HAL--NEVER again Eurodam 12/17-24

[lizziebargain]

We cruised on the Westerdam Dec 17-24, 2006 for my nieces wedding cruise. I was awakened every night by drunken young people( uncertain of their age) staggering down the corridors loudly in the wee hrs-myself and other passengers on main deck had to call security every night. Relatives in higher areas of the ship did not hear the same commotion (and I have not booked main deck since!). Although I have been on many great HAL cruises, before and since, I would never do another one during Xmas holidays due to being awakened every night which clearly defeats the purpose of relaxing on a cruise!! Even though I complained on board and by letter I was not satisfied with HAL's response. My sense was that they make money from people drinking on board and I was even surprised on board the Eurodam this spring to see a group pub crawl starting out in the Crowsnest and encouraged and accompanied by cruise staff- public intoxification should not be encouraged or tolerated on any cruise line in my opinion.






[quote name='KirkNC']Glad that turned out better. Sorry the Eurodam cruise went the way it did. Some of the items are unforgivable, I am surprised they did not put the other teenage off at the next port, that would have cured that problem. We have never had a problem on HAL with disruptive kids but we have never done a holiday cruise either.[/quote]

[birder22]

Wow,

My family had a totally different experience on the Eurodam Dec 17-24.

We had wonderful room stewards, Made and Rosa, who introduced themselves to us the first day, kept our room very clean and always had a smile and a warm greeting for us.

Our wait staff, Buda and Awya, were efficient and friendly and the wine steward always stopped by as soon as we sat down. The food was very good for the large number of meals served and everyone was very accommodating of my daughter's need to avoid wheat.

The staff at the front desk dealt with the minor issues we had quickly and were able to answer our questions. I observed them dealing with several high maintenance passengers with more composure and grace than I could have managed.

The Seattle office staff and the shore excursion staff recovered our lost reservations and had tickets waiting for us.

The tea service at the Indonesian tea was a bit haphazard and less efficient than it could have been but we were in no hurry and enjoyed our time there.

I was impressed with the fluency in English of the staff members I interacted with on the ship.

We never encountered drunk teenagers on the ship nor witnessed bartenders serving minors. I asked our 19 and 16 year old children if they encountered any drunk teens on the ship and they did not. Although, neither of them participated in the teen or young adult activities. I saw many children, teens and young adults on the ship but never saw any of them misbehaving.

We ordered room service every day and the orders were always delivered on time with all of the items ordered.

Our family had a wonderful vacation on the Eurodam. I guess we were lucky.

[sugarcharlie]

Well, at least no one here has mentioned excessive vibrations over the last two weeks on the Eurodam! Hopefully that concern is not a problem anymore.

[birder22]

Well, my husband commented about the vibrations several times during the week. This was only our second cruise so I just thought all cruise ships vibrated like that. It was not vibrating enough to be annoying.

[mainelycruising]

Regarding the comments about the Eurodam and large/small HAL ships:

My family and I have sailed on every HAL ship from the old Rotterdam and Statendam (ca late 1970s) through to the Eurodam. (I even once sailed the Stefan Batory - ex-Maasdam - across the pond - now that was an experience!)

I think I can safely say that there was a common 'feel' to all HAL ships UNTIL the Vista-class ships were introduced. As the ships grew larger, the company changed, bit by bit, so that now we hardly feel as though we are having the same experience as before, even on the more intimate S Class ships. Twenty years ago we were known to key staff the moment we boarded; as often as not I would be greeted by a smile and 'Hello Sir Bill!, a nickname given to me by a restaurant steward in 1990 on the old Westerdam; often the captain would remember us through some gesture as well. Today, when we are on any HAL ship, we feel like respected but anonymous guests. It does not mean it is better or worse, but it is not the same experience for us. We miss the old HAL, but like my grey hair, times change, and it is best to leave those memories happy and not expect HAL to be what it once was.

For this reason, we have stopped sailing on all HAL ships, although we are contemplating one more on the Prinsendam before she goes out of service.

[RuthC]

[quote name='mainelycruising']For this reason, we have stopped sailing on all HAL ships, although we are contemplating one more on the Prinsendam before she goes out of service.[/quote]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue]Expect the experience on the Prinsendam to be like the "old HAL" that you are remembering here. I knew by the first morning that cruising on this ship was as of the days of old. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[Guest]

I hope we have a good experience on the Eurodam 1/28/12.Its my bday cruise. I have benn on HAL twice,and never had a problem.
These negative people usually have negative attitudes. I try not to pay attention to bad reviews. I hope to have a great time.

[m steve]

and had our first deluxe suite and loved it. Just booked 2 weeks B2B for early Feb. one in balcony and another in DX suite. Hope theyupgrade us so we don't have to move. TA says it's possible..

[gelo7]

[B][COLOR=Navy][SIZE=3]You did have some issues...[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B]

[FrankNJ]

Wow ! Made' was our room steward on Eurodam in 2008 and he was the greatest .
( I don't recall that they had assistants at that time ).

[sail7seas]

[B]I don't know how common the name Made is but we had Made as cabin steward also. We were on Rotterdam Deck...... he was working suites on Eurodam.

[/B]

[fuzzywuzzy]

[quote name='mainelycruising']Regarding the comments about the Eurodam and large/small HAL ships:

My family and I have sailed on every HAL ship from the old Rotterdam and Statendam (ca late 1970s) through to the Eurodam. (I even once sailed the Stefan Batory - ex-Maasdam - across the pond - now that was an experience!)

I think I can safely say that there was a common 'feel' to all HAL ships UNTIL the Vista-class ships were introduced. As the ships grew larger, the company changed, bit by bit, so that now we hardly feel as though we are having the same experience as before, even on the more intimate S Class ships. Twenty years ago we were known to key staff the moment we boarded; as often as not I would be greeted by a smile and 'Hello Sir Bill!, a nickname given to me by a restaurant steward in 1990 on the old Westerdam; often the captain would remember us through some gesture as well. Today, when we are on any HAL ship, we feel like respected but anonymous guests. It does not mean it is better or worse, but it is not the same experience for us. We miss the old HAL, but like my grey hair, times change, and it is best to leave those memories happy and not expect HAL to be what it once was.

For this reason, we have stopped sailing on all HAL ships, although we are contemplating one more on the Prinsendam before she goes out of service.[/quote]

What cruiseline do you sail now?

[AirGorilla]

[quote name='RuthC'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]The cruise was on the E-dam. The teen had full access to the mini-bar in his room. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]If he was hanging with other kids, they also had access to mini-bars in those rooms, too. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]No need for HAL stewards to serve him. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Security should have confined the teen to his quarters. I saw that happen on a cruise; there was a security guard stationed outside the cabin so the teen could not leave. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]

Better yet, throw his butt off the ship at the next port of call. Probably a good way to get rid of the parents, also!

[ASIWISH]

[quote name='sail7seas'][B]I don't know how common the name Made is but we had Made as cabin steward also. We were on Rotterdam Deck...... he was working suites on Eurodam.

[/B][/QUOTE]

If I'm not mistaken, iMade and Made refer to the order in which a male is born in an Balinese Family... there always appears to be dozens of them on board!

The first born is Wayan, and if there is a fifth child, he/she is often called Wayan Balik (or Wayan "again"). Balinese children/people are given other names, including a new "name" after death. Generally, everyone does use these birth order names to refer to each other, and to call each other constantly throughout the day. "Given" names may be chosen due to, for example, the influence of popular culture or politics. Like some other Indonesian cultures, Balinese do not use family names.

First born names : Wayan, Putu, Gede, Ni Luh(female only)
Second born names : Made, Kadek, Nengah
Third born names : Nyoman, Komang
Fourth born names : Ketut

[hammybee]

I do not doubt that there are drunk minors on board many cruise ships, especially over the holidays. I would be very, very surprised if HAL or any cruise line was selling alcohol to minors. It's not uncommon for minors to buy alcohol on shore and smuggle it on board. Then there are the parents who buy alcohol for their minor children and/or look the other way.

Resorts all over the Caribbean encounter similar problems, especially over the holidays/ Spring Break. ( You really don't want to be in Cabo during Sping break when a substantial percentage of highschool age kids are drunk as skunks and the rents view it as a right of passage.)

I have no idea how onboard security on any ship can sort through who is telling the truth when kids behave like animals, in absence of catching them in the act. That the parents agreed to police their own child then did not, says it all.

The response /lack thereof relative to the certificate was unprofessonal. Easy enough to escalate this while onboard.

I am sorry the bad outweighed the good on your cruise. May your next cruise, on whatever line you sail, be more to your liking.

[sail7seas]

[B]Hammybee...... Great to see you posting.
Hope all is well with you. :)[/B]

[zeus33]

We just got off the Oosterdam and reading this review nothing suprises me. They are very disorganized. We spend a few meals in the dining room watching people who were seated after us get their food, eat it and leave before we were even served.

I also noticed that some of the staff were very rude. For instance in our case it was the guy that was working with the photos. On one occation I simply asked the guy if the pictures from the previous night were up. Thought it would be faster than looking through every row myself. He could just say yes or no, not yet. Instead I had to listen to a several minute rant about how busy the ship was, how many thousands of photos there were, how it is so hard to keep up and blah blah.

Oh, and I have to mention the lousy entertainment in the main show theater. I will not take another cruise from anyone, if they rely on lip sync as their primary entertainment.

HAL is out for me. I liked the New Amsterdam cruise but the oosterdam cruise turned me off of HAL. I have several other cruise lines to try out before I try HAL again. I thought the mariner program would have been a cool thing, but life is too short.

[hammybee]

[quote name='mainelycruising']
I think I can safely say that there was a common 'feel' to all HAL ships UNTIL the Vista-class ships were introduced. As the ships grew larger, the company changed, bit by bit, so that now we hardly feel as though we are having the same experience as before, even on the more intimate S Class ships. [/quote]

20+ years ago I used to pay about $800 to fly RT between NY/NJ and Chicago and did so weekly. With inflation, excluding fuel surcharges that amounts to about $1300 is today's value. I can fly the same route today at a fraction of this price. And when I do, I have to adjust my expectations of the onboard service experience or pay substantiially more and fly first class.

Works the same way with cruising. There are botique cruise lines in a better position to offer more [U]consistent[/U] personalized service to their passengers. All we have to do is be willing to pay more for the experience or accept a lesser cabin type.

[hammybee]

[quote name='sail7seas'][B]Hammybee...... Great to see you posting.[/B]
[B]Hope all is well with you. :)[/B][/quote]

Happy NY, Sail.

Well I'm off to find a dress code thread, now......

[innlady1]

[quote name='hammybee']Happy NY, Sail.

Well I'm off to find a dress code thread, now......[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]lol, hammy! Good to see you again! You're missed here.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]

[DrTee]

[quote name='TheKuhnFamily']If I'm not mistaken, iMade and Made refer to the order in which a male is born in an Balinese Family... there always appears to be dozens of them on board!

The first born is Wayan, and if there is a fifth child, he/she is often called Wayan Balik (or Wayan "again"). Balinese children/people are given other names, including a new "name" after death. Generally, everyone does use these birth order names to refer to each other, and to call each other constantly throughout the day. "Given" names may be chosen due to, for example, the influence of popular culture or politics. Like some other Indonesian cultures, Balinese do not use family names.

First born names : Wayan, Putu, Gede, Ni Luh(female only)
Second born names : Made, Kadek, Nengah
Third born names : Nyoman, Komang
Fourth born names : Ketut[/quote]

Thanks for this interesting post! I always assumed most of the names were made up or were abbreviations so Americans could remember and pronounce them. I had one named Gaga once....

[DrTee]

[quote name='jimmy2x']Just goes to show how out of touch I am.:D It would never occur to me to create a lawsuit over a black eye. Boy, did my folks miss out on some easy money!;)[/quote]

At a certain age, and I think 16 would qualify, people should be held accountable. Battery is a legitimate complaint. (Now, I'm assuming this was an assault and not two people scuffling).

[DrTee]

[quote name='lizziebargain']We cruised on the Westerdam Dec 17-24, 2006 for my nieces wedding cruise. I was awakened every night by drunken young people( uncertain of their age) staggering down the corridors loudly in the wee hrs-myself and other passengers on main deck had to call security every night. Relatives in higher areas of the ship did not hear the same commotion (and I have not booked main deck since!). Although I have been on many great HAL cruises, before and since, I would never do another one during Xmas holidays due to being awakened every night which clearly defeats the purpose of relaxing on a cruise!! Even though I complained on board and by letter I was not satisfied with HAL's response. My sense was that they make money from people drinking on board and I was even surprised on board the Eurodam this spring to see a group pub crawl starting out in the Crowsnest and encouraged and accompanied by cruise staff- public intoxification should not be encouraged or tolerated on any cruise line in my opinion.[/quote]

This is precisely why I don't cruise when school is out.

[innlady1]

[quote name='TheKuhnFamily']If I'm not mistaken, iMade and Made refer to the order in which a male is born in an Balinese Family... there always appears to be dozens of them on board!

The first born is Wayan, and if there is a fifth child, he/she is often called Wayan Balik (or Wayan "again"). Balinese children/people are given other names, including a new "name" after death. Generally, everyone does use these birth order names to refer to each other, and to call each other constantly throughout the day. "Given" names may be chosen due to, for example, the influence of popular culture or politics. Like some other Indonesian cultures, Balinese do not use family names.

First born names : Wayan, Putu, Gede, Ni Luh(female only)
Second born names : Made, Kadek, Nengah
Third born names : Nyoman, Komang
Fourth born names : Ketut[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]Very interesting post, Kevin....I did not know that. Thank you very much! [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]Our very favorite Dining Room Manager on the Noordam (in '09) was from Bali. My goodness, what a handsome guy! ;) After our cruise, he went home to Bali, then was going to be onboard the Oosterdam. His name was Indra Bangsawan, but I wrote down that his birth name was "Gede Putu". [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]

[sail7seas]

[quote name='drtee']Thanks for this interesting post! I always assumed most of the names were made up or were abbreviations so Americans could remember and pronounce them. I had one named Gaga once....[/quote]


[B]I remember a Lido/dining steward who named himself, John Wayne. :D[/B]