Eurodam vs Oosterdam

[parrothead1954]

We are starting to plan a return trip to Alaska. Our first one was on the Eurodam and we absolutely loved it. Just saw Oosterdam has a slightly different itinerary and a tad more expensive. So my question is has anyone tried both and which did you prefer and why? We just look forward to relaxing and try the different dining options.

[VennDiagram]

What is the difference in itinerary?  That's important when considering a trip to Alaska.

[parrothead1954]

Basically just which glacier area they visit as best as I could tell 

[parrothead1954]

My mistake Eurodam is more expensive... oops!

[Dulciana8]

We’ve sailed on both Eurodam and Oosterdam. Biggest difference is an extra deck up top on Eurodam that contains Tamarind restaurant. And Tamarind is, in my opinion, a wonderful specialty dining experience. And worth it! Both ships are beautiful. Can’t speak to the AK itineraries as I’ve not done this...yet! 

[parrothead1954]

We never did try the Tamarind. The extra deck might explain why Eurodam has a slightly bigger passenger capacity.

[VennDiagram]

Hubbard vs Glacier Bay. Eurodam goes to Glacier Bay, AND has the Tamarind.  If the other port times are the same or similar on both ships, I'd choose Eurodam.  It's a bit bigger than the Oosterdam, but not very noticeably so.

 

Oh, one other thing to check ... do both ships DOCK in Sitka, or does one of them tender.  Cruisett.com may be able to tell you. 

[parrothead1954]

I tend to agree with you. Our Eurodam cruise said it was tendered in Sitka but we were tied up at the dock

[Himself]

Do you want Hubbard' Glacier or Glacier Bay.  Both are worth seeing.

[parrothead1954]

Couldn’t care less more interested in finding out any major differences between the 2 ships which apparently there aren’t any 

[AncientWanderer]

Eurodam is my favorite HAL ship.  Why?  Not sure.  Our balcony was bigger in the SS category, we like the Tamarind, enjoyed the dining room.  Both are great ships, but I'd always choose the Eurodam over Oosterdam.   That's just me, though.

(I guess you can look up the differences between Vista class and Signature class ships.  Eurodam is Signature, and there are probably lots of little upgrades.)

Edited March 28, 2019 by AncientWanderer

[DeeniEncinitas]

Both are great ships! For us hands down Eurodam. 

Denise😊

[Peckishpixie]

I have been on Holland 4 times now all on the Eurodam. I thought I was going to finally be able to find out the difference between the Oosterdam and Eurodam was for my Mexico cruise next year, but I just got an email that they are switching it to the Eurodam. I guess she and I are just destined to be together. 

[Loreto]

We really enjoyed the Eurodam for the Sea of Cortez last November, especially the Tamarind.  Our SS Suite was wonderful and larger than I recall on the Oosterdam.  We have been on the Oosterdam several times and I chose her to take my daughter-inlaw and grand daughter to Alaska in  July.  I chose her itinerary for the Hubbard Glacier, which I consider the Best.  I only wish she had a Tamarind.

 

Karen

[Krazy Kruizers]

No question about it -- we would choose the Eurodam because she has the Tamarind restaurant which we love.

[terrydtx]

1 hour ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

No question about it -- we would choose the Eurodam because she has the Tamarind restaurant which we love.

For the above reason, Eurodam would be my choice and I would book the Tamarind 2 or 3 nights. However both classes of ships, Vista and Signature, are IMO the perfect size ships for seeing Alaska.

[Yankee Couple]

8 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

No question about it -- we would choose the Eurodam because she has the Tamarind restaurant which we love.

Agree totally.

Tamarind is our favorite restaurant on HAL.

(Been on both ships in the last year)

 

[sambamama]

The Tamarind is a distinctive restaurant, but the deciding factor for me would be Glacier Bay.  It was by far the best sight in Alaska on my cruise, and I would never cruise to Alaska without going to Alaska.  As far as ships, I actually prefer the Oosterdam and have sailed many times on her.  However, the Eurodam also has the pizza parlor, which makes amazing thin crust pizzas. The thing I don't like about the Eurodam is that the Tamarind breaks up the one deck, and you have to go around on the one deck because of it.  That being said, it's a minor annoyance and I still sail on her, and am sailing on her in two weeks.

[KroozNut]

17 hours ago, Peckishpixie said:

I have been on Holland 4 times now all on the Eurodam. I thought I was going to finally be able to find out the difference between the Oosterdam and Eurodam was for my Mexico cruise next year, but I just got an email that they are switching it to the Eurodam. I guess she and I are just destined to be together. 

 

Hmmmm, interesting. Which sailing are you on to Mexico next year? We have sailed both Eurodam and Oosterdam to Mexico; and give Eurodam a slight edge because of Tamarind.

 

Currently we're booked on Oosterdam to Mexico from San Diego again in March 2020, and so far the ship has not changed, which is why I'm curious when you're sailing.

Edited March 28, 2019 by KroozNut

[Peckishpixie]

4 hours ago, KroozNut said:

 

Hmmmm, interesting. Which sailing are you on to Mexico next year? We have sailed both Eurodam and Oosterdam to Mexico; and give Eurodam a slight edge because of Tamarind.

 

Currently we're booked on Oosterdam to Mexico from San Diego again in March 2020, and so far the ship has not changed, which is why I'm curious when you're sailing.

I meant to say next fall, November 2nd. When we booked it was Oosterdam but now it is Eurodam. I have never tried the Tamrind because I live in the pacific northwest, which has amazing asian fusion food. Do you think Tamrind is really great?

[KroozNut]

3 hours ago, Peckishpixie said:

I meant to say next fall, November 2nd. When we booked it was Oosterdam but now it is Eurodam. I have never tried the Tamrind because I live in the pacific northwest, which has amazing asian fusion food. Do you think Tamrind is really great?

 

IMHO, Tamarind is VERY good, and I think that you'd get a lot of agreement with me on these boards. My DW is Chinese, and a very good cook... and she raved about it!

[SeagoingMom]

We just got off Oosterdam  (14 night back-to-back E/W Caribbean) after having taken a more or less identical cruise last year on Eurodam.  While on Eurodam I felt it was a little big for my preference, perhaps because the ship was so stable that I could not tell when it was moving! I prefer just a little motion to be able to tell I'm at sea.  Even though we had a lovely cruise, I chose Oosterdam this year for its slightly smaller size.

 

At this juncture I must say that we had great cruises on both ships and would recommend both to anyone!  That being said...

 

While onboard Oosterdam, I began to find myself missing some aspects of Eurodam.  One of those things was the Tamarind Bar, which we loved for the decor and the view. We also missed the atrium staircase!  It does not exist on Oosterdam!  Going between Decks 2 and 3 in that area requires going forward or backward to a stairway or elevator.  So there is no opportunity to take lovely Gala night photos on the beautiful curved stairway such as we did on Eurodam.

 

In general, the fact that Eurodam was slightly bigger than Oosterdam gave us more public space to explore and enjoy, and caused me to feel just a tiny bit cramped on Oosterdam.  Our Signature suite on Oosterdam was good-sized, but not as much bigger than our regular balcony cabin on Eurodam as I had expected.

 

We felt the atmosphere on Eurodam, especially in the MDR, was more relaxed and flexible than on Oosterdam.  On Eurodam we were able to make reservations for a particular table in Anytime dining for the entire cruise, at the hour of our choosing. And no one minded that our preferred table was a 4-top, though there were only two of us. On Oosterdam, we had to wait until the second half of our cruise to reserve a table, and we were given only two time options: 5:15 or 8:00 (even though the table was in Anytime dining); and because there were only two of us, the host would not let us reserve a 4-top, even though we were eating late and demand was low.  On Eurodam, our waiter brought me a cappuccino every evening after dinner just because he knew I liked them, and he never charged me.  On Oosterdam, we were charged for every specialty coffee.  I recognize that "free" cappuccinos is not something I should have expected, and I certainly offered to pay on Eurodam.  But for me this was representative of the more relaxed, less regimented frame of mind on Eurodam. Also on Eurodam, even though we left the dining room quite late -- usually after 9:30, there was always ginger and mints still available at the door, and someone always served me.  On Oosterdam, by 9 or 9:15 the ginger and mints were gone, and even when they were available earlier, pax were serving themselves because there was no staff member to serve them.  I thought this unsanitary and certainly less elegant than having the uniformed doorman serving me ginger in little paper cones he fashioned out of napkins as had been the case on Eurodam. 

 

On Oosterdam we had afternoon tea every day, but it was always served in the dining room.  On Eurodam tea was often served in the Ocean Bar, because dancing would be available at the same time.  There was no Tea Dance at all on Oosterdam.

 

Oosterdam's decor was more beautiful than Eurodam's, in my opinion. The lounges were stunning.

 

Since I found myself feeling just a little nostalgic for Eurodam while on Oosterdam, I realized I had not appreciated Eurodam quite so much as I should have when I was on her!

[Himself]

My two favorite ships are the Eurodam and her sister the Nieuw Amsterdam. That is not to attack the Oosterdam.  I have traveled on this ship and I liked it.  If you have never seen Hubbard's Glacier, it is awesome if you can get close.  Some times the bay is so cogged with ice that the ship can't get close, When the ship can get close the calving is spectacular!

[MTAK]

52 minutes ago, SeagoingMom said:

...

While onboard Oosterdam, I began to find myself missing some aspects of Eurodam.  One of those things was the Tamarind Bar, which we loved for the decor and the view. We also missed the atrium staircase!  It does not exist on Oosterdam!  Going between Decks 2 and 3 in that area requires going forward or backward to a stairway or elevator.  So there is no opportunity to take lovely Gala night photos on the beautiful curved stairway such as we did on Eurodam.

 

 

I hate to break it to you, but the atrium staircase has been removed from the Eurodam, I believe during the April 2018 dry dock.

[grsnovi]

We're doing Alaska again this August on Eurodam. We've been on Oosterdam and Eurodam several times. We love Tamarind but honestly other than that, the ships are very nearly identical. E'dam has an extra deck but it's the same hull as far as I know. We've also been to Hubbard, Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay. Glacier Bay is our favorite of those three itineraries and we're doing that one again this summer. Alaska is beautiful and I don't think you can go wrong on either ship.