EURODAM water slide? Can anyone confirm if the pool has a slide on this ship?

[ramby]

We are traveling with our young children, and I was wondering if the Eurodam has a waterslide into the pool? Can't find the info on Holland America's website.Thank you!

[Love the beach]

No water slide unless they've added one recently.

[ramby]

I am trying to avoid Carnival because I think DH and I would prefer HAL, but if anyone thinks I am making a mistake please chime in!

[Copper10-8]

Unlike Carnival, HAL doesn't have pool water slides

[luvs2travl]

No water slides, rock-climbing walls, surf-wave pools, cartoon characters or anything like that on any of the elegant HAL ships, thank goodness! There is Club HAL for children's activites, but no separate "kid's only" pool that would have a water slide.

 

If you are looking for those type things, you might want to check out Carnival, RCCL, Disney or NCL.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Club HAL:

 

ACTIVITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Holland America ships, we provide a wide variety of exciting youth- and teen- friendly activities and facilities for guests ages 3 to 17. With supervised fun for our younger guests, the entire family can have the cruise vacation of their dreams.

 

Safe and Managed Supervision

You can feel at ease knowing that your child's onboard experience is safe and well-managed. All Club HAL® activities are supervised by permanent, full-time staff, and are designed to be kid friendly and age appropriate. Youth Staff hold degrees in education, childhood development, recreation, leisure studies or related fields.

 

Programs Available

Club HAL® — Kids*: Children, ages 3-7, can participate in such activities as story telling, fabric painting, indoor games, arts and crafts, drawing contests, ice-cream sundae parties, puzzles, bingo, pirate treasure hunts or a farewell pizza party. Children in the Kid's age group must be toilet trained. Children in pull-ups or diapers are not allowed in the youth facilities, due to mandates from US Public Health. Exceptions to this rule cannot be made.

Club HAL® — Tweens*: Tweens, ages 8-12 might learn golf putting, have disco parties and theme parties, participate in the award-winning National Park Service Jr. Ranger Program on Alaska cruises, compete in on-deck sports events, compete in scavenger hunts or simply play Ping-Pong with a friend.

The Loft and The Oasis*: Teens, ages 13-17 will especially enjoy the teen disco, karaoke sessions, video games, teen sports tournaments, card games, trivia contests, bingo, movies and videos. When there are more than 100 children on board, a HAL Talent Show is offered. (The Oasis is not available on all Vista-class ships)

 

 

 

*On the ms Prinsendam, youth activities are offered for ages 5-17. All other ships offer youth activities for ages 3-17.

 

Daily Programs

Times vary based on age group, number of children on board and staffing:

 

 

Sea Day — Morning, Afternoon and Evening Activities

Port Day — Morning, Afternoon and Evening Activities

 

 

Kids & Teens Culinary Arts Center Program

HAL Kids Culinary Workshops now offer children a unique and fun learning experience. Kids will learn basic cooking techniques, kitchen safety, new ingredients and how to follow recipe instructions. Aside from the fun involved, cooking encourages kids to think about numbers and measuring, cleanliness, safety and time management. All the workshops are hands-on where questions are encouraged and having fun is a must!

 

HAL Kids Culinary Workshops are geared toward two age groups; ages three to seven and ages eight and up. Teenagers 15 and up may participate in the adult classes.

 

 

The menus range from simple to teen gourmet

Classes are usually limited to fifteen students unless otherwise noted

All classes are hands-on

Each student receives copies of the recipes prepared in class

All classes are complimentary and last approximately one hour

 

 

Additional Family Services

Holland America Line is dedicated to making your family's cruise vacation memorable and happy for each member of your family. We serve a wide variety of kid-pleasing food, including special sandwiches, tacos, hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza. Baby food, high chairs and booster seats may be requested in advance of boarding. On sea days, babysitting services are available through the Front Office for a small surcharge for children 3 years of age or older. This service is provided by staff on a volunteer basis, and may not always be available. Babysitting service is not offered while the ship is in port, although Club Hal does offer activities for children aged 3-12 between 8:00am and 4:00pm on port days. Special kid-friendly birthday parties can also be arranged with advance notice.

 

Extended Hours

Club HAL’s port day activities as well as After Hours is available for children ages 3-12 who meet Club HAL’s eligibility requirements. (Children must be pre-registered for the program in the way of a completed parental consent form, they must be potty trained, out of pull ups and 100% independent in the restroom as the youth staff are not permitted to assist.) Club HAL® After Hours is available on all ships (except the ms Prinsendam) from 10:00pm - 12:00am for children 3 years of age or older. The fee is US$5.00 per child, per hour. Parents must pick up their children on time or a late fee is charged. For babysitting outside of the hours offered in Club HAL, guests may check at the Front Office to schedule this service provided by staff on a voluntary/limited basis only.

 

Port Day Activities

Activities will be offered when in port from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. A lunch service is available for those attending port day activities between the hours of 11:00am – 1:00pm.

 

After Hours 10:00 pm– 12:00 am

After Hours group kid sitting is offered every evening from 10:00 pm to 12:00 am. Children must be 3 years of age and potty trained. Charge is $5.00 hour per child. Late charges apply to children who are picked up after 12:00 am. Limited private babysitting is available for all ages through the front office. Youth staff are not able to provide this service.

 

Special Needs

HAL Youth Programs recognize that some children may have special needs. Special needs children are invited to attend activities based on their chronological age. HAL Youth Programs have many staff trained to work with special needs children. Guests should make HAL aware of this when booking their reservation.

 

Important Notes

A limited number of high chairs, booster seats and cribs are available at no charge. These must be reserved in advance at the time of booking. An international children's menu is offered at dinner and includes a variety of appetizers, salads and soups, and standard items such as hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza and chicken, plus chef's specials like beef tacos, grilled cheese, fish and chips or spaghetti.

[dmwnc1959]

You will find that Holland America ships tend to not have all the bells and whistles found on Royal Caribbean, NCL, and most of the rest of the mass market ships. A lot more traditional in it's entertainment and dining venues. No slides on Holland America. Even the pools are more upscale and elegant in their surroundings than other ships. More of a cabana feel than a party pool. Not much fun for kids.

[sail7seas]

Definitely (thankfully) No waterslide on Eurodam or any other 'dam' ship. :)

 

[mudscraper]

HAL ships do have the `Wang Wang` but it`s an adults only attraction.

[Berk987]

We like HAL with our kids. Dec 2010 we're travelling with 6 kids (age 6, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 7M). At Half Moon Caye there is a pirate playground near the food area and there are 2 water slide kid area near the dock. We go there and they love it. Club Hal is great. They do lots of arts/crafts. Treasure hunt, etc. You didn't mention the age or when you are going but we prefer HAL over the other ships with hundreds of kids. When we travel - when school is still in session, there are usually about 35 kids total and we have more than 10% of the kid population. We like it that way. Personal attention.

[soldham]

Just off the ship this past Monday. No slide.

[Hawaiidan]

Holland America has much smaller ships than the others (almost 40 to 50 % smaller) and as such only added a kids program as an after thought.

There are no special areas for children what so ever other than a tiny room.

If you want kid programs and entertainment then as other advise Disney, Carnival NCL are the ticket.

Holland America has a long standing subtile approach and tends to set its ships up for people who can entertain themselves.. rather than be entertained. I t is a whole different type of cruise on HAL

[maxout]

There are several areas dedicated to "youth facilities" on the Eurodam here are a few examples...

 

Club Hal

 

 

Game Room

 

 

The Loft

 

[Jacqueline]

Right. No ice skating rink either. But a lot of families are very happy on HAL. Make sure that you understand what is offered than decide if it is a good fit.

My kids also liked Princess and Celebrity a lot, as do I.

Don't mind Hawaiidan. He is just doing his bit to keep HAL childfree! I do agree with him that HAL is geared more to those who entertain themselves.

But we literally had over 100 teenagers on a long European cruise, and they all had a great time just socializing by the pools and on the open decks. They kind of crowded out the smokers :)

[ramby]

Oh, well...Thanks for the feedback!

[SwissMyst]

Oh, well...Thanks for the feedback!

 

One might hope travel itself was fun for kids. It was for me.

[ramby]

The two do not need to be mutually exclusive. Travel in itself can be (and is) fun for kids. But so is a water slide!

[sapper1]

The two do not need to be mutually exclusive. Travel in itself can be (and is) fun for kids. But so is a water slide!

 

People who book cruises on HAL do so because of the elegant surroundings and relaxed, quiet atmosphere. There is nothing elegant, relaxing or quiet about a water slide. :eek: If HAL ever embraces a carnival type approach to cruising then our cruising days will be over. I used a small "c" in the word "carnival" because I was not referring to the cruise line of that name.

There are many cruise lines which offer what you are looking for.

 

My first cruise was a transatlantic when I was just 11 years old. We were in first class on a British style ship in a time where it goes without saying that children were seen and not heard. Even in that atmoshere I found it to be a great adventure and easily amused myself for the whole trip. Aside from my sister there were only two other children we could mix with. There was a tiny little pool down in the bowels of the ship which we thought was just wonderful. There was a movie every day and fortunately I was a bookworm.

 

Children today have never learned how to amuse themselves and that is a great pity.

[esther e]

Very well said and I totally agree.:)

[debsjc]

I think you are all mean, I would love a water slide on the Eurodam ...... just as long as there are no kids allowed on board to use it, just fun for us quiet adults!!!! ;););)

[taxmantoo]

I think you are all mean, I would love a water slide on the Eurodam ...... just as long as there are no kids allowed on board to use it, just fun for us quiet adults!!!! ;););)

 

As has already been said many times by other posters..there is no "dam" slide :D

[RuthC]

I think you are all mean, I would love a water slide on the Eurodam ...... just as long as there are no kids allowed on board to use it, just fun for us quiet adults!!!! ;););)

Considering the HAL demographic, is the slide going to have a handicap ramp? Or a wheelchair lift? :p

[debsjc]

Considering the HAL demographic, is the slide going to have a handicap ramp? Or a wheelchair lift? :p

 

Even better, a couple of nice male staff members to help people up. I can see the long line already :D

[esther e]

If that's the case, I'm first in line~!

[mamaofami]

Considering the HAL demographic, is the slide going to have a handicap ramp? Or a wheelchair lift? :p

 

LOL at the image.:D:D