Any good reivews regarding the Eurodam?

[mamaofami]

We were in the Pinnacle Grill Saturday evening with a 7pm dinner reservation on the three day Eurodam. Service was wonderful until we were ready for dessert. First, my chocolate volcano came out overdone..hard, and I had to send it back. I had been dreaming about it for months, and had no intention of eating it that way. But, at around the time we were starting dessert, two large groups of VIP's were seated near us at two tables. Two tables, because they messed up the reservation and there wasn't enough room for all of them at the one large table that was set. They had to reset the table, removing some of the extra place settings and seating about 5 people at a different table. Suddenly, our waiter disappeared and my husband waited at leat 20 minutes to get a second cup of coffee, even though we asked several times. It was clear, those VIP's came first.

[RevNeal]

RevNeal, that is unacceptable and there is no excuse, BUT who sits there for 2 hours waiting for salad? And, I'm sorry if it is someone who I have chatted with on this bb, but still....

 

She's a member of the board but didn't want to post because she knew she'd be ripped for giving a negative report about the Eurodam. I can hardly blame her. I wouldn't have waited that long, either. But apparently some people would/do.

[world~citizen]

 

I know one HAL passengers -- a 100+ day mariner who usually cruises in Suites or the Penthouse -- who was treated as if she were dirt while she was aboard. She was confirmed with 8 pm fixed, but when she boarded she was put into Open Seating. On the first evening of the cruise she had reservations for the Pinnacle at 8pm. She arrived on time for dinner, was seated, and wasn't served her Salad until 10 pm, her steak until 11 pm, and it took a good 45-50 minutes to even get the attention of the Wine Steward. And the cause? You guessed it ... a party thrown by Seattle Brass for VIPs. They were eating for free, and got top flight service. She was paying the surcharge and was literally forgotten for 2 hours. She has other examples, but that says it all.

 

 

I didn't know about this. The first time we dined in the Tamarind I noticed a wonderful window table sitting empty while numerous guests were seated in the surrounding (less desirable) ones. As we got up to leave after our dinner, I saw why. Two junior officers came in an were immediately directed to it.

 

I thought the paying passengers should have had first priority, and mentioned it to HAL the next day. On our next visit, we had the window and the officers were in the cheap seats.:)

 

As to the situation you refer to, I have no problem with VIPs getting their perks. They will have them regardless, but it should be on their own VIP cruise and let the loyal HAL passengers get the experience they are paying for.

 

I agree at the end of the day though. The Eurodam will shake-down just fine.

 

Smooth sailing to you.

[RevNeal]

why is your glass always half full?

 

Because it's so much more fun than it being half empty. ;) And, in my case the glass is usually half full because I drank the upper half. :D

Frankly, I tend to be an optimist by temperament and a pessimist by experience. I try to remember that, while pessimists may not be as often disappointed as optimists, optimists tend to have more fun.

[sail7seas]

I didn't know about this. The first time we dined in the Tamarind I noticed a wonderful window table sitting empty while numerous guests were seated in the surrounding (less desirable) ones. As we got up to leave after our dinner, I saw why. Two junior officers came in an were immediately directed to it.

 

I thought the paying passengers should have had first priority, and mentioned it to HAL the next day. On our next visit, we had the window and the officers were in the cheap seats.:)

 

As to the situation you refer to, I have no problem with VIPs getting their perks. They will have them regardless, but it should be on their own VIP cruise and let the loyal HAL passengers get the experience they are paying for.

 

I agree at the end of the day though. The Eurodam will shake-down just fine.

 

Smooth sailing to you.

 

 

With all respect to the junior officers, it is highly unlikely a prime table was saved specifically for them. For the Captain or Hotel Manager? Maybe. But not for a one striper. :D The Junior Officers will have to serve some more years before they get that sort of special care. ;)

 

 

There would be any number of reasons that table was available and we'd only be guessing if we speculate.

[frodo63]

Thank you so much for your positive feed back and perspectives. I feel much better now and will look forward to reading more positive reviews in the future. CC'ers are the best.

[MortgageChick]

We did the 15 night crossing and disembarked the Eurodam in NYC on Aug 29th. We did not have assigned seating, this was a first for us on HAL, however it worked out nicely. We ate about 9 of 15 nights in the dining room, spending 4 on deck 9 in casual dining, one night at the Pinnacle,and one night at the Tamarind. There were a couple of nights when the service in the dining room was slower than most, but that was when we were seated at a table for 10. A table of 6 or 4 people and the service was fine. We usually went to the dining room betweeen 6.45 and 7.30 and never had to wait to be seated. I would say the food was much better than our 2004 17 night crossing on the Westerdam, which was out last HAL cruise.

I found the crew to be very pleasant, and included many seasoned veterans.

For those that know "Freddy ", one of the Maitre D's ,he is on the Eurodam and is his same old self. We knew him from our Rotterdam cruise in 2003.

 

The thermal suite, aromotherapy steam room, hydropool pass for $250 a couple for 15 nights was a wonderful experience.

 

We really loved this ship. Our previous HAL experience has been on Oosterdam, Westerdam and Rotterdam.

 

Overall it was a great cruise and I would recommend this ship.

[Sir PMP]

Neither would I ... and I told our mutual friend so. Before 9 pm (much less 10 pm) I would have gotten up and left, with words to the Pinnacle Grill manager as to why I was leaving.

 

 

I am sorry Rev but I followed your report of the inaugural cruise, and I still believe that this ship is disaster..

[Jade13]

I am sorry Rev but I followed your report of the inaugural cruise, and I still believe that this ship is disaster..

 

Have you been on the ship? I got off last week and everything was first class. Much better than my experience on Noordam a few weeks earlier.

[RevNeal]

I am sorry Rev but I followed your report of the inaugural cruise, and I still believe that this ship is disaster..

 

I was aboard the Eurodam for 23 days in July and, even with all the issues and problems I reported from those 3 cruises, I don't believe that the ship is a disaster. You have taken out of context my words regarding a feature which was a "disaster waiting to happen" and applied that prognostication in a general fashion for the whole ship. Please stop misusing my words. Thank you.

[sbloom]

We also were on Euro transatlantic...Copenhagen to NYC. We had a wonderful time. The ship is beautiful..it is laid out so we never incurred lines or crowds. Of course if you are going to Lido 7-8 breakfast..lines for omelets, waffles are of course present..but they move along. Dining room as I have stated elsewhere on boards was fixed for us..many tables had few passengers..alternate dining and anytime might have been their choices once they got on. We did not care for the Asian..but we do not eat that at home either. It was beautiful..but too spicey for our tastes. PG was a good expericence. We thought the food in the dining room was wonderful..vaired and over Celebrity...very nicely presented. The waitstaff, pulled off other ships of course, were new and doing their best at their new home. We are not show people but did enjoy the big reviews. The lectures were wonderful and the crows next, as it is now refigured, offers much to do...We had a great cruise. Too bad too many people only find the negative...BYW..this was our 35th cruise and would go on the Euro again in a heartbeat...

[world~citizen]

With all respect to the junior officers, it is highly unlikely a prime table was saved specifically for them. For the Captain or Hotel Manager? Maybe. But not for a one striper. :D The Junior Officers will have to serve some more years before they get that sort of special care. ;)

 

 

There would be any number of reasons that table was available and we'd only be guessing if we speculate.

 

That's the way it was. In fact, it was SENIOR officers in the cheap seats when we returned for a second wonderful dining experience. You can (and will) interpret it your way but I am satisfied I reported the event accurately.:)

 

I didn't and don't consider this a big deal. I only mention it to support the Rev's view (if I understand it correctly) that the Eurodam, whatever its faults, is ironing out the wrinkles everyday. Another example - our cabin was freezing cold for the first part of the cruise, then corrected and settled down to room temperature by the end of it.

 

I would sail it again in a heartbeat but there is the Niew Amsterdam to consider now. I had the privilege to live in the Big Apple for four years and would be delighted to see how HAL delivers a New York theme.

 

Smooth sailing to you S7S...

[longtimecruiser]

I find this sad that a person didn't want to give a negative review of the Eurodam for fear of being flamed. We should be hearing negative and positive. Just for a few Hal "cheerleaders" who have NOT even sailed on the Eurodam yet. Another person who visted for a few hours and the ship is PERFECT!!!!!! Come on people, get real!!!!!!! We are ALL entitled to our opinions and it is just plain WRONG for someone to be afraid to voice a negative opinion if he or she feels that way. The Eurodam is in NO WAY PERFECT!!!!!!! I have sailed on her for 23 days and I'm not afraid to say so. I am also a big Hal fan with 640 days, but on EVERY cruise there is good and bad. No matter what line, in a suite or steerage. That is a fact!!!!!

[Copper10-8]

I find this sad that a person didn't want to give a negative review of the Eurodam for fear of being flamed. We should be hearing negative and positive. Just for a few Hal "cheerleaders" who have NOT even sailed on the Eurodam yet. Another person who visted for a few hours and the ship is PERFECT!!!!!! Come on people, get real!!!!!!! We are ALL entitled to our opinions and it is just plain WRONG for someone to be afraid to voice a negative opinion if he or she feels that way. The Eurodam is in NO WAY PERFECT!!!!!!! I have sailed on her for 23 days and I'm not afraid to say so. I am also a big Hal fan with 640 days, but on EVERY cruise there is good and bad. No matter what line, in a suite or steerage. That is a fact!!!!!

 

You make some good points about Eurodam! Very hard to have a complete and objective opinion about her unless you have sailed on her and have seen her and her crew "in action" during a cruise with a passenger load. As a visitor to the ship when she is berthed, one can certainly form an opinion about certain aspects of the ship (her appearance, the quality of the food during lunch, the level of service in the dining room or Lido, etc) but there will be other items that one will not encounter until the ship is at sea.

It's a shame that there are people who are afraid to post their opinion(s) about HAL here, be they positive or negative, in fear of getting slammed but I guess, I can understand. Unless you're into bickering (wonder what ever happened to that guy?;) ), who needs confrontations, even in cyberspace?

I'm sure I'm considered one of the HAL cheerleaders here and that's OK by me. HAL is my favorite line and we look for the positives, rather than the negatives when on a cruise. Having said that, HAL is not the mother of all cruise lines and I realize that they are by no means perfect.

I have sailed on Eurodam on her shakedown cruise and not everything onboard went smooth, especially not during the 3-day prelude for various reasons. Surprised about that? Nope! It was a shakedown cruise for crying out loud! A year from now, ship will probably still happen at times on Eurodam as it can, will and does on any of the thirteen other HAL ships. HAL has always impressed me how they handle problems and respond when "ship happens" But even then, there will be folks who will not be happy with the outcome - you're not going to change that!

[james j feller]

Take it from me , the EURODAM is no disaster.

 

JIM

[jhannah]

Well put, John. Well put.

 

Having been on her 13 days, I can agree with both Mr. Feller and Adele.

[lazey1]

We were on the 10 day 08/04 cruise back to back with the 15 day 08/14 cruise. I found the ship to be beautiful and the dinning room service good, just a little short of excellent. The food was wonderful. On our 50th wedding anniversary we received a surprise cake in the main dining room. Unfortunately it arrived after we had already been served dessert. The staff wrapped it and kept it for the next night when we shared it with our tablemates. I felt that the production shows in the main showroom were the best I have ever seen on any cruise ship and better than most Vegas productions. Our cabin stewart, DiDi was the best we have had on any of our 6 HAL cruises. On a sad note we had to leave the ship in Newfoundland because of a death in the family. The front office was extremely helpful, arranging our plane tickets home and getting our prepaid shore excursions refunded immediately. I think Eurodam is a very nice ship and we would not hesitate to cruise on her again if the itenary were right.

[Artanis]

I find this sad that a person didn't want to give a negative review of the Eurodam for fear of being flamed. We should be hearing negative and positive. ..Come on people, get real!!!!!!! We are ALL entitled to our opinions and it is just plain WRONG for someone to be afraid to voice a negative opinion if he or she feels that way. The Eurodam is in NO WAY PERFECT!!!!!!! I have sailed on her for 23 days and I'm not afraid to say so. I am also a big Hal fan with 640 days, but on EVERY cruise there is good and bad. No matter what line, in a suite or steerage. That is a fact!!!!!

 

Thank you! We boarded our Maasdam cruise with what turned out to be very unrealstic expectations due to

1) having been totally spoiled on 4 previous cruises (X & DIS)

2) Being convinced that HAL's "even more refined and friendly service" than those lines were virtually guaranteed.

 

Suffice it to say, we were stuck with the most inexperienced staff members we'd encountered in any restaurant in a while (luck of the draw) and were beyond stunned. Next time we cruise, we won't shell out as much $$$ as this cruise with such high expectations, and will just be cautiously optimistic that we'll be pleasantly surprised. :)

 

Please keep the "whole stories" coming.

I know somebody will post that <insert ship here>'s service is always most flawless each and every time you sail, and it's all about attitude. But we are very easy to please people who travel much, and were truly schocked by the inexperienced (clueless-rude) behaviour we encountered, especially with the "AYW dining". Many waiters do NOT like that they lose 15 minute break, and the inexperienced, unpolished ones are not shy in taking this out on whoever.... We are easy-going- perhaps too easy going and they were quite rude.

 

Phew, that felt good to finally vent.

Awesome ship, best cabins and drinks afloat, and the best disembarkation and luggage organization afloat! Would like to sail HAL again because of Alaska - but service/training is too much a gamble for the dough compared to our other preferred cruiseline, however I will keep reading to see if this gets better -- if people speak up and let the PTB know that it IS noticed when things "change" too drastically from what they once were.