What is Happening With The Tiles

[Seasick Sailor]

47 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

@Seasick Sailor, I love your little champagne wire chair!!!!

 

Anthony was our favorite. 2 girls in Canneletto made us butterfly origami.

 

[Seasick Sailor]

4 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

So many different answers, right now IMHO HAL as a cruise company is a mess and needs to get its act together.

 

I understand you have had less than stellar HAL experiences recently, as I recall you posting on the Daily. 

 

No cruise ship has been perfect for us. We filter in a few not so great food choices we make, an oops or two on missing a port due to weather or Captain's decisions, a band that sounds like dogs and cats howling, or a server having an awkward evening. 

 

Perhaps since we are an inch from 5 stars we received the tiles, maybe luck of the draw. We count our blessings each day and are thankful my sweet husband is still well enough to travel for now. 

 

We would have gladly given our tiles away if we knew how precious they were to those who didn't receive them.

 

I know many of our CC board members have had some issues even on the most highly rated ships. 

 

I hope your next cruise is as close to perfect as possible. Please check in with us and let us know.

 

God bless and wish you a few hole in one's on your next golf outing!

[MISTER 67]

Just now, Seasick Sailor said:

 

I understand you have had less than stellar HAL experiences recently, as I recall you posting on the Daily. 

 

No cruise ship has been perfect for us. We filter in a few not so great food choices we make, an oops or two on missing a port due to weather or Captain's decisions, a band that sounds like dogs and cats howling, or a server having an awkward evening. 

 

Perhaps since we are an inch from 5 stars we received the tiles, maybe luck of the draw. We count our blessings each day and are thankful my sweet husband is still well enough to travel for now. 

 

We would have gladly given our tiles away if we knew how precious they were to those who didn't receive them.

 

I know many of our CC board members have had some issues even on the most highly rated ships. 

 

I hope your next cruise is as close to perfect as possible. Please check in with us and let us know.

 

God bless and wish you a few hole in one's on your next golf outing!

Appreciate the kind thoughts, hope all is well with you. To tell the truth we don't care about the tiles either, hate to say this but we threw a bunch of them away before our last move, it's the other things that are bothering us. We sail on Celebrity Reflection in a few weeks and from I'm reading on the Celebrity boards things aren't great with Celebrity either, same with Princess. The onboard experience is very important to us as we just sail out of Florida for the Caribbean and rarely get off the ship. I guess we are in a new era in cruising and we either are going to have to accept the changes or stop cruising. It's hard as we have been cruising for 43 years and remember the days when the lines couldn't do enough for you.

[seaoma]

My husband and I don't both take home the tiles, even though they have delivered 2 in the past. Also if we are on a ship again and the design of the tile has not changed, we decline the tiles.

 

I am still waiting for a tile from NA, from our Alaska 2021 cruise, but I doubt I will ever see that one. I just would like one to be available the next time we are on the NA.

[Ipeeinthepools]

So do they hand out the tiles to all passengers at the end of the cruise?   Do you get two tiles for a B2B?

[cruisin'teach]

Room steward placed 2 tiles in our room about 1 week before disembarking SA Antarctica cruise on Oosterdam Jan. 2023

[2LoveBikes]

Thank you for the info on Delft Tile history. 

https://tonrijppaert.nl/en/

We are presently on 18 Day Hawaiian cruise  which departed SAN on Jan 31.  Got call yesterday from Guest Services that we will receive our 300 day medallion with ceremony on Feb 16 😉.

[OlsSalt]

Love starting our morning looking at the bedside table tops we made from our HAL tiles - starting with this one we got on our Maasdam 2009. And looking at them as the last thing in the day when we turn the lights out.

[highland cruiser]

On the Koningsdam circle Hawaii Jan 14, there was a Mariner reception in the morning toward the end of the cruise.  Think it was just 5 * , President's club and Medallion recipients as it filled about 1/2 of  BB King's venue.  We got our tiles the next day on our bed.   

The embarkation mariner reception with wine, etc. was at the Rolling Stones and was advertised at 3-4-5 *.  Very well attended. My sister and DH did not receive tiles but got them on a previous Koningsdam cruise.  Offered her ours but they declined.  They are only 1*. 

 

[VermeulT]

We used our tiles in our new kitchen.

I'll keep collecting.  Never know what else will need tilework in the future. 😁

 

(note the smaller KLM tiles that run around the entire kitchen.  HAL tiles are over the cooktop.)

[highscar]

Did not know about the embarkation day mariners reception.    How did you ?

[*Miss G*]

19 minutes ago, highscar said:

Did not know about the embarkation day mariners reception.    How did you ?

 

There should be an invitation in your cabin upon boarding.  (Sometimes the invitation gets forgotten by Guest Services or your attendant.) Sometimes the reception it is for 3* and above; sometimes it is limited to 4* and above.  I’m guessing it depends upon numbers and venue availability for that itinerary.

[Iamthesea]

Knowing that there is a shortage, I went ahead and purchased an older Statendam tile for my shadow box collection.  We will be on the N Statendam in May.  Should we receive tiles, I will use one of the newer tiles instead of the older version.  I am trying to fill up my boxes with just one tile of each ship.  I currently have some duplicates.

 

 

[highland cruiser]

3 hours ago, highscar said:

Did not know about the embarkation day mariners reception.    How did you ?

We get an invitation in our cabin when we board.  Time varies.  2 or 3 pm.  Only drinks served but a good way to possibly see someone  you have sailed with before.  Gives a break from unpacking! LOL.

[highscar]

Sorry I missed that. No invite in my cabin. I’m 4 star.  It usually an opportunity to chat.   

[Iamthesea]

Is lunch still provided in the MDR on embarkation day for Mariners?

Edited February 15, 2023 by Iamthesea

[oakridger]

1 hour ago, Iamthesea said:

Is lunch still provided in the MDR on embarkation day for Mariners?

 

If the MDR is open, it's open for everyone.  I'm told there are some rare exceptions though. (Private functions for Travel Agent groups, etc)

 

Nancy

Edited February 15, 2023 by oakridger

[highland cruiser]

3 hours ago, Iamthesea said:

Is lunch still provided in the MDR on embarkation day for Mariners?

There is a lunch but I agree that it is for everyone.  We usually just get a quick bite at the Lido and then unpack and get my bearings around the ship.  

[3rdGenCunarder]

11 hours ago, oakridger said:

 

If the MDR is open, it's open for everyone.  I'm told there are some rare exceptions though. (Private functions for Travel Agent groups, etc)

 

Nancy

 

If you want to go to the MDR for lunch on embarkation day, don't bother to ask if it's open, just go. If you ask any of the staff who are herding people to the elevators, they will tell you just the Lido. It's like some kind of state secret. It usually opens around noon. It's often the only time on a cruise I have lunch in the MDR. I love the quiet start to the day after the rush of getting to the pier, checking in, etc. 

[Iamthesea]

I thought it used to be just for Mariners.   Our first HAL cruise was with my parents in 2008.  They were Mariners and knew about the MDR being opened for them.  Two other cruises since then, we have been directed to the MDR when told we were Mariners.

 

The last time we were on a HAL ship (2018)  I asked about the MDR being opened.    I was directed to the Lido.  I then said "for Mariners", and I was given a head nod and told how to get there. 🤔

 

I have been reading lately that the dining room was not opened for embarkation.

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 hours ago, Iamthesea said:

I thought it used to be just for Mariners.   Our first HAL cruise was with my parents in 2008.  They were Mariners and knew about the MDR being opened for them.  Two other cruises since then, we have been directed to the MDR when told we were Mariners.

 

The last time we were on a HAL ship (2018)  I asked about the MDR being opened.    I was directed to the Lido.  I then said "for Mariners", and I was given a head nod and told how to get there. 🤔

 

I have been reading lately that the dining room was not opened for embarkation.

 

At one time it was just for Mariners, and the Maitre d' would decide if you had enough stars to be admitted--friends who were 2-star at the time were told they had to be 3-star or higher, even though they had been allowed in on a previous cruise.

 

I think it's been open to everyone for about 10 years, but they don't advertise it.

[0106]

I like to avoid the crowds in the Lido so we always go to the MDR when we board.  It is listed on the Navigator App

[lizinindy]

Got 2 on our Nieuw Amsterdam cruise this week

[PROCRUISE]

No tile received on NS last December. We'll see what happens next week on the Rotterdam!

[raesive]

Got our two 150th anniversary tiles today on NS.