HAL Brunch for Mariner Members

[Cape Hernlopen]

We have not been on HAL since before Covid struck.  We recently booked an Alaskan cruise plus three days in Denali.  Previously we enjoyed the Mariner's Brunch during past voyages. Does HAL still offer the Brunch on a seaday and do they still provide the "ship tile" as a souvenir?

Joel Barry

[Cruise Suzy]

@Cape Hernlopen On the 11/18-29 Eurodam there was a Captain's Reception for 3-star and up at 6-6:45 PM (maybe on first dressy night or the night after as we started with 2 sea days) by the Lido Pool. Keycards were to be checked for admittance. We were still eating at that time, so didn't attend.

 

Yes, we received 2 tiles at the end of the cruise.

 

There was a Caribbean Brunch in the MDR on the last sea day - open to all. MDR was open 11-12:30 rather than the usual noon-1.

[pirate cruiser]

I have only been to a Mariner function once in our 3 HAL cruises but we are only 2 star. We have received the tiles on all 3.

[Djptcp]

We are 4* and had a Mariner's luncheon on one of the sea days on the 12-day Rotterdam sailing Oct. 22nd. It was great. Not sure if it was just 4-5* - lots of people so 3* may have been there, too. There was also a cocktail party by the Lido pool one later afternoon and I think it was 3-4-5* Mariners.

[kazu]

The Mariner Brunch had disappeared following covid until a short while ago.

 

Happy to say that there was one on our Rotterdam sailing of Oct. 7th.  even better, the luncheon was MUCH better with a superior menu to what had been offered in the past.  It was very worthwhile.

 

And, yes, HAL is still giving the tiles.  They are on your bed that night.

[FlaMariner]

2 hours ago, Cape Hernlopen said:

Does HAL still offer the Brunch on a seaday and do they still provide the "ship tile" as a souvenir?

 

Experienced both (Mariner's Lunch & got tiles)  in 2023 on two different HAL cruises.....

 

It's lunch, not brunch...and a tasty lunch...w/an awesome dessert...and the tile collection keeps on growing....."he who has the most tiles wins". 

 

[dfish]

We had the lunch on the Zaandam last summer, but no tiles.  They said to save the card and ask for them on our next cruise.  We were on a b2b and on the second cruise they gave us the same card about no tiles that we got on the first one. 

 

Amazing that some ships have tiles and others don't.

 

[Cruise Suzy]

23 minutes ago, dfish said:

We were on a b2b and on the second cruise they gave us the same card about no tiles that we got on the first one

We got the IOU card on our Jan/Feb partial Panama Canal cruise. Redeemed it on our Nov 18-29 cruise for 2 tiles - and also got our 2 tiles for the current cruise. Also redeemed DS/DDIL's IOU.

[CGinMTL]

I was on Zaandam June 2023, got my tile. I guess I was looking 

[dfish]

1 hour ago, Cruise Suzy said:

We got the IOU card on our Jan/Feb partial Panama Canal cruise. Redeemed it on our Nov 18-29 cruise for 2 tiles - and also got our 2 tiles for the current cruise. Also redeemed DS/DDIL's IOU.

We didn't save our IOU cards.  Figured the next cruise wouldn't have any tiles either.

[Seasick Sailor]

We are on Rotterdam. We had our tiles the 1st night. I gave them to a couple from the Netherlands. 

[kazu]

3 hours ago, dfish said:

We had the lunch on the Zaandam last summer, but no tiles.  They said to save the card and ask for them on our next cruise.  We were on a b2b and on the second cruise they gave us the same card about no tiles that we got on the first one. 

 

Amazing that some ships have tiles and others don't.

 

 

I didn’t get my 3 tiles on the Koningsdam either.  But, the Rotterdam had them on our last sailing.

It’s a mystery for sure why they are on some and not others.

 

 

[Bill B]

2-star here - never got a brunch or a tile. ☹️

[Caribbean Chris]

14 hours ago, CGinMTL said:

I was on Zaandam June 2023, got my tile. I guess I was looking 

By September 2023, Zaandam had the IOU card in the stateroom. No special lunch. On embarkation afternoon, there was a glass of champagne reception in Crows Nest - can’t recall whether all or what level Mariners were invited (we are just 3*).

[NCTribeFan]

Got my tile on the Rotterdam TA last April but if there was a Mariner's lunch, I missed it.  There were many, many 4 & 5* sailors on that one and I'm only 3* so maybe there was one and I just wasn't invited.

 

If there were any Mariner lunches since Covid on my sailings, I was unaware (Eurodam 11/2021, NA 12/2021, Zuiderdam Alaska B2B June 2022; the 26 nights on Rotterdam April 2023).  Not sure I got tiles on all of those but I believe I did.

 

I'll be on Eurodam next month.  I'll try to remember to pay attention but there are no guarantees!

[spkack]

21 hours ago, Cruise Suzy said:

@Cape Hernlopen On the 11/18-29 Eurodam there was a Captain's Reception for 3-star and up at 6-6:45 PM (maybe on first dressy night or the night after as we started with 2 sea days) by the Lido Pool. Keycards were to be checked for admittance. We were still eating at that time, so didn't attend.

 

Yes, we received 2 tiles at the end of the cruise.

 

There was a Caribbean Brunch in the MDR on the last sea day - open to all. MDR was open 11-12:30 rather than the usual noon-1.

Similar experience for us on a recent Nieuw Amsterdam cruise.  Tiles were waiting for us in our cabin on the last sea day.  The Caribbean Brunch was quite good!

[Hobcat]

On the Zaandam Aug and Sep 2023 New England Canada b2b, IOU for tiles and no Mariner lunch 😒 

[helby]

Got a 150th anniversary tile a few days ago  on the Koningsdam Nov 25 to December 5th cruise.

[Nickelpenny]

I just received an invitation to the Mariner’s luncheon for tomorrow on the Volendam. I am only 3* so I feel honored😁👍

[dfish]

3 hours ago, Nickelpenny said:

I just received an invitation to the Mariner’s luncheon for tomorrow on the Volendam. I am only 3* so I feel honored😁👍

Technically, you should get invited as a 1*.  As long as you've cruised HAL before.

[Bill B]

17 minutes ago, dfish said:

Technically, you should get invited as a 1*.  As long as you've cruised HAL before.

 

Yes, and the Mariner Society Welcome Onboard Reception as well (for 3-star and above).

[Cape Hernlopen]

Thank you to everyone who responded to my question.

Joel Barry

[cruiseaholic78]

To me it seems as though each ship doe nit have the same offers, we just returned from the Westerdam and had a “Brunch” for everyone, no embarkation lunch in the MDR and tiles.

There was also a Mariners reception.

[CRUZBUDS]

We just got off the Koningsdam, if there was a Mariner lunch, we missed it.  There was a 3-4-5 Star reception on embarkation day.  After four hours in line to board, we didn't see the invitation until the next day. 

Our tiles were left in our cabin