Just back from the Eurodam

[3rdGenCunarder]

I was on the partial Panama Canal that sailed on Jan 15. It was my first time on this class of ship. I had an aft balcony, and even when we had at tail wind and "following seas," she rode well. We did have strong winds hitting the side of the ship one day, and there was a bit of a shimmy, but nothing strong.

 

My cabin was comfortable, and overall, I'd have to say the ship looks to be in good shape. I know there's a drydock soon. I do hope they deal with the chairs. The desk chair was low to begin with, and it was so saggy, that I couldn't sit comfortably to use the desk. It's like that chair wasn't meant to be a desk chair. Dining room chairs also needed to have the seats rewebbed or reupholstered or something to stop the sag. Drains ran slow in some places--sink in my bathroom, showers in the spa. One of the ceramic loungers was out of order and others needed to have their thermostats checked. One was a frying pan, and another was barely tepid.

 

The biggest issue, and I didn't recognize this until I was home, was the electrical system in my room. My laptop died. It's old, and I've been wondering how long it would last, so when it wouldn't charge or start when it was plugged in, I figured something inside died. Or maybe the charger. I had to do email on my phone, and I was disappointed that I couldn't do a preliminary sorting of my photos on the laptop. I have the charger from a previous laptop (yes, I save things "just in case.") so I tested that when I got home. Laptop is fine. So is the charger I had with meLooking back, I recall that my phone and camera batteries didn't charge as quickly as they do at home. So maybe the voltage was just high enough to push "juice" into them, but not into the laptop. There were two of the round European outlets, but when I plugged the hair dryer into one of them, the plug kept falling out. USB plugs wouldn't stay in the desk outlets, either. The USBs by the bed did work ok. 

 

Navigator and Internet. I liked that I could use the Navigator to check my account and check the times of activities that I wanted to do. I disliked having to use it to show tour tickets. I didn't really want to take my phone to the beach, but I had to because I hadn't taken the time to get a paper ticket printed in advance. I know you can do that, but I'm not sure how. I liked being able to check the Lido lunch menu to see what desserts they had. The best ones (anything chocolate) went quickly, so if there was something really good, I'd grab that right away. I snagged two opera cakes, my favorite dessert, right at 11:30 and put them in my fridge. By the time I had lunch at 1:00, they were all gone. Hey, I'm a chocoholic. Anything is fair game when it comes to chocolate!

 

Internet (surf package) was the fastest I've seen on a ship. Or maybe that was because I was confined to short messages by the inability to write longer emails on my laptop. One of the difficult things was remembering to connect to the internet after the signal went out and came back. At home, if my wifi loses the interent, when it comes back, everything works. But with Navigator, you open Navigator and use your settings to get "Eurodam guest" but you may not be on the internet, even when the wifi icon on your device shows a wifi connection. Sometimes the internet comes back automatically and sometimes you have to do the additional step of hitting "connect" on the Navigator to get to the internet. 

 

Comments on food and entertainment to come...

[3rdGenCunarder]

Okay, suitcases are in the attic, so the trip is officially over.

 

One thing everyone notices is the cost cutting. Stewards have more cabins than ever. Their morning service goes well into the afternoon. I tend to be up early when I travel, so I always left the "please tidy up" sign on the door when I went to breakfast. The room was nearly always done when I got back. I was going to my room one morning when a supervisor was in the hall. He asked me if everything was all right with the room. I took advantage of the opportunity to tell him how good my steward was and to comment that I was aware that they have more cabins than they used to. He sighed and made a scissor gesture with his fingers. Chocolates only on "dressy" nights. Towel animals only on "dressy" nights. No slippers. The pen in my room said "STAPLES" instead of "Holland America." 

 

They're so behind on the tiles because of supply chain issues that they're suspending this program. I imagine that all the people who were promised that a tile would be mailed to them will cost a lot in postage.

 

There are a lot of upsells. The only way to get lobster is by paying extra. Lobster roll in the MDR at lunch was $10 or $20, I forget which it was. Adding lobster tails to a dinner was a charge, so was a whole lobster. Traditional surf and turf could be had any night for a charge. The second dressy night was tenderloin and 2 grilled shrimp. Some fish portions seemed to be on the small side. Meat portions, especially beef, were larger. Overall, I found the MDR food to be good, with enough choices that I could always find something to eat. I never had to resort to the chicken or the rustic lasagna. One of my pet peeves with restaurant food is salt. HAL does not oversalt. I know this because my rings never got tight. Food is rather bland. The Lido salsa and guac were too mild for me. The Texans at my table at dinner said they will remember to bring their own hot sauce next time!

 

Pinnacle dinner was good, as usual. The lamb chops were served with pureed beans, as they were in the MDR. A few other items had odd sides. The waiter said a lot of people order the lamb chops without the beans and get the mashed potatoes as a side. Much better idea. I can confirm that they do charge extra for a second starter and for a second main. I did not have the clothesline bacon, but a table near me did. It's three strips of bacon. I think it was once four? There's a $10 upcharge to add Beecher's mac and cheese to any meal. I do not understand this at all. That same mac and cheese was at the buffet every day at lunch, no extra fee. 

 

Tamarind. OMG, so fantastic!!! A big THANK YOU to all who made menu suggestions for me. I had the tempura shrimp (close call between that and the shrimp and lobster potstickers) and the crispy duck. Asian restaurants know how to cook duck so the skin is crisp but the meat isn't overcooked, and there isn't a lot of fat under the skin. I tried the wasabi cocktail the night I ate there. Went back another night to try the cucumber mojito. I don't know why they call it a mojito when nearly all the ingredients are different, but it was the best drink of the cruise. 

 

The Lido breakfast was good. Because I get up early, I didn't have to fight crowds to get breakfast. It did take multiple stations to put together fruit, egg& bacon, toast. There is NEVER raisin bread by the toaster. So I had to get bread and then take it to the toaster. I knew the ship had strawberries--they were a garnish on lots of desserts. it took until day 5 to discover that they were hidden at the back of the cold case where the juices are, and where people get yogurt and toppings. I didn't find the crepe station until day 7. My Texas friends were thrilled when I announced this discovery at dinner. They hadn't seen it, either. On day 8, I found the makings of an English breakfast at "foreign lands" with the Asian breakfast items. But I had to go to another station to get eggs. Note to self: next time, walk the ENTIRE Lido and look carefully at all the stations!

 

Lunch at the Lido was easier because I generally got a salad and went to the taco station (no more taco bar) to add guac and chips. There was a lot of hot food that I ignored. I eat a good breakfast but a light lunch, so I didn't try any of that. Sandwiches continue to be poor. They will make a sandwich for you, but the choices are very limited, and the sandwiches are skimpy. I didn't try Dive In, but it was busy. I didn't try the pizza, either. They say it's thin crust, but what I saw was too thick for my liking. 

 

 More later...

 

 

 

[REOVA]

They told us your cabin key can be used as excursion ticket. And in one port (DR I think) the guide was upset I didn't have a ticket (luckily I screenshot one on my phone). 

 

Thanks for update. We board her in the Fall and will look for any drydock changes from your list. 

[GeorgeCharlie]

 

When we were on the Oosterdam last month, using the cabin key for excursions worked fine for us.

[Florida_gal_50]

50 minutes ago, REOVA said:

They told us your cabin key can be used as excursion ticket. And in one port (DR I think) the guide was upset I didn't have a ticket (luckily I screenshot one on my phone). 

 

Thanks for update. We board her in the Fall and will look for any drydock changes from your list. 

You can.  I had my ticket on my phone ready to scan and she insisted on using my cruise card 🙄.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I didn't know you could use your cruise card. That's so easy! I wish I'd been told.

 

The cruise department on this ship wasn't on top of things. Or maybe it was the shoreside-ship disconnect. I had booked the snorkel by boat at HMC. Three weeks before the cruise, it was cancelled. That was the thing I was most looking forward to, so I was disappointed. On Embarkation day, there was a sheet of paper welcoming me and thanking me for booking at one of the ports and listing possibilities where I hadn't booked. And there was snorkel by boat! So I stood in line for a half hour only to learn that the tour was, indeed cancelled, and would be cancelled for the remainder of the season. So WHY was it on that paper addressed specifically to me? It wasn't a list of all excursions, just a few that some algorithm thought I might like. 🙄

[REOVA]

19 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

I didn't know you could use your cruise card. That's so easy! I wish I'd been told.

 

The cruise department on this ship wasn't on top of things. Or maybe it was the shoreside-ship disconnect. I had booked the snorkel by boat at HMC. Three weeks before the cruise, it was cancelled. That was the thing I was most looking forward to, so I was disappointed. On Embarkation day, there was a sheet of paper welcoming me and thanking me for booking at one of the ports and listing possibilities where I hadn't booked. And there was snorkel by boat! So I stood in line for a half hour only to learn that the tour was, indeed cancelled, and would be cancelled for the remainder of the season. So WHY was it on that paper addressed specifically to me? It wasn't a list of all excursions, just a few that some algorithm thought I might like. 🙄

Yes. Excursion dept has plenty of issues. We were charged for excursions we didn't book (last fall) and also got survey emails last summer for excursions they cancelled for us because we were quarantined. At HMC I was also scheduled for kayak trip for afternoon but morning tour was late returning (someone dropped their glasses in the water so they all had to paddle around to find them- we were told) so we only had 1/2 hour left and guide said it wasn't enough time. He contacted tour booth and they told us refund would come. Days later no refund and EXC desk didn't know it was cancelled. Had to wait for them to confirm. Things happen, but pretty regularly lately. 

[Cruise Suzy]

I am on the Eurodam now and have no problem with my laptop charging. I don't have a smartphone (nor does DH), but the Navigator works just fine on the laptop as do e-mail and Cruise Critic among others. As has been mentioned, we use our keycards as excursions tickets. This was mentioned frequently onboard but we already knew from previous cruises. We've had towel animals several days - they are left during the morning servicing rather than the evening servicing. Chairs and couch are in fine shape. We always walk past all the Lido stations (after reading the menu on Navigator) before getting our breakfasts and lunches there. I usually have the staff make my noon sandwich and they are more than willing to add as much as I want. But we do sometimes have custom pizza by the Sea View pool. Beecher's mac and cheese is included on the Lido menu - no upcharge - I get it every lunch we have in Lido.

 

But every cruise is different, so I'm not disputing @3rdGenCunarder's experience.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I did use the internet on my phone, but I have no patience for typing long messages or reading websites on a phone, so the way I like to use the internet was definitely affected. I hope the electrical problems were unique to my room. I'm only sorry that I figured out the problem too late to leave a note. 

 

I have to say, HAL was pretty good about things that were reported. One of the spa showers was too hot. The thermostat in the water mixer wouldn't let in any cold water. I reported it at the spa desk, and others probably did, too. A few days later, they had the whole thing pulled apart. And when they were done, it worked properly. 

[Florida_gal_50]

I have a watch that I charge with a usb cord.  It take much longer on the ship than it does at home so I don’t think whatever it is, is the same as home.

[RuthC]

3 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

I did not have the clothesline bacon, but a table near me did. It's three strips of bacon. I think it was once four?

It was. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

Service. This is where HAL always shines. Everyone smiles. Stewards say good morning, good afternoon, how are you, did you have a good time in port (this one usually if someone is rather tired and bedraggled looking). I love that this spills over to the passengers, who usually say good morning or good afternoon in the hallways, chat in the elevators. It makes for a happy ship.

 

My steward was excellent, always asking how I was doing, was I having a good day, did I need anything? After talking to other women traveling along, we agreed that they seem to watch out for solos a bit more. NOT in a creepy way! But I always felt well cared for. On the first dressy night, my towel animal was the dog. His eyes were my chocolates. I wanted the chocolate, but I didn't want to leave the dog without his eyes, so I put my sunglasses on him. The next morning, when I returned from breakfast, the room was dark. The drapes were always closed because of the bright sun, but Darma usually left a light on. So did he think Puppy had a hangover? Later, when I was sitting on the balcony, he looked around the divider and asked how I was. I said that I was just fine, but Puppy was a bit hung over and appreciated the darkened room. When the letter came about the tiles, he asked if I had a Eurodam tile. I said no, but I have Zuiderdam, Veendam, Amsterdam... He said he would find a Eurodam for me. And he did! And yes, that upped his tip. I always tip my steward. I often pick up lunch or a snack in the Lido and take it to my balcony to eat in peace. My poor steward ends up having to harvest my dirty dishes, and I think that's worth a tip. 

 

Entertainment. Sigh, this is where HAL gets low marks. Thank God for Lincoln Center or I would have no evening entertainment. They were excellent, as always, and the early performance was always standing room only. I think people went to LC first, before Billboard or BBK started. The later shows were not full, but still well attended. Afternoon sets were well attended, too. BB King is too loud for me. Billboard is also loud. On top of that, the woman had a screechy voice. The man had a nice voice, but the overall loudness is not for me. Step One are very good, but four times in 10 days? (And I had already seen the first two shows before) Three nature videos, two performances by a steel drum group, and the "origin story" video made up the rest of the mainstage entertainment. 

 

Daytime "enrichment" was mostly spa infomercials, trivia, bingo, games. We did get some good documentaries about the Panama Canal. Somewhere in the literature about Eurodam, it says there is "one of the most extensive libraries at sea." No, not even close. Just that stupid wall of cubes where a few books are stacked. I was glad I had my own reading materials with me. 

 

Miscellaneous things. Tea was Bigelow. Okay for the herbals, I guess, but their black tea is vile. I tried their Darjeeling. It was bitter. Darjeeling is never bitter!!! I swear, they buy the floor sweepings of other tea companies and it's all the same, just in different packets. HAL does have PG Tips, fortunately. Next time, I will remember to take my own Twinings. 

 

Shut up, Stephanie!!!! The ED read the daily program around 9:30, 12:30, and 5:00. This bugs me. There's a printed program, they encourage people to use Navigator. We're adults, we can read. 

 

Chair hogs. Oh yeah, they're back. I had breakfast one morning right when the Lido opened at 6:30, and took my food to the pool area. Before 7 AM, there were 8 claimed loungers and nobody in sight. One pair had those clamps that hold your towel in place, as if to say "Don't you DARE move these towels." Four loungers had hats, books, etc. But the best were the loungers that had monogrammed towels on them. I do hope Chrissy and Geoff had a nice cruise. Their towels appeared to be enjoying their time in the sun. By the time I finished breakfast and another cup of coffee, probably around 8:00, the 8 claimed loungers were still unoccupied. Other people were arriving, claiming chairs and actually sitting in them! 

 

The hydropool was good, and rarely empty. This is the first hydropool I can remember that didn't have a shower in the room. That does encourage people to rinse off before going in. And I like to rinse off after, too. I had to drip my way to the showers in the thermal suite to rinse. HAL should take out the unused spiral staircase and put in a shower. 

 

So that's my review. Overall, it was a good cruise. It was nice to be back on HAL after 3 years. 

[Florida_gal_50]

Thank you for your review.  I enjoyed reading it.

[oakridger]

4 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

The ED read the daily program around 9:30, 12:30, and 5:00. This bugs me. There's a printed program, they encourage people to use Navigator. We're adults, we can read. 

 

I completely agree!  The ED should only make announcements if there is a change to the posted programming.

 

Thank you,

~Nancy

[Benh]

13 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

....Thank God for Lincoln Center or I would have no evening entertainment. They were excellent, as always, and the early performance was always standing room only.... 

 

I'm sad Holland America is apparently going to remove the Lincoln Center theater from the Eurodam during the dry dock this February.  My Mom and I were so looking forward to it for our cruise to Alaska on Eurodam in May. I know they'll still have a couple of performances of classical music on the main stage, but that isn't the same as having classical music every night in a dedicated small theater. Sigh.

[bz]

We board her on Saturday, hope LCS is still performing.  We, too, are sad to read of the changes, it's always been something setting HAL apart.  I remember when Azamara had a harpist on board, what a wonderful thing that was, sad to see it go, too.  just as I make 3 star we'll be moving on unless this cruise changes our mind.  Since the menus look the same as last October, this will probably be our last HAL cruise until things change.

[3rdGenCunarder]

4 minutes ago, bz said:

We board her on Saturday, hope LCS is still performing.  We, too, are sad to read of the changes, it's always been something setting HAL apart.  I remember when Azamara had a harpist on board, what a wonderful thing that was, sad to see it go, too.  just as I make 3 star we'll be moving on unless this cruise changes our mind.  Since the menus look the same as last October, this will probably be our last HAL cruise until things change.

 

I expect they'll be on until the dry dock. They're a good group who truly enjoy playing together. The violinist and cellist are brothers, so there's some fun interaction in the introductions to the various pieces. On the last two days (which were sea days on my cruise), the ED interviewed the various performers. I missed the LC interview but went to a few others. Watch for in the daily program. 

[DRedmond]

We will be on the Eurodam on March 4 on the partial Panama Canal.  Do you know what date the drydock is schduled for?

[3rdGenCunarder]

I think it's mid-February or early March. At "Ask the Captain," he seemed almost excited about it, although he didn't specify what would be done. He did comment that work starts as soon as the last guest leaves, and by the time they actually arrive at the drydock, "you wouldn't recognize the ship." If they're replacing carpets, those are torn up while they're on the way. If not, protective coverings are put on the carpets.  Cosmetic interior work can start before the ship gets to the drydock. 

[Midwest Sunseeker]

It was reported on CC earlier that the Eurodam dry dock is February 18-March 4, 2023.

[PhotoDennis]

Interesting. I was on the Eurodam in May of last year, and my Chromebook died while on board. Maybe there was something weird with the electricity.

Trivia: I was on the Eurodam in 2008, it's inaugural year. I think I was on one if its first Caribbean cruises.

 

[TGCRUISEO]

I will be walking off the Eurodam on 2/18.  Hope they wait to pull the carpet before I get off. 😝

[CruisingGrandmaW]

On 1/30/2023 at 5:52 PM, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Service. This is where HAL always shines. Everyone smiles. Stewards say good morning, good afternoon, how are you, did you have a good time in port (this one usually if someone is rather tired and bedraggled looking). I love that this spills over to the passengers, who usually say good morning or good afternoon in the hallways, chat in the elevators. It makes for a happy ship.

 

My steward was excellent, always asking how I was doing, was I having a good day, did I need anything? After talking to other women traveling along, we agreed that they seem to watch out for solos a bit more. NOT in a creepy way! But I always felt well cared for. On the first dressy night, my towel animal was the dog. His eyes were my chocolates. I wanted the chocolate, but I didn't want to leave the dog without his eyes, so I put my sunglasses on him. The next morning, when I returned from breakfast, the room was dark. The drapes were always closed because of the bright sun, but Darma usually left a light on. So did he think Puppy had a hangover? Later, when I was sitting on the balcony, he looked around the divider and asked how I was. I said that I was just fine, but Puppy was a bit hung over and appreciated the darkened room. When the letter came about the tiles, he asked if I had a Eurodam tile. I said no, but I have Zuiderdam, Veendam, Amsterdam... He said he would find a Eurodam for me. And he did! And yes, that upped his tip. I always tip my steward. I often pick up lunch or a snack in the Lido and take it to my balcony to eat in peace. My poor steward ends up having to harvest my dirty dishes, and I think that's worth a tip. 

 

Entertainment. Sigh, this is where HAL gets low marks. Thank God for Lincoln Center or I would have no evening entertainment. They were excellent, as always, and the early performance was always standing room only. I think people went to LC first, before Billboard or BBK started. The later shows were not full, but still well attended. Afternoon sets were well attended, too. BB King is too loud for me. Billboard is also loud. On top of that, the woman had a screechy voice. The man had a nice voice, but the overall loudness is not for me. Step One are very good, but four times in 10 days? (And I had already seen the first two shows before) Three nature videos, two performances by a steel drum group, and the "origin story" video made up the rest of the mainstage entertainment. 

 

Daytime "enrichment" was mostly spa infomercials, trivia, bingo, games. We did get some good documentaries about the Panama Canal. Somewhere in the literature about Eurodam, it says there is "one of the most extensive libraries at sea." No, not even close. Just that stupid wall of cubes where a few books are stacked. I was glad I had my own reading materials with me. 

 

Miscellaneous things. Tea was Bigelow. Okay for the herbals, I guess, but their black tea is vile. I tried their Darjeeling. It was bitter. Darjeeling is never bitter!!! I swear, they buy the floor sweepings of other tea companies and it's all the same, just in different packets. HAL does have PG Tips, fortunately. Next time, I will remember to take my own Twinings. 

 

Shut up, Stephanie!!!! The ED read the daily program around 9:30, 12:30, and 5:00. This bugs me. There's a printed program, they encourage people to use Navigator. We're adults, we can read. 

 

Chair hogs. Oh yeah, they're back. I had breakfast one morning right when the Lido opened at 6:30, and took my food to the pool area. Before 7 AM, there were 8 claimed loungers and nobody in sight. One pair had those clamps that hold your towel in place, as if to say "Don't you DARE move these towels." Four loungers had hats, books, etc. But the best were the loungers that had monogrammed towels on them. I do hope Chrissy and Geoff had a nice cruise. Their towels appeared to be enjoying their time in the sun. By the time I finished breakfast and another cup of coffee, probably around 8:00, the 8 claimed loungers were still unoccupied. Other people were arriving, claiming chairs and actually sitting in them! 

 

The hydropool was good, and rarely empty. This is the first hydropool I can remember that didn't have a shower in the room. That does encourage people to rinse off before going in. And I like to rinse off after, too. I had to drip my way to the showers in the thermal suite to rinse. HAL should take out the unused spiral staircase and put in a shower. 

 

So that's my review. Overall, it was a good cruise. It was nice to be back on HAL after 3 years. 

Gosh I'm sorry.

From all your posts it seems you had a MISERABLE cruise.

Almost everything was unsatisfactory to you.

That's sad.

Sorry for your disappointment.

[albingirl]

Thanks for your review. I have lost patience with chair hogs. I will personally remove the towels and books and have a seat. I cruise soon and I  paid for a seat, too. 

[DRedmond]

On 1/31/2023 at 9:48 AM, Benh said:

 

I'm sad Holland America is apparently going to remove the Lincoln Center theater from the Eurodam during the dry dock this February.  My Mom and I were so looking forward to it for our cruise to Alaska on Eurodam in May. I know they'll still have a couple of performances of classical music on the main stage, but that isn't the same as having classical music every night in a dedicated small theater. Sigh.

Do you know what will be replacing The Lincoln Center?  We sail on the Eurodam immediately following the dry dock.