Then … and now!

[eroller]

Then … and now.  Roughly a 44 year difference from my first sailing on Holland America Line ROTTERDAM V to next weeks sailing on the new ROTTERDAM VII, flagship of the line.  This ship name evokes many fond memories of my childhood and traveling with my grandmother.  We received our cabin assignments today so it’s getting real.  About a week to go.

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by eroller

[sansterre]

Enjoy your cruise.

Love the older memorabilia!

[RD64]

Miss the cloth bags!

[DAllenTCY]

And those tin metal pins that they would send for you to wear if you had a flight to the ship.

 

 

David

Edited March 21, 2023 by DAllenTCY

[REOVA]

Nice. Liked the older bags better (as well as the older ship). And boy DW would not be happy if I still had things from 4 decades ago. (Unless it was her 😉). 

[Catlover54]

My first "cruise" cruise (as opposed to just an ocean liner crossing the Atlantic for transportation back and forth ) was on HAL to Alaska in 1983, solo.   It was absolutely fantastic, being able to get as close to some of the glaciers as we did, and we had perfect weather, amazing food and service, plus beautiful ice sculptures  I did not like the assigned seating, but met a woman there who became a life-long friend and we see each other annually. We were both in pathetic tiny little inside cabins with single beds and showers that felt too small even though I only weighed 110lb.  But we spent so little time in there it did not matter!

Edited March 21, 2023 by Catlover54
Typo

[VMax1700]

9 hours ago, RD64 said:

Miss the cloth bags!

miss the bags (period).

[albingirl]

I loved those bags, as well.  I've saved them, used them repeatedly, but now they are getting faded and worn.  Wish they still provided those.  Even if I had to purchase one on a sailing.  Just the right size, as well.

[sunviking90]

Lovely post. Thank you! I never sailed on Rotterdam V, but was lucky enough to visit here in Vancouver years ago, back when such things were more common. Beautiful ship. I hope you enjoy your cruise!

[dawei]

It certainly is a lovely post, eroller! 

Fortunately, we had the opportunity to experience her once near the end of her sailing carrier (2 weeks Caribbean Dec. 1996). A highlight for me was a tour of her then-working, steam power engine room.

 

David

[eroller]

1 hour ago, sunviking90 said:

Lovely post. Thank you! I never sailed on Rotterdam V, but was lucky enough to visit here in Vancouver years ago, back when such things were more common. Beautiful ship. I hope you enjoy your cruise!

You can still stay on her as a hotel ship in the city of Rotterdam.  Her transformation to a hotel was extremely well executed and she retains much of her charm and original fittings.  I highly recommend it if you ever get the chance.  

[eroller]

27 minutes ago, dawei said:

It certainly is a lovely post, eroller! 

Fortunately, we had the opportunity to experience her once near the end of her sailing carrier (2 weeks Caribbean Dec. 1996). A highlight for me was a tour of her then-working, steam power engine room.

 

David

 

Wow lucky guy getting to visit her engine room.  Pretty awesome.  I never had that opportunity although I did visit her Bridge on every sailing.  Back in those days Bridge visits were free and listed in the daily program.  

[3Shelaghs]

This is what I miss... the satin envelopes for our tickets

[eroller]

32 minutes ago, 3Shelaghs said:

This is what I miss... the satin envelopes for our tickets

 

Those were the best ticket packets HAL ever produced.  From the early 2000’s.  I have a few, I think my latest from 2007 on the OOSTERDAM.  
 

Here are three generations of HAL ticket packets.  70’s, 80’s, and 2000’s.  
 

 

[eroller]

In the 70’s these were the dining room menus.  Quite beautiful and printed specifically for that cruise with the date and cruise printed on the inside.  At the end of the cruise you were presented with the entire set.  
 

In the center the nice folder that was in each cabin with all the info you need about the ship.  

[eroller]

The inside of the farewell dinner menu, onboard STATENDAM in 1979.  Signed by our waiters.  This was another cruise I took with my grandmom at a young age.  She had a preference for HAL but also loved Home Lines, especially the OCEANIC.  Fantastic ship I was also lucky enough to sail on a few times.  
 

 

[shack]

7 hours ago, eroller said:

The inside of the farewell dinner menu, onboard STATENDAM in 1979.  Signed by our waiters.  This was another cruise I took with my grandmom at a young age.  She had a preference for HAL but also loved Home Lines, especially the OCEANIC.  Fantastic ship I was also lucky enough to sail on a few times.  
 

 

 

Wow - thanks for sharing.  Definitely a different world/age.  You can't get half that stuff in PG now - even with multiple surcharges.

My parents used to sail the QE2 once a year in the 70s in 2nd class and they still said it was spectacular.

 

[eroller]

9 minutes ago, shack said:

 

Wow - thanks for sharing.  Definitely a different world/age.  You can't get half that stuff in PG now - even with multiple surcharges.

My parents used to sail the QE2 once a year in the 70s in 2nd class and they still said it was spectacular.

 

 

A different time for sure.  Before cruising was for the masses.  I’m so glad I got to experience it.  

[sunviking90]

9 hours ago, eroller said:

You can still stay on her as a hotel ship in the city of Rotterdam.  Her transformation to a hotel was extremely well executed and she retains much of her charm and original fittings.  I highly recommend it if you ever get the chance.  

Yes, I did hear about this. It’s on my bucket list for sure. I’m glad to hear you think it’s well done, so certainly it must be!

Thanks for sharing the photos of your other memorabilia. I always enjoy your posts.

[sunviking90]

8 hours ago, eroller said:

 

Those were the best ticket packets HAL ever produced.  From the early 2000’s.  I have a few, I think my latest from 2007 on the OOSTERDAM.  
 

Here are three generations of HAL ticket packets.  70’s, 80’s, and 2000’s.  
 

 

I have the dark blue vinyl(?) one which might be from the late 90’s that I still use to this day if I have travel docs that I need paper copies of. 

[eroller]

24 minutes ago, sunviking90 said:

Yes, I did hear about this. It’s on my bucket list for sure. I’m glad to hear you think it’s well done, so certainly it must be!

Thanks for sharing the photos of your other memorabilia. I always enjoy your posts.

 

If you’re interested attached is a link to photos I took of my stay onboard.  
 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/eroller/albums/72157630328681440

[Catlover54]

1 hour ago, shack said:

 

Wow - thanks for sharing.  Definitely a different world/age.  You can't get half that stuff in PG now - even with multiple surcharges.

My parents used to sail the QE2 once a year in the 70s in 2nd class and they still said it was spectacular.

 

 

One of my favorite meals on HAL in 1983 was a calves brains with lemon butter special (oddly everyone else at my table that night ordered the steak special 😃)

You definitely cannot get that in the PG anymore 🙂

[eroller]

22 minutes ago, sunviking90 said:

I have the dark blue vinyl(?) one which might be from the late 90’s that I still use to this day if I have travel docs that I need paper copies of. 

 

That seems to be the one I’m missing.   I think I only sailed on one HAL cruise in the 90’s, the WESTERDAM.  I have very little from that cruise for some reason.  It was a lovely ship, originally Home Lines HOMERIC.  

[oakridger]

@eroller thanks for those Rotterdam Hotel pictures!  I love all the murals.  Now you have given me the idea to stay there if I'm ever in Rotterdam.

 

~Nancy

[eroller]

7 minutes ago, oakridger said:

@eroller thanks for those Rotterdam Hotel pictures!  I love all the murals.  Now you have given me the idea to stay there if I'm ever in Rotterdam.

 

~Nancy

 

I highly recommend it.  I had sailed on a summer big band crossing from NY to Rotterdam on the ROTTERDAM VI followed by a stay on ROTTERDAM V.  The theme was Rotterdam for sure!   Lol.