things that are never coming back to HAL

[albingirl]

Round trip transatlantics to Europe.  We saw the same passengers each year.  Boy, those were elegant cruises.

[kangforpres]

Yes, I really miss the condensed newspapers every morning.

[AV8rix]

6 hours ago, albingirl said:

Round trip transatlantics to Europe.  We saw the same passengers each year.  Boy, those were elegant cruises.

Yeah!  The Atlantic Adventurer cruises!  Don't know why they discontinued that one.  Great itinerary and didn't involve a flight across the pond.

[bra1nchild]

We still live in the past when there were self-serve appetizers in the Ocean Bar [or Piet Hein's as it was known on the earlier editions of the Noordam and Nieuw Amsterdam]; the live band for dancing; and the personal service.  The picture below is a memento from a 1999 TA on the Maasdam  -- a personalized Dutch girl hat from Dutch Night.  You won't see that kind of attention any more.

Edited May 18, 2022 by bra1nchild

[OVgirl]

On 5/18/2022 at 3:54 PM, bra1nchild said:

We still live in the past when there were self-serve appetizers in the Ocean Bar [or Piet Hein's as it was known on the earlier editions of the Noordam and Nieuw Amsterdam]; the live band for dancing; and the personal service.  The picture below is a memento from a 1999 TA on the Maasdam  -- a personalized Dutch girl hat from Dutch Night.  You won't see that kind of attention any more.

I still have 2 of those painted hats too. I think they're quite special.

[john2003]

On 5/17/2022 at 11:18 AM, kangforpres said:

The Yum Yum Man use to hand out mints and other after dinner treats as you are existing the MDR after dinner.

Also walked round with the pre-dinner gong.

[Sir PMP]

Dignity and class:

 

[MISTER 67]

On 5/18/2022 at 6:49 AM, shipgeeks said:

What I miss most is not entirely HAL's doing.

When we started sailing on HAL, dinner every night was a significant event.  Everyone attended, no one wanted to get in and out as fast as possible.  There was conversation at the table.  Everyone dressed for the occasion.  We often remarked that 99% of men wore tuxedoes on formal nights, and blue blazers on all the other nights.  HAL passengers did that best.

Unfortunately, those days are probably gone forever.

[QuattroRomeo]

We liked the puffy mints that the Yum Yum man had, and especially liked the spoon of ginger preserves there. Seemed like an appropriate thing on a ship!

 

Also miss the Passport to Fitness - the booklet you could get stamped after you walked, I forget how many, laps around the Promenade deck! Redeemed for small souvenirs at the end of the cruise if you had enough stamps. Still have the sweatshirt!

[quack2]

Galley slaves.

 

[MISTER 67]

40 minutes ago, quack2 said:

Galley slaves.

 

Earned their pay especially at ramming speed.

[LadderCo2]

I was on the Koningsdam May 7-14. We met our two room attendants shortly after embarkation. They asked if we wanted 1 or 2 daily services, and what times for both. We chose 10am and 7pm. Each day we had a towel caricature, and chocolates. We bypassed one am service on a sea day as we decided to watch some movies. Later that evening they cleaned and did a turn down and cleanup. 

[Tracey/Thom]

On 5/17/2022 at 12:37 PM, FlaMariner said:

 

 

A few things that are not coming back....and we consider them improvements:

 

1) no more long lines at check in.....breezed thru with the "face recognition" passport reader

2) no more need to stand around with the buzzer or hang out at the counter for dive in or pizza.....You can order on your app and then go fetch it when ready

3)no more standing in line at guest services to get a print out...you can view it on your TV or navigator app

4)  no more standing in line at the excursion desk to sign up for a tour

5) lack of live music.....now there are several venues with live music in the evening..more choices!

5) smoking all over the ship...gone and not coming back!

6.) no choice in steward service....now you can request 1x a day or 2x a day service...we prefer 1x

7) lack of choices in the lido buffet......now lido is a "go to" place for all types of food....much more expanded

9) lack of choices for dinner....used to it was only MDR and lido....now we have all those specialty restaurants on top of the excellent MDR and lido

 

Anyway, I'm sure there are more....but we think cruising is half full not half empty...sure, we miss some things.......The changes are good and they keep getting better.....in our opinion....

 

"Savor the journey....."

 

Love this list, and I agree with you!

[QuattroRomeo]

Just off the Koningsdam, and one thing that IS still on HAL - real cloth hand towels in the public restrooms..!

 

[strickerj]

We were offered turndown service on our Eurodam Alaska cruise a couple weeks ago but declined. (DW and I aren't big on having people in the room, and we don't expect towels washed more than once or twice a week anyway.) The day we did have them service the room, the steward left the little Holland-America-logo chocolates on the bed, so those are still around. :)

[johnmik1]

BBQ nights at the pool!

[Copper10-8]

On 5/17/2022 at 10:25 AM, HermmyGranger said:

I have to ask: what is the YumYum man?

 

 

This used to be the Yum Yum Man, official title Doorman. The position is no longer active

[cruisemom42]

Things that are never coming back to HAL: 

 

if this keeps up, ME!

[rotjeknor]

On our recent Rotterdam cruise we had :

turndown service

chocolates and  towel animals on Gala night

late night Lido Buffet

crew smiles 

[Roz]

2 hours ago, johnmik1 said:

BBQ nights at the pool!

 

The last one I attended was on an Alaskan cruise in 2016 on the Amsterdam.  It was fabulous.  The food was absolutely delicious.  

 

My understanding is they did away with them because the CDC cited them for not having hand washing stations (for the staff, I think) within the required distance.  Wish there was a way to bring back the bbq nights.

[Copper10-8]

This used to be SOP on HAL, a while back, keepin' alive the Dutch tradition, and yes, she wore "klompen" / wooden shoes, real ones 😉 ...............

 

 

Edited June 5, 2022 by Copper10-8