RevNeal's LIVE Eurodam Report

[tsd1]

Hope you Eurodam "virgin" cruisers raise a stink about the lack of space on the lido due to the cabanas. Maybe that is why they are sectioned off by curtains rather than by hard dividers like they are on the retreat - perhaps they expect to do away with them. Hope they are gone by our Jan. cruise.

 

As you know, Everything is too traditional for Unitarians!

[GmaPajama]

Thanks SO much for giving us all the goodies here, Greg. I can't tell you how much I enjoy reading all about it, from your point of view. I must check this thread a dozen times a day looking for more. :)

 

Donna

[RevNeal]

FAR from hamburger, we went to the Tamarind Restaurant on the Observation Deck mid-ships and had a wonderful lunch! The place is beautiful and food was fantastic ... spicy and delicious! Ran into Scotty and Brian there and we toured the Silk Din Lounge and Bar. Now THAT is a GREAT addition to the ship. Photographs don't do it justice ... not even close ... and I'm looking forward to experiencing it for cocktails tonight and on other nights. It's not overly large, but it's certainly nice.

 

First impression of the Pinnacle Bar is that it's not as "bad" as it looks ... those chairs do look like the belong in an Erector Set, however the bar stools are actually comfy and the room has a nice feel to it. I don't think it will get overly crowded.

 

The Sports Bar is FANTASTIC. It's a large rectangular bar with a center island in the middle where screens are hung. So ... rather than being divided into two rooms, as on the Vistas, it a much larger, more open space.

 

The Piano bar looks and feels just like their siblings on the Vistas. I walked in, looked around, and walked out last night because nothing was going on.

 

The Casino is arranged somewhat differently, but since I didn't examine the tables closely I don't know what games were where.

 

I've not yet been in the Northern Lights ... perhaps tonight? The Show Lounge is really just a big theater now, and the chairs are comfortable (at least for me). I gather shorter people find them a bit uncomfortable (at least, that's what I'm told).

 

Ok ... that's a few more observations. We're going to meet Brian and Scotty now and go ashore for some shopping. I'll report more later, and I hope to have some sample photos from sail away and of some of the sights aboard ship later tonight.

 

Oh ... internet reception is excellent in my stateroom, and the connection rate seems to be much faster than on prior ships.

[Sage]

Greg thanks again for the observations. It sounds like you are doing a lot of exploring. Have a great shopping adventure.

[Travelrd]

Rev Neal,

 

You mentioned Brian and Scotty have a deluxe veranda suite. What type of room do you and Christopher have? A mini suite? A veranda suite? Can you describe how it compares to the Vista Class cabins? Glad to hear the internet connection is good in the cabin. Hope the shopping was wonderful, was it?

Are you also performing services on Sunday?

[the2ofus]

Greg, if I can't be on the ship, your narratives are the next best thing. I hope things smooth out a bit as the days pass. It sure sounds like the dining room and Lido situations need some attention.

 

Please give my greetings to Christopher and Scotty and to the rest of the group as they assemble for the July 5 cruise.

[Susie51]

I'm sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience at breakfast. I'm glad you spoke up to the first person that came along and then you were able to state your case.

 

I'm wondering if HAL planned to have less space availabe so that pax would be "forced" to go to a pay venue for lunch and dinner since the dining room seems to be a problem also.

 

Your posts are always so informative. Thank you for starting this thread and keeping us informed. Hope you are having a wonderful time shopping in Hamburg.

[CinWin]

I hope people will definitely complain about the lack of seating space for eating in the Lido restaurant. :(

Cindy

[Boytjie]

Tracked down a webcam (portcam 3) that shows the Eurodam. :)

 

[RedmondCruiser]

Enjoyed your comments on the ship. I still cannot understand why they would make the Lido smaller ?? It does not make sense. ---- For your limited use of the cabana you should have given them a pro rata payment of 25 cents --- Sounds like your having a great time -- Your commentary saves me money, since I feel like I'm there.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Greg, as always, wonderful observations and reporting by you! Thank you (yet again) for doing this. We appreciate you.

 

The dining situation is a little depressing, isn't it? And here we go again with 80% asking for Traditional! I won't go down that path;) I really hope they get everything straightened out and you get the 8:00 sitting you want.

 

Obviously in an inaugural voyage there are going to be kinks and you expect them, but sometimes the planning does make us wonder.

[jtl513]

And here we go again with 80% asking for Traditional!

But I would bet that 95% of pax are multi-Mariners, with many more traditionalists than on your average cruise. :)

[dellas1000]

Greetings from Aboard the Eurodam:

 

.

 

Hi and thanks for your comments. Have to say I would be mad at the breakfast situation and you were 100% right to sit down where you did. Maybe the Cabanas should be replaced by lots more tables and chairs !!

 

Have to say from comments so far from friends and collegues everyone seems to think they are a waste of precious space. The dining situation is not ideal either. I really do hope that these are just initial teething problems but I guess only time will tell.

[innlady1]

Thank you so much for your report, Greg. I've been waiting for them to appear from the Eurodam!

Sorry about your experience in the Lido...that's not promising news...smaller Lido/more pax. :confused: You did the right thing...and at least got to test out the cabana for a few...less than optimal experience, though.

I hope the bugs are ironed out soon with dining. Continue to enjoy!

[Atomica]

Greg, I hope you & everyone have a fantastic evening onboard the Eurodam, and that the dinner situation works out better than last night. I would imagine that after these first few cruises there's going to be a lot of tweaking going on, and from the sounds of it, hopefully they start with the lido seating!

 

Glad you are enjoying the other aspects of the ship - the Tamarind Restaraunt sounds delicious!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks Greg for your report.

 

The Lido is smaller????? I don't like the sounds of that.

 

I figured taht the area around the Lido pool would have a lot less tables.

[AlohaPride]

I can't believe they made the lido so small. Kinks are expected on a first sailing, but so many? Not cool.

 

I hope the rest of your cruise(s) are uneventful!

[Oceanwench]

Greg,

Go to the Piano Bar AFTER 9:30 p.m. and you should find it hopping!!! :D

[yiddishkopf]

This has little to do with the Eurodam and Rev. Neal's excellent review, but I'm convinced that my body emantes some mysterious cosmic rays that attract children who kick seats. If I am on a plane and there is one child in the hemisphere who kicks seats, it is a law of nature that said child will be seated behind me. This, coupled with the person in front of me who must, I repeat must recline his/her seat is proof of the existence of my cosmic rays!

 

On a recent flight a parent told me that they couldn't control their toddler. (I had already asked him very gently to stop kicking.) I suggested that they review which was the parent and which was the child! Luckily, about half way between LA and Chicago, the little one fell asleep.

[editor@cruisecritic]

LOL, Greg, your comparison of the Pinnacle Grill's wine bar to an erector set is dead-on. I frankly don't find the seats there comfortably asthetically or physically....

 

But the Silk Den is fabulous and I always love the Ocean Bar and Explorers Lounge. Think I was too old for Northern Lights a decade ago (and I wasn't even 40 then!)

 

Carolyn

 

 

 

FAR from hamburger, we went to the Tamarind Restaurant on the Observation Deck mid-ships and had a wonderful lunch! The place is beautiful and food was fantastic ... spicy and delicious! Ran into Scotty and Brian there and we toured the Silk Din Lounge and Bar. Now THAT is a GREAT addition to the ship. Photographs don't do it justice ... not even close ... and I'm looking forward to experiencing it for cocktails tonight and on other nights. It's not overly large, but it's certainly nice.

 

First impression of the Pinnacle Bar is that it's not as "bad" as it looks ... those chairs do look like the belong in an Erector Set, however the bar stools are actually comfy and the room has a nice feel to it. I don't think it will get overly crowded.

 

The Sports Bar is FANTASTIC. It's a large rectangular bar with a center island in the middle where screens are hung. So ... rather than being divided into two rooms, as on the Vistas, it a much larger, more open space.

 

The Piano bar looks and feels just like their siblings on the Vistas. I walked in, looked around, and walked out last night because nothing was going on.

 

The Casino is arranged somewhat differently, but since I didn't examine the tables closely I don't know what games were where.

 

I've not yet been in the Northern Lights ... perhaps tonight? The Show Lounge is really just a big theater now, and the chairs are comfortable (at least for me). I gather shorter people find them a bit uncomfortable (at least, that's what I'm told).

 

Ok ... that's a few more observations. We're going to meet Brian and Scotty now and go ashore for some shopping. I'll report more later, and I hope to have some sample photos from sail away and of some of the sights aboard ship later tonight.

 

Oh ... internet reception is excellent in my stateroom, and the connection rate seems to be much faster than on prior ships.

[topspot]

I finally have some free time to check one of the threads about the Eurodam and I have to wade through 5 PAGES of posts on unrelated topics or posts that add no real information on the Eurodam. I can't believe how many people post just for the sake of posting. There was no information about the didication until post 112 and no info on the ship until 171 (I think that number is correct).

 

I have my fireproof underwear on, so flame away.

[RevNeal]

Ok, photograph time!!!!!!

 

Sail away from Rotterdam was a festive occasion. Thousands of people came out to say goodbye, both at the terminal and in front of the New York and the HAL European HQ ... and, along the banks of the river. We had many boats escorting us, too. It was a good sendoff from this ship's homeport.

 

 



 



 



 



Brian, Slinky, Christopher, and (kneeling) Scotty at sail away on Brian and Scotty's aft balcony. Yes, it had started to rain.

[RevNeal]

Photographs continued:

 

As we departed Rotterdam we were showered by waterships. :) No one had any soap (though I understand Jim H has resupplied his collection!).

 



A view from out on the forward bow observation deck. It is easy to reach from deck-5 forward on either the starboard or port side. No problems.

 



The Eurodam bell, taken from the deck-5 forward observation platform.

 



The view forward from the midship's Silk Den Lounge. VERY nice place ... one of the best additions throughout the ship.

 



A view of some of the chairs in the Den, with the bar in the background. This is a very nice place to come for drinks and a view.

 

[innlady1]

Great photos, Greg! The folks of Rotterdam must have been thrilled to see the Eurodam depart. Love the photos, especially the one of Slinky and the Gang!

[RevNeal]

Photographs continued:

 

What is wrong with this photograph?

HINT -- what you see is actually what you find to be the case.

Another HINT -- This is located next to the aft port-side elevators, just outside the main dining room on deck 3.

Yet Another HINT -- When one is looking at it, one is facing port.