Live from the Eurodam 10-10-09

[sldispatcher]

Pre-Cruise Arrival - FLL

Hello fellow CC'ers.
After a great time last year doing a "live from the Ryndam", I've decided to start a similar thread for the Eurodam.

There have been many other people talk about the Eurodam and details...I'm going to try to write this through the eyes of our group. So if anyone is still reading at this point, I'll continue with some details.

We are 7 persons.

Myself and my DW. 40 and 43
Our friends Paul and Angela 40's
My parents: 70
My brother: 48

From: Louisiana

Previous Cruises:
DW and I: Celebrity Infinity 14d alaska; Amsterdam 12 night Carib; Ryndam to Sea of Cortez

Paul/Angela: Carnival/RCCL/HAL (Oosterdam San Diego), Emerald Princess

Parents (see ours + Nowegian from Boston for a meeting)

Brother: Celebrity, Carnival, first time HAL cruiser

We traveled from our respective cities today. We did fine with our Houston Connection, my parents and brother got stuck with sets of delays due to weather, etc. (more on that later)

We arrived into FLL at 1030 am and checked into our hotel, the Hyatt Pier 66. We requested port views and got them. The Coral Princess is the only ship in port today. It is very hot and humid. Reminds me of Maracaibo Venezuela kind of hot...and I know humid being from NW Louisiana.
The hotel is a retro modern design. Cool colors, etc. It is obviously an older hotel, but the rooms are quite large and the Deluxe Tower Kings have a great balcony. The A/C works and there are nice sized bathrooms. The front desk is exceptional and concierge would knock the socks off of anyone at the Ritz Carlton, etc.

We went to the Galleria Mall for lunch. Was about a 10 minute $15 taxi ride one way. We had 4 choices of eateries and settled on the Capital Grille. Fantastic lunch. The ladies shared a crab and lobster burger...Paul had a Ribeye sandwich and I had a great cheeseburger with bacon..ground in the patty...with great truffle fries.

We walked the mall and did some shopping.

All the while, I'm checking my parent's/brother's flights and progress via my Windows phone. They are stuck in their originating airport for 3 hours....they would eventually wait some more time in Houston...but did make it here. I will NEVER fly in on the same day as the cruise departure. That is foolish.

I had been playing a game for a few weeks with my DW and Angela/Paul. I had arranged for a special dinner out on the town for all of us. We ate at Cafe Maxx in Pompano Beach. I would not tell them where we would eat...only drop some cryptic clues.

The flight mess made our plans very fluid throughout the evening, but with the help of the concierge (who gave me his home phone number) and great van driver, Alturo, our party of 7 was put together again and we had a nice night out.

I've arranged for a limo van to pick us up in the morning for the short trip to the pier...it is a bit of a splurge at $55, just to go a few blocks...but that is all part of the fun!~ It IS vacation...and my 40th bday to boot.

I'll be happy to fill in details of any of the above....but for now, I'm going to get to bed and get ready for tomorrow...
7 days is just too short of a cruise!

DC

[Jewel99]

Woohoo!

Can't wait to read more. Thanks so much for doing this.

We'll be on the Eurodam next Saturday and we arrive in FLL on the Thursday night. Can't wait to read all about your trip.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for checking in.

Glad you made it to Ft Lauderdale.

[Rowan813]

Thanks for the updates. I will be looking forwaard to your updates. Have a great cruise!

[sassy~one]

I will be reading daily! Im leaving on the 17th with my DH and my mom.

enjoy, sassy

[sassy~one]

A question if you can....

I would love to know if they still have activitys for DAM DOLLARS?

thanks sassy

[Solo Cruiser]

Thanks for starting a live from thread. For those of who are grounded for a while this is the next best thing to being on the ship. I look forward to the coming posts.

[IRL_Joanie]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That said, I cannot wait to read more!!! Hurry and wake up so you can start living the cruise for us to read more of:D

Also want pictures of everything!!

Joanie

[CasaSmith]

I hope you enjoy your cruise. Just got off this morning from the Eurodam after 14 wonderful days on her. Great Captain, Staff and ship. I hope you enjoy her as much as we did.

Have a great week, already miss her.

[sldispatcher]

Day 1
Our driver arrived at the hotel as scheduled at 11am. The Hyatt Pier 66 staff was superb from top to bottom.
Arriving at the pier is always an exciting and momentous time as you all know. At 1110, the doors had just been opened into the check in area. The warmth was almost unpleasant (dress appropriately if you are getting there early) but we were inside within 10 minutes.
The usual snaking around a few lines…10 minutes and we were at check in. We had been handed #11 boarding cards and told to board when that number was called. They started calling group #1 while we were still in line.
Up the escalator and into the holding area…by this time, they were at group 6. We waited another 15 minutes before our number was called. The line moved quite slowly up the gangway…almost impossibly slow. As you got to the top of the gangway, we then moved slowly another 20 yards until the doorway for entry. The security people were writing down names and numbers and not scanning cards. Not sure what that was about. Total time to get on was about 45 minutes.
Note to future cruisers, every person that greeted you encouraged you to go to the lido buffet. I finally asked someone if the dining room was open and they said “sure”. However, that is only from 12 – 1.
We zipped to the dining room and had a most pleasant and relaxed lunch by the windows in the aft. Bay shrimp cocktail, barley soup, chicken salad, and cookies and cream yogurt for me….other choices abounded as usual.
We toured the ship and looked at the casino, spa, etc. The ship is very much still “new”. In fact, the theater, with all of that leather seating, still smells new.
130 on the dot, the call went out that rooms were ready. We arrived to our door with a note taped requesting a room swap! Turns out we were between two rooms with family members that wanted to be together. I called them and although tired and ready to get settled in, we managed to make the luggage swap…but the front desk said we would have to come back after 430 to make the computer swap.
We exchanged keys for the time being so both parties affected could get settled in.
Our SS room would be more than ample. I really like the size of the balcony rooms on ships like the Amsterdam and Ryndam…I know they are a little smaller on this ship, so the SS is nice, but I’m just happy to be onboard. After spending a week in the Andes of Ecuador last month on a mission trip, we should all be thankful that we can do something like this. I get a little irritated when I see people complain that they saw a spot on the carpet in the corner of the piano bar, etc. It’s all about perspective.
The general mix of people on this ship probably puts the average age closer to 50.
Muster was hot and a necessary evil.
We then moved to my brother’s SB room on deck 5 for the sailaway. I love leaving and coming into ports…the ship always seems most graceful to me when it is tip-toeing into a port as opposed to barreling ahead on the open seas.
We met for a nice respite in the Silk Den….as always courteous service…wonderful drinks.
We then went to the Tamarind for our 7pm reservations. We had a great table setup and the wonderful service began. With only one other table occupied in the entire restaurant, we were treated like kings and queens. Others did eventually start coming in 30 minutes to an hour later.
The whole meal was a highlight. Flavors were well balanced from start to finish. We pigged out on the shrimp crackers and different sauces….some of the highlighted dishes were the sea bass, the satay sampler, the hoison ribs, the spring rolls and the tenderloin. All of the desserts were unique, but the tempura ice cream was the clear front runner.
We piddled (or waddled) after dinner into a very busy casino and not as busy shopping arcade. The shopping arcade is light and airy. I like that. The casino was not as smoke filled, but it was there.
1030pm and we are beat and headed for bed.
The ship cannot be moving. We have not felt a single bobble. We cannot even tell we are moving. We’ve not seen our cabin steward, but he was here while we were at dinner.
We are headed to the galley tour in the morning…dinner in the main dining room.
I love HAL.
David
room 8063

[sldispatcher]

Awoke at 730 am
Very quiet on board. Signed up for my internet minutes.
They had a sign up for internet and recieve 25% off a spa treatment this morning.

Lido was not as busy.

Took 3 phone calls for room service to get breakfast to my parents room (they are in 8069).

We have the same room attendant, Erwin and his helper Madi. They are very gracious and very helpful.

We're going on the galley tour this morning. Wanted to eat lunch at the Pinnacle Grill but they were already booked for lunch! Yikes. I knew I liked the smaller ships for a reason. That shouldn't be a problem the rest of the week, though.

Partly cloudy skies, blue water, calm seas...

Check you later.

David

[sassy~one]

Thank You very much please keep them coming.
I have never had to have a number to board, that must be new.

sassy

[Justy]

Is it worth it to bring my laptop? How are the hot spots? Is there a setup fee? Or should I just use the internet cafe? Thanks for the great info. I'll be on the Eurodam on 10/24. I can't wait?

[LorraineP]

Thank you for taking the time to clue us in on what to expect. Leaving Thursday for FLL then beginning our cruise 10/17. Are there any specials for the spa for the week? We already booked it for $250 a couple but wondering if that was a mistake. Did you sign up for any culinary classes? Thanks once again and enjoy the rest of your trip and wishing you continued smooth sailing and great weather.

[floralscent]

I'm getting that relaxed vacation feeling just by reading your posts and can nearly hear the waves...then I realized that I was at home! :)

Please keep the posts coming. We are boarding the Eurodam in December and it will be our 1st HAL cruise. It's good to hear the ropes 1st hand as you live out your vacation.

[clayb]

Thanks for reporting from the Eurodam. We'll be sailing 10/17 so we appreciate your insight. !!!

[catl331]

Maybe the Pinnacle was booked by a group or people were using a free lunch from a travel agency. We were told by HAL not to book dinner the first night because that is when the free travel agency diners used their freebies. or not!!

[sldispatcher]

Is it worth it to bring my laptop? How are the hot spots? Is there a setup fee? Or should I just use the internet cafe? Thanks for the great info. I'll be on the Eurodam on 10/24. I can't wait?


3.95 setup charge...on the first day at sea they offered 25% off a deluxe spa treatment for signing up for more than 100 minutes...plus 10 free minutes.

The whole ship is basically a hot spot.

(The lido is just a zoo compared to the other HAL ships)

[sldispatcher]

Thank you for taking the time to clue us in on what to expect. Leaving Thursday for FLL then beginning our cruise 10/17. Are there any specials for the spa for the week? We already booked it for $250 a couple but wondering if that was a mistake. Did you sign up for any culinary classes? Thanks once again and enjoy the rest of your trip and wishing you continued smooth sailing and great weather.

Other than what I mentioned above, I haven't seen any spa specials. They WERE VERY busy booking spa services, but my experience has been that port days have the specials.

I think if it something you really want you should book ahead...otherwise, you are taking a chance..PLUS you can always ask for the discount once you are onboard.
There is a 24 hour cancellation policy...50% is charged to your stateroom for the value of the service if you don't cancel ahead of time.

David

[Rowan813]

Thank you again for all of the info. I was wondering who the Captain and Hotel Manager are. If you get a chance to check out the piano bar I would like to know about the quality of the entertainment. The piano bar sounds fun if the piano player is good. I'm counting down the days until our cruise. Thanks!

[LolaWiz]

I am loving every post of this thread... David, when you are disembarking, my family and I will be embarking.

I am also curious about the piano bar and who the player is. Last year (in Dec on the E) he was awesome! We spent every evening there!

[K&RCurt]

Thanks so much for your posts. We will be on the Eurodam in just under two weeks.

Would you mind reporting what time the shows are scheduled for? I have eard several different times and would like to be able to plan or evenings.

[sldispatcher]

Day 2 – Late Report
Lunch in the dining room. Various tasty dishes, but service is more spread out on this ship than the S and R class ships. I can’t tell if there are one too many tables per serving section or if the whole As You Wish program may not work so well on a ship this size. Time will tell.
We rested for the most part this afternoon. We did book my parents on a 24 day British Isles/Norway sailing (actually a back-to-back 12 day sailing combo) on the Westerdam next August. We’ll catch them on the Norway segment. We did away with As You Wish and went back to set dining times for that cruise. Although we had not problems on the R or S class ship, this Signature class doesn’t seem to handle to problems as well. It just takes a little patience and you will be fine. The food tastes the same!
We planned to do Bingo at 4, but the ship staff decided to start selling cards at 4 on the floor of the Main Stage instead of pre-selling as people walked in. After waiting 10 minutes on the steps in a line that was adding on faster to the rear than people were being processed, we decided to call it an afternoon and get ready for dinner.
It’s formal night tonight. After bathing and dressing we met in the Explorer’s lounge for what has become our standard HAL process of a cocktail and string music prior to dinner. My brother had a 2 hour spa appt and was to meet us at 645 for As You Wish seating. I had the Blue Cocoa Mojito (recommended) and others had wine, Coral Lemon Drop, etc.
At 645, the line was already getting 20 deep, so I decided we should get in the queue. After about 10 minutes we were seated just as brother arrived from his seaweed/body float treatment.
Because of a larger number of passengers, the usual open space in the middle of the dining room has a large upper level seating nook and lower level bus station. It is all quite elegant, but it definitely closes up the room quite a bit as compared to the R and S class ships (haven’t been on Vista). It is by no means claustrophobic.
Dinner was a leisurely 2 hour affair. In part, due to the fact that the waiter and assistant waiter simply were serving 4 tables at different points in the dining process. I used to be a big fan of As You Wish….I think now that it is too much work on the staff. How many people are sailing HAL because of AYWD now anyway?
We actually started with a round of cheese plates (off of the dessert menu) then came some great fish cakes and shrimp cocktails, salads, 4 mushroom soup, filets, quail, lamb chops, etc.
After dinner, we retired (again a habit for us) to the Explorer’s lounge for more strings and the traditional Spanish Coffee made here. If you like coffee..and you like it loaded..this is the place to enjoy it! It is a nightly tradition for some in our group.
As others have commented, the ship is a bit more crowded than our Amsterdam and Ryndam experiences. We made our way to the theater. The casino was hopping.
By the way, the casino should have a big red “X” on your itinerary..as in stay away from any slot machines. My rather experienced brother and parents are familiar with quite a few of the machines from Vegas trips. They have been completely turned off by the very low payback rate. May I suggest you upgrade your room with the money that you would have put in those machines? You’ll enjoy it far longer and have a much greater return on your investment. Besides, we are told that a more traditional (and not over rigged) casino is near the San Juan port at the Sheraton. We’ll try our luck there.
HAL should be just a little ashamed at running a casino operation like that.
The culinary arts center is being used much more frequently now. I like that as I thought it was underutilized on the previous 2 sailings.
Nancy is the cruise director and she just got in from covering Alaska sailings.
The show tonight was what I consider up to the usual high standards of HAL. Young dancers and singers (and the singers have great voices) in a stage that is much more theatrical than on the R & S lounges. I’ll not tell everything, but I think you will like it.
At 11pm, the boat is still rocking. I can tell you from the previous 2 sailings, that at 11pm, the place was getting very quiet, so if night life is your thing, these 7 day Caribbean turns may be just for you.
We are having a great time. Snorkel for some tomorrow morning at Grand Turk while the rest go to lunch at Tamarind ….dinner tomorrow night is in the Pinnacle Grill.
For now, have a good evening……and I’m not happy that this is not a 14 day cruise.
BTW, the onboard count is 2,169 passengers.
David

[sldispatcher]

Thanks so much for your posts. We will be on the Eurodam in just under two weeks.

Would you mind reporting what time the shows are scheduled for? I have eard several different times and would like to be able to plan or evenings.

Probably depends on the day, but today was 8 and 10pm.
I know you want to "plan the day", but you might also like to just go with the flow!

[sldispatcher]

I am also curious about the piano bar and who the player is. Last year (in Dec on the E) he was awesome! We spent every evening there!

I have no idea. I'll try and find out.

[mimi@ajangoldens.com]

Thjanks for all your posts!! I feel like we are already there :-) We will be getting on as you get off. We are in our 40's and taking our two teenagers with us. Will they be bored or are there other teens on board?
Thanks!

[Grandma Gilly]

Thank you for your daily log - I love it!
I will be onboard on Nov 28th - it will be my first time on HAL.
Enjoy!!

[K&RCurt]

Probably depends on the day, but today was 8 and 10pm.
I know you want to "plan the day", but you might also like to just go with the flow!


Thank you!

I certainly am not going to "over plan" as if I did DW would mutiny!

At some point fized dinning was at 6 and 8 and teh shows were 7 & 9 so if you had late dinner you would have to go to the early show. It looks like they went back to 8 & 10, which we prefer.

[rjohnson90]

You stated you were in a "SS" but 8063 is a "V". Are you in 8063, and if so, how is the "V" room? I'm in one next week.

[trophy_23]

I just got off the Eurodam in FLL after a 14day reposition in a VC cabin, it was fantastic for 2 people. You will love it! The man on the piano was Greg when we were on board, and he was great, hope that helps.

[sldispatcher]

Thjanks for all your posts!! I feel like we are already there :-) We will be getting on as you get off. We are in our 40's and taking our two teenagers with us. Will they be bored or are there other teens on board?
Thanks!

I would say that they will not be bored on this cruise. This ship is far more mass market appealing than the R and S class ships. they'll be fine.

Just ask them to be mindful if they play ping pong..there is a room right under there, 8032, that hears all of the foot stomping/running. It is a shame the cruise line even sells that.

[sassy~one]

@Trophy..did they have activitys for DAM DOLLARS? Thank you

[sldispatcher]

You stated you were in a "SS" but 8063 is a "V". Are you in 8063, and if so, how is the "V" room? I'm in one next week.

Oops! I'm in 6083 and have been transposing those numbers all week!

[mimi@ajangoldens.com]

Thanks for the heads up about the ping pong. Now you have me worried as we will be in 8031. Can you hear all the stomping there as well? My kids would love to have other teens to hang out with. Are there other teens on board this week?

[trophy_23]

We are a couple in our 20's and there were not many other young people on the reposition, I would assume due to the fact it was 14days and that school i back in. I think for a Caribbean itinerary there will be a better mix, and if not there will still be plenty of things to keep them entertained. As for the Dam Dollar events, I don't think they do those any more. There were many events (Wii bowling, tennis, etc) and also outdoor events on the sports court, ping pong etc. We didn't get around to doing too many events as our itinerary was very port heavy with only 4 sea days in 14. Bottomline you are all going to have a great time... and as a side note be sure to eat at the Canaletto, it was really great!

[velvetred]

Do you know how long Nancy will be the CD on the Eurodam? We sail on the Eurodam on November 21 and I am wondering if she will still be on board then. She was the CD on my Alaska sailing in August on the Ryndam and I thought she did a good job filling in there as it was her first week on the Ryndam after moving over from the Statendam. Thanks.

[sldispatcher]

Day 3 – Grand Turk
I slept till 7. Piddled around and then went to breakfast. The lido is busy, but not overwhelming. It is just not as calm as I would assume most HAL cruisers are used to.
We are in Grand Turk. The water is the aqua color near the shoreline that you want to see. I did not disembark, but some of our other party did go on a snorkel adventure that they enjoyed. It was well managed and handled professionally by the guides.
There were some scattered clouds today and a rain shower or two came up.

There appeared to be a very nice beach right by the port. Many people took advantage of that along with the pool and flowrider area at the port. The island is indeed small. But the turquoise water that surrounds it is easy on the eyes.

Those of us remaining on the ship ate lunch at Tamarind. It was a nice change of pace from the dining room. I would recommend eating here once during your voyage. The hot and sour soup was fresh and tangy, the salad a little on the unusual side, and the dim sum very good. The green tea tiramisu was probably the favorite dessert.

After lunch, we attempted to make Pinnacle Grill LUNCH reservations…it was a no go. Booked for the week. I’m learning quickly not to choose a 7 day cruise again….and, well, see my comments below.

I had the bamboo massage this morning. It was nice. I do not get spa treatments except when on vacation like this. My back stopped hurting and my feet have felt great…so something must have worked.

An afternoon nap was refreshing..then dinner at a very busy Pinnacle Grill. There have been numerous reports on the Pinnacle Grill…..no need to go through that again except to say that the service is just not there compared to other experiences.

Like elsewhere on the ship, we are just noticing that the service levels are not up to the standards of our other two cruises with HAL. I think that the number of people onboard versus the number of crew…and only a 7 day cruise….just makes for trying times. You have to have more patience. Everywhere is packed. The casino, which I expected to be larger, is actually smaller than Ryndam by appearance and is packed every night with cigarette smoke wafting through the air. At 11pm bars are full. I guess this is what HAL was looking for. We are having a very good time, but it is NOT the experience we were used to. For goodness sake, there aren’t even any days of the week rug changes in the elevators. Who is in control in Seattle these days? That may seem inconsequential to some, but for me, it is more evidence of a systemic pattern of thinking that is a little worrisome.

If HAL wanted a mass market ship, they got it. I just hope they don’t forget that there are some of us that enjoyed the more sedate level of cruising no matter what our age. I hope that the Westerdam next year will be more towards the R and S class and not so much like this Signature class.

I will say, that these rooms are structurally SOUND. Although we really haven’t encountered any rough water, there are no shaking, rattling, creaking noises anywhere. There are some door slammers in the hall, but you will always have that.
There was a juggling act tonight. He was entertaining and funny to boot. I would go see him.

San Juan tomorrow.

DJC

[sldispatcher]

Thanks for the heads up about the ping pong. Now you have me worried as we will be in 8031. Can you hear all the stomping there as well? My kids would love to have other teens to hang out with. Are there other teens on board this week?

There are teens onboard.
Don't worry, 8031 is on the opposite side from the ping pong table.

[sldispatcher]

Do you know how long Nancy will be the CD on the Eurodam? We sail on the Eurodam on November 21 and I am wondering if she will still be on board then.

As far as I can tell, it sounds like she will be here for a while.

My limited experience is that the HAL cruise directors are much less visible and are very unobtrusive. I think she fits that role well and seems to be running her staff nicely. She seems to enjoy her job without feeling like she has to be the comedian or carry the burden of everyone's good time on her shoulders.:)

[trophy_23]

I would imagine the CD will be there for a while yet, as CD Linda left the ship in Ft Lauderdale on Oct 10 for vacation.

[510picker]

Thank you for the live report. My wife and I will be boarding Saturday, so I appreciate getting a feel for what the atmosphere could be like. What is the cost of lunch at the Tamarind? People say the Tamarind is one of the "must do" things on the Eurodam.

[sapper1]

Thank you for the live report. My wife and I will be boarding Saturday, so I appreciate getting a feel for what the atmosphere could be like. What is the cost of lunch at the Tamarind? People say the Tamarind is one of the "must do" things on the Eurodam.
There is no charge for lunch in the Tamarind but you must have a reservation so book it as soon as you board. It fills up fast. In the evening there will be a fifteen dollar charge.

[sldispatcher]

San Juan...interesting narration into San Juan this morning regarding the history.

It was in public areas...Crow's Nest was a great spot.

Hot, hot hot

We ate lunch then went out for a shopping tour. Leaving the cruise ship..about 1 block to your left is a small information booth with a trolley guide that will show you one of 3 trolley's to take into old San Juan (free). If you want to do all of the shopping, take the green trolley to stop 24 and come down.

It was hot.....

Upon return at 330pm..and cooling off, we headed to the Crow's nest for a few drinks...fun conversation...then off to our rooms for naps and getting ready for dinner.

Our favorite rendezvous spot is the Explorer's Lounge outside of the dining room on deck 2.

Dinner was okay (avoid the Rockfish).

We've had a good day and are enjoying the cruise.

St. Thomas tomorrow.

David

Dinner in the dining room was fun.

[IrishLassie]

You mentioned the trolley that takes you into Old S.J., doesn't the ship dock right across the street from there?

[FightOnRon]

Very nice. I was on the Eurodam last year during its 3rd cruise. What a marvelous ship. Everything was so sparkling a gorgeous. Hope she is still looking so beatiful.

[greener]

would love some more info about the on board shows and piano bar if you have time to post. thanks.

[byucougs]

You mentioned the trolley that takes you into Old S.J., doesn't the ship dock right across the street from there?

Yes they dock in Old San Juan. Although Old San Juan is very walkable, it can be hot and humid. The hop on hop off trolley service is a very nice option.

Website:
http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/hop-aboard-the-free-trolley-in-old-san-juan/

[IrishLassie]

Yes they dock in Old San Juan. Although Old San Juan is very walkable, it can be hot and humid. The hop on hop off trolley service is a very nice option.

Website:
http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/hop-aboard-the-free-trolley-in-old-san-juan/

Thanks for the info & as far as "hot & humid", we're used to it, we live in Florida and right now it's VERY HOT & HUMID. It's suppose to cool off by the wk. end, thank heavens, we're sick of it & looking forward to it. :D

[floralscent]

Thanks again for your posts sldispatcher...I am really enjoying them! You had mentioned that the Lido is busy, but not overwhelming. Have you had a hard time finding a table? What time do you think it is the busiest? If we just want a leisurely morning and a fairly calm breakfast in the Lido, what is the best time to go?

Thanks so much!!

[Dona March]

sldispatcher-this info is priceless thank you so much DH and I will be doing this cruise in January, I appreciate you taking the time to do this.

[Jen&Rich06]

David..
Is the retreat area for Concierge class only? And are the cabana's that are poolside available only by reserving them? We will be boarding the Eurodam in January and are excited by how modern and up dated the ship looks compared to westerdam and the zuiderdam..thanks for all your information :)
We are currently waitlisted on late seating..not sure about the anytime dining,kinda scares me. I like to get to know my wait staff..eating in the dining room is always one of my favorite parts of the cruise!

[sldispatcher]

To answer some of your questions:

I have always found a table at the lido...

Piano Bar is busy at night....haven't spent any time there....

Entertainment has been enjoyable...pick and choose..different styles
Singers and Dancers always put a lot of energy...The "Dreampark" show has very sophisticated staging.


Now onto the cruise...

Rained a bit in St. Thomas...Princess and Holland are using a "new" port in St. Thomas that has lots of shops right off the ship....taxis are $4 one way into town..and they cram you in like sardines.....pull away..then pull over to collect the $4.
Rain showers all day, but we went over to the Marriott Frenchman's reef to enjoy a quiet beach.

Dinner in the dining room was okay...prime rib was okay. No one is blown away. Parents said the duck was very tasty.

Where oh where has my HAL gone?

Today, is an at sea day. I always enjoy those. Excellent waffles...dining room at lunch. Less than inspiring menu. (which seems to becoming the norm).

Special dinner at Tamarind..unique..don't know if I'd do it again, but quite interesteing and spicy.

Show....nice (see above)
Casino..smokey and crowded...dessert extravaganza..very crowded..and again..with the 7 day turn it just attracts a different crowd....there was even breastfeeding taking place by the pool!

Some observations:

1) crew seems green and not together
2) Cruise Director..get this...got on the mike 3 times today hawking ship programs! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO
3) No days of the week carpets in the elevator.
4) Menus that were so inspiring 18 months ago.....gone.
5) Tamarind may not succeed if they don't get something more "chinese" oriented....Filipino/Indonesian..although sincere, isn't going to cut it in the long run.....It has to be something that people will come back for
6) HAL feels more like Carnival...and if they don't do something quick, they are going to chase off the very base that has put money in their pockets for years.
7) There are odors and hotspots throughout the ship. Nothing you can't look past, but not good in the heat of the Caribbean.

If you are going to go on this ship/HAL for the first time you will enjoy it. However, it is probably a result of the cruise / price that is has had such an "unrefined" feel.

Take me back to the Ryndam or Amsterdam.....

tomorrow is Half Moon Cay....redemption is still possible.

HAL...please quit "dumbing down" the experience. If Eurodam is not going to give the consistent product that your other ships provide, I want no more part of her.

David

[martyap]

We just booked our first HAL on the 2/6 Eurodam, 7 day Eastern Caribbean. Hal was running a sale and we booked a category G oceanview for a grand total of $1432 FOR TWO. That was $300 less than the comparable Carnival Liberty and $450 less than the Emerald Princess. Would cost me more to stay home for the week!!!

Seems like HAL is trying to compete with everyone else and probably cutting many corners.....but the more you read CC, isn't everyone cutting corners?
Canned tuna used to be 7oz and now it's 5oz and I don't think half gallons of ice cream exist any more. I do not think the mass market cruise lines will ever be what they used to be which is unfortunate. My expectations are more realistic.......good weather, calm seas, fun in the sun and everything else I'll take as it comes........I do appreciate your blow by blow synopsis of the Eurodam but I guess I fall into the "different kid of people" category.......Enjoy the last few days of your cruise..............Marty

[texancruzer]

We are booked for our first HAL cruise on Eurodam for Thanksgiving.

After reading the thread...... I guess we fall into the "other kind of folks" too. While we enjoy a nice ship, good food and a pleasant experience - we are not particularly picky. We do not especially cruise FOR THE SHIP, but more the ports and our experiences there.

We were Loyal Royals..... until our last cruise on Celebrity. They just went where we wanted to go. We enjoyed Celebrity alot. That said, it was the first Med cruise for Solstice and there were some snafus..... oh well. We still had the trip of a lifetime !

This cruise was picked pretty much last minute for relaxation purposes and price..... and the fact that RCI does not have any ships out of Galveston this early since it is more convenient for us. DH just wanted to "get away" somewhere.

What I can't wrap my head around is cruisers who find their cruise "ruined" by the small stuff. When you look at the price of a cruise, and the fact that it covers hotel, food, entertainment etc. etc. and break it down - no where else can you find that value. AND throw into the mix that it moves around and you can experience different views from your hotel room each day.

I figure Thanksgiving week will be a little "crazier" than a regular non-holiday cruise (we have cruised this week before) even on HAL which is said to be more subdued (not sure this is a good thing or a bad thing).

So, if the steak is a little overdone....no problem. If the cruise director needs to announce something..... no problem. If there are no date rugs in the elevator....I'll ask someone what day it is. I know I will just be glad to be on a ship somewhere :D

[Dona March]

Very well said Texancruzer and Karen I sailed on HAL to Alaska on a 7 day cruise and it was amazing that is why I booked again with HAL, I overlook all the small stuff and it really is small stuff, a good cruise is what you make of it....

[suse]

And I doubt breast feeding by a pool would be a big negative for me. That's kind of crazy. These days.:)

[boca7]

Don`t criticize the review, its a very honest opinion of a person actually experiencing it & who has a lot of past experience. This review is costing them a lot of money to advise us, & thankfully I will follow it. Unfortunately I didn`t read this earlier as I`m sailing on it tomorrow.

[texancruzer]

Don`t criticize the review, its a very honest opinion of a person actually experiencing it & who has a lot of past experience. This review is costing them a lot of money to advise us, & thankfully I will follow it. Unfortunately I didn`t read this earlier as I`m sailing on it tomorrow.

So you mean you would have cancelled your cruise on the Eurodam from the information you received on this review ?????

As I re-read the posts I honestly could not see anyone "criticizing" the review - only comments on the OPs observations of HAL "dumbing down" an entire cruise based on a few items he found undesirable. What he may find undesirable - others may not have a problem with....... that is what this whole website is about.....opinions. All of them.

[martyap]

DITTO....................but I really do hope my Eurodam has those days of the week carpets in the elevators!!!! Marty

[Dona March]

Boca7-go on yur Cruise with an open mind, you will enjoy yourself as soon as you get on the ship you will glad you are going, we all look at things in differant ways, no one here meant to criticize we are only giving opinions that is what we do here.
have a Great Cruise,

[pipedreams62]

And I doubt breast feeding by a pool would be a big negative for me. That's kind of crazy. These days.:)


Do you remember which pool?:p:p:p

[sldispatcher]

Half Moon Cay:

Strangely, the HAL crew encountered something different (what they said) this morning. After 2 tenders with 250 people each were loaded...we had to sit..and wait.

and wait.


and wait.

Apparently, the Bahamian authorities would not clear the arrival of Eurodam. A few phone calls and waiting (in the shade of the ship)...and 40 minutes...we were allowed to depart for the island.

We had the red cabana (highly recommended).

We had a great time and the ocean/weather were perfect. Lots of goodies brought to the cabana. One difference from last year are allllllllll of the beach chairs that have been added along the cabanas. this makes for many people coming up and staking claim..the cabana is not so private anymore.

In fact, at 300pm, some of the HAL staff decided to use our cabana as a changing room and clothes drying station while we were in the water! Even changing behind a towel to get a dip in the water! What?????

Back to the ship and sailed away.

My wife was very upset about the HAL staff hanging all over our cabana (without our permission). They even took the beach towels we had.

Dinner at Pinnacle we already had scheduled....extremely slow service. 3 hours for the meal. The Pinnacle was completely overwhelmed. they need to add an assitant waiter/bus boy to each wait staff station. We still left a generous tip.....but my goodness. The table next to us was totally upset with the raw meat that showed up.

I suggest a 515 or 530 dining time to get better service.


I realize that there have been those saying that some people should overlook some of those details. I have a similar attitude about many things...but sometimes, those small details are exactly what makes something stand out compared to other businesses.

It's not the details, but the general attitude that concerns me.

Did we enjoy ourselves? SURE!

Would I go on Eurodam again? Maybe.
Would have to be a 10 day or greater itinerary.
I'd have to have more assurances that some of those "details"...have been resolved.

But there are many HAL cruisers who want this info and opinion as it may be the days of the week in the elevator...or only 1 time a day announcements that is the reason they sail HAL. They want to know.

Also, thanks to the person who noted that filing live reports ain't cheap!

[sldispatcher]

No need to rush.

Stay in your room or away from the general area until your color/time is appropriate. Later is better as there is less luggage to go through.

Use the starboard side midship elevators (glass ones)...to go to 3...closest location to the exit (if the ship is docked on the starboard side)

Ask for a porter as soon as you get downstairs..they are waiting for you..and tell him what you want. We wanted a van for our 7...he rushed us (in his own way) through customs...and then straight to a van.

Trip to airport was swift.

Overall, Eurodam did fine. I think anyone would enjoy their time on her.

However, I can't say this enough, long time HAL cruisers with experience on R and S class ships are probably going to go...."oh my goodness - what have you done to my Holland America?"

[sldispatcher]

Do you remember which pool?:p:p:p


Haha...Lido...dessert extravaganza!

[sldispatcher]

Thanks again for your posts sldispatcher...I am really enjoying them! You had mentioned that the Lido is busy, but not overwhelming. Have you had a hard time finding a table? What time do you think it is the busiest? If we just want a leisurely morning and a fairly calm breakfast in the Lido, what is the best time to go?

Thanks so much!!




I would think the best time to have a calm lunch on the Lido would be before 8am and well.....forget it. It was busy enough from 8am on.
I'd avoid 8-930.

Great made to order specials there and we thought the food there was really good.

[sldispatcher]

You stated you were in a "SS" but 8063 is a "V". Are you in 8063, and if so, how is the "V" room? I'm in one next week.

Our friends were in 8032..under the ping pong table.

As has been stated, this is not the R and S class style of V room. It is smaller and tighter. I don't know what they were thinking!

[kim826]

Just got home from the 10/10 cruise. I have been on 3 Royal Carribbean, 6 NCL, 1 Princess, 1 Carnival and 1 Costa cruises. This was my first Holland cruise. I had an absolutely wonderful time. We had anytime dining and had no problems (we showed up at 5:30). Food and service was excellent. We always found a table by the window at the Lido buffet. We didn't find any crowding at all but I have to say that I didn't frequent the casino. The few times I walked by it didn't look like it was half full. Dealers waiting for customers. Never had to wait longer than a minute for an elevator. The only issue we had was the first day - at embarkation we went straight to the front office to reserve a retreat cabana for one day. The computers were down and the girl wouldn't take our name to make a reservation. She told us to call back in 20 minutes. We went to the dining room to eat lunch. Called after 20 minutes. She told us to call in another 20 minutes. Left lunch to call again - one was available but I had to get right down there to make the reservation. Got down there and was told they were sold out for the entire cruise. The first two days we noticed most of all the cabanas (retreat and lido) were not being used. We checked at the lido bar and found we could reserve. We enjoyed the cabana but did not like the lunch menu offered. I asked if we could order from the room service menu but we were told no. We only got off the ship in San Juan as we've seen the other ports numerous times. In San Juan we did the Segway Tour offered privately. That was awesome! The rest of the time we enjoyed having the ship to ourselves on port days. On sea days we never had a problem finding a lounger at the pool. We loved the ship and experienced superior service other than the one front desk issue.

[kim826]

Forgot to mention that we ate at the Pinnacle and had excellent service other than a small wait between one of the courses. Loved the food! Enjoyed the Tamarind for lunch one day as well. Didn't get into the Italian place but only made one attempt for a reservation and nothing was available until too late. Had one breakfast in the dining room, one in the Lido and rest on our balcony. Lunches were usually at the Lido and dinner was in the dining room except for the last night which we ate on our balcony. Our room was 8047. It was a bit noisy when they were setting up for the dessert special and the last night was noisy but other than that it was quiet above us.

[JamesEM]

Thanks for sharing your cruise experience.

[eudell]

hi kim826:

just wondering, what company did your group use for the segway tour? price? highly recommended?

thanks,
e.

Just got home from the 10/10 cruise. I have been on 3 Royal Carribbean, 6 NCL, 1 Princess, 1 Carnival and 1 Costa cruises. This was my first Holland cruise. I had an absolutely wonderful time. We had anytime dining and had no problems (we showed up at 5:30). Food and service was excellent. We always found a table by the window at the Lido buffet. We didn't find any crowding at all but I have to say that I didn't frequent the casino. The few times I walked by it didn't look like it was half full. Dealers waiting for customers. Never had to wait longer than a minute for an elevator. The only issue we had was the first day - at embarkation we went straight to the front office to reserve a retreat cabana for one day. The computers were down and the girl wouldn't take our name to make a reservation. She told us to call back in 20 minutes. We went to the dining room to eat lunch. Called after 20 minutes. She told us to call in another 20 minutes. Left lunch to call again - one was available but I had to get right down there to make the reservation. Got down there and was told they were sold out for the entire cruise. The first two days we noticed most of all the cabanas (retreat and lido) were not being used. We checked at the lido bar and found we could reserve. We enjoyed the cabana but did not like the lunch menu offered. I asked if we could order from the room service menu but we were told no. We only got off the ship in San Juan as we've seen the other ports numerous times. In San Juan we did the Segway Tour offered privately. That was awesome! The rest of the time we enjoyed having the ship to ourselves on port days. On sea days we never had a problem finding a lounger at the pool. We loved the ship and experienced superior service other than the one front desk issue.

[khall]

We were also on the 10/10 cruise. Always found a table at the Lido by the window?? Thats amazing!! We couldn't hardly ever find a table let alone by the windows!:D Overall an excellent cruise, but yes, the service was spotty. Pinnacle took a loooong time for us too, Tamarind was excellent service and food! Beautiful weather!!

And yes, we were in the Eggshell cabana on HMC and were a little dissapointed in all the chairs and clamshells right in front of our cabana steps. The crew did change and get in the water after they quickly rushed to take away all of our plates, glasses, and snacks from our cabana by 1:45!!! Overall great first time experience on Eurodam though with the few little things that are always there...Eurodam is a beautiful ship...

[kim826]

Re the Segway Tour in San Juan. I don't have my paperwork with me right now but I found it by googling "Segway Tour in San Juan". Also first saw it referenced under the ports of call board. We chose the three hour tour for $85. It was easy to learn how to ride, very fun experience and the guide did an exceptional job delivering the history of San Juan.

[kim826]

Re the lido buffet - we probably didn't have any problem with crowds and getting a table by the window for lunch because we ate lunch right at 11:30. We learned early on from other cruises how to pick times to eat to avoid rushes at buffets. If you can do this, it is a much more pleasant experience. On embarkation day we ate lunch in the dining room. I wouldn't even attempt the lido on that day.

[sldispatcher]

Re the lido buffet - we probably didn't have any problem with crowds and getting a table by the window for lunch because we ate lunch right at 11:30. We learned early on from other cruises how to pick times to eat to avoid rushes at buffets. If you can do this, it is a much more pleasant experience. On embarkation day we ate lunch in the dining room. I wouldn't even attempt the lido on that day.

Agree with Kim826 completely.

[Dona March]

I booked a cabana now I have my doubts I booked the Red one I want this day to be perfect it is DH's birthday.....not sure what to do will have to think about this one...

[sldispatcher]

Don't give it up!

It is next to the last. Trust me....keep it!

DO NOT give it up!

Ours was an isolated incident I'm sure. The sad part is that if they had just asked we would have been happy to accomodate them.

[Polar Bear Mom]

I'm just happy to be on a HAL ship, I don't have to cook and clean.

Boarding the Eurodam Oct. 24, know I will have a great time.

[Dona March]

sldispatcher-Thanks I'll keep the cabana and thanks for the info...

[olefin32]

We arrived from Canada on the Eurodam at Ft Lauderdale on Oct 10. We had a wonderful 14 day cruise starting at Quebec City. We made 9 ports. Overall had excellent weather. The fall colors were beautiful. One port I really enjoyed was Corner Brook, Newfoundland. For I was station in Newfoundland for 2 years in the mid 50's while serving in the USAF.

We loved the Eurodam! We had suite 7050, our door was directly across from the door into the Neptune Lounge. Sure was handy for all the snacks and all! In fact we have cruised on HAL 3 different times and had the same suite number on each ship. We love the Neptune Lounge! ;)

The Eurodam was excellent... only ONE complain, internet service was poor in our suite but worked great in the Neptune Lounge. So we would take our laptop over and enjoy hor d'oeuvres and ice tea while taking care of online business.

The food was more than excellent, after 14 days my waist line proves that! Even with doing 3 miles in the gym everyday.
We had a reserved table for two at early dinner. The service was very fast. Almost every night we had completed dinner within an hour! The few times we ate lunch at the Lido we had a table by the window and it wasn't crowded.
Usually had room service for breakfast. Every morning they were 10 minutes early and the food was hot and good.

The crew was excellent, couldn't ask for more. We had a tour of the bridge that we really enjoyed.

HAL is our choice of cruise lines for the crowd makes us feel young. ;)
And we love those Deluxe Verandah Suites, pricey but we feel it's worth the cost to go first class.

We're looking at booking another HAL cruise for March, hope we can get the same room number. ;)

Meanwhile we have a Christmas family cruise planned on Royal Caribbean, Voyager of the Seas. It boards in Galveston, TX and we don't have to fly... that's a real plus!

[Dona March]

olefin32-so glad you had a good time, thanks for the review...I agree HAL is hard to beat.....

[lazydaze2]

We will be on the Eurodam in the spring - in Europe - I am concerned that we will be so pooped out from the ports that I won't get to know and enjoy the ship - so I can't wait to read about it, I will have a heads up - thanks for all your trouble.