Complimentary Mariner Champagne Brunch

[Strathmore]

Taking our second Holland America cruise this month and we understand, as members of the Mariner Society, that we are offered a "complimentary Mariner Champagne Brunch" Since one's meals are already included in the fare, is this something worth attending? When would it be held during the cruise?

[luvteaching]

The Mariner brunch is usually held the last sea day of the cruise - at least on the Alaska ones. Sometimes, if there are a lot of Mariner's on board the ship hosts two of them and you are invited to one.

 

We have attended each time. You get your tiles at the brunch (but you can arrange to have them delivered to the cabin) and the meal is nice. It includes a choice of appetizer and entree (on the Amsterdam the entrees included swiss steak and a salmon dish if I remember correctly). Dessert was bread pudding but presented very elegantly so it was different than what you get in the Lido. The officers greet you, there is a toast with the complimentary champagne, and that's about it.

 

We like it and have met some very interesting people at our tables.

 

Karen

[Appygirl]

If you haven't done it before its worth going unless there is something else scheduled for the same time that you really want to do. It starts at 11:30am. When you walk in the dining room the photographer is there wanting you to pose for photos with the captain. There is a champagne toast. Unfortunately no one on our side of the room got our champagne until about 20 minutes after the toast was done. The captain and hotel manager say a few words and then they leave.

 

Seeing as how I'd finished breakfast only a couple of hours earlier I wasn't overly hungry. You get these tiles with a picture of a HAL ship on it. I thought it was a coaster but everyone here calls them a tile. Either way I use it when I'm having a drink to put my glass on.

[Carole_T]

Too funny, Appygirl~It will be our first Champaign Brunch and now I wouldn't miss getting our "coaster" Thanks!

[cruising cockroach]

Is it any different from the MDR food that day? Real champagne or some generic sparkling wine? And is the champagne any good or some cheap cr@p they buy from some producer totally indifferent to quality?

 

And are the Delft tiles actually made in Delft? If not, "Holland" America could learn from what a real Dutch transportation company gives as a souvenir

[English_in_Spain]

I wish they would make it a 'lunch' rather than a 'brunch'.

 

I find I cannot eat things like steak or fish at 11.30 in the morning. Nor do I feel like drinking champagne (real or not) at that time of day.

 

 

[PeaceLoveCruise]

Too funny, Appygirl~It will be our first Champaign Brunch and now I wouldn't miss getting our "coaster" Thanks!

 

If you miss the brunch somehow, the tile is left for you in your stateroom! :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

We no longer find the Mariner's Brunch anything special.

I read here where some people are assigned to sit at hosted tables. Only once in the last several years have we sat at a hosted table.

On our Amsterdam cruise there were 2 brunches -- one at 11 and one at 1.

There wasn't any salmon on our menu -- just a white fish.

The bread pudding was the same one that you get in the Lido -- just shaped into a mold. Since I don't like bread pudding -- I didn't bother eating it.

The champagne is Pol Clement -- cheap. You get barely a half glass.

[cruisenanny]

If you miss the brunch somehow, the tile is left for you in your stateroom! :D

 

We are just off the Veendam this past Sunday.

Our Mariners Brunch was Saturday at 11am, we didn't attend.

No tile was left in our cabin:( I wish I knew that was how it worked,

I would have asked for it. Now I know at least:D

[kazu]

We are just off the Veendam this past Sunday.

Our Mariners Brunch was Saturday at 11am, we didn't attend.

No tile was left in our cabin:( I wish I knew that was how it worked,

I would have asked for it. Now I know at least:D

 

You can still get your tiles Debbie - just email the Mariner's society and they will send them to you:):)

[nannygoatjunction]

 

You get barely a half glass.

 

 

perhaps we just looked thirsty or maybe it was simply because we have aussie accents, but the waiter was more than willing to keep coming to our table with a top up!!

 

:D

[cruisenanny]

You can still get your tiles Debbie - just email the Mariner's society and they will send them to you:):)

 

Thanks, Jacqui!!:)

[Appygirl]

The food at the Mariner's lunch is a different menu than what is being served in the MDR for lunch that day. There would probably be a couple more items available on the lunch menu at the MDR.

 

I didn't take the champagne offered. I was worried it might be the same champagne as we received in the showroom earlier in the week. After the initial delay at receiving the champagne at our table the staff did show up several times to see if anyone wanted refills.

 

You get an invitation card in your mailbox a few days in advance. You have to RSVP and take it down to the front desk if you want to join in on the Mariner's Brunch. They check you on the computer before letting you in to make sure you're not crashing!

 

The tile/coaster comes with a certificate of authenticity from Royal Goedewaagen, Holland who apparently are the producers of authentic delftware since 1610.

[kazu]

Thanks, Jacqui!!:)

 

anytime - we got the new ones a couple of months ago - the Mariner's society was true to their word:):) And yes, silly us, we like the tiles:) especially the new ones:D

[jtl513]

The tile/coaster comes with a certificate of authenticity from Royal Goedewaagen, Holland who apparently are the producers of authentic delftware since 1610.

Actually the Certificate of Authenticity says "Handmade in the Netherlands". The factory started in Gouda, but is now located in Nieuw Buinen in the province of Drenthe, not in North or South Holland.

 

Saying that Holland is a country is like saying New England is a country.

[lindaler]

We were disappointed in the lunch. Too many to serve at one time so there was no quiet enjoyable meal.

 

The last tiles we got were generic. I was really hoping to get ones that said Rotterdam like the Amsterdam ones we got before but these are just Holland American Line tiles. They are nice to use as coasters and my coffee is sitting on one right now.

 

Not sure if we will go to the lunchen on our next cruise but will ask for our tiles.

[kazu]

We were disappointed in the lunch. Too many to serve at one time so there was no quiet enjoyable meal.

 

The last tiles we got were generic. I was really hoping to get ones that said Rotterdam like the Amsterdam ones we got before but these are just Holland American Line tiles. They are nice to use as coasters and my coffee is sitting on one right now.

 

Not sure if we will go to the lunchen on our next cruise but will ask for our tiles.

 

the new tiles are now out:) if you cruised recently and missed them due to timing (ie they were out or supposed to be but not on your ship yet) you can email the Mariner's Department. They will send you the new tiles:) You just have to ask;)

[karatemom2]

I had mixed feelings about the Mariners Brunch. The champagne was nice and they kept my glass filled which was appreciated. I also thought getting the tiles was a nice touch. I was sort of expecting something a bit more special based on previous comments here in regards to the food, but really the food was just OK. I had the poached salmon, and honestly it was the weakest salmon dish I had onboard the entire week. Just very bland and plain. The bread pudding was good and I do love bread pudding, but as has been pointed out just the same bread pudding the have in the buffet everyday. Nothing at all elevated or special. We had better lunches in the MDR on other days just with the standard menu.

[Appygirl]

Actually the Certificate of Authenticity says "Handmade in the Netherlands". The factory started in Gouda, but is now located in Nieuw Buinen in the province of Drenthe, not in North or South Holland.

 

Saying that Holland is a country is like saying New England is a country.

 

Interesting. I wonder if the certificate of authenticity is different for the different classes of ship. The certificate that I'm looking at I received on the Zuiderdam and it definitely says "... created especially for Holland America Line by the master craftsment of Royal Goedewaagen, Holland, producers of authentic delftware since 1610". At the bottom of the page is a half circle stamp that says "handmade in the Netherlands".

[readytogo2]

On our upcoming cruise, there will only be one sea day, which is the day after we embark....does anyone know if that would be when this brunch is held?

[Loreto]

You People! So many complainers!!:eek: We are there not so much for the food, but for the opportunity to meet other Mariners...I enjoy sharpening my social skills talking to and being interested in people I am meeting for the first time.

 

We were once seated by chance with a couple we had sailed with on a previous cruise. Last September on the Amsterdam we met passengers who took the Amazon Explorer on the Prinsendam, an itinerary we had been thinking about, and now we are excited to be going on.:)

 

We also like to thank the hard working staff who care for us at this event.

 

Now if you want to talk about mediocre food I could complain about the Pinnacle Grill.

 

Karen

[cruz chic]

You People! So many complainers!!:eek: We are there not so much for the food, but for the opportunity to meet other Mariners...I enjoy sharpening my social skills talking to and being interested in people I am meeting for the first time.

 

We were once seated by chance with a couple we had sailed with on a previous cruise. Last September on the Amsterdam we met passengers who took the Amazon Explorer on the Prinsendam, an itinerary we had been thinking about, and now we are excited to be going on.:)

 

We also like to thank the hard working staff who care for us at this event.

 

Now if you want to talk about mediocre food I could complain about the Pinnacle Grill.

 

Karen

Do we all have to like the same things:confused:.

[kazu]

On our upcoming cruise, there will only be one sea day, which is the day after we embark....does anyone know if that would be when this brunch is held?

 

good question = I actually heard of this from another roll call member so it COULD happen - it's always been at the end of our cruise - hard to say without seeing your itinerary. but if it's your only sea day - anything is possible:eek:;)

[Tarpeian Rock]

We've been to a couple of these on Eurodam, and didn't see the captain - just the CD. Agree with the prior poster: The gesture is nice, the tile is appreciated, the food may not be something out of the Pinnacle, but the real pleasure is meeting other Mariners, swapping cruise stories, and getting a little recognition for loyalty to HAL. I use one of our tiles as a coaster in my home office, and when I'm there bogged-down with paperwork, I can glance at the tile and think of happier moments.

[luvteaching]

We've been to a couple of these on Eurodam, and didn't see the captain - just the CD. Agree with the prior poster: The gesture is nice, the tile is appreciated, the food may not be something out of the Pinnacle, but the real pleasure is meeting other Mariners, swapping cruise stories, and getting a little recognition for loyalty to HAL. I use one of our tiles as a coaster in my home office, and when I'm there bogged-down with paperwork, I can glance at the tile and think of happier moments.

 

Very well said! I, too, appreciate the gesture and it is all appreciated. Our tiles are where we can see them and they do remind us of special times. Thank you for stating it so nicely.

 

Karen