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Topic: Does Anyone Collect Menus

joe at travelpage
Administrator
Member # 622

posted 02-21-2000 09:16 PM

In another thread, Gizmo asked who the head chef on the Volendam was and suggested I check a menu to get the name. Well of course I had a copy of each night's menu and was able to answer the question.

That got me thinking, how many other people ask for copies of their menus on the last night? I remember my parents doing it for me when I was a kid crossing in the early 1960's and when I started cruising and crossing I just naturally asked for them. Now I've got quite a collection.

Does anyone else still collect them?

Joe at Travelpage.com

Posts: 29976 | From: Great Falls, Virginia | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Green
First Class Passenger
Member # 171

posted 02-21-2000 09:36 PM

Had you asked this in January I would have said 'yes' - I did keep a few but ditched most of them - just didn't have space. I also had a LARGE collection of Daily Programmes - those too had to go. Still have a large selection of Cruise Document Wallets and undated (as to year) itineraries. I'm a pack rat but when the file cabinet drawers won't close I'm forced to have a clean out. Confession time - I still have paper streamers from our first cruise!

P.S. Time was when we made a photo album of each cruise - that too has kind of gone by the board.

[This message has been edited by Green (edited 02-21-2000).]

Posts: 2913 | From: Markham, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

starfish
First Class Passenger
Member # 986

posted 02-21-2000 09:40 PM

I have a set from our honeymoon,Home Lines
Atlantic 87. We bought a complete set with
all newsletters from the cruise for $5.
Havn't seen it offered on any cruise since.
I wish the lines did offerthem, it's nice
to look back.The menus were something to
look at just that short time ago,not like
the ones now.

Posts: 225 | From: Dallas,PA | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 02-21-2000 10:09 PM

We also had a very large collection of menus and daily programs. A couple of years ago I sent some of them along with other bits and pieces from our cruises, to a Chief Officer on HAL, who has written a book about the history of HAL. This book is available in the US but so far I have not been able to find it in Canada. If anyone is interested I will get the name and ISBN number from his wife. In Sept. I threw the rest out in my frantic cleaning of the basement.
Gizmo - I do know Chef Franz and he is great. We joined the Nieuw Amsterdam when it returned from a cruise of the South Pacific a few years ago, and he cooked up a storm of Thai food and other exotic delicasies. Hope he will be on the Volendam when I am there in November.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Terri Lee
First Class Passenger
Member # 942

posted 02-21-2000 10:30 PM

I have to admit that I have menus coming out of my ears!!!

My first one was from the old ROTTERDAM (Panama Canal cruise).I now have 10 of them from the STATENDAM,RYNDAM,WESTERDAM and the new ROTTERDAM. The menus from the World Cruises are something to keep,especially the Captain's private dinner in the Queen's Room.

I have never had to ask for them...they are offered by the dining room stewards at the end of the cruise(along with their names and addresses)

I find it incredible that any cruise line would charge for their menus! My mind boggles at the thought of it!!

Posts: 292 | From: Burlington Ontario Canada | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 02-21-2000 11:49 PM

Joe......
I have collected menus for many years. I
still have menus from my first crossing
in 1954 right through my last cruise in
1999. They take up a lot of file drawer
space but I wouldn't trade them for anything.
I do have them in order which is the most
I have done to keep them orderly. Every
now and then I get some out and look them
over......a lot of fun with good memories
attached.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

Bernard
First Class Passenger
Member # 1038

posted 02-22-2000 05:00 AM

I'm a collector of everything about the Holland-America line.
I've got more than 500 Menu's, 200 Daily programs and a lot of other Hal-stuff.
In holland there's a collectors society called "De lijn".
They make a magazine for Holland America Line collectors six times a year. The magazine is in Dutch. If anyone has anything for my collection, please mail me at Statendam@hotmail.com
Thanks a lot.

Posts: 94 | From: The Netherlands | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

gizmo
First Class Passenger
Member # 972

posted 02-22-2000 09:54 AM

I collect everything, menus, daily programs, tour stuff, and shopping info. I even have some of those drink receipts!

Posts: 686 | From: Kennesaw Ga. (origianlly from Philly) | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

Barryboat
First Class Passenger
Member # 33

posted 02-22-2000 10:50 AM

yes, the souvenier of joice for me was a Daily Program and sometimes a menu. I even have some Menu Covers from QE-2 and Norway and Asure Seas.

Posts: 1851 | From: Bloomington, Minnesota (Home to the Mall of America) | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged

gizmo
First Class Passenger
Member # 972

posted 02-22-2000 12:30 PM

sympatico,
Will let you know if Chef Franz is on the Volendam. Just 11 more days to go!

Posts: 686 | From: Kennesaw Ga. (origianlly from Philly) | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 02-22-2000 08:55 PM

Bernard.....

If I discover that I have duplicates of
Holland-America Line items, I will email
to you the information.

I do have some wonderful silver pieces from
the first class dining room of the SS Nieuw
Amsterdam [1938] which we use on holiday
dinners at home.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

starfish
First Class Passenger
Member # 986

posted 02-23-2000 12:15 PM

Terry Lee
Home Lines was a great cruise line.They
didn't charge me for the menus,I asked for
one each night and they let me keep it.
On the last night I spotted a package of all
new menus plus all the newsletters for the
week in one of the shops and purchased it.
I didn't mean to boggle your mind,I should have been more specific.

Posts: 225 | From: Dallas,PA | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Ascendancy
First Class Passenger
Member # 840

posted 02-23-2000 02:12 PM

I save them also. I took the menu bit a step further. On one cruise I took pictures of every plate I consumed on the 7 day cruise. I still look back at those pictures and wonder how I ever ate all that. The food looked great!

Posts: 354 | From: Aurora, CO | Registered: Oct 1999 | IP: Logged

starfish
First Class Passenger
Member # 986

posted 02-23-2000 02:31 PM

Ascendancy, that's a great idea!
I took a picture of my banana cream pie on-
board the Century once,my wife said i was
nuts.I'll have to sneek them.

Posts: 225 | From: Dallas,PA | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Viking Crown
First Class Passenger
Member # 1046

posted 02-25-2000 06:53 PM

Myself, I collect menus from the RMS QUEEN MARY from the 50's and 60's. I purchase them off the internet or at Past Times aboard the ship itself.

Posts: 14 | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

JoeO
First Class Passenger
Member # 224

posted 02-25-2000 09:05 PM

I too am a terrible accumulator of junk--
from all (10 so far) cruises. Daily newsletters, Port-of-Call descriptions, final shipboard accounts bills and MENUS, all neatly piled up in their own cruise folders. Regarding menus, I get them anyway I can. I have three free sets from Princess, one xerox'd copy from NCL, one miniature set BOUGHT from RCI, one miniature set bought from Celebrity. The other 4 cruises had nothing to offer.
It's sort of interesting to note how the different lines will alter their menus from year-to-year.

Posts: 93 | From: St Aaugustine, Fl., U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 98 | IP: Logged

DAMBROSI
First Class Passenger
Member # 100

posted 02-26-2000 10:28 PM

Hello fellow passengers and collectors, I do the whole thing, fore and aft. Luggage tags, (embarking & debarking), menus, shot glasses, hurricane glasses, postcards, swizzlesticks, daily programs, models of the ships.
I get what I can, it;s so much fun.

Posts: 2554 | From: Florida, USA, Where the Legend SS NORWAY sailed from. Moving back to FL next yr. | Registered: May 99 | IP: Logged

starfish
First Class Passenger
Member # 986

posted 02-27-2000 11:12 AM

Cruise folders-I was just wondering which
lines still offer them.
We were on the Grand Princess last year,
the VOTS in Feb. and neither had them.VOTS
didn't even give a postcard,you could buy
one of course.
They were nice to keep everything organized.
I guess when a ship costs 500M every penny
counts

Posts: 225 | From: Dallas,PA | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 02-27-2000 12:45 PM

Holland America gives them out. All your documents come in these great blue nylon wallets. I have a few around but threw most of them out when I was housecleaning the basement. They are so much better than the old ones. The nylon ones come in three sections and close with a velcro fastener. HAL also gives out free postcards with the picture of the ship on it + free envelopes and writing paper with HAL's logo on it. Quite nice. If you are in a suite (not mini-suite) you also get writing paper with your name on it but then you are paying for it in the cost of your cabin.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Terri Lee
First Class Passenger
Member # 942

posted 02-27-2000 08:28 PM

Starfish....thanks for clearing things up about buying your menus.

My mind is now boggle-free!!!!!

Posts: 292 | From: Burlington Ontario Canada | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

Guest
First Class Passenger
Member # 1157

posted 03-18-2000 07:37 AM

Joe -

I have the QE2 menus from:
January 1994 - Colombia (Now Caronia Restaurant)
5 - 11 FEB 1995 Mauretania and Princess Grill
22 FEB 1996 Princess and Britannia Grill
8 - 19 JAN 1998 - Mauretania Restaurant
15 FEB 1999 - Mauretania and Princess Grill

Also - I have a menu from RMMV CARNARVON Castle from August 5 1954, & CAPETOWN Castle Tourist Class from June 12 1958, collected by my Granddad - a frequent U.Castle cruiser. The CAPETOWN Castle menu reads:

FAREWELL DINNER:
Creme Andalouse
Fried Plaice Fillets
Creamed Succotash
Braised Ox Tongue Talleyrand
Roast Turkey - Bread Source.

POTATOES (Chateau; Persillees)& GREAN BEANS.

COLD BUFFET:
Smoked Ham
Veal and Ham Pie

SWEETS:
Plum Pudding.
Jamaica Sauce.
Fruit Salad with Cream.
Vanilla Ices.
Desert Coffee.

Chief Steward; RIGHARD REEVES.
Chef; T.G. EVANS.

Hope that was interesting ?

[This message has been edited by Cunard (edited 03-18-2000).]

Posts: 1888 | From: Earth | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged

PC
First Class Passenger
Member # 1191

posted 03-26-2000 07:02 AM

Was on QE 2 twice, 1999 and 2000, on segments of her world cruise. On both, the staff at the two restaurants, Caronia and Mauretania, presented us on the last day with full lunch and dinner menus from all the days of our cruise. I also keep all the daily programs. In fact, when deciding which ship to cruise on, I have the travel agent obtain a sample copy of the ship's menu and daily program for me to compare with other ships. In fact, I suggest that information on websites about each ship should have a sample copy of the daily program and menu for users to peruse.

Posts: 102 | From: Hong Kong, SAR | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged

gizmo
First Class Passenger
Member # 972

posted 03-26-2000 06:25 PM

PC,

I second your suggestion.

Posts: 686 | From: Kennesaw Ga. (origianlly from Philly) | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

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