Grand Voyages
Since 1996 the Holland America Line also has distributed tiles, alternating small and large commemorating a specific voyage.
In 1996 the ss Rotterdam (V) sailed in 51 days from Los Angeles around South America to Fort Lauderdale. Together with the tile (6″x 6″) a button with the logo from that cruise was issued.
The ms Nieuw Amsterdam III entered service in 1983 and left the Holland America Line fleet in 2003. A series of 3 tiles have been issued, representing the 3 cruises in the period 1997-1999. The tile from the Grand Oriënt & South Pacific Voyages in 1997 is probably the only 6″x 6″ tile known.
Two tiles have been distributed from the South America Explorer Cruises of the Nieuw Amsterdam in 1998 (4″x 4″).
From the Asia & Pacific Explorer Cruises made by the Nieuw Amsterdam in 1998/1999, six tiles have been issued commemorating the following segments: Vancouver-Osaka, Osaka-Hong Kong, Hong Kong-Singapore, round trip Singapore, round trip Sydney, Hong Kong-Osaka (4″x 4″).
The ms Noordam III entered service in 1984 and has been sold in 2005. From the South America Explorer Cruises made by the Noordam in 1999, three tiles have been issued: one from the outward voyage, one from the South America traject (Rio de Janeiro – Valparaiso v.v.) and one from the return voyage to Tampa (4″x 4″).
From the tiles of the South America Explorer Cruises 2000 (2 pieces of 4″x 4″) it is not evident which ship it concerns. The lady from who I bought these tiles told me that her parents had received them on board the Noordam III.
From the South America Explorer Cruises made by the Ryndam in 2002 three tiles (4″x 4″) have been issued. The third tile has been handed out when Antarctica was visited.
In 2002 for the first time the Rotterdam made cruises in eastern Canada and New England, as off May 10 (round trip New York) seventien cruises of seven to ten days. The series consists of two tiles (4″x 4″) representing this inaugural period.
From the Asia & Pacific Explorer Cruise made by the Volendam in 2002, two (6″x 6″) tiles have been issued representing the two sailing routes of 32 days each. Segment 1 left September 23 from Vancouver and docked via the northern route for the first time in Russian Petropavlovsk, after which the cruise continued via Japan, China, Hong Kong and Cambodia to Singapore. Segment 2 left on October 25 from Singapore and cruising via de southern route (Australia, Tasmania, Bora Bora and the Marquesas islands) to Los Angeles, where the Volendam arrived on November 26.
Tile (8″x 4″) of the 62-day Oriënt Explorer Voyage of the ms Amsterdam in 2005. The Amsterdam left Seattle on October 6 and visited 20 ports in Asia and the South Pacific. The voyage ended on December 7 in San Diego. A gift from Judi and Herbert Heise from Kelowna, B.C., Canada. Thank you!
This tile, hand-painted on both sides, was given on board of the Prinsendam during a Christmas cruise. The origin of this tile has been confirmed by Captain Albert Schoonderbeek.
The 66-day South America & Antarctica Voyage made by the Prinsendam in January 2007, is characterized by an incident in the Drake Passage close to Cape Horn. A 70 foot high rogue wave resulted in 40 wounded and caused great damage to the interior. The series consists of three tiles with a dimension of 6″x 6″.
These two tiles have been issued in 2007 during the Grand Mediterranean & North Africa Voyage of the Prinsendam, a 56-day roundtrip Fort Lauderdale, departing March 12. To Rome via several Caribbean islands, the crossing via Cape Verde, subsequently via Senegal, Gambia, Morocco and Lybia, and back from Rome via Greece, Malta, Spain and the crossing via the Azores (6″x 6″).
Even though it does not seem in the two tiles (6″x 6″), the Asia, Australia & Polynesia Explorer Cruise 2007 is a 64-day cruise on board the Amsterdam, with two segments of 32 days each. After the departure from Seattle on September 21 the north crossing from the Pacific Ocean was choosen via the Russian Petropavlovsk; with the departure from Singapore the southern route to San Diego was followed.
Every year in the summer the Maasdam made the “Voyage of the Vikings”, a 35-day roundtrip Boston-Amsterdam-Boston. Outbound via Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Norway, returning via the United Kingdom. During this cruise in 2007 the Maasdam docked in Rotterdam instead of Amsterdam. The tile has a dimension of 4″x 4″.
This 2009 Southeast Asia Explorer tile (6″x 6″) is a special edition of the Mariner Society. The tile shows the first segment of a 27-day cruise with the Volendam from Hong Kong to Singapore via Da Nang and Phy My in Vietnam, Bangkok and Ko Samui in Thailand and Sihanoukville in Cambodia.
During the 68-day Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage 2012 the Prinsendam visited 12 countries, 34 ports, cruised 8 days across the Amazon and 4 days in Antarctica. 5 maiden calls were made in Panama, Brasil and Chile. The issued oval tiles measure 4,7″x 3,7″.
The second tile has been issued during the Grand Mediterranean & Black Sea Voyage of the Prinsendam in 2012, a 62-day round trip Fort Lauderdale from March 12, with maiden calls in Durrës (Albania), Saint Raphaél (France) and Castellón de la Plana (Spain).
The third tile from the Grand Asia & Australia Voyage of the Amsterdam in 2012 concerns a 75-day cruise from September 21 till December 5.
Left: tile of the Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage of the Prinsendam in 2013, a 68-day round trip Fort Lauderdale, departing on Januari 5.
Right: tile of the connecting Grand Mediterranean Voyage of the Prinsendam in 2013, a 64-day round trip Fort Lauderdale. Outbound via Madeira, through the Mediterranean to Haifa and the return via the Azores.
Left: tile of the Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage of the Prinsendam in 2014, a 68-day round trip Fort Lauderdale, departing on January 5, including 7 days cruising the Amazone and 4 days cruising in Antarctica.
Right: the tile of the connecting Grand Africa & Mediterranean Voyage in 2014 concerns a 57-day cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Rome, departing March 14. In Africa the Prinsendam visited Gambia, Senegal and the Kingdom of Morocco.
Left: tile of the Grand South America & Antarctic Voyage of the Prinsendam in 2015, a 68-day roundtrip Fort Lauderdale, departing on Januari 3. The Prinsendam visits 31 ports in 11 countries, sails 7 days on the Amazone and makes 5 overnight calls.
Right: tile of the connecting Grand Mediterranean Voyage in 2015, a 55-day voyage from Fort Lauderdale to Rome, departing March 12. The Prinsendam visits 32 ports in 12 countries, including 5 ports in Spain.
