.... tapping spoon on a glass, and raising a champagne flute.... A toast, if I may....

To Holland America, may she forever sail

To the ships. may they forever carry us on new and exciting adventures

To the people of HAL, may they always bring smiles to us

and to Sail.. on behalf of all Mariners, thank you for a job well done.

Fair winds and fair seas be with you..

 

Clinking of glasses all around

[sail7seas]

Grumpy.....You've got tears in my eyes..AGAIN!!! I thought I was done being 'misty'. :)

 

Thank you. What a beautiful message from you.......and from all of you.

 

I think I'll print out this whole thread and place it in my 'memory book' with all the other momentos we brought home from Noordam.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I too raise my Champagne Flute High to Holland America and sail7seas:)

[kryos]

Thank you CC'ers for letting me share it all here.]

No, Sail, thank YOU for being so kind to bring us along on your once in a lifetime experience. We are all blessed as a result of having the opportunity to share it with you.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[lizf]

Thank you so very much Sail, for giving us this detailed report of your fabulous experience.

Grumpy said it all--------------We clink our glasses to you and say a long slow W--O--W. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[cruisinjudy]

Thank you so much for sharing that incredible experience with us.