inaugural sailing to Alaska on Eurodam was... different

[kazu]

Juju and styles - curious about the casino on board. Does it seem to get a decent crowd? Interested in the Texas Holdem tourneys I saw on the dailies.......

 

 

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On the Rotterdam cruise we just got off, the casino was lively and there was a good turnout for the Texas Holdem tourneys.

[elycelynne]

His name was Nick ? On the Repo cruise. Did his normal 10am announcement and then again after the Captain in the afternoon. We saw him roaming around the ship. We thought he did a decent job.

 

 

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styles27 was wondering how "she" got the job, so I doubt if it was the same person to whom you're referring.

[jujuyu211]

sorry for the delay. here's the rest of my review.

 

Wednesday 5/3/17

Ketchikan day. We arrived early on our revised itinerary at 8:30am and was going to stay here until 4:30am. We originally booked the 10:30am lumberjack show but it was revised to 1:30pm. I went to ask the front desk about it but they were utterly unhelpful. I wanted to know which dock we were at (there were 4) since dad cannot walk far and we didn’t want to be wandering around without knowing where we were. The front desk staff literally clicked keys on his computer for 5 minutes and then told me that he only knows we are at Ketchikan port and does not know which dock. I asked if it’s possible to change the time for our lumberjack show and he said he did not know and perhaps we can go outside to ask someone at the port that’s in charge of the excursions. It’s frustrating when crew are not informed, especially the ones working the front desk.

 

We left the ship around 10:30am and met some friendly staff at port. The HAL excursions staff were outside and greeted everyone. We asked if there’s an earlier lumberjack show but unfortunately there wasn’t. However, he did give very detailed instructions on how to get to the show and two options of where to meet if we wanted to walk around town before the show starts since we won’t have much time after the show.

 

Ketchikan is a small town. Last time we were here we went out to kayak so didn’t walk around much. However, it’s mostly souvenir shops so you really have to book something outside of town. We had lunch at The Fish House before the show. It was recommended as a local place and for those who decide to come here, there’s a room in the back that is nice and private. The lumberjack show itself was okay, a little cheesy and blatantly scripted. Dad seemed to have enjoyed it though since there’s padded seats and is heated.

 

We got back on the ship around 3pm and went to tea time again. We sat down at one table and although staff were moving back and forth no one acknowledged us for a full 3 minutes. Finally someone came over and asked if it’s okay if we sat at another table they had set up already. No problem, we moved over. Another 5 minutes pass and no one has come to offer us anything. I tried to flag down someone and a crew member carrying scones saw me and was starting to walk over. However, the manager stopped him and gestured to the other side of the room. I saw the staff gestured towards our table. The manager looked over, shook his head, and gestured again. I thought the manager was going to come over to tell us he will be right with us but he went back to stand at his corner, without any acknowledgement to us. So I waved at him again. This time he waved back as if to say that he saw me. This whole time he doesn’t come over. We were served tea shortly after and then sandwiches 5 minutes after that. The whole experience was honestly very stressful and service was severely lacking. We felt the manager was very rude in not coming over personally to let us know what was going on and we waited very long for service and between each item (sandwiches, scones, dessert).

 

Thursday 5/4/17

With the change of itinerary, we sailed the inside passage to Victoria, cruising Johnstone Strait and Seymour Narrows.

 

We went to watch the magic workshop by the same magician on Monday. This show he basically was selling his magic kit and showing how to do some slight of hand tricks. It was entertaining even though we knew it was to advertise his magic kit. When we were in the theatre the captain was making an announcement but we missed it.

 

For lunch, we went to the Mariner Luncheon. We arrived at 12pm as the invitation noted but the dining room was already full to the brim. We were told to go inside and find a table to sit at, no one was helping us find a table. Once seated, there’s a tile at each place setting. Since we sat at a 6 person table and there were only 4 of us the staff handed us the extra two tiles. During the mariner lunch, they were pouring white wine. We asked if there’s a non-alcoholic version like cider or sparkling water. The answer was no. we thought it was odd they didn’t have choices for those who were not drinking alcohol.

 

Again at 3pm there were three things going on that we wanted to go to: Jackpot Bingo, BBC Presentation, and Tea Dance. Since we really didn’t have positive experiences we skipped tea time and went to the BBC presentation instead. It was at the BB King’s Blues Club.

Afterwards it was time to get ready for our second gala night. This time our dining steward did tell us and he even said that we will be having lobster, not to be missed. We had crab legs for appetizers which were super sweet and then the surf and turf. During dinner, our wine steward passed out complimentary champagne. I had told the wine steward on the first day that I was not drinking. He would always ask if he can get me some soda after my party orders wine. He gave me a champagne anyways. We asked if there’s a non alcoholic option and again there wasn’t. All the chefs came out and we clapped.

 

The dining manager also stopped by our table to ask how the service was and to remind us to complete the survey when we return home. It was awkward but he kept asking us to choose 10 and that 10 was not perfect but that we were satisfied with the service. He kept emphasizing how important these surveys are and what a good score would mean to his staff. He was looking around the room while he was talking and we got the feeling he wasn’t really “there” like he was talking from a script. There was not really any eye contact when he spoke to us.

 

Friday 5/5/17

Sigh… the last day. There’s always an air of dread on the last day of any cruise. In the back of my mind, I’m thinking I need to start packing soon. We arrived at Victoria at around 8:30am, half hour later than expected. Since we are staying at Victoria until 10:30pm it was not a big deal.

 

Since we did not book excursions in Victoria we stayed on-board and played cards. We walked outside for a bit but it was very windy. Some excursions were cancelled too due to high winds. I honestly don’t remember much from the last day. We just chilled and enjoyed our last day on the ship.

 

We did book a massage and enjoyed it. The relaxation room looked out into the ocean but I noticed a lot of people were walking in and out of the room which ruins the relaxation a little bit. The massage was done professionally and right amount of pressure for my deep tissue. Of course she tried to sell me products afterwards which I politely declined and she did not push.

 

We visited the front desk to close out our accounts. We noticed a $4.95 minibar charge and immediately asked that it be removed since we did not take anything from the minibar. They said it was a bottle of water on the desk. We know that we did not touch anything. It’s ironic since we had asked for the minibar removed to avoid these charges and to make room for our own beverages. They said they would remove it and a new statement will be delivered to our room before we leave tomorrow. We packed and placed our suitcases outside.

 

Disembarkation

We got room service breakfast for 6:30-7:00am and it arrived at 6:15am. Everything was there and we got a call around 6:50am that breakfast was running late. We told them that we got our breakfast already. We enjoyed our breakfast in the room and waited for our color and number to be called. We were in the Green group that’s from 8:00am-8:30am. We were called at 8:15am. We headed to the gangway and there was a short line. However, when we got there they were switching gangways due to high waves so there was a 10 minute wait. Some more grumbles here and there but it was not too bad. Disembarkation was quick and we found our suitcases waiting outside. Customs line was long, as expected. We were able to call a Lyft to the airport easily and got to the airport in half hour.

 

Overall, I think service has gone down and I am sure there are a variety of factors that come into this but on this particular cruise, I did not experience very good service from crew members in various departments. Food quality is also not as good as it used to be. There are a few, maybe handful, of dishes that stood out but otherwise they were meh. The Lido choices were not always appetizing and didn’t seem to vary much. This is just my subjective review and I know everyone’s experience can vary. I hope you all enjoyed reading it. What a way to relive my cruise again. Until next time…

[qqqsal]

Jujuyu211: thank you so much for taking the time to write your review and reply to questions. I'm sorry that your trip wasn't better. I learned a lot from reading this review. It's good to know that I can have the minibar removed. I also had an extra minibar charge on my bill a few years back but it was added after I left the ship. For $5 I didn't fight it, but I've always wondered how many other people have had the same thing happen. Happy cruising to you in the future.

[Herfnerd]

Thanx for your review - we are definitely looking forward to our sailing!

 

 

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[styles27]

Just curious -- Who is the "dud" cruise director?

 

 

Her name was Stone...never did catch her last name.

[styles27]

Juju and styles - curious about the casino on board. Does it seem to get a decent crowd? Interested in the Texas Holdem tourneys I saw on the dailies.......

 

 

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The casino was very popular on our sailing this past week. I can't believe I never got in there to try my luck though! My DH did his best to steer me away each time we walked by. lol

[UPNYGuy]

Ok to give a different perspective: DW and I were on this particular cruise as well. It has been 4 years since we have sailed HAL, and we left originally due to horrendous service on Statendam. I will say that Eurodam exceeded our expectations. We noticed more staff on this sailing (wine steward had returned, assistant DR steward had returned, assistant cabin steward had returned). We found the food more than palatable.

 

To be totally frank, the seas were NOT that rough for a seasoned cruiser. Out of 20 cruises, we have been on 3 that I would say had more turbulent seas. The Mediterranean Sea between the Balearic Islands and the Spanish coast can whip up quite a turbulent sea, as can the gulf of Alaska en route to Anchorage (30 ft+ seas), but it depends on where you sail.

 

Also, we actually enjoyed the lack of daytime activities. We typically entertain ourselves, and do not need the constant stimulation. So it was actually a refreshing change.

 

Our next cruise is on Oceania Regatta, sailing Alaska in July. It will be an interesting comparison, as we have never sailed O before.

 

 

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[TheCalicoCat]

Thanks for coming back to finish your review.

[Beach4me]

Ummm...what's a "tile"?

[Mtn2Sea]

Thanks Jujuyu for your excellent review. We were on the Koningsdam last month for 28 days and, except for the service level from staff, we felt the same way you did about our onboard experience. With only a minor exception, our stewards were all great. Personally, I think a ship's management team is key to setting the tone for the entire staff.

[Alberta Quilter]

Ummm...what's a "tile"?

 

Returning HAL passengers are invited to a Mariner Brunch and presented with a gift which is a Delft tile. It can be used as a coaster (it has a cork bottom to it) or some people have used their tiles to make trays, or even tile their kitchen or bathroom. Mine are collecting dust at the moment.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Enjoyed your review. I think that sometimes the first cruise to a new location can be a bit awkward for the crew. I don't know why but I have experienced that in the past. It is unfortunate that you missed Sitka.

[John Cruise]

Ruth's response is spot on.

Couldn't agree more.

JC

[shrimp56]

Thanks for the review and your comments on Eurodam in general. In many ways they parallel our most recent Eurodam experience (7 day W. Caribbean in January)

 

Our previous EUDM cruise was our second HAL cruise in August 2013. Since then we have taken about 12 HAL cruises. We LOVED EUDM in 2013. In Jan. 2017 it was a "meh". The crew was overstretched. We had our first set of cabin stewards on 14 or so HAL cruises that couldn't get their act together. I'm sure some of this was the 7 day cruise problem, which isn't evident on longer cruises where you have more of an opportunity to settle into a pattern with the staff.

 

The biggest disappointment was Tamarind. We had booked this cruise instead of an 11 day Rotterdam one because DH remembered Tamarind. All I can say is that it has gone downhill badly. I know memory plays tricks, but it was night and day in terms of food preparation, quality and service.

 

We did love Lincoln Center Stage.

Edited May 15, 2017 by shrimp56

[styles27]

The biggest disappointment was Tamarind. We had booked this cruise instead of an 11 day Rotterdam one because DH remembered Tamarind. All I can say is that it has gone downhill badly. I know memory plays tricks, but it was night and day in terms of food preparation, quality and service.

 

 

We just had dinner at Tamarind on Eurodam last Thursday. The service we received was excellent and I really enjoyed the soup and spring rolls I had but our entrees were not good at all.

We both ordered the basil shrimp and vegetable dish thinking it was going to be a stir fry but the shrimp were breaded and deep fried and there was so much batter on them that it made the dish very heavy and the sauce made it mushy. We left most of it behind.

 

The portions are very large here so we were full after eating the soup and appetizer (my husband had the sampler appetizer which was enough for 2 or 3 people.

 

I wish the server had explained the menu better, we didn't know what to expect as far as portions. We wouldn't have ordered soup and an appetizer if we knew how large the portions were. We skipped dessert because we were so full.

 

Maybe we just ordered the wrong dish but honestly the Asian food in the Lido that we had for lunch was a lot better than the dish we had at Tamarind.

[elycelynne]

Her name was Stone...never did catch her last name.

 

Thanks. Not the person I was thinking of.

[Florida_gal_50]

We just had dinner at Tamarind on Eurodam last Thursday. The service we received was excellent and I really enjoyed the soup and spring rolls I had but our entrees were not good at all.

We both ordered the basil shrimp and vegetable dish thinking it was going to be a stir fry but the shrimp were breaded and deep fried and there was so much batter on them that it made the dish very heavy and the sauce made it mushy. We left most of it behind.

 

The portions are very large here so we were full after eating the soup and appetizer (my husband had the sampler appetizer which was enough for 2 or 3 people.

 

I wish the server had explained the menu better, we didn't know what to expect as far as portions. We wouldn't have ordered soup and an appetizer if we knew how large the portions were. We skipped dessert because we were so full.

 

Maybe we just ordered the wrong dish but honestly the Asian food in the Lido that we had for lunch was a lot better than the dish we had at Tamarind.

I've tried a number of items in the tamarind but I'm not excited about the shrimp in batter dishes. I agree the portions do tend to be on the large size. I had to laugh because the last time I was in there a guy was quite upset he couldn't order more than one entree. He was there with his dad. He proceeded to order most of the appetizers on the menu. The dad said they would be there until midnight with all that food. I wonder if they ate it all :).

[kira5]

I had the same experience of feeling pressed to give a 10 rating, reminded what it means, reminded of the couple of things the steward did for me (get ice once, can't remember the other one). He seemed a bit frazzled though and I felt sorry for him.

[Beach4me]

Returning HAL passengers are invited to a Mariner Brunch and presented with a gift which is a Delft tile. It can be used as a coaster (it has a cork bottom to it) or some people have used their tiles to make trays, or even tile their kitchen or bathroom. Mine are collecting dust at the moment.

 

Oh, okay. Thanks for the explanation. Mine would be collecting dust, too. ;)

[styles27]

I've tried a number of items in the tamarind but I'm not excited about the shrimp in batter dishes. I agree the portions do tend to be on the large size. I had to laugh because the last time I was in there a guy was quite upset he couldn't order more than one entree. He was there with his dad. He proceeded to order most of the appetizers on the menu. The dad said they would be there until midnight with all that food. I wonder if they ate it all :).

 

 

Oh my goodness I would have liked to see him try! lol

 

 

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[bluesplayer]

UPNY guy.. hope you will put a review here on the HA board of your Oceania cruise,, thanks to the original poster for a thorough review!!

[UPNYGuy]

UPNY guy.. hope you will put a review here on the HA board of your Oceania cruise,, thanks to the original poster for a thorough review!!

 

I will. I admit I am not much of a reviewer, as I try to enjoy the cruise and not nit-pick and take notes ;p. But I will put something down here for everybody here to enjoy.

[freestyling]

I would give Tamarind another chance with a different main cours offering. The only items that we find very displeasing are the battered shrimp. This was my 1st order as well at the Tamarind. So disappointed, however now it IS our favorite dining venue. Love the shrimp crackers as well!

[styles27]

I would give Tamarind another chance with a different main cours offering. The only items that we find very displeasing are the battered shrimp. This was my 1st order as well at the Tamarind. So disappointed, however now it IS our favorite dining venue. Love the shrimp crackers as well!

 

We definitely will give it another try because we really enjoyed the soup and apps we had.

 

If the menu description had said that the shrimp were battered on the entree we wouldn't have ordered it. I saw Thai Basil and immediately was drawn to it. Oh well...live and learn. lol