What Do You Want to Know About Eurodam -- Cruise Critic Onboard June 27th

[editor@cruisecritic]

Good news -- HAL came through with answers to questions large and small. I'll start posting today and finish up by Friday. Again, there's still time to ask yours if it hasn't been answered already!

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, a couple of questions from earlier related to how accessible the ship is for not only the disabled but also "poor walkers" -- thanks for bringing up the topic. Here's what I've got from HAL re best places onboard and such:

 

*Recommendation that poor walkers try to book accessible cabins. I can attest to that. My mom's a "poor walker" and we had a standard balcony cabin and I really worried about her tripping needlessly. Also, the tub in the bathroom may have been a luxury for me; for her it was a terrible challenge cause the rim was too high for her to get in (just to use the shower). Accessible cabins come in many categories, from insides to suites (I reviewed an accessible suite earlier in this blog).

 

*For the theater, the best places to sit are on the top level in the back or the bottom level in the front (you enter via a hallway that wraps around the side's of theater and wind up right in front!). Both of these provide a direct non-step access ...

 

*Lounges. Ocean Bar and Explorer's Bar are good choices as is the Sports Bar (but it's fairly small, fyi). The Lido Bar is a good choice in the daytime and there are plenty of chairs and tables.

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

The passenger space ratio for public rooms is 40.8 and this is a number that's compiled by dividing gross tonnage with double occupancy passenger figures.

 

For comparison's sake, Holland America's Statendam Class: 43 (so each passenger has, believe it or not, about 10 percent more space on this class than on Eurodam).

 

Other ships in other fleets:

 

*Celebrity's Millennium class (includes also Infinity, Summit, Constellation): 46.2.

 

*Diamond Princess, Sapphire Princess: 42.2

 

*Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas: 42.2

 

*Carnival Freedom: 37.0

 

*Oceania Regatta, Insignia and Nautica: 44

 

*Caribbean Princess: 34 (!)

 

Get this: NCL's new F3 space ratio is pretty low, too: 35. Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas? 41.6 -- WOW!

 

Pretty interesting, eh?

 

The passenger to crew ratio is 1 pax to 2.63 crew.

 

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

Nope. The size of your balcony depends more on location (aft, corner, etc.)....

 

Carolyn

[Growler]

What about you? All of you? How does reading about Eurodam in such minute detail (and there's more to come, LOL), make you feel about choosing this ship? Tell us here….

 

Carolyn

 

Hi Carolyn,

 

Firstly, thanks for the incredible work you've put in on our behalf over the last couple of weeks! It's been an exhilarating experience just reading everyone's views on the new ship, and provided a valuable insight into what to expect when I board in New York.

 

You asked whether reading about the ship in such detail would change my feelings about booking a cruise on her, so I'll try to give you some objective feedback about my own position. I booked a New England/Canada cruise on the Eurodam in May 2007. I was less concerned about sailing on the inaugural voyage than travelling to a part of the world that I'd not previously experienced, so the fact that this was a new ship for HAL (my cruise line of choice, not that I have a huge amount of experience to draw upon) was a bonus, and probably only meant that I chose her over the Maasdam for that reason.

 

However, having sailed on several other HAL cruises, what I was really wanting to read about was the differences between the Eurodam and the other Vista class ships, and your reports (together with the other 'live from' threads) have certainly provided the details! Whether I'd agree with the 'opinions' mentioned in the various reports is questionable at best, because we all have different expectations when embarking on a cruise holiday so, for example, the actual location of the 'internet cafe' is almost irrelevant to me, when contrasted with the availability and speed of wireless internet connections throughout the ship. Similarly, any complaint about the lack of seating space in the Lido during the breakfast rush hour washed straight over me, because I'd have simply chosen to eat elswhere or at a different time, as I've done several times on other HAL ships.

 

Seperating the wheat from the chaff of all such reports is fun though, and overall, my perception in that the Eurodam is, in the main, a well thought out improvement on the earlier ships. There are, of course, exceptions that prove the rule, and the 'invisible step' pictured on another thread is one oversight that I'd be suprised not to to see corrected by the time we sail in September. I'll obviously have to wait until I board to fully understand the nature of all the changes, but thanks to yourself and the other intrepid 'cruise critics', I and many others have some excellent reference material to work with in the intervening weeks. Long may you continue, and many thanks once again.

 

Tim

 

Oh, one last thing, I assume the passenger/crew ratio you mentioned was the wrong way round? There aren't really 2.63 crew for every passenger are there?

[SueOverend]

Once I discovered the drawer space under the beds -- big ones -- and the fact that the little love seat for the desk has a top that lifts up so you can store stuff inside -- I was fine. Plus the beds are high enough that you can store even bulky suitcases out of site. Mine are high plastic Samsonite suitcases (great, very durable but often too high for under-the-bed) and so they wind up consuming closets). The closets have shelves in the one with the safe, adjustable, and then two full hanging closets.

 

The bathroom on the other hand is pretty poor in terms of storage. There's shelves lined up on one side rather than both sides, of the sink. And they're shelves, not closed cabinets. Kind of tacky IMHO.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn - do I assume then that are no drawers around the mirrored desk for my costmetics and hair brushes etc?

 

Thanks. Sue

[editor@cruisecritic]

Funny thing, just re-reading this and it occurs to me that the cabanas didn't even come up in my mind when I was writing this. Could care less, I guess....

 

Carolyn

 

 

Hi, whenzuc, know you asked these questions earlier and I wanted to wait until I got off the ship to answer them, LOL, mostly to be able to think things through and gain a little perspective. I'll tackle the is-the-ship-special question first.

 

I've been honest already in this blog in saying that I much prefer the S class of ships, design-wise and I still do. I'm not crazy about Vista class, too dark, glitzy, commercial, crowded. IMHO. At the same time, there are things I like about HAL regardless of the ship design: the service, the generally consistent quality of the food, the entertainment (particularly the musical entertainment -- the Explorer's Lounge is just one of my favorite venues in cruising), and the pool decks which I think are the most beautiful at sea. The Culinary Arts program is fine…. And the Signatures of Excellence program is just first rate. That was one heck of a comfortable bed and I loved getting to catch up on some videos I'd brought from home (thanks to Netflix!) via the DVD that's available in even standard cabins (the ship's library was good too, for disc rentals).

 

I did like Eurodam better than Vista class for its options. What really stands out on this ship, to me, are the dining options. The Tamarind's a winner -- great ambience, excellent food. I frankly forgot I was on a cruise ship when I was dining there (went twice). The Silk Den, which is adjacent, is also a winner and I've noted why (exotic ambience). I also like the Microsoft partnership; it's time that HAL got a little serious about enrichment, beyond the culinary angle.

 

I like the fact that the library/coffee bar area is part of the Crow's Nest (I may be in the minority on that one) because except for really busy times, being away from the general traffic patterns made it more peaceful rather than less (people didn't just wander in; you have to make an effort to get there) and there's also the option of spreading out into the Crow's Nest. I liked being in that space in the daytime as well as at night.

 

I'd still recommend that HAL find somewhere on the public decks 2 and 3 for a small coffee bar so folks who only want an espresso or a latte don't have to trek up to deck 11 for it.

 

Eurodam IS a big ship, however, and big ships are big ships in my book whether they come from Celebrity, Princess, Carnival or HAL. I find on big ships that I spend a fair amount of time looking for quiet spots (paying a'la carte fees to use areas like thallasotherapy pools or dine at alternative restaurants instead of braving crowds) and at some point you have to look at the money you're spending and wonder whether a more upscale, smaller ship that's more inclusive and doesn't have so many crowds to run from wouldn't be worth pricing out.

 

Note-with-no-segue: The proliferation of big ships with their small-ship-within-a-big-one features is one of the reasons why we created an entirely new approach with our luxury micro-site (http://www.cruisecritic.com/luxurycruises/). It's not so much about appealing to travelers who are already entrenched in the luxury market (though of course they're more than welcome, LOL), but aimed at people "like" me and hopefully you, for whom value is an important factor (for me the most important) in choosing a cruise and who may be ready to graduate to the next step, whether it's big suites on big ships or a smaller ship experience. End of Note-with-no-segue.

 

 

Big ships mean the occasional curt service (as noted, mostly in the purser's arena), and lines. For me -- and this may not affect you at all -- lines on vacation are a deal-breaker. I work really hard and when I'm on vacation I want two things that are somewhat absent from my regular life: no stress and no hassles. (Good food and wine too, of course, go without saying).

 

So the things I like about Holland America I'd still prefer in a smaller package which is where the S Class ships (Statendam and Maasdam) fit. But then I'd miss out on Tamarind and some of the other features already noted.

 

I think the big ship is here to stay, at least as far as this line is concerned. What I'd probably do, again, if I were to vacation onboard Eurodam, would be to book a suite that would give extra space and extra services (concierge for making things easier).

 

What about you? All of you? How does reading about Eurodam in such minute detail (and there's more to come, LOL), make you feel about choosing this ship? Tell us here….

 

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

You raise an excellent point, Sue, and one that I noticed (but forgot to mention). No drawers in the desk (not even a top desk drawer). There's a double-shelf area in the desk -- off to the side and it stores the hairdryer and ashtray on one level and drinking glasses on another -- not much room for stuff. You will find drawers in the end tables but I never got around to using them.

 

One other thing I forgot to mention. It's part of Signatures of Excellence and everyone gets 'em -- but the flowers on the coffee table were gorgeous....

 

Carolyn

 

 

Carolyn - do I assume then that are no drawers around the mirrored desk for my costmetics and hair brushes etc?

 

Thanks. Sue

[editor@cruisecritic]

and LOL, re passenger-to-crew ratio, thanks Tim, for pointing this out. I am famously (in my own family, er) bad at math. You are right, it's 1 crew member to ... 2.63 crew. My husband is ROTHL. Sorry,

 

Thanks for your thoughts -- it's hard sometimes to write about yourself because you know everybody has his/her own preferences. So hope I've captured the general experience.

 

Carolyn

 

Hi Carolyn,

 

Firstly, thanks for the incredible work you've put in on our behalf over the last couple of weeks! It's been an exhilarating experience just reading everyone's views on the new ship, and provided a valuable insight into what to expect when I board in New York.

 

You asked whether reading about the ship in such detail would change my feelings about booking a cruise on her, so I'll try to give you some objective feedback about my own position. I booked a New England/Canada cruise on the Eurodam in May 2007. I was less concerned about sailing on the inaugural voyage than travelling to a part of the world that I'd not previously experienced, so the fact that this was a new ship for HAL (my cruise line of choice, not that I have a huge amount of experience to draw upon) was a bonus, and probably only meant that I chose her over the Maasdam for that reason.

 

However, having sailed on several other HAL cruises, what I was really wanting to read about was the differences between the Eurodam and the other Vista class ships, and your reports (together with the other 'live from' threads) have certainly provided the details! Whether I'd agree with the 'opinions' mentioned in the various reports is questionable at best, because we all have different expectations when embarking on a cruise holiday so, for example, the actual location of the 'internet cafe' is almost irrelevant to me, when contrasted with the availability and speed of wireless internet connections throughout the ship. Similarly, any complaint about the lack of seating space in the Lido during the breakfast rush hour washed straight over me, because I'd have simply chosen to eat elswhere or at a different time, as I've done several times on other HAL ships.

 

Seperating the wheat from the chaff of all such reports is fun though, and overall, my perception in that the Eurodam is, in the main, a well thought out improvement on the earlier ships. There are, of course, exceptions that prove the rule, and the 'invisible step' pictured on another thread is one oversight that I'd be suprised not to to see corrected by the time we sail in September. I'll obviously have to wait until I board to fully understand the nature of all the changes, but thanks to yourself and the other intrepid 'cruise critics', I and many others have some excellent reference material to work with in the intervening weeks. Long may you continue, and many thanks once again.

 

Tim

 

Oh, one last thing, I assume the passenger/crew ratio you mentioned was the wrong way round? There aren't really 2.63 crew for every passenger are there?

[editor@cruisecritic]

Thanks to Tim! Passenger to crew ratio is 2.63 - 1 not the other way 'round. Sorry!

 

Carolyn

 

The passenger space ratio for public rooms is 40.8 and this is a number that's compiled by dividing gross tonnage with double occupancy passenger figures.

 

For comparison's sake, Holland America's Statendam Class: 43 (so each passenger has, believe it or not, about 10 percent more space on this class than on Eurodam).

 

Other ships in other fleets:

 

*Celebrity's Millennium class (includes also Infinity, Summit, Constellation): 46.2.

 

*Diamond Princess, Sapphire Princess: 42.2

 

*Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas: 42.2

 

*Carnival Freedom: 37.0

 

*Oceania Regatta, Insignia and Nautica: 44

 

*Caribbean Princess: 34 (!)

 

Get this: NCL's new F3 space ratio is pretty low, too: 35. Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas? 41.6 -- WOW!

 

Pretty interesting, eh?

 

The passenger to crew ratio is 1 pax to 2.63 crew.

 

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

You'll get a small coaster sized tile, design as yet unknown....

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

Whenzuc wants to know: "how seriously does HAL take your written commentaries given the size if CC's readership?"

 

I do know that our editorial features and our threads are read by the cruise lines in general. I know some lines whose CEOs are on the boards fairly regularly. I know once, when writing a virtual and making an observation that wasn't terribly positive, the staff onboard got a fax the next day from the cruise line president saying "shape up or ship out". Most cruise lines actually have staffers who are responsible for monitoring sites like ours -- and reporting trends and patterns that emerge to the powers-that-be.

 

Most of the time, at least in editorial, we don't really know. In this case, I seriously don't have a clue whether HAL's seen any of the postings or not (one would assume if someone is reading Brian and RevNeal's threads about the abysmal At Your Service dining scenario they'd have fixed it; they've definitely taken too long to get it right).

 

I assume Cruise Critic means a lot to Holland America so someone out there must read this. But from the people with whom I interact most often (the public relations department), there's never any kind of feedback at all.

 

That's a good and bad thing. To elaborate on the reason why it's good to get NO feedback: After a really bizarre experience blogging from another cruise line's ship (this was several years ago) I almost abandoned the practice entirely. Basically, I'd had a seriously sub-par experience, wrote about it on the thread, and got yelled at by the ship's hotel director -- literally the next day -- for not telling him first. Seriously! Like that was going to help? But it's not my job to tell the hotel director when there's a problem. It's my job to serve our readers and give the good, the bad and the ugly from a passenger's point of view.

 

(Mind you, if there's a serious problem involving someone's safety or well being, we'd go to whomever we had to go to, I hope that's clear! I'm talking about writing honestly about the cruise experience as we go along).

 

I was negatively shaken by the way that episode was handled (and incidentally after all the sturm-und-drang the problem wasn't ever resolved and other readers wrote in to say they'd had similar bad experiences in this regard). And the memory has lingered as a result….

 

After that, for a time, even virtuals VIRTUALS, our feature in which we write day by day journals that literally appear the next day, went to "tape delay" status (after the writer was off the ship so that the experience couldn't be altered in midstream). We're back to more normal timing now…. I'm definitely more savvy about being "manipulated" onboard, our other writers are more sensitive to it, and as an editor, when I do see it in copy (can recognize it immediately and I read all virtual/thread-blog copy before we launch), passages that are "infected" are cut.

 

What's bad about getting no feedback? At least from p.r. what I think is weird is that there's no feedback at all, no effort to clarify if a posting's ambiguous, no effort to add perspective. I've found that to be the case with other lines, too. If I write something that's shortsighted or inaccurate or based on a misunderstanding -- and this can happen when you're writing quickly and for immediate publication -- I'd really like to know that. The most important thing is to get the info right. So if appropriately handled, I'd appreciate the feedback.

 

Hope that answers the question….

 

Carolyn

[josephone]

Carolyn

Did you notice the step in the Lido that Rev. Neal talked about. Is it a problem. We get on next week and i am concerned.

thanks for the great review!

Josephone

[Gsel]

Carolyn, thanks so much for the answers to the all the questions. IMHO it would seem the mucks at HAL, and other lines, would be interested in what the folks here would have to say. With so many experienced cruisers spouting off so much they could get all sorts of info, some they didn't even ask for! I have really enjoyed your posts, can't wait to see the Eurodam for myself.

Barbara

[Oceanwench]

Carolyn

Did you notice the step in the Lido that Rev. Neal talked about. Is it a problem. We get on next week and i am concerned.

thanks for the great review!

Josephone

 

I am very concerned too.

For DH in a wheelchair, a step might as well be a 6-foot brick wall.

He can't get over it.

I hope there are ramped areas too.

[hulamoon]

Aloha Carolyn,

 

You were yelled at? I can't imagine how this was going to help the review. A taste in your mouth that bad, is not easily forgotten. I would love to know which line this happened with, but understand why you wouldn't say.

 

As to the AYW dining, in my limited experience I have to think there is a break down on at least 2 HAL ships in training, possibly fleet wide, if I am to believe a recent Alaskan review. Again, it seems simple enough to fix if there is motivation to do so. I would think the concept of relaxed dining times and fixed is good, and will be welcomed by many passengers, but it has to be serviced as well as the traditional experience.

 

It seems that the current passengers did what we did, after the shock of how bad it can be, you learn to work with who is there and eventually get it to work better if not perfectly. This is why when I returned I kept mentioning the names of the staff that stood out with excellent service. Of course, because they rotate from Traditional to Anytime it may be difficult to get your requested server. Certainly a line would notice requests being made from guests. But maybe I am giving too much credit.

We also wonder if the tipping policy undermines rewarding better service, as the tips are given evenly.

 

Thanks for sharing the inside scoop on your job, it seems like a fascinating way to live your life! We really appreciate the real scoop and the fact you are not simply a parrot of PR.

 

Thank

[whenzuc]

Carolyn- THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR WELL BALANCED COMMENTS WHILE AND BOARD AND ON LAND. You certainly answered all of my questions and then some!

With regard to your question regarding our view of the Eurodam.

There is nothing that would make me want to cancel our reservations for January. I think there is more than enough time for the staff to be rocking and rolling as a cohesive team by then. These issues are indicative of most new ships on "tour" so I am not put off by most issues.

Since we will be vacationing with our children ( ages 18, 18, 22) we backed into deciding that this was "the ship for us" based on dates of college break, ships available, the itinerary and our past positive experience on the Westerdam over many other cruise lines that we had experienced.

Based on your comments, I am glad that we booked 2 SS suites and will continue to seek out any bargains for SA suites if they are offered.

I think that we all can adjust to locations of coffee bars and libraries, sizes and comfort of seating in public areas,the footprint taken up by the cabanas, and things like the number of drawers in a desk or bathroom! None of this will in the end have any real affect on our vacation. I guess that is what makes each ship a bit unique.

I too was caught up in all of the hype about the introduction of this ship to the fleet by my TA. I do however, look forward to the additional dining options, the Culinary demos, the itinerary, the pools, and the overall newness of the ship.

I am most concerned about the As You Wish Dining which we are currently assigned to. I assume that those issues will also be worked out in short order. Otherwise we will be dining a bit more than anticipated in the premium restaurants to offset the frustrations caused by this seating. That to me is money well spent.

We booked the Eurodam based on a previous positive experience with the Westerdam and we look forward to enjoying what differentiates HAL from its competition. THANKS AGAIN

[editor@cruisecritic]

And you are most welcome -- it's been a pleasure!

 

Carolyn

 

 

Carolyn- THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR WELL BALANCED COMMENTS WHILE AND BOARD AND ON LAND. You certainly answered all of my questions and then some!

With regard to your question regarding our view of the Eurodam.

There is nothing that would make me want to cancel our reservations for January. I think there is more than enough time for the staff to be rocking and rolling as a cohesive team by then. These issues are indicative of most new ships on "tour" so I am not put off by most issues.

Since we will be vacationing with our children ( ages 18, 18, 22) we backed into deciding that this was "the ship for us" based on dates of college break, ships available, the itinerary and our past positive experience on the Westerdam over many other cruise lines that we had experienced.

Based on your comments, I am glad that we booked 2 SS suites and will continue to seek out any bargains for SA suites if they are offered.

I think that we all can adjust to locations of coffee bars and libraries, sizes and comfort of seating in public areas,the footprint taken up by the cabanas, and things like the number of drawers in a desk or bathroom! None of this will in the end have any real affect on our vacation. I guess that is what makes each ship a bit unique.

I too was caught up in all of the hype about the introduction of this ship to the fleet by my TA. I do however, look forward to the additional dining options, the Culinary demos, the itinerary, the pools, and the overall newness of the ship.

I am most concerned about the As You Wish Dining which we are currently assigned to. I assume that those issues will also be worked out in short order. Otherwise we will be dining a bit more than anticipated in the premium restaurants to offset the frustrations caused by this seating. That to me is money well spent.

We booked the Eurodam based on a previous positive experience with the Westerdam and we look forward to enjoying what differentiates HAL from its competition. THANKS AGAIN

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks so much for taking the time to write all this up.

 

It is much appreciated.

[HiFi43]

My wife and I returned last night from the inagural cruise and, as experienced cruisers, were very pleased with the Eurodam. By the end of the cruise most of the issues I have been reading about in the posts were being addressed and our first impression of the Eurodam is quite positive. We expected inagural issues and, yes, as can be seen from the posts, there were a number of them but HAL has a winner in the Eurodam.

 

The entertainment was exceptional, the speciality restaurants were special...the Tamarind is really special...the Pinnacle is very good and the Italian was a change of pace with no additional charge from the main dinning room. We selected the unscheduled dinning and that option still has some bugs that need to be worked out but was better by the later stages of the cruise.

 

While the Lido does tend to fill up during rush periods we were always able to find a seat if we were willing to share. I do think on cruises in warmer weather settings the number of lounge chairs around the pool will be a problem because of the cabanas as was noted in other posts.

 

When we filled out the comment cards the main complaint we had was related in the very disorganized and uncomfortable embarcation procedure compared to other cruise we have been on.

 

But if you are thinking of taking the Eurodam it is a great ship and a real value for the dollar.

[grannynurse]

Hi Carolyn,

I have followed your posts and really appreciate the attention to detail and your ability to be fair and unbiased.

 

I have A question for you that i purposely waited until you got back to ask.

When you described the SS/SY/SZ cabin category it sounded very much like an aft SC (L-shaped). What caught my attention precisely was the mention of the dressing room. As far as I know there are no separate dressing rooms in these cabin categories. Is it possible that you were describing an aft SC. I did check the deck plan and saw a starboard side cabin with that number and classification but the info does not compute with the changes in cabin amenities that I did not expect in the superior cabins (like mirrored closets). The only ones I've ever seen on HAL are in SA, SB,SC deluxe suites. I guess i'm asking if the superior suites SS, SY, and SZ on Eurodam now have these amenities (dressing rooms with mirrored closet doors).

Thanks so much I hope I wasn't too obtuse.

GN

[blue whale]

How did HAL handle the Mariner party on Eurodam? You may have covered this, but I probably missed it. Thank you.

[djhsolara]

The couch converts to a sofa bed and the space, including the verandah, runs to about 398 square ft.

 

 

 

Carolyn

 

 

 

 

Do you have any photos that show the sofa opened to the bed? We're going to be using that feature on our sailing and would love to see how that works.

 

Also...do you know anything about stateroom 6113? I know that it is on the "bend" of the ship and have been told that there is a little more space in the room because of a little difference in configuration.

 

Thank you!!

[bepsf]

How did HAL handle the Mariner party on Eurodam? You may have covered this, but I probably missed it. Thank you.

 

The Mariner party was done the old fashioned way - via invitation to one of two receptions in the showlounge on the last afternoon at sea - primarily because there were so many Mariners aboard, but also due to the hectic port schedule.

[kri52]

I don't have alot of good things to say about the Eurodam, but then I'm not a big fan of the Vista ships in general. BUT...my problems were with the ship and with HAL, not with the crew and staff. Despite an extra deck, you must basically realize that Eurodam is putting 300 more passengers into the same venues (mainly decks 2 and 3) you find on the Vista ships. If the Queens Lounge, main dining room, shops, Lido Restaurant etc. don't work well on the Vista ships...imagine them with 300 more people. The spa reception area, as has been pointed out, was not improved on the Eurodam. The relaxation room in the spa has had its chaises replaced with ordinary chairs.

 

The general reaction was that the Tamarind Restaurant and Silk Den were a big success. I heard no reaction to the italian restaurant (which reduces the size of the Lido Restaurant at night). The Pinnacle is a reduced $20 at night but I heard complaints about the congestion in there.

 

The Queens Lounge was used for talks, presentations and even stage shows to more extent than the main stage. I sensed some reluctance to use the main stage even though the Queens Lounge is woefully small. The new movie theatre is also too small but does have popcorn.

 

We had a number of people fall on the stairs in the main stage because the stairs were poorly designed. If you have a cruise planned on Eurodam, just be very careful. It is hard to see where you are stepping. Every other step is a different color and overhangs 3 inches too much.

 

It was disappointing that the baked alaska parade and dining room staff singing on the last night have been dropped. We were told this came down in a memo from Seattle.

 

The ship ran out of various types of food during my sailing. In the bars, they ran out of nuts, then goldfish and were serving nothing. Things we were used to receiving, like the canvas bags, had not been loaded onto the ship yet. No pens either. Ship postcards were now available in the shops for sale. Though the shops had no bags. We did get the Mariner tiles. Now realize I'm not talking about the first couple of cruises, this is in August.

 

Several times over the years I've had cabins either directly below or above lounges or even the showroom. I knew they were there but they were no bother. This time I was right over the Ocean Bar. The noise was intense. So unless you spend absolutely no time in your cabin or are deaf don't book a cabin midship, either side, on deck 4. The few times they held trivia in the Ocean Bar the questions were so loud and clear in my cabin I could play along. One morning at 10 an hour of dance music was so loud I couldn't hear myself think. And the evening music was changed during my trip to a later midnight ending. Hopefully HAL will lower the category of these cabins because you're stuck with the noise every night.

 

The atmosphere of the Eurodam was more like a Carnival ship than any HAL ship I've ever been on. The news that HAL is going to add more cabins to all the S-class ships plus the Rotterdam does not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling.

 

I happen to enjoy having caviar on formal nights. Now you have to go to the Silk Den and pay for it. I also like the indonesian entrees. Again the idea is that they want you to go to the Tamarind and pay for them.

 

I have no interest in open seating dining and continue to use fixed seating. On our port day in Warnemunde, Germany fixed seating was closed at dinner time so I was forced to use open seating. I went at a time when the dining room was fairly quiet and was seated with 2 couples already on their second course. After 15 minutes I was finally asked to come with a waiter because a mistake had been made. In a roundabout way I was lead to another table just 2 tables over. Again I waited 15 minutes watching nearly a dozen crew doing nothing. Had I been in a normal restaurant I would have gotten up and left. I couldn't understand being kept waiting 30 minutes in a room nearly empty. I haven't really mastered the concept of open seating yet except that you do alot of sitting and not a lot of eating.

 

This was the first time I rated a HAL cruise at anything less than a 9. There were a few pluses: the beds of course, the seats in the main showroom, the Lido pool area, Port Lecturer Frank Buckingham.