Eurodam A Big Dissapointment

[CRUISELDP]

As a huge fan of HAL I was very excited to take the 3 night and experience the Eurodam. We have done 8 HAL cruises in the past ranging from 7 nights to 20 nights. This was the worst ship, Service wise that I have ever sailed on. Average wait time at the seaview bar and sports bar for a drink was 20 minutes, and that was after waving and calling out to the bartenders. Our waiter at the late dinner was rushed and never once had a kind word.

 

Our room steward up in the verandah suite deck was rude and nasty. On Saturday he made up our room for bedtime at 4:30 pm before we even got back from the pool. When we requested that he return when we left for dinner to clean our bathroom and for new towels he showed up with an attitude. On Monday morning he knocked at 7:00 am and wanted to come in and take our sheets to the laundry for the next cruise! When I told him we were not even showered or packed yet he said he would come back. A half hour later he showed up again, I let him in to take the sheets off and then he started to remake the bed. I told him he could not do that now as we had to get ready to leave so he dumped all the clean bed linens on top of my stuff that I was packing and walked out!

 

On Saturday, I reported to the manager at the seaview bar that 12 people had slipped and fallen by the pool shower and that if it was not taken care of someone would get seriously hurt, recommended they put rubber mats. He looked at me, never once answered me, and then walked over to a bartender and told him to get a mop. Of course on Sunday someone fell so hard the doctor's had to come down and they had to get a wheel chair as she could not get up or walk out!

 

Ship was small for the amount of people, same layout as the Zuiderdam, but they just added more rooms and made all the common areas much smaller. To get a chair by the pool you had to be up and out by 7:00 am or they were all gone.

 

Again, as an avid fan of HAL this ship was a huge dissapointment, normally the only reason I keep sailing HAL is for the personal attention that the staff normally gives and always with a smile and kind word. This ship's staff was just the opposite. Hope this is not the way of the future for all the HAL ships.:(

[Krazy Kruizers]

Tank you for taking the time to report your honest review.

 

I appreciate it.

[Paul123]

Yes, another indifferent review of the Eurodam basically with the same criticisms as others, namely overcrowding.

[JimVrhovac]

Pool area chairs are always a problem as the increase passanger compliment but they cannot increase the area for lounge chairs...

 

Ruth & Jim

[SeaMatesNYC]

Pool area chairs are always a problem as the increase passanger compliment but they cannot increase the area for lounge chairs...

 

Ruth & Jim

 

And yet, just one deck up from the aft pool, there were masses of available chairs. I have never been on a cruise with good weather where the poolside chairs did not quickly fill up. Just a fact of life...

[Jade13]

Deck 12 with loungers was pretty much empty all weekend, and that's were we went.

[SeaMatesNYC]

Deck 12 with loungers was pretty much empty all weekend, and that's were we went.

 

Jade13,

 

Those were the lovely teak chairs with cushions, correct? They looked very tempting. I like a bit a peace and quiet, myself, and one deck up for me is just perfect. Can easily reach the pool, bar and facilities.

 

Michael

[Jade13]

Jade13,

 

Those were the lovely teak chairs with cushions, correct? They looked very tempting. I like a bit a peace and quiet, myself, and one deck up for me is just perfect. Can easily reach the pool, bar and facilities.

 

Michael

 

Yes! They are above the Retreat. It was the best kept secret last weekend. You just go up to Deck 11 Forward (where Crows nest is located), walk outside and right up the steps.

[cruising teacher]

We are on the current sailing of the Eurodam. Today we are at St johns. lLovely port by the way. We have found the service, entertainment, and food to be excellent. This is a very port intensive cruise so overcrowding is not an issue. i could see it being a problem on an at sea day in the carribean.

[CRUISELDP]

We are on the current sailing of the Eurodam. Today we are at St johns. lLovely port by the way. We have found the service, entertainment, and food to be excellent. This is a very port intensive cruise so overcrowding is not an issue. i could see it being a problem on an at sea day in the carribean.

 

I would be curious to have your feedback when you do have sea days as to what the service is like. Thanks for the input

[CRUISELDP]

Pool area chairs are always a problem as the increase passanger compliment but they cannot increase the area for lounge chairs...

 

Ruth & Jim

 

Basically the chair issue was minor and did not account for much as it is always hard to get chairs on sea days. The lack of normal HAL standard of service was my biggest issue. For anyone who has sailed on HAL in the past on their smaller ships there is no comparison. We were numbers to be dealt with and not guests.

[Cruzman]

As one who enjoys a lounger by the pool but; in the shade, I can't help but conclude, based on numerous concerns previously posted, that way too much space has been taken up by the poolside cabanas. HAL needs to seriously rethink the location of those cabanas, IMHO.

[sapper1]

We are on the current sailing of the Eurodam. Today we are at St johns. lLovely port by the way. We have found the service, entertainment, and food to be excellent. This is a very port intensive cruise so overcrowding is not an issue. i could see it being a problem on an at sea day in the carribean.

Actually you are in Saint John, New Brunswick. St. John's is in Newfoundland. I was uptown to watch the arrival this morning and the Eurodam is looking good. I am leaving shortly with my husband to watch her leave the harbour. Very exciting. We received our invitation today to board the Eurodam for lunch and a tour next time she is in port. That will be October 8th. Can't wait!!!---Of course I replied "yes" immediately.:D

[RuthC]

You just go up to Deck 11 Forward (where Crows nest is located), walk outside and right up the steps.

Did you notice a way up there for those of us who can't climb stairs?

I'll admit I didn't look for one while I was on the ship.

[SakeDad]

Did you notice a way up there for those of us who can't climb stairs?

I'll admit I didn't look for one while I was on the ship.

For anyone that CAN'T use stairs and you want chaises to lay in when all the ones by the pools are taken, take the AFT elevators to Deck 10 and there are plenty of chaises on both port & starboard to use. You can also take the elevator back down to 9 for the bar and Lido buffet. Otherwise go to Deck 13 FORWARD above the Crow's Nest or MID-SHIP above Silk Den/Tamarind and there are decks with chaises....but not close to a pool, bar or food.

[Jade13]

Did you notice a way up there for those of us who can't climb stairs?

I'll admit I didn't look for one while I was on the ship.

 

I did not see an elevator up to Deck 13, but I did not ask. The area is above the Retreat. I bet there is something as staff has all the loungers, towels etc up there.

[SeaMatesNYC]

For anyone that CAN'T use stairs and you want chaises to lay in when all the ones by the pools are taken, take the AFT elevators to Deck 10 and there are plenty of chaises on both port & starboard to use. You can also take the elevator back down to 9 for the bar and Lido buffet.

 

For me, aft on deck 10, with a great view of/access to the pool, ample space, chairs and breeze, plus conveniently one deck above the Lido and bar, is about as ideally situated as they come! I don't really enjoy being closed in by rows of chairs and the chance of being seated nesk to a "whiner"! The one drawback, which is not much concern, if the rather loud rushing air through an air exchange unit nearby.

 

I do agree that at times, the wait at the Sea View Bar was interminable. Everyone seemed to be moving in sloooooow motion. Plus for just about every order, it seemed, they had to get something from the back. One funny bartender at the Ocean Bar had a wonderful demonstration of how inefficiently laid out the work area was. Sink to the left, towel rack back to the right, glasses over there, ice opposite side, etc...He said that once on the Inaug. cruise he had the guests howling at this situation, only to discover that the "designer" of the bar was sitting right there listening, none to happy! Said he could not figure out why this one woman was not giggling. Discovered soon enough!

 

Michael

[Brennivan]

I had the same experience with the room steward. He just walked in my room without knocking at 7:30 am and told me he needed to make the bed. I was half dressed and my partner was in the shower. Mind you, he left all the new bedding on our chair Sunday night for the next morning. We had a small inside cabin and I would like to be able to sit on the one chair in the room to put shoes on besides the toilet!

 

Rude and surly crew. Getting a lounger was always a problem. The top observation deck was completely empty with tons of chairs tied up. I went to untie them for the two of us and was SCREAMED at by a rude crew member. I told him, with others around us also looking for chairs, there are no chairs and people would like to sit. I was ignored.

 

Don't forget the $250 that the spa charged my and I never even set foot in the place. When I recieved a preliminary bill on Saturday night, I went there to question it. Farrah, at the spa desk, preferred to try to prove me wrong and say it was my charge instead of trying to help me. When she realized it was a charge for 5039 and not 5029, she didn't even apologize! She curtly told me it was removed. I wanted to call her the equivelant of a female dog, but as Jackie Gleason said, " Pins and needles, needles and pins, it's a happy man that grins."

 

I will NEVER try Holland again. Sorry for straying Princess and I will see you in January for two weeks!

[Boytjie]

Did you notice a way up there for those of us who can't climb stairs?

I'll admit I didn't look for one while I was on the ship.

 

As on the Vistas the only access to that deck is via stairs.

[RuthC]

Otherwise go to Deck 13 FORWARD above the Crow's Nest or MID-SHIP above Silk Den/Tamarind and there are decks with chaises....but not close to a pool, bar or food.

 

As on the Vistas the only access to that deck is via stairs.

Thank you both, Nathan and Peter. But it seems you two aren't in agreement about getting up to Deck "13" :confused: , are you? :confused: (did HAL really number a deck "13"?) :rolleyes: .

Nathan, are you saying there's an elevator access to Deck 13? I sure as shootin' didn't notice it as a choice in the elevator banks.

But I do like the idea of using Deck 10, aft. That could work (if I ever find myself back on that ship).

[Paul123]

For me, aft on deck 10, with a great view of/access to the pool, ample space, chairs and breeze, plus conveniently one deck above the Lido and bar, is about as ideally situated as they come! I don't really enjoy being closed in by rows of chairs and the chance of being seated nesk to a "whiner"! The one drawback, which is not much concern, if the rather loud rushing air through an air exchange unit nearby.

 

I do agree that at times, the wait at the Sea View Bar was interminable. Everyone seemed to be moving in sloooooow motion. Plus for just about every order, it seemed, they had to get something from the back. One funny bartender at the Ocean Bar had a wonderful demonstration of how inefficiently laid out the work area was. Sink to the left, towel rack back to the right, glasses over there, ice opposite side, etc...He said that once on the Inaug. cruise he had the guests howling at this situation, only to discover that the "designer" of the bar was sitting right there listening, none to happy! Said he could not figure out why this one woman was not giggling. Discovered soon enough!

 

Michael

 

What a lovely story..hehe.

[Boytjie]

Thank you both, Nathan and Peter. But it seems you two aren't in agreement about getting up to Deck "13" :confused: , are you? :confused: (did HAL really number a deck "13"?) :rolleyes: .

 

Nathan, are you saying there's an elevator access to Deck 13? I sure as shootin' didn't notice it as a choice in the elevator banks.

 

There is no Deck 13. :) On the Eurodam the Crow's Nest is on Deck 11 so the deck area we are discussing is Deck 12 (it has no name and is not shown on deck plans). I do recall seeing the sign 'Deck 12' at the top of the stairs when I was there on Monday. :) And I am pretty sure there was no elevator that goes to that deck, just as there was no elevator on the Zuiderdam that went to the deck above the Crow's Nest, known as the Sports Deck, or Deck 11.

[Sir PMP]

I am not surprised!

[RuthC]

Your memory agrees with mine, Peter, about the elevator access. And I'm perfectly willing to call the area above the Crow's Nest the "Sun Deck". It's just easier to think of it the same as the other ships.

[mamaofami]

If you look behind the retreat cabanas, you can see the area on deck 12, and the stairs leading up to it, but I don't recall ever seeing deck 12 access from an elevator. It wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong though. Maybe the second. Is this the area people are talking about?