Eurodam makes the start with 7-night cruises out of Piraeus, Athens this summer!

[SummmerInKefalonia]

Today it was Eurodam's turn to be registered in the official schedule of Piraeus, Athens port.

7-night cruises from the 23rd of July until the 29th of October 2021.

[VMax1700]

Eurodam is currently anchored off Torbay in UK so it makes sense that she sails in Europe rather than the planned Westerdam, which is at anchor off the West Coast USA.

 

@SummmerInKefaloniaany sign of Volendam being listed?

 

 

[SummmerInKefalonia]

3 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

Eurodam is currently anchored off Torbay in UK so it makes sense that she sails in Europe rather than the planned Westerdam, which is at anchor off the West Coast USA.

 

@SummmerInKefaloniaany sign of Volendam being listed?

 

 

Not yet, there are only its old registries listed. If it updates again I will inform you. I hope Eurodam will offer more destinations than the usual Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos, Crete as these places with all the recent announced itineraries of other companies will certaintly be overcrowded.

Edited April 7, 2021 by SummmerInKefalonia

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, SummmerInKefalonia said:

I hope Eurodam will offer more destinations than the usual Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos, Crete as these places with all the recent announced itineraries of other companies will certaintly be overcrowded.

Where would you suggest?  Where would you hope?  Pax will probably prefer ports were docking in possible, rather than tender rides.  

How would Greece feel about calls being made to Turkey (Kusadasi) or Cyprus?  Politically would that be acceptable?

[terrydtx]

2 hours ago, SummmerInKefalonia said:

Not yet, there are only its old registries listed. If it updates again I will inform you. I hope Eurodam will offer more destinations than the usual Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos, Crete as these places with all the recent announced itineraries of other companies will certaintly be overcrowded.

Any word on the Westerdam in September? We are on the 12 day Athens to Venice leaving September 24th.

 

Thanks 

Edited April 7, 2021 by terrydtx

[VMax1700]

2 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Any work on the Westerdam in September? We are on the 12 day Athens to Venice leaving September 24th.

 

Thanks 

If sailings go ahead they will probably replace Westerdam with Eurodam.  They already have Volendam and Zaandam positioned in the Med.  Rotterdam is scheduled to commence sailing in August and, as reported above, Eurodam is now listed in the official schedule for Piraeus.  That would be more than enough capacity to try to sell at short notice.  Any further ships would probably be home ported in Amsterdam/Rotterdam or Copenhagen to cover Northern Europe cruises.  

Just my opinion!

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

If sailings go ahead they will probably replace Westerdam with Eurodam.  They already have Volendam and Zaandam positioned in the Med.  Rotterdam is scheduled to commence sailing in August and, as reported above, Eurodam is now listed in the official schedule for Piraeus.  That would be more than enough capacity to try to sell at short notice.  Any further ships would probably be home ported in Amsterdam/Rotterdam or Copenhagen to cover Northern Europe cruises.  

Just my opinion!

That is what I was afraid would happen. We have no interest in a cruise on either Volendam or Zaandam. Now we would be interested in the Eurodam for B2B 7 day cruise.

[VMax1700]

3 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

That is what I was afraid would happen. We have no interest in a cruise on either Volendam or Zaandam. Now we would be interested in the Eurodam for B2B 7 day cruise.

Don't rule out Volenam and Zaandam until you see the itineraries.  They will be able to access smaller ports than the other ships.  Also remember the ship is more just a sleeping/eating location for a Med cruise. 

[VMax1700]

31 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

How would Greece feel about calls being made to Turkey (Kusadasi) or Cyprus?  Politically would that be acceptable?

Too late to edit this, but I have just looked at Royal Caribbean and they are home porting in Limassol, Cyprus, and cruising to Greek Islands and Piraeus, so it must be ok

[SummmerInKefalonia]

57 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

Where would you suggest?  Where would you hope?  Pax will probably prefer ports were docking in possible, rather than tender rides.  

How would Greece feel about calls being made to Turkey (Kusadasi) or Cyprus?  Politically would that be acceptable?

There is no issue with Turkey or Cyprus. Turkey is though closed to cruise ships for this year so Kusadasi is out of the picture. Mykonos (only 1 dock), Santorini are both tender ports and the other ports cannot accept more than 4 at the same time. But I don't think tendering or docking would have to be their first priority. Crowding of people in one place would be. Except for the Aegean Sea there is also Ionian Sea to consider (Corfu, Argostoli & Katakolon). Also they can use Israel (Haifa) and Cyprus (Limassol).

[Kwaj girl]

Uh-oh....I have a family of 26 paid-in-full for Alaska  7/3/21 roundtrip from Seattle.  We kinda know it won't sail but HAL required final payment last Sunday!  😡

[terrydtx]

Just now, Kwaj girl said:

Uh-oh....I have a family of 26 paid-in-full for Alaska  7/3/21 roundtrip from Seattle.  We kinda know it won't sail but HAL required final payment last Sunday!  😡

Was this on the Eurodam?  The HAL website does not show any Alaska cruises for this year and shame on them for taking your money last Saturday.

[Kwaj girl]

Just now, terrydtx said:

Was this on the Eurodam?  The HAL website does not show any Alaska cruises for this year and shame on them for taking your money last Saturday.

 

Eurodam for sure!  

[terrydtx]

6 minutes ago, Kwaj girl said:

 

Eurodam for sure!  

HAL canceled the Alaska cruises weeks ago and should not have been asking for any final payments. Did you pay to HAL direct or to a Travel Agent?  When Canada denied any cruise ships from porting in Canadian waters  and with the CDC not allowing cruises to or from US ports until Nov, the Alaska season was toast and this all happened in late February or early March. You should demand a full refund ASAP.

[srpilo]

Lets remember the N. Statendam... It's also scheduled in the Med starting in August, so with the Eurodam, possibly the Volendam & Zaandam positioned in Greece, one can almost be assured that those Statendam sailings are out the window too.

 

Lot's of disruption coming for the booked Westerdam, & Statendam passengers  (including myself) 😝

 

[terrydtx]

1 minute ago, srpilo said:

Lets remember the N. Statendam... It's also scheduled in the Med starting in August, so with the Eurodam, possibly the Volendam & Zaandam positioned in Greece, one can almost be assured that those Statendam sailings are out the window too.

 

Lot's of disruption coming for the booked Westerdam, & Statendam passengers  (including myself) 😝

 

We are in the same situation with our Celebrity Spain and Portugal cruise just before our Westerdam Greek cruise in September It now looks like neither will sail this year. Not happy that nothing is being said by either HAL or Celebrity. Our final payments are due in June and I can assure both lines, nothing will be paid until we have verification the cruises will happen.

[VMax1700]

7 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

HAL canceled the Alaska cruises weeks ago and should not have been asking for any final payments. Did you pay to HAL direct or to a Travel Agent?  When Canada denied any cruise ships from porting in Canadian waters  and with the CDC not allowing cruises to or from US ports until Nov, the Alaska season was toast and this all happened in late February or early March. You should demand a full refund ASAP.

HAL cancelled Alaska cruises out of Vancouver, but as far as I remember they didn't cancel Seattle departures, but suspended sale of them waiting on negotiations with CDC. 

[Mary229]

6 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

HAL cancelled Alaska cruises out of Vancouver, but as far as I remember they didn't cancel Seattle departures, but suspended sale of them waiting on negotiations with CDC. 

they canceled Seattle but only sailings up through June

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/news/2021-press-releases1/news-03162021-SeattleJunePause21.html

 

She might still be able to sail in early July if the ship makes a quick escape from Seattle.  Maybe there will be a change of ship in Seattle

Edited April 7, 2021 by Mary229

[kazu]

30 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Was this on the Eurodam?  The HAL website does not show any Alaska cruises for this year and shame on them for taking your money last Saturday.

 

HAL withdrew the sailings “for sale” but the sailings out of Seattle after June are still scheduled to go - at least, for now.  So, while they are not on the website, they are not cancelled.

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

they canceled Seattle but only sailings up through June

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/news/2021-press-releases1/news-03162021-SeattleJunePause21.html

This is from March 16th and if you look today on the HAL website they do not show any cruises for 2021 to Alaska. Even if they are suspended there is no way ethically they should be taking any final payments. 

[Mary229]

5 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

This is from March 16th and if you look today on the HAL website they do not show any cruises for 2021 to Alaska. Even if they are suspended there is no way ethically they should be taking any final payments. 

I am not disagreeing but that is the last travel advisory/news bulletin they have published.  The facts are all I have to offer.   I have not looked but when you search you need to also look at inactive to see sailings they are no longer taking reservations for but have not cancelled

Edited April 7, 2021 by Mary229

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I am not disagreeing but that is the last travel advisory/news bulletin they have published.  The facts are all I have to offer.   I have not looked but when you search you need to also look at inactive to see sailings they are no longer taking reservations for but have not cancelled

You are correct about this being latest HAL advisory. However with the CDC sill standing firm about no US porting for cruises and the issue about passenger ships not doing RT from US ports without a foreign port stop, I think the Jones Act, the odds of Alaska cruising this summer are slim and none. No cruise line should be demanding final payment with the odds like this. I hate to see any cruises canceled with so many disappointed, we have had our share, but reality is these are the times we are in and nothing is set in stone.

[Mary229]

6 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

You are correct about this being latest HAL advisory. However with the CDC sill standing firm about no US porting for cruises and the issue about passenger ships not doing RT from US ports without a foreign port stop, I think the Jones Act, the odds of Alaska cruising this summer are slim and none. No cruise line should be demanding final payment with the odds like this. I hate to see any cruises canceled with so many disappointed, we have had our share, but reality is these are the times we are in and nothing is set in stone.

Again I am not disagreeing with you and probably I would not have made a final payment, at least not without some well placed phone calls, but probably in the end - not.   I am sure HAL is still hopeful but I don't pay for other people's dreams.  The only disagreement I would have with you is I don't think they are an unscrupulous outfit they are just exhibiting bad judgement/leadership.

Edited April 7, 2021 by Mary229

[Loreto]

24 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

You are correct about this being latest HAL advisory. However with the CDC sill standing firm about no US porting for cruises and the issue about passenger ships not doing RT from US ports without a foreign port stop, I think the Jones Act, the odds of Alaska cruising this summer are slim and none. No cruise line should be demanding final payment with the odds like this. I hate to see any cruises canceled with so many disappointed, we have had our share, but reality is these are the times we are in and nothing is set in stone.

Final payment was due last week on the 2 SS Suites we have booked on the Eurodam July 10 Alaska sailing.  Our CC card was automatically billed, which we expected.  We had rebooked from July 2020 and will probably be rebooking for 2022.

[Kwaj girl]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

HAL canceled the Alaska cruises weeks ago and should not have been asking for any final payments. Did you pay to HAL direct or to a Travel Agent?  When Canada denied any cruise ships from porting in Canadian waters  and with the CDC not allowing cruises to or from US ports until Nov, the Alaska season was toast and this all happened in late February or early March. You should demand a full refund ASAP.

 

Well, as of the latest update from 3/16:  "The pause on Alaska cruises sailing roundtrip from Seattle will impact cruises through June on Eurodam and Oosterdam, with a call at Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Guests currently booked on the canceled roundtrip Seattle-Alaska June departures will be automatically moved to an equivalent cruise in 2022 at the 2021 fare, with all cash and Future Cruise Credit funds moved to the new booking........."