Freeps Ahoy 3

the Free Republic Network Cruise Committee | 12/22/2003 | DoughtyOne

[sharktrager]

That's what the bar is for.

[hoosiermama]

Wish you were going too....Last years was great also!

[hoosiermama]

Oh the piano bar! Or is that on the piano bar !


Leni, Is there a piano bar on this ship? We must have a piano bar!

[MinuteGal]

Yep, indeedy. There's a great piano bar on the Zuiderdam. We'll post a picture of it as soon as possible.

A plus for me is that I quit smoking and I've found I can actually sing a few notes again. Hope the pianist plays the great songs from my era 'cause I know all the words (won't tell you what era it is, though, heheh).

Leni

[hoosiermama]

Leni, think you were occupied elsewhere in the boat when the freepers hit the piano bar....We FR are very talented....Might even bring along a few cheat sheets...for this cruise.

BTW got the piano fixed for Christmas.....sounds great for an antique (100+ yrs old)!

[dixie sass]

Bumping

[MinuteGal]

.......and for our FReeps Ahoy 4 cruise next year, your committee is looking into booking the meticulously-restored former presidential yacht, the USS Sequoia.

Berthed on the Potomac River in DC, the Sequoia is a great party ship. We can reserve it for $10,000 for four hours.

Yes, a piano bar is included.

Leni

[DoughtyOne]

Hi Leni:

I'm not sure if there are actually one or two piano bars on the Zuiderdam.  Here are some photos.

   

 

[Bob J]

This is going to be great trip! D1, how's the stand alone cruise page coming?

[MinuteGal]

A surprising amount of fine touches and pampering goes on aboard Holland America ships, with string trios playing at teatime, white-gloved stewards to escort you to your cabin when you board, vases of fresh flowers everywhere, bowls of fresh fruit in your cabin, and most of all, what the Dutch call "gezelling", a warm ambiance defined by everything from the cozy cabins to the friendly Dutch officers and caring Indonesian and Filipino crew members.

Over a century of distinguished seafaring tradition is important to Holland America, from a chime master who announces dinner to the Indonesian bellman who holds open the doors for you in the Lido buffet.

More than anyone in the cruise line business, HA delivers what it promises. The Dutch officers have a no-nonsense attitude about seamanship and safety. Staff members and crew perform their duties with great pride and professionalism. They seem to take a genuine, personal interest in passengers, learning and remembering not only their names, but personal preferences as well.

Though you don't have to leave your wooden shoes on the gangplank before you board the Zuiderdam, it's well known that cleanliness and sanitation are of the extremely highest standards on Holland American cruise ships.

Phone Wanda today at toll-free 1-800-890-7583 to register, or just to get further info. The nice discount is still on for balcony cabins, but can be terminated any time at the cruise line's discretion. Also, it cannot be guaranteed that there'll be a freeper cruise in 2005.

This is an opportunity for that once-in-a-lifetime getaway where your one phone call will arrange a carefree, economical vacation where you don't have to beat your brains out in the planning and execution. Only a deposit is due right now and it can be paid by credit card during the phone call.

To our freeper overseas in Holland, Knighthawk.....you're invited to join this cruise, we'd love to meet you. It would be a real Dutch treat!

Do we have any stateside Dutch freepers?

Leni

[knighthawk]

Thanks, I'll think about it.

As far as I know there are no Dutch freepers living in the States.

[DoughtyOne]

Hey Bob, it should be done shortly. You've got FreepMail.

[BreitbartSentMe]

I think the bottom two photos are the piano bar on the Oosterdam, another Holland America ship.

The ship photos look fabulous, and I am very anxious to experience cruising the HAL way. I hear wonderful things about the Dutch night they have on every cruise. Knighthawk, any hints on what type of food the Dutch are famous for? From what I read, the food on HAL in general is tremendous every night, but people just rave about Dutch night.

[Bob J]

WE'RE GONNA PARTY DUDE!

[DoughtyOne]

Yes, I think you're right. This was brought to my attention earlier. Sorry for the inadvertant error.

[knighthawk]

Dutch food is simple stuff. Lots of patato's, mostly mashed. Nothing fancy.

[MinuteGal]

Here's a sample Holland America Dutch Night menu (may vary):

APPETIZERS:

Dutch Salad of veal, apple, pickle, onions.....Shrimp Cocktail.....Fruit Coupe.....North Sea Herring with onion.....Crisp Garden Vegetables with Sour Cream Dip.....Pastry Shells filled with sweetbreads, diced chicken and mushrooms in a hot cream sauce

SALADS

Dutch mixed greens.....Iceberg Lettuce Wedge.....Summer Salad

SOUP

Dutch Split Pea Soup

ENTREES

Broiled Brisket of Beef with potatos, carrots, onions.....Baked Whitefish with Mustard Sauce, vegetable and steamed rice.....Pan Fried Dover Sole with cauliflower, carrots, potatoes parisienne.....Sauteed Bay Shrimp, Scallops and Whitefish in Lobster Sauce with Saffron Rice.....Duck a L'Orange with Berry Sauce, red cabbage and potato croquette

Baked Potato with sour cream, chives and bacon bits
Tray of assorted Dutch Cheeses and crackers
Fresh-baked Rolls and Breads

DESSERTS

Dutch Apple Pie with Ice Cream.....Almond-flavored Parfait with fruit.....Chocolate Eclairs.....Assorted French Pastries.....Baked Fruit Coupe.....Vanilla, Tin Roof, Blueberry Ice Cream

Diners find Dutch hats at their place settings. Roughly 50% of the diners don't put them on, LOL.....but they make for some fun Kodak moments.

Leni

[fooman]

My wife and I are coming and we are trying to sell my parents on this cruise

Looking forward to it.

[MinuteGal]

Hey, Fooman and Mrs. Fooman.....it'll be GREAT to meet you on board the Zuiderdam. Your folks are cordially invited also.

Mom and Dad Fooman, you'll be made so welcome by our fun and friendly freepers that your heads will spin. You'll be like the rest of us on the last day of the cruise, clinging to the drapes so we don't have to get off the ship!

Let me know when y'all register with Wanda. Then the names of the four of ye will be placed in our hat for our second pre-cruise drawing. JimRob will again pick a name of one of our registrants and the winner will receive a $50 gift certificate good in any of the Zuiderdam's shops and boutiques. Or it can be applied to anything else you purchase on board, even your final bill.

Folks, register now! The drawing will be coming up soon. The $50 certificate you may win from your FRN cruise committee is in addition to another $50 premium that Holland America is crediting to the on-board accounts of every single cruiser in our group.

Our freeper Mycroft Holmes won in the first drawing, so he already has $100 to his credit the moment he and Mrs. Holmes walk up the gangplank!

So don't delay.....register now with the lovely Wanda at toll-free 1-800-890-7583 (Pacific time). She'll also arrange your air travel if you wish.

If you're going to fly into Ft. Lauderdale the day before the cruise, take that into account when booking your air. A lot of freeper early-birds stay in the same hotel near the port the day/night before embarkation. The hotel we'll stay in has not been established yet. When it is, we'll post it here and you can sign on for the accomodations package. The hotel van will pick our freepers from the airport on Friday, and deliver all of us (with luggage) to the port terminal on Saturday morning.

Yep, your cruise committee covers all the bases so our cruisers don't have to worry their handsome heads about ANYTHING (except what fun things to do for a whole freepin' week!)

Leni

[hoosiermama]

It's a great way to vacation.....Plus Freepers are the greatest..... Lots of laughter with just good folks......Always someone to join in interesting activities ...or plenty of alone time..... whichever you want.....You'll not regret your decision to go!