HAL tiles

[realnurse2]

Has anyone seen any new tiles for 2011 or are they still using "old stock"? I am going to Alaska soon and hope to get something I don't have. :)

[sail7seas]

Our recent Maasdam cruise, we were given tiles with Neptune in the background with a (generic) ship in the foreground. Nothing extra special but I like them. :)

[FoghornLeghorn]

Okay... I give up....
What is a HAL tile???

:)

[Megsie1000]

Yeahthat to the above. I keep hearing about this and I have no idea what this is. :D

[Southbound]

After you have taken your first HAL cruise, you will receive a Mariner number. Thereafter, on subsequent HAL cruises, you will receive a blue delft tile as a complimentary gift from HAL. They are usually given at the Mariner luncheon. If you are unable to attend the luncheon, visit the front desk to obtain yours. Here is the link for pics of the various tiles that have been given over the years:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/marinerSociety/Main.action

[Megsie1000]

This will only be my second HAL cruise (have sailed Celebrity and NCL previously) but my parents have done 3 or 4 HAL cruises and have never come home with one of these. I will have to tell them about it.

What does one do with a tile once one gets it home? :)

[FoghornLeghorn]

Thanks Southbound!

[luvcruisn']

What does one do with a tile once one gets it home? :)

They can be used as coasters. I have read that some people do a backsplash in their kitchen with tiles that they have gotten over the years.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We got a set of last year's tiles on our recent Amsterdam cruise.

Nothing new - already have 4 of them.

[GeriatricNurse]

Has anyone seen any new tiles for 2011 or are they still using "old stock"? I am going to Alaska soon and hope to get something I don't have. :)


When I e-mailed the Mariner Society several months ago, I was informed that the 2011 tiles would be posted online in June! Well, it is now near the end of July, & the 2011 tiles are still not posted online, so I will send (another) e-mail! :)

[realnurse2]

Thanks Geratric Nurse! I'll be checking the HAL mariner site! :)

[catl331]

... but my parents have done 3 or 4 HAL cruises and have never come home with one of these. I will have to tell them about it.For the past couple of years they've been given out at the Mariner Brunch, so if they don't go to that they likely missed getting them. Before that the stewards would leave them in the cabin the night before the Mariner Brunch.

... I was informed that the 2011 tiles would be posted online in June! But "posting" them doesn't do any good if the ships aren't giving them out yet! :p In the past they've started showing up on the ships before the Mariner page was updated.

[John Cruise]

Here's a tip for first time tile users:

Hot drinks - face side up
Cold drinks - flip them over to the cork side (so the glass
doesn't stick)

;)JC

[mllewis48]

I have made a "drink tray" with 12 of my tiles and have it in my bar area as well as an oak "trivet" with 4 in for the kitchen.

Need to figure out what my next project is since I have about 8-10 more?

I also use as coasters.

Mike

[GeriatricNurse]

For the past couple of years they've been given out at the Mariner Brunch, so if they don't go to that they likely missed getting them. Before that the stewards would leave them in the cabin the night before the Mariner Brunch.

But "posting" them doesn't do any good if the ships aren't giving them out yet! :p In the past they've started showing up on the ships before the Mariner page was updated.


As I previously stated, I was informed by HAL Mariner Society that the 2011 tiles would be posted online by June! :rolleyes:

[erewhon]

I have made a "drink tray" with 12 of my tiles and have it in my bar area as well as an oak "trivet" with 4 in for the kitchen.

Need to figure out what my next project is since I have about 8-10 more?

I also use as coasters.

Mike

Thanks for the good ideas for using the HAL tiles.

[ryndam]

Returned from Rotterdam TA crossing in June. Tile received was a "generic" sailboat scene, not the usual image of a past or present HAL ship.

[catl331]

Returned from Rotterdam TA crossing in June. Tile received was a "generic" sailboat scene, not the usual image of a past or present HAL ship.Was it this one?
http://www.hollandamerica.com/images/mariner/2010_tile_3.jpg
That's one of the 2010 set of four. They haven't given out ship-specific ones since 2006, except for the Nieuw Amsterdam "Inaugural Season" ones.

[ryndam]

Hey, Catl331, I wish the tile was that attractive! At least that image looks like a ship! I'll try to scan a pic of the tile we received. It is truly a generic sailboat. It does not even have the words "Holland America Line" on it.

GeriatricNurse....perhaps the reason HAL has not posted pictures of the 2011 tiles, is because they are so nondescript and common. Just a thought...

[Nasmas]

We didn't get tiles on our last cruise. I never thought it about it until now.

[kazu]

We didn't get tiles on our last cruise. I never thought it about it until now.

don't feel bad - we didn't get ours and we were on an inaugural NA cruise so all of us were looking forward to that one. fortunately I snagged one from a kind cc'er who offered. :D It's in a cherished spot.

As to the rest - they are especially great if you are going with a group of friends - invite them over as you get excited about the cruise - use them for coasters, to hold hot plates, whatever. have them everywhere. Bound to help in the discussion and the fun:):)

[tcook052]

Not sure if it was kosher but as a solo traveller I joined a couple I met while on a sore ex. and there was one empty setting at the Mariner's luncheon and so they enouraged me to take the fourth tile, which I did. I brought it home and gave it to a family member and kept mine. Am I the only one that's done this?

[Southbound]

We didn't get tiles on our last cruise. I never thought it about it until now.


You can call the Mariner Society at (877) 425-2220 and they will send it to you. We weren't able to attend the Mariner luncheon and I forgot to stop at the front desk to request ours. They were very accommodating and pleasant to speak with. Received ours in less than a week after calling them. :)

[danabanana612]

We got them in 2006, left in our cabin the last night, but We went to Mariner luncheon on our last 2 Alaska cruises and never received them. I was kind of bummed after we got home and realized I didn't have them for those 2 cruises. One was on the Statendam 2009 and the most recent was Volendam July 2011. I just thought they weren't doing them any more...now I want my tiles:-):D:D

[GeriatricNurse]

Hey, Catl331, I wish the tile was that attractive! At least that image looks like a ship! I'll try to scan a pic of the tile we received. It is truly a generic sailboat. It does not even have the words "Holland America Line" on it.

GeriatricNurse....perhaps the reason HAL has not posted pictures of the 2011 tiles, is because they are so nondescript and common. Just a thought...

Yes, that could be a reason, or more likely, either no one has thought, as yet, about doing it or it has not been delegated to be done! ;)

[Okie1946]

Was it this one?
http://www.hollandamerica.com/images/mariner/2010_tile_3.jpg
That's one of the 2010 set of four. They haven't given out ship-specific ones since 2006, except for the Nieuw Amsterdam "Inaugural Season" ones.

This is the tile that we got when we were on the Rotterdam in September 2010, then we were given the same tile when we were on the Oosterdam in April, 2011. Guess they have to get rid of the excess before they start giving out the new.

Oh well, now I have a matched set of 4 coasters.:D

[Nasmas]

We've always gotten them in our room on the last night of the cruise. We hardly ever make the Mariner's lunch, except in the MDR on embarkation day. I'm not sure I was even aware of one on our last cruise. I liked the ones they used to give with your ship's name on them. The last ones I got were the Statendam, and I've never been on the Statendam. That's ok. I love the tiles and have a large stack of them. DH thinks they're just something else to stack away and never be used but I have used them for coasters.

[mllewis48]

We have recently received our tiles while attending the Mariners Recognition Lunch during the cruise, usually toward the end. They are either at your table or they hand them out as you leave the Dining Room.

They used to leave them in the room but that has not happened for us in several cruises.

Good Luck
Mike

[sail7seas]

Not sure if it was kosher but as a solo traveller I joined a couple I met while on a sore ex. and there was one empty setting at the Mariner's luncheon and so they enouraged me to take the fourth tile, which I did. I brought it home and gave it to a family member and kept mine. Am I the only one that's done this?


We have been at tables hosted by Captain or Hotel Manager for the Luncheon and the stewards always place a tile at their place setting as well as everyone else's. They always hand them to one of the ladies at the table and I've come home with an extra one or two from some cruises. :)

We're re-doing a bathroom this year and are debating about incorporating a soem HAL tiles here and there on the tub and shower. Need to work out a design that doesn't overwhelm. Of course, that would mean our color scheme is determined by those tiles. :)

[BJane]

We took 10 HAL cruises before my husband passed away. We were lucky enough to get tiles with the names of each of the ships we had sailed on. I found blue picture frames at a local art store and covered the glass with off white paper. I cut a hole in the paper so that I could glue the tiles into the glass. They are hanging in my room as a wonderful reminder of the fun we had.