What Do You Want to Know About Eurodam -- Cruise Critic Onboard June 27th

[josephone]

Thanks for your kind offer. Can you find out where we will dock in St. Petersburg on the July 15 cruise, please.

Also would you please ask how long it will take to get to passport control to take private tours in St. Petersburg.

Many, many thanks

Josephone

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, Barbara and Rita. Thanks for these great questions. What other features are really important to your mom that I can look out for? I've got some ideas based on traveling with my own mother a few years back and there were some challenges. We had a cabin with a tub (hadn't requested a disabled-accessible cabin) and she couldn't take a shower cause the ledge was too high; I'd take her to the spa's showers each day. Also unexpected steps would throw her.

 

So if there's anything else I should check out, please let me know (my mom's too feeble to cruise now). Thanks.

 

CSB

 

 

I'm booked on Eurodam for Feb. 2009 with my Mom. She cannot get out of pools that only have vertical ladders due to limited arm strength. Do any pools on Eurodam have a stairway with handrail as opposed to the vertical ladders that hang on the inside wall of the pool? If only a pool in the Spa has such stairs, do you have to pay some fee to use it?

 

Anything else you notice regarding handicap accessibility (e.g., tables near windows in dining room that don't require a step up to reach) would also be of interest.

 

Thanks a bunch!

[editor@cruisecritic]

Thanks, Brian, I'd love to meet you all! Will you tell me who to look out for (and what's a good time at the Ocean Bar)? When do you board?

 

Best,

 

Carolyn

 

There is quite a number of us sailing aboard Eurodam for the Prelude, Inaugural and first Baltic cruises - So keep an eye out for our thread...

 

 

Carolyn -

 

Looking forward to finally meeting you on board! Several of us in our group assemble in Ocean Bar before late dinner every evening - Please join us for a cocktail!

:)

[editor@cruisecritic]

I will be there! We'll be covering it on Cruise Critic (among other of the numerous events ongoing), would love to meet you (have read as many threads as possible -- y'all sound so excited, as am I).

 

Best,

 

Carolyn

 

 

Yes, indeed, it will be good to meat you onboard. Or, will you be at the Inaugural Ceremony too? If so, we'll see you there.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, Josephone. I've been to St. Petersburg by ship a number of times and everyone docks (save for river vessels) at the same place: the industrial port facility. It's a good -- oh, 30 minutes from the heart of the city. This is one of the most challenging ports for do-it-yourselfers; typically some kind of tour, whether through your ship or through an outfit like Red October (have done both) is the best bet. I did go into the city one day on my own (rented a taxi, arranged for driver to come pick me up) and it wasn't the most successful day ever. Everything's spread out, the language is so difficult to understand and I frankly felt vaguely fearful on Nevsky Prospekt (St. Pete's Fifth Avenue). I had arranged for my own visa before I left for the trip via the Russian consulate. That was a few years ago and maybe things have changed but unless you're fairly fluent in Russian, I'd suggest a tour of some kind.

 

The best experience I ever had was when I arranged a private car, driver and tour guide via Red October -- got to travel without the masses and pick what I wanted to see (among the sites was a trip to a supermarket!). You can also of course rent a car and driver through your cruise line. In both cases, the visa you need to get around is provided.

 

My last trip, which was on Celebrity Century, I took the ship's tour to Moscow! That was fascinating, long day but worth every second.

 

How much time via getting through passport control just depends. I'd say 15 - 30 minutes....

 

Anybody else been recently?

 

CSB

 

 

Thanks for your kind offer. Can you find out where we will dock in St. Petersburg on the July 15 cruise, please.

Also would you please ask how long it will take to get to passport control to take private tours in St. Petersburg.

Many, many thanks

Josephone

[jenny wren]

My partner and I have just returned home from a lovely lunch on board the Eurodam ...and a quick tour of the ship which is fantastic!

 

Tasteful decor throughout, a very good theatre, lots of windows, glass lifts going up outside at each side, sumptuous cabins which are very spacious (although only looked at outside large and above...not standard or inside)...theatre was two tier as was the main dining room.

 

Very, very nice ship is our first impression!!!

[mafig]

Question re. Tamarind

 

I know that dinner is $15/pp.

 

Are there any extra charges for any entrees above the $15.?

[fitz2]

We've only cruised on Carnival where ther is complimentary 24 hour pizza,icecream and drinks. Do they have this on the Eurodam?

[Rocky123]

I'm booked on the first cruise out of New York (Eurodam). It took about 2 months to get a room. Very sold out. They have 2 or 3 rooms left as of today 6/27/08. Unfortunately they are high end rooms. It leaves August 2008 for a 3 night cruise to nowhere!!!!

Looking forward to it. I wanted an inside only and booked it.

[hammybee]

I'm also interested in the Teens activities. Since they are the most difficult age group to please and I'm cruising the Caribbean with my 2 teenager daughters on President's Week 09. I hope they will not be as bored as they were when we did the Westerdam in Alaska 2 years ago.

 

Leticia

 

Not to steal any of Laura's thunder......teen enjoyment of any cruise is usually determined by who they meet onboard, as opposed to what's available to do. I will be surprised if there are many teens on the inaugual cruise. I think there will be plenty enough teens onboard during President's week. Hope for the best.

[Seaworthy1118]

Is it kid friendly?

 

How well do they handle lines/crowd control/wait times?

 

Most importantly - Enjoy yourself and have a great time! :)

[calm_seas]

Laura.... Somewhere in the HAL literature, I think I read that the Pinnacle Grill on the Eurodam will be "formal attire" every evening.... not just on dress code formal evenings. Please check this out for us. Thanks. Martha

[hulamoon]

I had not heard the Pinnacle may be all formal, we do want to know about that!

 

What is the real scoop on the spa suites, and if they get upgraded on guarantees, does that mean they are no longer in a spa suites?

 

What is a silk den? View from there? Free? Will people be parked there the whole cruise?

 

Appraisal of those VT's.

 

Are VD balconies bigger than VA's?

 

How is the service in AYW no set time?

 

Thank you!

Sharie

[jtl513]

What is the cost for Tamarind lunch and dinner? Can we prebook?

We'd also like to know if there's any way we can pre-book the Tamarind.

According to eurodamnews.com, it will be free for lunch and $15 for dinner, at least until the end of this year. So far, it appears the only way to book it is on-board.

 

1st question is about the Screening Room on deck 3. Could you tell me if it is similar to the Wajang (movie) Theaters that use to be on the older S & R class ships?

If it is like the one just installed on the Zuiderdam it is not at all like the Wajangs. The Z's is just 30 seats (six rows: 4,6,6,6,5,3 front to back) but they look very wide and comfortable in the picture that OnTheWASide posted. The Eurodam deck plan seems to show 6 rows of 6 seats each.

[moethetoe]

On the upper promenade deck, how unobstructed is the unobstructed rooms vs the partially obstructed rooms?

Thanks and enjoy yourself.

[hulamoon]

The Zuiderdam movie therater is very nice but not many people can be seated there. Great roomy seats and popcorn. I gather they are the same?

[Susie51]

What type of tiles will Mariners receive on Eurodam? Is there a special inaugural edition of the Eurodam? I'm sorry if this has been asked and answered already.

[HEYJUDE1]

Do the lifeboats on deck 4 block the view from 5th floor veranda staterooms?

[InTheWASide]

On the upper promenade deck, how unobstructed is the unobstructed rooms vs the partially obstructed rooms?

Thanks and enjoy yourself.

 

On Westerdam I had GG 4095 and could look through floor to ceiling windows, THROUGH the windows of the tender and outside just great. Lots of natural light, I knew what the weather was doing, I could see land or other ships... Just not a great photo op.

 

I would imagine Eurodam is the same, so just make sure you're lined up with the tenders (bigger windows), primarily aft of the mid elevators, and I think you'll like what you get :)

[InTheWASide]

Do the lifeboats on deck 4 block the view from 5th floor veranda staterooms?

 

Assuming it's enough like the other Vista Class...

 

If you look STRAIGHT DOWN, yes... somewhat...

 

But I pay to look out and around... not up and down, so it didn't bother me in the slightest :)

[Fessler]

Do the lifeboats on deck 4 block the view from 5th floor veranda staterooms?

View from 5th floor verandahs isn't blocked at all. I'm in one Eurodam right now -- well, earlier today and later tonight; at an internet cafe right now =) -- and my view is just fine. As far as I can tell none of the verandahs have blocked views.

 

Today the view is of a pretty ugly bit of the Southampton industrial port, but I'll take some pictures of the view when we sail away.

 

I've uploaded a few of my early Eurodam pictures here. I promise to add more in the next few days, but need to rush back to the ship shortly.

 

CSB, I'm really looking forward to your perspective on the ship!

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, I'm onboard Eurodam and it's a beautifully sunny day in Southampton so it's a very good day. Over the next day or so I'll be posting mostly impressions and then will hunker down and get answers to your questions. Keep them coming!

 

First impression: While there are some new bells and whistles, if you like Holland America you'll be quite comfortable onboard. So much is nicely familiar (at least to Vista class travelers -- which means you sailed on Westerdam, Oosterdam, Noordam and Zuiderdam). There's the Ocean Bar, Explorers Lounge, main dining room and main theater -- all feel the same. The Culinary Arts Center is in the Queens Lounge -- same, Northern Lights disco, same. Cabins, despite the hype and despite some different color schemes, don't feel any different than before. The Pinnacle Grill is in its usual spot (though I'll be honest, I like it best on Statendam class ships!).

 

The Casino is the same exact size as it is on Vista class (hasn't been expanded because of the ship's size) and the Piano Bar is of course adjacent.

 

What is different is the Tamarind Restaurant (there's a function and couldn't peek in) and the adjoining bar which is really cool and exotic (felt like I was back in Bangkok for a minute).

 

And then there was a bizarre lapse of memory....

 

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

[editor@cruisecritic]

So a helpful fellow passenger gave me some good advice, first thing. Said, re public rooms, "remember: it's 2 & 3 and 9 & 10". Fine. I'm on 3, looking everywhere around (and on my deck plan) for Explorations by NY Times. It's not on there. I'm on deck 2. Nope, no library. Lots of bars, but no library? I'm totally perplexed until I remembered what I'd forgotten: that one of the splashiest new bells 'n whistles onboard this ship, an evolution on the Vista Class concept, is its top-of-ship library/coffee bar/Internet cafe -- all occupying the port side of the Crow's Nest.

 

It's nice from what I've seen so far though book selection seems skimpier than before (but the stacks are spread around so that may have something to do with the perception). It's more open than on the other ships (no smaller rooms) but the stacks sort of chop it up a bit. Comfy chairs and couches, crossword puzzle tables, and such.

 

But basically it all feels a lot like the other ships -- just perhaps a little bigger.

 

So much for first impressions, LOL. I'll report back (and will be interested to read other posters' remarks).

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

Love the photos -- thanks for posting them here!

 

Carolyn

 

 

View from 5th floor verandahs isn't blocked at all. I'm in one Eurodam right now -- well, earlier today and later tonight; at an internet cafe right now =) -- and my view is just fine. As far as I can tell none of the verandahs have blocked views.

 

Today the view is of a pretty ugly bit of the Southampton industrial port, but I'll take some pictures of the view when we sail away.

 

I've uploaded a few of my early Eurodam pictures here. I promise to add more in the next few days, but need to rush back to the ship shortly.

 

CSB, I'm really looking forward to your perspective on the ship!

[Susie51]

Thank you for the pics. The cabanas have a nice shady view of the ocean.

 

I hope more people post their thoughts about them and what it is like to use the cabanas and if they block a lot of the view for other passengers.