First time on an enormodam......

[AV8rix]

…..and my purely subjective thoughts about the experience.

 

All of my previous cruises have been on the R-class and S-class ships (can’t afford the Elegant Explorer). On the Circle Hawaii cruise on Zaandam earlier this year I summitted Diamond Head, but fell and slightly injured my leg on the descent. Therefore I wasn’t able to do all that I had planned on the rest of the cruise, including having to cancel the Pearl Harbor tour. So it was the itinerary that caused me to book the next Circle Hawaii cruise, which happened to be on Eurodam.

 

What I liked – and wished was available on all ship classes:

1) The large-screen wall-mounted interactive TV.

2) Multiple electrical outlets in the stateroom. I had packed my power strip (no, not a surge protector) out of habit, but found that I didn’t need it.

 

3) Refrigerator -- well, actually a cooler -- in staterooms below suite category.

 

4) Nonsmoking casino!!

 

5) Tamarind!!

 

6) Captain John Scott!! More on that later.

 

There was actually only one thing unique to Signature Class that I didn’t like and that was the sheer size of the thing. And that was just strictly personal – because I only use the stairs. Wouldn’t have been an issue if I’d just cave in and use the elevators. On the smaller ships the Explorations Café is conveniently located on the UP deck. You practically have to pass it on your way to anywhere and I’ll usually stop for a chai latte a few times a day. But having to climb up to deck 11 for a midmorning cuppa tea or a smoked-salmon nibble was a bit more than I had bargained for. On a positive note, I purchase a $100 beverage card for each cruise and this time I had $92 refunded thanks to the inconvenient location of the Explorations Café. And while on that subject, I echo the complaints of others about what they’ve done to the Crow’s Nest. But because it was nearly inaccessible (to me) on this ship it didn’t affect me as much as I thought it would. I only had to attend two events in that locale.

 

What I didn’t like (in general, may not be unique to the Signature Sisters):

1) The increasingly overtasked housekeeping and (traditional fixed seating) serving staff. Seems to get harder for them every year. Don’t know if the size of the ship has anything to do with this though seemed worse on this cruise. But they bravely soldier on with smiles on their faces.

 

2) Food quality continues to deteriorate:

I ordered “pork bucco” -- naturally expecting a shank, right? Instead received just a single thin dry slice of white meat (presumably pork).

 

And here’s the unforgiveable! The “baked” potatoes are now cooked in microwave ovens. Either that, or they are baked in real ovens but are unfailingly undercooked every time. So the result is waxy, not mealy. You can’t “mash” the butter, sour cream, etc, into it. You have to cut it with a knife and fork. After two tries in the MDR I tended to forgive it but had the same problem in the PG and that was unforgiveable! This may (or may not) be unique to Eurodam because I haven’t noticed this phenomenon on the other ships. Well, not yet.

 

What I loved:

1) The “Behind the Scenes” tour. Worth every cent of the $150 price tag! I signed up for this because it is only offered on the big ships and I knew that I might never have the chance again. Particularly to my brother and sister engineers: You’ve gotta do this if you get the chance. In fact all of the engineers on this tour decided that we’d actually pay extra (above the $150) if they’d someday host a tour just for engineers. Skip the galley and the entertainers’ dressing rooms and just let us spend more time on the bridge and in the engine control space and the water-systems spaces talking to the deck officers and ships engineers.

 

2) To my brother and sister pilots: You’ve gotta sail with Captain Scott!!! In my 7 years on the HAL ships I’d never before seen an entry in the daily program entitled “Aviation Meetup”. So I went up to the Crow’s Nest at the appointed time and was startled to see an officer wearing the insignia of Ships Master. After we were all seated he said, “I’m Captain John Scott and I’m also an aircraft pilot. So I like to meet all of the other pilots aboard my ships and give you the chance to meet one another”. And we all spent a delightful hour hangar-flying with Captain Scott.

All of the above is subjective. Will welcome comments but won't respond to flames.

[Sea girl 23]

Trying a baked potato on my next cruise..got one almost every time I got steak last time(which was a LOT) and they were good(tho I rarely finish them)

[rkacruiser]

Most surely I am not an engineer, but I 100% agree with your comments about the Behind the Scenes Tour. Each time I have taken this tour on either a Carnival or a HAL ship, I learn something new. More time to speak with the Deck and Engine Room Officers as well as the on-board Event Manager would be appreciated by me.

[ArtsyCraftsy]

Thanks for your review! I'm booked on the Hawaii-Tahiti-Marquesas cruise in March 2019 on the Eurodam and the only thing I've been a little concerned about is the sheer physical size of the ship. I just took my first cruise ever on the Amsterdam in September, and I did OK getting around that ship.

 

I do take the elevators, but just hiking from one end of the ship to the other for various events may be a tad tricky (seriously bad knee which will likely be worse by 2019 plus breathing issues means I move s-l-o-w-l-y). My cabin is about halfway between the aft and midship elevators on Deck 7, so anything close to either of those should be OK. It's only the far forward areas that might be a tad tricky (Crow's Nest, for example).

 

Lots of good info there, so thanks again!

 

Lana in Bellingham, WA

[shrimp56]

I agree with you on the size. While we miss Tamarind on the Vista ships, Vistas seem to be our upper limit. We too are R&S class fans. We did finally scrape the bottom of our piggy bank to take Prinsendam. It's worth every cent of the surcharge. This year we are cuising less, but doing Prinsendam again. She's worth the months spent wishing we were on a dam ship.

[kazu]

I agree with you on the size. While we miss Tamarind on the Vista ships, Vistas seem to be our upper limit. We too are R&S class fans. We did finally scrape the bottom of our piggy bank to take Prinsendam. It's worth every cent of the surcharge. This year we are cuising less, but doing Prinsendam again. She's worth the months spent wishing we were on a dam ship.

 

You have very good taste ( Prinsendam) but we are somewhat like minded ;)

 

We did one Signature and have just been drawn more to the Vista's, R & S and Prinsendam for their itineraries.

 

As much as I love the Tamarind, it's not worth it to book a cruise just for that reason for me.

 

OP, great review and totally understand your concern.

 

By the way, our baked potatoes were just fine on the Rotterdam in April & May, 2017 so I am guessing it is an issue with that ship - at least, I hope so. If I can't melt some butter and mix in some sour cream the baked potato isn't worth the calories ;)

[catl331]

I have sailed with Capt. Scott a few times and enjoyed him as he is a people person. He liked to get together with cruisers and have coffee and chat. I guess he is still doing that. After being in Nassau on the Koningsdam with 4 HUGE ships, I feel all the HAL ships are small.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for taking the time to write your review and giving some comments.

We were on the Eurodam in 2015 -- ate every night in the Pinnacle. DH and I split a baked potato once in a while. They were good then. Sad to hear they no longer are on that ship. We gave up eating in the dining room several years ago -- DH and I were disappointed by how the food had gone downhill. On ships where we can, we alternate between the Tamarind and the Pinnacle Grill -- usually end up eating more in the Tamarind.

[RuthC]

No matter which ship I was on, I haven't gotten a well-cooked baked potato in years. They always seem to be undercooked, even when I stress I want it soft. They are better when I stress that though, than they are when I don't.

But I always need a knife to cut them into chunks. At least I'm getting the skin in me that way! That's the part that's best for us.

[kftw]

Thank you for your review.

[Sea girl 23]

I get the steak a lot as mentioned before and get a baked potato as a side because I did't think I would like the cauliflower they serve as a side.. it's quite good actually!

[erewhon]

Thank you for reviewing your cruise.

[Caribensun]

Agree with your post and Captain Scott is the best Captain I have sailed with in over 40 cruises.

Loved his afternoon trivia he gave us and so personable.

Wish we could sail with him on every voyage!

Sandipalms

[ski ww]

Thanks for your review! I'm booked on the Hawaii-Tahiti-Marquesas cruise in March 2019 on the Eurodam and the only thing I've been a little concerned about is the sheer physical size of the ship. I just took my first cruise ever on the Amsterdam in September, and I did OK getting around that ship.

 

I do take the elevators, but just hiking from one end of the ship to the other for various events may be a tad tricky (seriously bad knee which will likely be worse by 2019 plus breathing issues means I move s-l-o-w-l-y). My cabin is about halfway between the aft and midship elevators on Deck 7, so anything close to either of those should be OK. It's only the far forward areas that might be a tad tricky (Crow's Nest, for example).

 

Lots of good info there, so thanks again!

 

Lana in Bellingham, WA

 

We're also on this 2019 cruise, we'll look for you at the M&G.

Allan

[zounds]

Thanks very much for your input. We sail on her for the 1st time in Dec. steve

[Herfnerd]

Enormodam - that cracked me up!