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

[Sunshine91]

I've uploaded a few of my early Eurodam pictures here. I promise to add more in the next few days, but need to rush back to the ship shortly.

 

PJ - Thanks much for those AWESOME pix!

 

Carolyn - SO not trying to start a war-of-words here, just seeking info. But, what's the smoking policy onboard? Or rather, what are the non-smoking areas? Any chance the casino will have any non-smoking nights? Thanks much for finding out.

 

ps - Been reading you for a while. Missed you when you left the Washington Post Travel section. Was really happy that you wound up someplace else that I could read your good work. Keep it up. You sure you can't stay aboard in Copenhagen for the actual Inaugural cruise? :)

[donjarvis]

Thank you for the opportunity to ask some questions about the new Eurodam. I'll be aboard for the Thanksgiving cruise, my second HAL cruise, first was on the Veendam, which I liked. Here are a few questions I have.

1. How many of the decks are actually teak?

2. I have noticed a big cabana craze. How much do the cabanas around the Lido Pool cost? Does the Sea View pool offer cabanas as well?

3. What's your impression of the "Retreat"? What does it offer and what are the costs?

4. What's your impression of the "Canaletto" atmosphere? Do they do a good job of transforming this small space in the lido cafe into something really special and inviting?

5. Is there a deck/observation area on top of the Crows Nest? Is there one on top of Tamarind/Silk Den?

6. What's your impression of the atmosphere in the Rembrandt dining room? From the pics it looks a little cold & sterile and the colors look unsophisticated and tired.

7. What is your impression of the Eurodam compared to HAL's Vista-class ships?

That's all for now. Thanks again! :)

[kennethwthomas17]

How large is the assortment of the books written in English in the library, especially the fiction section? Thank you.

[katisdale]

I have mobility problems although I am currently still walking with the help of a rolling walker. I would like to know how high the step is up into the bathroom. Also if you have a verandah, how high is that step? Is there seating in the theater, bars, dining room that can be reached without steps? Are there any cabins that are modified for poor walkers - or even better universal design cabins - so we would not need a wheelchair cabin but still have easy access?

[seabourndt]

i was onboard the EURODAM for lunch, had a great time. like the reatreat myself, i thought Vt grade a bit dissapointing quite small cabin and the balcony not porivarte at all. not sure i should have booked on one. the tamerind i loved

dave

[bepsf]

Thanks, Brian, I'd love to meet you all! Will you tell me who to look out for (and what's a good time at the Ocean Bar)? When do you board?

 

Best,

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn--

 

We generally meet in Ocean Bar before dinner at 7pm - tho a few of us are planning to be ashore for dinner the evening of Hamburg...

 

Please feel free to give us jingle and I'll be pleased to introduce you to the gang - I'm in suite 5186, boarding in Rotterdam.

 

We'll be attending the Christening as well - I'll be the one in the bright Oranje Lilly Pulitzer blazer.

;)

[editor@cruisecritic]

Last night we dined in Tamarind -- which is probably the most highly anticipated restaurant onboard. It's totally new, of course, which is why everyone has the most questions.

 

It's located on deck 11, paired with the fabulously exotic Silk Den bar. They're the only two rooms on that passage (you need the midship elevator to access). The setting (though not the rooms) reminds me of the approach that Princess takes with Sabatini and … the elegant lounge that's adjacent (on Crown, Emerald and soon-to-be-Ruby); in both cases these duos are really a world unto themselves.

 

The ship is not even close to full -- it's still operating on pre-inaugural, rather than full cruise mode. That means that restaurants are selectively open (lunch for instance was limited to the buffet -- actually quite well done -- unless you were part of a special group) and menus last night in both Tamarind and in Pinnacle Grill (which hosted another batch of guests) were "set". You couldn't order off the menu.

 

The bars and lounges after dinner were ghost-empty (there was a show but since it's not one that will be offered when regular cruises start up I didn't go). The Ocean Bar had a few souls, the Pinnacle Bar, though open, was empty, there was no music at the Explorers Lounge (which I normally love and which is beautiful) so it was bereft of a soul. Only the Piano Bar, where the crowd maxed out at five while I was listening to a genuinely fun pianist/singer, and the casino (which was packed) had any life to 'em.

 

But again, this is not "real" cruise mode. It's fun to be onboard before all gets ramped up because you get to watch staffers and crew tweak various features but it also makes you appreciate the features, amenities, and entertainment that occurs when the ship is open for business. Which is Wednesday…and I'll be onboard until Saturday.

 

 

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

and LOL re the orange blazer. I may be able to pick you out!

 

I'll definitely ring you -- would love to meet everybody. Enjoy Amsterdam (we arrived in Rotterdam this morning)....

 

Carolyn

 

 

 

Carolyn--

 

We generally meet in Ocean Bar before dinner at 7pm - tho a few of us are planning to be ashore for dinner the evening of Hamburg...

 

Please feel free to give us jingle and I'll be pleased to introduce you to the gang - I'm in suite 5186, boarding in Rotterdam.

 

We'll be attending the Christening as well - I'll be the one in the bright Oranje Lilly Pulitzer blazer.

;)

[editor@cruisecritic]

The departure from Southampton was just magic. It was a sunny, blustery day and the river was filled with sailboats; the scene reminded me of St. Tropez. There were three other ships docked: Sea Princess, P&O's Oceana (former Ocean Princess) and Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas. And we got to look at all of them up-close-and-personal because Eurodam had to sail upriver in order to turn around. So on the trip up, revelers on the aft pool deck (and it was very festive, with freshly-made margaritas and a band) lined up first starboard (to watch the ships rather than the river's western coastline) and then port.

 

Sea Princess was funny -- crewmembers waved this huge yellow hand on a stick from the open door.

 

It took a couple of hours to get out to sea and if you've never seen the Isle of Wight, the island just, I believe, to the south of England's southern coast, it's fabulous, at least from afar. There's a big medieval castle in a grassy spot cut of the forest, and what looks like a bustling harbor town. The island seemed rather large. What it reminded me of was Queen Victoria; on Cunard's Queen Victoria, the Queens Lounge is inspired by that monarch's own favorite vacation castle (Osborne House), which is located there.

 

 

Carolyn

[florisdekort]

Hi Carolyn,

 

I watched Eurodam arrive while standing on the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam this morning and took lots of pictures... I will send some over later today.

 

On Wednesday I will be boarding for the 3-day sailing to Copenhagen... I am greatly looking forward to sailing a new ship and to my first HAL experience! Maybe I will see you on board.

 

Enjoy my home town of Rotterdam. As of tomorrow, it is supposed to be sunny and 30 degrees...

 

Cheers -

Floris

[editor@cruisecritic]

There were a few derogatory comments as we departed about Southampton's beauty or rather lack thereof. This was not my first time visiting (I've made many trips) but, oddly enough, the first time I ever sailed from Southampton and I'll admit: that city could better use of its waterfront. It's mostly given over to parking lots, parking garages and rows of cars and trucks, presumably off-loaded by a freighter and waiting to be shipped elsewhere. Why city leaders can't find somewhere else for some of those parking lots/garages (why would you waste an entire pier on that rather creating parkland, restaurants, etc.?) I don't know. But here's the thing.

 

Southampton and its surrounds is a lovely area of England. Sure, if you haven't spent much in London and you're coming to the U.K. to board a ship, I can see why you wouldn't trade time in that city for a few days in Southampton. If you're from the U.K. and want to avoid London to begin with, LOL, this is a lovely spot for a pre-cruise getaway.

 

The city's okay for a quick overnight and there are some new budget-oriented hotels along the road the fronts the docks (and good High Street shopping, and pubs, nearby). For me, the New Forest, WHICH IS , is a major draw and so is a delightful English country house hotel called Terra Vina. It's a contemporary twist on the concept (if you want a more traditional English country house hotel in the New Forest try Chewton Glen) with just a handful of guest rooms, a first rate restaurant (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and an utterly peaceful ambience. The forest is across the road and in the afternoons the cows and horses that roam there freely come out to graze. This trip they were accompanied by their "babies" and it was just darling to see foals on their unsteady legs, making their way around.

 

If you're coming in to cruise from Southampton via an international flight, it's fairly easy to get there: from terminal five, I took a National Express bus to Wokking's rail station (every 30 minutes), then a train to Southampton (took about an hour). From there to any of the New Forest spots you either a need to rent a car to take a taxi; that part of it's not cheap (though of course you could rent the car in London and simply drive down). PS: I arrived at Heathrow on an overnight flight (about 7 a.m.) and National Express does offer direct bus service to Southampton but it didn't work for me. First, it didn't leave until 9 a.m. and then it took five hours! My bus-to-Wokking, train-to-Southampton consumed at most two hours.

 

One plus on this visit to Terra Vina is that staffers there recommended a bike hire firm located in nearby (1 mile) Ashurst; the proprietor wasn't busy so he actually delivered the bike to the hotel, which was so great. I spent the two days riding through the New Forest and discovering villages like Bank (there's a fantastic gastro-pub there call The Oak) and Lyndhurst (admittedly touristy but pleasant still.

 

There are also loads of guest houses and b&bs that are quite affordable in the area; Lyndhurst, which also boasts restaurants, tearooms, antique shops and a few pubs, seems to be a center for that.

 

Funny thing, on my taxi ride back to Southampton to board Eurodam, the driver told me quite proudly that he was going on his first cruise next year (Freedom of the Seas out of Port Canaveral) and that what spurred him on to "try" a cruise was in driving so many people getting off ships -- and hearing them rave about what a great time they had.

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

The Tamarind concept is to fuse food from Southeast Asia, China and Japan. Dinner -- reservations highly recommended -- is $15 per person. I scanned the menu and there are no extra charges (beyond your wine and liqueurs and such). There are tons of choices and I could see dining here at least twice if not more often just try different dishes. The menu starts off with soup (we had Jewels of the Sea last night; it's a delicate lemongrass broth with a shrimp-filled won ton, very very nice), followed by a selection of sushi/sashimi (you can choose six of these in lieu of appetizers or 12 as an entrée).

 

We didn't sample the appetizers but they include pot stickers, spring roll, Thai beef salad, and Shanghai Ribs.

 

Entrees are listed under four categories: Water (snapper backed in rice paper sounds good), Wood (wasabi and soy crusted beef tenderloin was on the menu last night -- at our table most deemed it adequate), Fire (I had the Szechuan shrimp with Thai basil and it was delicious) and Earth (for vegetarians, it included a five spice seitan and tempeh). Dessert sounded more promising than it was -- Mango Cloud, described as a "light egg white soufflé served with a mango sorbet tasted more like frothy egg than soufflé. The ginger banana bread pudding and tamarind chocolate (shell filled with tamarind and chile-flavored chocolate and ginger mousse) sounded more appealing.

 

The restaurant is clearly finding its voice but I love the concept -- it's unique at sea -- and its top deck hideaway gives it a world away kind of ambience. Try to make time for a cocktail in the Silk Den before or afterward (I hope to revisit!).

 

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

I'm in a Category VO -- deluxe balcony stateroom. I vaguely remember Holland America trumpeting its new cabin design strategy some time back and there's really nothing new about this particular stateroom. It's pleasant, dark woods, autumn colors of rust, orange and green, and Dutch prints on the walls.

 

It's the usual set-up: two twin beds can be combined to make a queen size one (a caveat -- the twins are a mite more narrow than a U.S. twin). The bedding's excellent -- soft cotton sheets and a duvet, plenty of plump pillows. The configuration is either bed by the balcony with small two-seater (and frankly not terribly appealing Naugahyde loveseat) on the other side -- or the reverse. There's a small desk; a stocked mini-fridge is housed in the cabinet to the left, there are two shelves on the right. Inside you'll find a moderately powerful hair dryer, some nice glassware, and an ashtray (ugh). On top is a stainless steel ice bucket and tray (oh so much nicer than HAL's old plastic brown ones) and a make up mirror. There's a funky stool to sit on at the desk -- you can lift up the top and store stuff inside. Can't imagine what, maybe shoes?

 

Kudos to HAL for offering DVD players and flat screen televisions in all cabins. While for most travelers, holing up in your cabin and watching movies is not necessarily the point of a cruise but it's nice to have some downtime (and catch up on flicks). DVDs are for rent in the library ($3 per day); you can have three out at a time but you can only take each out for a day). Residents of suites and the like can check out DVDs for free.

 

There's decent closet space but an odd lack of drawers -- just a handful of shelves.

 

Bathrooms in this category are far from luxurious but do have a small tub that's adequate and a good showerhead. Toiletries are by Elemis.

 

Other category cabins will be open from time to time for viewing -- took a quick pass through yesterday and didn’t' see anything that hasn't already been available on Vista class ships.

 

Except: this ship has spa cabins (it's the new rage) and I took a look at one on deck ten and wondered what the fuss was all about. It had a sort of a French balcony (you can't sit out on yours) and aside from a different, more earthy color scheme, bathrobes that are "natural" colored rather than the eminently comfortable waffle-style in my cabin, and a wood platform on the bathroom floor instead of a mat, it was the same layout and such. Oh, there was a mini bar with stuff like Vitamin Water instead of the dreaded Diet Coke and there is a convenient corkscrew staircase that leads directly to the spa (that's a nice touch).

 

Which cabin categories/styles are most important to you? Please let me know….

 

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

The restaurant is open every day for lunch -- and there's no cover charge (it surprises me both that its option for lunch isn't limited to sea days and the lack of a service fee).

 

Then there's what's called a "Dim Sum" menu; hot and sour soup and Szechuan sesame salad are offered, then you can choose from a variety of steamed dumplings (chicken, pork, spinach and mushroom, etc.) and "from the work" fare. That includes stuff like spring role, "spicy crab sushi nugget" and shrimp won ton sticks. There are a whole bunch of "fusion sauces" that come with dim sum (which is a bit like the Chinese version of Spain's tapas), from Bora Bora BBQ (tomato, ginger, soy sauce) to Mirin Pesto (sweet wine, garlic, basil, soy and lemongrass.

 

 

Carolyn

[florisdekort]

Hi Carolyn,

 

I just submitted the pictures I mentioned in my post on the previous page.

 

Cheers -

Floris

[RuthC]

and an ashtray (ugh).

No, no no! Not "ugh"! You see an ashtray; I see a jewelry holder. I keep it in the nightstand drawer and put my rings and watch in there.

It's a great way to keep those little things that I wear most all the time, without worry that they'll roll around the drawer.

When my cabin doesn't have an ashtray I always go out of my way to get one.

[jtl513]

The restaurant is open every day for lunch -- and there's no cover charge (it surprises me both that its option for lunch isn't limited to sea days and the lack of a service fee).

I got the impression somewhere ... maybe the eurodamnews blog ... that the Tamarind was only going to be free for lunch until the end of this year. But who knows what they'll decide between now and then. :D

[editor@cruisecritic]

LOL, RuthC, a great suggestion!

 

Carolyn

 

 

No, no no! Not "ugh"! You see an ashtray; I see a jewelry holder. I keep it in the nightstand drawer and put my rings and watch in there.

It's a great way to keep those little things that I wear most all the time, without worry that they'll roll around the drawer.

When my cabin doesn't have an ashtray I always go out of my way to get one.

[whenzuc]

intersted in comments and pics pls on SS suite s. Details please

[alonzo14]

Fessler: Thanks so much for the pictures!!!!! I agree with your assesments of the ship!!!

 

 

Editor@CruiseCritic: Thanks for the information you've given. We appreciate the time you have taken to answer all our questions!

 

I would like to know if the inside category I staterooms on deck 8 ( 8037 to be exact ) is roomy. They look larger than the Verandah's on the same deck.

 

If anyone can take a picture of stateroom 8037 I would really appreciate it!!!!

 

 

RuthC: Very funny and a great suggestion about the ashtrays!!!!

[jmbaker65]

Thanks for the description of the cabins. Do they still have the big drawers under the beds? Those were always good places to store lots of stuff.

[DSLADE]

:) Carolyn...

Is there wireless service throughout the ship...including the statrooms? We are booked on Oct.25 cruise and I would like to bring my laptop. Thank you in advance for the answer.

Lonny and Denny Slade

North Port, Florida

[editor@cruisecritic]

Is that what they are? Oh my gosh, LOL. I only noticed 'em because I was trying to stick my suitcase underneath the very hgh bed (thinking no problem) and it wouldn't go in. Finally got down on hands and knees to see what the obstruction was. Wait a minute -- I'll go and check and see if I can open one....

 

Well what do you know? A neat idea! And frankly, I take back my comment about not enough drawer space -- this is plenty. Pretty crafty.

 

And thanks for the tip....

 

Carolyn

 

Thanks for the description of the cabins. Do they still have the big drawers under the beds? Those were always good places to store lots of stuff.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Yes, there's wireless and so far it's pretty amazingly fast (for a ship, don't get too excited)....

 

I've only used it my cabin so far. Any other spots you want me to check out?

 

Don't know what the prices are beyond the $3.95 start-up fee as they're not listed yet but will check back.

 

Carolyn

 

 

:) Carolyn...

Is there wireless service throughout the ship...including the statrooms? We are booked on Oct.25 cruise and I would like to bring my laptop. Thank you in advance for the answer.

Lonny and Denny Slade

North Port, Florida

[cricketts]

I'm interested in learning more about cabin categories VA and SC. We've booked adjoining rooms 6166 and 6164 on the aft. Will we be able to "open" and connect these balconies, or will they be private? Also, is the stern "stacked" or are the balconies above and below private; sunny or shady?