Eurodamn cruise review east/west carib

[Arwen]

We cruised on the Eurodam 2/2 to 2/16.

 

Our aim for this trip was to relax, soak up sun, and not worry too much about shore excursions. We wanted to explore the ship and enjoy what it had to offer. After 17 cruises, many of which were very port intensive, this was to be just a kick back and relax.

 

Our stateroom was 4158, Upper Promenade.

1. The room was fine and the veranda nicer, as it is 'deeper' than that of say, Princess'.

 

2. The A/C worked great (so important due to health concern where heat/humidity can be a problem

 

3. We were on port side...which for a good portion of our cruise, we were more shaded...actually a plus for us...as our stateroom stayed cooler.

 

4. Lighting. Okay..still do not understand why a very low level nightlight would not be in the bathroom. I brought a light weight battery candle that worked fine for this purpose.

 

5. Lighting near closets...terrible.....the closet nearest the bed...has no light above. Even during the day, I had great trouble finding my stuff. I always had to use a flashlight!

 

6. The Bed: Ohhhhh, the bed...now here I sing HAL's praises. That bed was so comfortable...5 star all the way. I had been suffering from a right hip bursitis and arrived on this cruise sleep deprived.

 

That bed was so therapeutic...and I more than made up for lack of sleep. And, my hip problem went away. Here is where HAL excels...I just know that of the three cruise lines we have been on, they are the best in beds!

 

DINING:

1. We never ate dinners in the MDR. However, we did have several breakfasts there. Breakfast in the MDR was a highlight for me. The service, the ability to order my gluten free toast (with butter and jam, yum) and the most interesting people to dine with! Really, I did feel pampered here.

 

2. LIDO...this is where we ate the majority of our meals. Breakfast was okay, but here is where I tell HAL how I really feel :mad:

 

Lunch time is a ZOO! OMG, traffic congestion, difficulty finding a table, difficulty finding flatware far too many times. Up and down, up and down...to get a beverage (wait in loooong line), then go put that down on table...then wait in loooong line for entree.......you get the picture.

 

However, what is so bad is that there could be traffic control but there isn't. You have people entering the area and those exiting...all the while dodging people with hot coffee or tea...and trying not to knock over someone using a cane!

 

Someone in Seattle needs to take this issue on...it isn't amusing at all. Lunch was often very stressful. And what made it more annoying is there seemed to be few Lido staff there. The stewards were maxed out attempting to clear and clean tables.

 

However, to my irritation, there were always one or two wine stewards cruising about trying to sell wine.

 

Okay...why would anyone want to relax with a glass of wine for a meal that requires you to pop up and down like a Jack-in-the-Box more than four or five times?

 

Perhaps, the Lido should allow trays for lunch time. It could help to cut down on the Jack-In-The Box problem and reduce congestion.

 

Breakfast in the Lido was only slightly better. The better was due to 'Nila' who is the assistant dining room person. She could see my husband needed help and was right there to assist him. She also offered to bring us our beverages...the only person who ever did. And after just a few days she even remembered the type of herb tea I liked (not that I expected her to).

 

She was outstanding.

 

Pinnacle Grill: We ate here one night, and would have liked to have booked another, but no reservations left.

 

Service: Polite and efficient, but just as slow as the MDR.

Food: Ordered Grilled Halibut and Scampi, sauteed mushrooms, and rice. I eat gluten free. The Halibut was overdone, but did not send it back, because the meal was already taking so long. It tasted fine, but it was dry.

 

The Scampi were superb! Very fresh and sweet tasting. Mushrooms a winner, too...butter and wine...yes!!!

 

Dessert: A Fail. I ordered a triple creme brulee, chocolate, vanilla..and another flavor (forget). The creme brulee was exactly what is served in the MDR which means it tasted like pudding.

 

I have had great brulees here in Seattle. Brulee should be creamy, buttery, vanilla-ish (if that is a word!). This tasted like instant pudding mix with a glazed sugar topping. Very disappointed. For $30 per person and they offer fake brulee?

 

Tamarind Restaurant: Had two dinners here. Love, love the Tamarind. The service is perfect, the staff very nice...and the food good. Strangely, the Tamarind was close to empty the two nights we ate there...both on sea days.

 

Tamarind by far and away is the best restaurant on HAL. The other thing: They really do understand gluten free.

 

Canaletto: One dinner here. Hubby liked it, and I thought 'meh'. I did check in the day before with them, to let them know about needing gluten free pasta.

 

Next night...I order my meal...and wait and wait...the assistant manager comes up and profusely apologizes saying that they had the 'wrong' pasta and would get some from the MDR.

 

Not a big deal...really...and the pasta tasted great...al dente! However, the sauce tasted no better than Ragu or the other cheap bottled spaghetti sauce.

And no Parmesan!!! I should have asked, but really, a marinara sauce usually invites one to use Parmesan.

 

This meal also took a long time...and the food was just so so...not worth the $10.00 per person IMHO.

 

Explorations Cafe: Loved their iced Mochas!

 

The Gym: Nice gym with lots of equipment but a very small free weight area. Plenty of treadmills. They even have a Bosu Ball.

In the morning, there were stretch classes (free), yoga $12, spinning $12. I used their aerobics floor for dance practice and cardio, but I had to squeeze it in between 12:30 and 2:30.

 

HAL, like Princess, uses this area for seminars..selling shoe inserts/orthotics, or how to flatten your belly, have better skin, better this that and the other thing. Hard for me to get used to because it has always rankled me that a perfectly good aerobics floor is not used for its intended purpose, exercise/cardio instead of sales pitches. Okay, I understand this is how the cruise lines makes money...just wish they would take their seminars off of the aerobics floor and into one of the other many available areas on the ship.

 

The one or two staff I encountered in the gym had the personalities of fish,actually goldfish have more personality. I have been on enough cruises to know that friendly gym staff do exist. This cruise was not one of them. One day...when I decided not to go ashore for an excursion, I headed up to the gym. There were no sanitizing wipes available, empty containers. I asked the 'attendant'...and he looked inside the empty containers and then just shrugged and disappeared.

 

Walked over to the spa area and told the young lady about the problem and she handed me a few wipes from their supply and said she would call to report the problem. I was in the gym for a 90 minute workout and no one came to bring new canisters of sanitizing wipes.

 

Entertainment: Hit on the high points. Really liked a group called 'Recycled Percussion', but Hubby disliked them because the sound was ear splitting loud. But the guys had tons of energy and talent and their drumming was awesome (I am 63, but have the heart of a 20 something!)

 

This act was something you would expect to see on a Carnival Cruise...so it was quite a surprise!

 

Favorite musical stage show: 'Stage Door'...excellent performance, amazing hi tech effects and absolutely entertaining. One of the three lead singers, Britney...sang 'Skyfall'. Her rendition was better than Adele's..yes you read it here....she was better than Adele!!!!! Would like to see this young lady giving a performance of her own on stage...she was that good!

 

DWTS: We did attend the first weeks DWTS final show..and thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

I am an amateur, but long practiced dancer, and loved every minute of it. Only quibble is that two of the couples finalists performed a latin dance routine, while one other couple did the 'jive'.

 

Difficult to be fair judging a contest with two entirely different styles of dance. Oh well, it wasn't a serious dance contest anyways...but for fun.

 

I participated the second week of the cruise for the 'dance lesson with the HAL pros'. It was a real hoot as I attempted to learn the jive and with a partner...an older woman who 'grabbed me' and said 'I will be the male and you can be the female'. So the two of us ladies had a ball!

 

I was selected to come up on stage and then pair off with one of the HAL dancers....'Ray'...Oh gosh, Ray has the patience of a saint, but I was in seventh heaven because dance is my passion, and just to have the opportunity to be with a real pro.....and no I did not get selected to go on to the finals...which would have meant performing on the Big Stage.

 

Star Gazing: Hubby has an app on his I-phone that maps out the star constellations and we had several nights of star gazing.....found Jupiter and Mars!!! Great entertainment, romantic, and so easy!!!

 

On Shore: Half Moon Cay: for our B2B we had two stops here, but only got off the ship the first time around. We had ordered a clam shell and it was all set up and ready to go. The barbecue lunch was just okay...nothing special. In fact, just walking around the area was lots of fun...seeing the roosters and chickens and a few other birds. Weather was terrific.

 

By the way, that day there was a helicopter flying overhead that kept circling the island and the ship...over and over again...for the full three hours we were there and continued to do so even after we had returned to the ship. Hubby thinks the helicopter was taking pro video and photos for future promotion as the helicopter had a mounted camera.

 

My thinking is that could it have been some sort of security measure by HAL?

 

By the way...this cruise was the first time we had sailed HAL in several years. In the past, beach towels were always handed out just as you exit the ship. Now, you receive beach towels for your room (we had to request them). These are big beach towels, blue and white...very nice. When done, you leave them in the bathroom and the room steward replaces them.

 

Favorite Stop: St. Thomas/St. John. St. Thomas is beautiful and we signed up through HAL for a boat ride from St. Thomas to St. John. Once there, taxis were waiting...the taxis being several 'cars' connected to the 'cab'. The choo choo had a canopy and open sides.

 

Our guide was nice enough, but the sound system/speaker was almost impossible to understand due to distortion and our guide's heavy accent. Still the views were spectacular and we made stops to see view of the most beautiful beaches, including Trunk Bay.

 

Warning: this ride was very bumpy and lots of curves and jouncing. It didn't bother us too much.

 

Along the way, we spotted two wild donkeys. They are all over the island, and our guide stopped. The donkey (white/grey) approached and the guide said that they are very used to people. This one put his ears back and nibbled on a treat that one of our fellow pax offered...a banana.

 

St. Thomas/St. John would be nice places for a land vacation in the future. Truly beautiful!

 

And...as for alcoholic drinks. I rarely drink, but when I do, it is usually a Margarita. Over the years, I have learned that mixed drinks on cruise ships generally have little alcohol in them. Because I am a light weight, I never go beyond one drink...but with cruise drinks, well one drink seems to do 'nothing'.

 

However, on the second to the last night, we were in the Ocean Bar and I ordered a Margarita. And it was a REAL Margarita...maybe the bartender took a 'fancy' to me:p or maybe he was new...but that was one darned powerful drink!!! Thank you Mr. Bartender!!!

 

Overall we had a wonderful time. I am not fond of B2B's but we booked this because other favored cruises were full.

 

Immigration: Yes, it was awful once we came back to Ft. Lauderdale! We had to get off the ship or if not getting off the ship, then wait in a lounge to then see immigration officials.

 

We booked the HAL Sawgrass Airboat ride and tour. However, from the time we met in the Main Stage area to the time we boarded the bus...was 90 minutes...and a lot of it was standing time.

 

I spoke with other pax the next day and those that stayed on the ship encountered a two hour wait time.

 

Apparently, there were only two immigration officials on duty to deal with disembarking pax AND those who were to remain on the ship for the second week. All those pax, and only TWO officials.

 

People were fumed...I just said 'whatever'...its vacation and stuff happens.

 

HAL front desk must have gotten an earful because the next day we received a letter of apology, the promise to find a solution to the problem, and the blame on the fact that immigration failed to have enough staff on hand to process so many pax.

 

Okay, I am done....getting ready to plan another cruise..this time we will likely try Celebrity as they do offer longer Caribbean cruises and we have a $300 payment we made with them a few years ago for a future cruise.

[cruz chic]

I hear you on the lido. I just got off a Princess cruise and didn't eat in the lido once. That's what I call a good cruise.

[RetesGirl3]

Thanks for the review! Sailing her in three weeks! Can't wait! However, I am perplexed that you didn't dine in MDR! :confused: We always love it, although sometimes it does take soooooo long! Do you remember how much the excursion was to St John? Thanks and welcome back!

Jane

[gelo7]

Excellent review.

[kazu]

Thanks for the review. Very interesting.

 

I only like the Lido on a couple of ships and otherwise try to avoid as much as possible. I don't enjoy the Lido on the Signature ships at all - but that's me.

 

I am a bit perplexed though - you said that the Pinnacle was as slow as the MDR - but you didn't eat in the MDR in the evening? Not sure what I missed ?

 

It sounds like you had some high spots and some low ones. I hope the high spots outweighed the low ones and you still had a good time.

 

Hoping your next cruise is a good one :)

Edited March 3, 2014 by kazu

[HALrunner]

Great review, thanks for taking the time to write it! I read every word with great interest as we will be on the Eurodam later this month. Now, just a few questions. :)

 

Tell me more about the gym staff- Do the same "goldfish" also teach the yoga/pilates classes? I, too, am annoyed with the gym/class space/cardio floor/marketing area set up.

 

What is the name of the stargazing app?

 

Thanks!

 

p.s. The lido zoo is truly disappointing:( Next time be sure to check out the MDR for lunch!

Edited March 3, 2014 by HALrunner
typo

[sail7seas]

Thanks for sharing your comments with us.

I always enjoy reading the reviews and appreciate all the effort.

We particularly like Eurodam though we didn't expect to. :)

I so agree with you about Tamarind. It's outstanding and it puzzles me why both Tamarind and Silk Den are so under used on both ships that have them.

 

Welcome Back.

 

 

[Arwen]

Thanks for the review! Sailing her in three weeks! Can't wait! However, I am perplexed that you didn't dine in MDR! :confused: We always love it, although sometimes it does take soooooo long! Do you remember how much the excursion was to St John? Thanks and welcome back!

Jane

 

Hi Jane!

 

Do not remember how much it cost, but it was reasonable, well at least to us...I think well under $100 per person.

 

The boat ride takes about 20 minutes over, but was very enjoyable despite the fact that the usual winds kicked up and made for a bumpy ride.

 

We don't mind the MDR...but hubby likes to attend late afternoon events on ship...or we get back late from a shorex and want to eat a late dinner and don't want to dress up....it really has more to do with our wanting more flexibility as we get older:D Often we end up eating a late lunch and it is just easier to grab a quick dinner before the evening show.

 

The Lido is really just fine for dinner...not really a problem at all...but lunch...well I already told everyone about that hehehe.

[Arwen]

Great review, thanks for taking the time to write it! I read every word with great interest as we will be on the Eurodam later this month. Now, just a few questions. :)

 

Tell me more about the gym staff- Do the same "goldfish" also teach the yoga/pilates classes? I, too, am annoyed with the gym/class space/cardio floor/marketing area set up.

 

What is the name of the stargazing app?

 

Thanks!

 

p.s. The lido zoo is truly disappointing:( Next time be sure to check out the MDR for lunch!

 

I cannot speak for the Pilates or Yoga instruction. Likely that would be fine as the trainer is engaged with you or the group.

 

I understand that it is pretty boring for them to just sit at a desk in the gym without much to do (and when I go there are no classes or training sessions).

 

However, I do remember on our HAL Med cruise that the trainer/gym attendant was really nice. Not chatty, but smiling, warm, and a kind comment here and there. Truly refreshing!

 

It doesn't take much effort to smile as a pax comes in or to say hello...or can I help you?

 

But then after 'she' chatted for about 15 minutes with a few spa staff in gym, 'she' decides to cut in front of me (I am in front of the bar, close to the mirror, stretching, moving) to take time to straighten up the mats and the blocks there by the bar. Ummmm....she should do that right before the seminar or immediately after, and definitely before you take that break to chat with your buddies.

 

Not a biggy, but she was rude.

 

Hubby says the app on his I-phone is called 'Star Guide'.

 

Love the MDR for breakfast and have done lunch there too, long time ago. However, lunch hours are so limited...and with my odd schedule to use the aerobics floor (12:30...and on) or to catch another activity on shore, it just doesn't fit in easily with our 'lazy' schedule :D

[Arwen]

Thanks for the review. Very interesting.

 

I only like the Lido on a couple of ships and otherwise try to avoid as much as possible. I don't enjoy the Lido on the Signature ships at all - but that's me.

 

I am a bit perplexed though - you said that the Pinnacle was as slow as the MDR - but you didn't eat in the MDR in the evening? Not sure what I missed ?

 

It sounds like you had some high spots and some low ones. I hope the high spots outweighed the low ones and you still had a good time.

 

Hoping your next cruise is a good one :)

 

We have taken 17 cruises, the majority with HAL. We used to always book the fixed dining...and then later moved on to Dine as you Wish (or whatever it is called?).

 

In the beginning, the long dinner time was well worth it...great company, excellent food and we were just finding our cruising feet :D

 

We like a more flexible schedule these days.

 

The Pinnacle was super busy when we dined that evening, and it did take over two hours to complete dinner. Not a big deal, but it wasn't much quicker than the MDR. At least not the night we dined.

 

One good thing about Pinnacle..is we did not get the rush to leave..which we often experienced with MDR early fixed dining. Often, our table group would be finishing up dessert and we would hear the 'music' telling us it was time for us to leave.

[c-cruise]

Thanks, I enjoyed reading your review. We got on the Eurdam on 2/16 as you were disembarking. I guess I am in the minority, but I really like HAL's lido setup. It was certainly busy at times, but didn't seem overly crazy compared to other ships we have been on.

 

So mad we missed Recycled Percussion. Our dining room stewards were extra slow that evening so the timing didn't work out. Heard lots of comments around the ship on how good it was.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for taking the time to write your wonderful review.

HAL has had problems with immigration no matter whether you are on a one week cruise, back-to-backs, or whatever in Ft Lauderdale for the last couple of years.

There are 5 officials on duty for the self disembarking passengers. Once they are done -- cut backs start and no matter what ship we have been on -- only 2 officials are on duty for immigration.

We also love the Tamarind.

[Typhoon1]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

We do just the opposite, rarely do we make it to the Lido. I'm on vacation, I want to be served. Bad enough I serve myself at home..

[cruisetrail]

Awesome cruise.

Thanks for the report.

[erewhon]

Great review.

Thank you.

[Thebes]

Thanks for the rev. We were on the second week of your cruise. We didn't have a single meal in the lido. Not a fan of crowds. We mainly had in room dining or in cabana dining which was great. Welcome back.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[existentialtraveler]

We cruised on the Eurodam 2/2 to 2/16.

 

Our aim for this trip was to relax, soak up sun, and not worry too much about shore excursions. We wanted to explore the ship and enjoy what it had to offer. After 17 cruises, many of which were very port intensive, this was to be just a kick back and relax.

 

Our stateroom was 4158, Upper Promenade.

1. The room was fine and the veranda nicer, as it is 'deeper' than that of say, Princess'.

 

2. The A/C worked great (so important due to health concern where heat/humidity can be a problem

 

3. We were on port side...which for a good portion of our cruise, we were more shaded...actually a plus for us...as our stateroom stayed cooler.

 

4. Lighting. Okay..still do not understand why a very low level nightlight would not be in the bathroom. I brought a light weight battery candle that worked fine for this purpose.

 

5. Lighting near closets...terrible.....the closet nearest the bed...has no light above. Even during the day, I had great trouble finding my stuff. I always had to use a flashlight!

 

6. The Bed: Ohhhhh, the bed...now here I sing HAL's praises. That bed was so comfortable...5 star all the way. I had been suffering from a right hip bursitis and arrived on this cruise sleep deprived.

 

That bed was so therapeutic...and I more than made up for lack of sleep. And, my hip problem went away. Here is where HAL excels...I just know that of the three cruise lines we have been on, they are the best in beds!

 

DINING:

1. We never ate dinners in the MDR. However, we did have several breakfasts there. Breakfast in the MDR was a highlight for me. The service, the ability to order my gluten free toast (with butter and jam, yum) and the most interesting people to dine with! Really, I did feel pampered here.

 

2. LIDO...this is where we ate the majority of our meals. Breakfast was okay, but here is where I tell HAL how I really feel :mad:

 

Lunch time is a ZOO! OMG, traffic congestion, difficulty finding a table, difficulty finding flatware far too many times. Up and down, up and down...to get a beverage (wait in loooong line), then go put that down on table...then wait in loooong line for entree.......you get the picture.

 

However, what is so bad is that there could be traffic control but there isn't. You have people entering the area and those exiting...all the while dodging people with hot coffee or tea...and trying not to knock over someone using a cane!

 

Someone in Seattle needs to take this issue on...it isn't amusing at all. Lunch was often very stressful. And what made it more annoying is there seemed to be few Lido staff there. The stewards were maxed out attempting to clear and clean tables.

 

However, to my irritation, there were always one or two wine stewards cruising about trying to sell wine.

 

Okay...why would anyone want to relax with a glass of wine for a meal that requires you to pop up and down like a Jack-in-the-Box more than four or five times?

 

Perhaps, the Lido should allow trays for lunch time. It could help to cut down on the Jack-In-The Box problem and reduce congestion.

 

Breakfast in the Lido was only slightly better. The better was due to 'Nila' who is the assistant dining room person. She could see my husband needed help and was right there to assist him. She also offered to bring us our beverages...the only person who ever did. And after just a few days she even remembered the type of herb tea I liked (not that I expected her to).

 

She was outstanding.

 

Pinnacle Grill: We ate here one night, and would have liked to have booked another, but no reservations left.

 

Service: Polite and efficient, but just as slow as the MDR.

Food: Ordered Grilled Halibut and Scampi, sauteed mushrooms, and rice. I eat gluten free. The Halibut was overdone, but did not send it back, because the meal was already taking so long. It tasted fine, but it was dry.

 

The Scampi were superb! Very fresh and sweet tasting. Mushrooms a winner, too...butter and wine...yes!!!

 

Dessert: A Fail. I ordered a triple creme brulee, chocolate, vanilla..and another flavor (forget). The creme brulee was exactly what is served in the MDR which means it tasted like pudding.

 

I have had great brulees here in Seattle. Brulee should be creamy, buttery, vanilla-ish (if that is a word!). This tasted like instant pudding mix with a glazed sugar topping. Very disappointed. For $30 per person and they offer fake brulee?

 

Tamarind Restaurant: Had two dinners here. Love, love the Tamarind. The service is perfect, the staff very nice...and the food good. Strangely, the Tamarind was close to empty the two nights we ate there...both on sea days.

 

Tamarind by far and away is the best restaurant on HAL. The other thing: They really do understand gluten free.

 

Canaletto: One dinner here. Hubby liked it, and I thought 'meh'. I did check in the day before with them, to let them know about needing gluten free pasta.

 

Next night...I order my meal...and wait and wait...the assistant manager comes up and profusely apologizes saying that they had the 'wrong' pasta and would get some from the MDR.

 

Not a big deal...really...and the pasta tasted great...al dente! However, the sauce tasted no better than Ragu or the other cheap bottled spaghetti sauce.

And no Parmesan!!! I should have asked, but really, a marinara sauce usually invites one to use Parmesan.

 

This meal also took a long time...and the food was just so so...not worth the $10.00 per person IMHO.

 

Explorations Cafe: Loved their iced Mochas!

 

The Gym: Nice gym with lots of equipment but a very small free weight area. Plenty of treadmills. They even have a Bosu Ball.

In the morning, there were stretch classes (free), yoga $12, spinning $12. I used their aerobics floor for dance practice and cardio, but I had to squeeze it in between 12:30 and 2:30.

 

HAL, like Princess, uses this area for seminars..selling shoe inserts/orthotics, or how to flatten your belly, have better skin, better this that and the other thing. Hard for me to get used to because it has always rankled me that a perfectly good aerobics floor is not used for its intended purpose, exercise/cardio instead of sales pitches. Okay, I understand this is how the cruise lines makes money...just wish they would take their seminars off of the aerobics floor and into one of the other many available areas on the ship.

 

The one or two staff I encountered in the gym had the personalities of fish,actually goldfish have more personality. I have been on enough cruises to know that friendly gym staff do exist. This cruise was not one of them. One day...when I decided not to go ashore for an excursion, I headed up to the gym. There were no sanitizing wipes available, empty containers. I asked the 'attendant'...and he looked inside the empty containers and then just shrugged and disappeared.

 

Walked over to the spa area and told the young lady about the problem and she handed me a few wipes from their supply and said she would call to report the problem. I was in the gym for a 90 minute workout and no one came to bring new canisters of sanitizing wipes.

 

Entertainment: Hit on the high points. Really liked a group called 'Recycled Percussion', but Hubby disliked them because the sound was ear splitting loud. But the guys had tons of energy and talent and their drumming was awesome (I am 63, but have the heart of a 20 something!)

 

This act was something you would expect to see on a Carnival Cruise...so it was quite a surprise!

 

Favorite musical stage show: 'Stage Door'...excellent performance, amazing hi tech effects and absolutely entertaining. One of the three lead singers, Britney...sang 'Skyfall'. Her rendition was better than Adele's..yes you read it here....she was better than Adele!!!!! Would like to see this young lady giving a performance of her own on stage...she was that good!

 

DWTS: We did attend the first weeks DWTS final show..and thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

I am an amateur, but long practiced dancer, and loved every minute of it. Only quibble is that two of the couples finalists performed a latin dance routine, while one other couple did the 'jive'.

 

Difficult to be fair judging a contest with two entirely different styles of dance. Oh well, it wasn't a serious dance contest anyways...but for fun.

 

I participated the second week of the cruise for the 'dance lesson with the HAL pros'. It was a real hoot as I attempted to learn the jive and with a partner...an older woman who 'grabbed me' and said 'I will be the male and you can be the female'. So the two of us ladies had a ball!

 

I was selected to come up on stage and then pair off with one of the HAL dancers....'Ray'...Oh gosh, Ray has the patience of a saint, but I was in seventh heaven because dance is my passion, and just to have the opportunity to be with a real pro.....and no I did not get selected to go on to the finals...which would have meant performing on the Big Stage.

 

Star Gazing: Hubby has an app on his I-phone that maps out the star constellations and we had several nights of star gazing.....found Jupiter and Mars!!! Great entertainment, romantic, and so easy!!!

 

On Shore: Half Moon Cay: for our B2B we had two stops here, but only got off the ship the first time around. We had ordered a clam shell and it was all set up and ready to go. The barbecue lunch was just okay...nothing special. In fact, just walking around the area was lots of fun...seeing the roosters and chickens and a few other birds. Weather was terrific.

 

By the way, that day there was a helicopter flying overhead that kept circling the island and the ship...over and over again...for the full three hours we were there and continued to do so even after we had returned to the ship. Hubby thinks the helicopter was taking pro video and photos for future promotion as the helicopter had a mounted camera.

 

My thinking is that could it have been some sort of security measure by HAL?

 

By the way...this cruise was the first time we had sailed HAL in several years. In the past, beach towels were always handed out just as you exit the ship. Now, you receive beach towels for your room (we had to request them). These are big beach towels, blue and white...very nice. When done, you leave them in the bathroom and the room steward replaces them.

 

Favorite Stop: St. Thomas/St. John. St. Thomas is beautiful and we signed up through HAL for a boat ride from St. Thomas to St. John. Once there, taxis were waiting...the taxis being several 'cars' connected to the 'cab'. The choo choo had a canopy and open sides.

 

Our guide was nice enough, but the sound system/speaker was almost impossible to understand due to distortion and our guide's heavy accent. Still the views were spectacular and we made stops to see view of the most beautiful beaches, including Trunk Bay.

 

Warning: this ride was very bumpy and lots of curves and jouncing. It didn't bother us too much.

 

Along the way, we spotted two wild donkeys. They are all over the island, and our guide stopped. The donkey (white/grey) approached and the guide said that they are very used to people. This one put his ears back and nibbled on a treat that one of our fellow pax offered...a banana.

 

St. Thomas/St. John would be nice places for a land vacation in the future. Truly beautiful!

 

And...as for alcoholic drinks. I rarely drink, but when I do, it is usually a Margarita. Over the years, I have learned that mixed drinks on cruise ships generally have little alcohol in them. Because I am a light weight, I never go beyond one drink...but with cruise drinks, well one drink seems to do 'nothing'.

 

However, on the second to the last night, we were in the Ocean Bar and I ordered a Margarita. And it was a REAL Margarita...maybe the bartender took a 'fancy' to me:p or maybe he was new...but that was one darned powerful drink!!! Thank you Mr. Bartender!!!

 

Overall we had a wonderful time. I am not fond of B2B's but we booked this because other favored cruises were full.

 

Immigration: Yes, it was awful once we came back to Ft. Lauderdale! We had to get off the ship or if not getting off the ship, then wait in a lounge to then see immigration officials.

 

We booked the HAL Sawgrass Airboat ride and tour. However, from the time we met in the Main Stage area to the time we boarded the bus...was 90 minutes...and a lot of it was standing time.

 

I spoke with other pax the next day and those that stayed on the ship encountered a two hour wait time.

 

Apparently, there were only two immigration officials on duty to deal with disembarking pax AND those who were to remain on the ship for the second week. All those pax, and only TWO officials.

 

People were fumed...I just said 'whatever'...its vacation and stuff happens.

 

HAL front desk must have gotten an earful because the next day we received a letter of apology, the promise to find a solution to the problem, and the blame on the fact that immigration failed to have enough staff on hand to process so many pax.

 

Okay, I am done....getting ready to plan another cruise..this time we will likely try Celebrity as they do offer longer Caribbean cruises and we have a $300 payment we made with them a few years ago for a future cruise.

We were on the Feb 2-Feb 9 cruise with you. I pretty much agree with everything you said, especially about the standing in lines in the Lido. Occasionally, it was so bad, we did not even like walking THROUGH the Lido to get to the aft pool. The MDR was pretty good most nights, but the Tamarind was AWESOME!! I mean really incredible. We ate there three times, once for lunch and twice for dinner. The staff there was also great. When they found out I love to cook Asian food, they supplied me with their recipes for every dish we had.

 

Getting off the ship on Feb. 9 was the worst disembarkation ever. We waited in the rope line for almost 90 minutes to get through customs. You were correct: ONLY TWO CUSTOMS OFFICIALS.

All in all, it was a good vacation though. If you are interested, here is our youtube video of our trip:

[portofrome]

Thanks for the review.

[c-cruise]

Disembarking on 2/23 there were three customs officials. Took about 15-20 minutes to get through the line, but that's mostly because we choose the slow line. People were getting through the other two lines much faster.

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for taking the time to write and post a review of your recent Eurodam cruise.

[doublebzz]

Thank you for taking the time to write your wonderful review.

HAL has had problems with immigration no matter whether you are on a one week cruise, back-to-backs, or whatever in Ft Lauderdale for the last couple of years.

There are 5 officials on duty for the self disembarking passengers. Once they are done -- cut backs start and no matter what ship we have been on -- only 2 officials are on duty for immigration.

We also love the Tamarind.

 

Not just a HAL problem. Our driver upon debarkation told us all the cruise lines were affected. Probably due to a cutback in Homeland Security's budget and, of course, the "workerbees" are always first on the chopping block when there is a budget cut.

[MrsMuir]

Thanks for an interesting review with the specifics, which are so valuable to the rest of us. One thing puzzles me, though. The title spells the ship "Eurodamn," so I expected a negative review instead of a balanced one as yours was.