bobandjo

On 1/12/2020 at 9:44 PM, CPBoyce said:

I saw several recent reviews. Here's one dated 23 March 2019 which mentions it with a pic.

 

 

https://cruisemaven.com/holland-america-eurodam-review-alaska-cruise/

The review was posted March 23 but sailings to Alaska don't start until May so this review was probably from sometime in 2018 before the room was changed.

We were on NA a couple years ago, anytime, and one evening they sat us with another couple upstairs in the fixed dining section. We had finished our dinner and were having a very pleasant conversation when we were told we had to leave due to the changeover from early to late dining. If we had been on the lower level we could have stayed at our table. Another night they wanted to sit us upstairs again and we said no because they kicked us out last time. Bit of a shocked look from the person at the check in station. We had a two top I think 5 of the 6 nights we ate in anytime with just a short wait arriving at the dining room around 6 pm. 

We were on the NA 2 years ago, end of this month, and never saw comment cards nor tip envelopes. And I don't recall getting an email from HAL after the cruise asking for any input. I just tipped with cash when I wanted to. Also, we don't have a smart phone so many of the comments about using apps don't apply. 

We were in 5146 two years ago on N.A. and one room away from elevators. Never having done an ocean cruise before I was concerned it would be a problem but we never heard a thing.

6 hours ago, dogo88 said:

 

Interesting thing is when we first started taking cruises in 1978, MDR servings were huge. I remember Prime Rib night and the waiter would be carrying around a huge plate stacked with slabs of meat to deliver to the customers. But over time these portion sizes were reduced.

 

  

I can't imagine what it must have been like in 1978 but I was pleasantly surprised when I ordered this Prime Rib on the NA in Sep'17.  And it was excellent. 

Great Bennies in the MDR on the NA when we sailed on her Sep '17. Had different ones every second day alternating with omelets, etc. Never ate in the Lido although we grabbed a couple sandwiches for lunch on a train trip day. We always ate breakfast, lunch (on sailing days) and dinner in the MDR except a lunch and dinner in Pinnacle. Loved the MDR, met lots of great people and 3 out of the 7 evenings we had a table for 2. 

26 minutes ago, Stratheden said:

We tried to book for 7.00pm and were not allowed.  It was 5.30 - 6.00pm or 7.45 - 8.00pm. 

 

We just turn up at whatever time we want and have had no trouble getting a table.  It helps if you are happy to share a table.  Although we have Anytime Dining we have so far been taken upstairs 3 times on this cruise.  Most people we have spoken with have had the same experience. 

 

Have never tried bribing the Dining Room Host.  🙄

 

Only problem we had one night on our Alaskan cruise last year when moved upstairs was we were forced to leave when the candy man came around ringing his chimes. We were with another couple and while we'd just finished our meal we were still having a pleasant conversation. If we'd stayed in the Anytime section we wouldn't have had to leave. Needless to say when they offered us upstairs the next night we declined.

I can get nauseous floating on my back in the ocean. First ocean cruise last year and I took sea bands for both myself and wife. I wore mine all the time and when we did get into some rough weather in Alaska and when others were seasick or feeling very uncomfortable I was just fine and eating normally. Wife was very iffy and I asked her why she wasn't wearing her sea bands. Because I had one on each wrist she thought I was wearing hers. An hour after she put hers on she was feeling better. Just a couple of weeks ago our daughter did a whale watching trip in a Zodiak. She's even worse than me for getting seasick. She used sea bands and was a very happy sailor in some rough water. I also ate some ginger candy from time to time.

When we were on the N.A. this time last year and prior to the refit there was dancing to "The Band" in the Ocean Bar evenings. They were a really good jazz band, not loud like BB Kings. Hopefully they didn't remove the dance floor.

It's been a few years but I can't say enough good about Avalon's booking our flights. We booked the package through a TA. He could not meet or even get close to the Avalon air price. We had non-stop Calgary to Amsterdam with KLM, Avalon was waiting for us, and others, at the airport. Took us to the holding hotel where we checked in, grabbed a cup of coffee, then went exploring Amsterdam. Had some lunch then headed back to the holding hotel where we had another coffee and goodies then boarded a bus to the ship. Homeward it was take us to Budapest airport, flew to Amsterdam and then non-stop back to Calgary. Couldn't have gone smoother.

Maybe it was an unusual year but we travelled Amsterdam to Budapest, Rhine Main Danube, on Avalon June 23 - July 7, 2013. It was extremely high water and two weeks before friends on a similar Viking cruise had to change ships, took buses to connect and missed Passau completely. We just made it under several bridges but were able to visit Passau which had just broken a flood record from 1501. If we did it again I'd avoid June totally and look at later in July.

Check your cruise line, many of them are now including tips for guides and drivers in your fare. When we travelled with Avalon a few years ago tipping was a norm, just checked their website and now included.

We did the Amsterdam - Budapest trip a few years ago, maybe times have changed since then but I just looked at some of my pictures and we were on the canal cruise at 9 am so probably left the ship around 8:30, then back to ship for lunch and then off to Zaanse Schans optional tour, back on board and think our cruise left around 4 pm.

We were in 5146 last August, further towards the stern, but adjacent to a bank of elevators and we never heard them at all. View from the balcony was excellent.

Oops, sorry about that. Guess I didn't go back to the first page in 2012.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Sea Bands. I can become nauseous floating on my back in the ocean. We took our first ocean cruise last year on HA to Alaska return. I wore my Sea Bands from day 1. We hit some rough weather mid-way of our cruise and many people, including my wife, were sick or feeling really uncomfortable. I was great, eating whatever. We were having dinner at a shared table that one evening and I mentioned wearing Sea Bands. One passenger, whose wife was in their cabin ill, had never heard of them but was going down to the shops to see if he could find some. My wife, who was only interested in a bowl of soup, said as she could see I was wearing one on each wrist "you're wearing mine". I told her that there was another pair in the cabin and didn't know why she wasn't wearing them. Two hours after she put them on she was feeling better. Mind over matter? Don't know, but they sure worked for me.

Checked your posts scoobdoo and looks like you're on the NA. We were just on her and gala nights were Sunday, sea day, and Wednesday, Glacier Arm sea day. Friday, your final night but not gala, they have a great menu in the MDR with surf and turf.

I can see us waving from our balcony. Well, not really but I do see movement on it so must have been us waving as we drank our sparkling wine compliments of our travel agent.

We were just on the NA Aug 26 sailing to Alaska and saw a few tuxedos but lots of men wearing suits and ties or sports jacket and ties, more than slacks and shirt. We were in open seating (deck 2) and expect there were even more on deck 3 MDR. I don't recall seeing any man in other than jacket and tie in the PG the night we dined there.

Can't remember what the colour was but it tasted pretty danged fine on the NA a week ago.

Glad you had a great trip. We board her this Saturday and really looking forward to our first ocean cruise. Driving down to Vancouver Thursday, 10 1/2 hour trip with stops. Still haven't got all our stuff out to pack. Have to do that today. Only two ships in port that day and our docs say we can board at noon but think we'll try to get there a wee bit earlier as it would be nice to get on so we can have lunch in the MDR. Weather's looking good for sailaway.

Bon Voyage!

Thanks Kazu et al. That's really nice. There's a bunch of us meeting in the Lido bar after boarding and weather forecast for Vancouver is sunny and 24C. So perfect for sailaway. Hard to believe for the sun to be shining in Vancouver when the Pacific National Exhibition is running.

Take good care of the NA Rubyslippers, we're boarding her next Saturday.

Yes.

 

 

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Well that makes sense. Guess I didn't read all your posts. You're talking next year, I'm talking 2 weeks from now. lol