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Eurodam Sept 1 Our Story

COLLEYBERRY

By COLLEYBERRY,
in Holland America Line

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RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted

I agree with Mary Ellen. Although there were plenty of times/places where there was all the space one could possibly want, there were also too many times/places where it was all too crowded. And these were the important things---Lido at mealtime, dining room, narrow passageways, the lounges before dinner. Getting prompt service in the lounges before dinner was just impossible.

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COLLEYBERRY

COLLEYBERRY

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Thank you everyone for your kind remarks.

I hope this font is an easier read,if not, just let me know ,I 'll be glad to try another. I have been trying to continue my review,but the site has been a little wonkydoodle.Hope it works well today. Our story continues..........

 

Embarkation

 

The planes' landing was flawless. The wheel that had caused everyone so much concern performed perfectly.

I always say a silent prayer during take offs and landings,I like to think of it as 'celestial insurance' My prayer was a litlle more fervent for this landing,but Capt.C. had been right ,the oil wasn't ours.

 

La Guardia proved to be no problem at all, luggage was easily found,as was the Hal rep.for transfer to the ship. There was a considerable wait for the transfer bus to depart(over an hour) I didn't care ,we were in Holland Americas' hands ,there was no chance of "missing the boat"now.

 

The transfer to the ship was a mini tour in itself. Kind veteran cruisers pointed out all the landmarks to we newbies.

Fifth Ave,.Times Square.....again all the names were familiar, but now I was seeing them for myself.

 

I was truly in New York! I tried not to appear quite so "just came into town with the egg money" but I really was having a great time.

Spirits on the bus were high,everyone chatting and friendly,it was a fun way to begin our holiday.

 

In no time,it seemed ,we were at the Manhattan Pier.

Suddenly ,she came into view.

There she was ,in all her glory ,the Lady Eurodam.

A truly beautiful sight,a majestic example of ship buiding.

I have always loved the blue and white Holland America colors ,they feel so..... nautical..ms Eurodam wears them wonderfully.

We have only been on one other cruise (Zuiderdam Alaska/ 07 ) so clearly I am no expert on ships ,but she sure looked swell to me.:)

 

I was not prepared for just how big she was,she really is huge folks.

Even so,one can't get a true sense of her size close up.It was only later in ports,when I viewed Eurodam from more of a distance, could I really appreciate just what a dynamic vessel Holland America had built.

 

Her expansive, blue, hull loomed above us as we disembarked the bus.

I looked over at DH and there it was, his "sea grin".During our first cruise, he always seemed to have this adorable smile on his face,I dubbed it his "sea grin". Its presence was a sure sign we had arrived.

 

Everyone had to identify their luggage and then it was whisked away by porters/longshoremen ?

 

We entered the spacious ships' terminal and were thrilled with how well organized everything seemed.

In a matter of minutes we had presented our boarding passes,answered some health questions,shown our credit card, had photos taken, were given a folder with our key cards and that was it,ready to board.

 

Now I don't know about anyone else, but those first moments as you walk up the gangway are very special to me.Light hearted and full of anticipation , I felt like skipping,but out of consideration for DH, I opted for a little more decorum, but I was definitely jaunting.

 

I love the sound of that first bleep of your key card. I always take a peek at my photo (just to see what the poor man has to identify me with,everytime I board) I looked pretty good,must have been the excitement.

 

The entrance was a beehive of activity. We were surrounded by people coming and going.

I believe the the Mariner Brunch had ended.You could tell the brunchers ( you all looked quite spiffy) from the travel clad arrivals.Each group however, was happy and smilling.

I knew many CCers were attending the brunch,I thought about calling out "Any CCers here ?" Dignity won again.

 

I asked a crew member if the dining room was open.I knew it was futile (given the brunch) but worth a try. The answer was "no" and we were directed to the Lido.

 

The Lido was very, very, busy. DH (wonderman) did find us a table,I stayed with the carryons and sent him for his food first ,as a reward for being such a good scout.

 

The Lido ,I found similar to the Zuiderdam, it has a sleek and modern feel to it. The food is well displayed,with lots of selection, and of course the staff is helpful and friendly. The walkaway, however between tables and food, felt a good deal narrower. There's barely room for two to pass,. You toss in a passenger, paused mid stream ,full tray in hand ,scouting for a table and it's instant back up.I am sure anyone with mobilitiy issues would find it a bit of a challenge. I observed lots of staff ready to help.

 

A lovely couple from Kansas asked to join us. Seasoned cruisers ,they were a delight. We all enjoyed lunch and then ,that glorious sound was heard ," the cabins are ready"

 

Cabin 4183, was to be our home for the next ten days and I could hardly wait to see it.

It would be our first aft /stern or as I like to refer to it as 'wakeview' stateroom.

On our first cruise, I found the wake mesmerising, to know it would always be just a few steps away ....well ,needlesss to say ,I was very excited.

 

We found our cabin easily(I'm one of those that study deck plans before a cruise)

Don't ya just love that little, green light ,that flickers ,to let you know your key card is working? You press the lever handle and swing open the door. The cabin you had been trying to visualize for all those months ,was now yours to explore.

 

We were thrilled! The cabin was perfect for us.I don't know if the staterooms at the stern , are deeper and wider, than those at the sides of the ship,but this cabin was much larger than I expected.Moments after we arrived so did our luggage(amazing)

 

The decor is quite restful.Soft earth tones ,that are very easy to live with.

Just an aside,this may sound silly,but the draperies are a lovely neutral beige, great as a backdrop for photos. As much as I loved my Zuiderdam cruise ,those drapes fought with everyone of my outfits!( please don't think me shallow)

 

The bathroom ,done in grey and white was spotlessly clean( a given with Holland America ) Sufficent counter space, lots of fuffy towels,and the shower pressure was perfect.

The shower curtain even behaves itself,not like those pesky clinger type ,that you have to fight off as you bathe.

 

The bed ,ah.. what can I say,those of you who have slept on a Holland America bed, know of what I speak. Future cruisers ,you are in for a treat. The linens are of a high thread count and the pillows are very comfortable. I cherish my own bed,but for a restful night away from home,Holland America treats her guests very well.I have heard them discribed as the" best beds at sea" and for good reason.

 

There was ample storage (lots of hangers) for our needs.DH( handy boy that he is) adjusted a shelf (on hinges) so we could hang our longer garments.Full length mirror on the back of a closet door. A safe for valuables . Drawers in the night stands ,we managed nicely.

 

The sitting area, very comfortable ,had a loveseat ,adjustable table(raise for dining) second chair(parson like) ottoman (used as seat for vanity/desk). The vanity /desk/bar housed a makeup mirror, a fridge beneath and flat screen T.V. above. I found this area very functional ,in fact we seemed to use it more than we did the sitting area, in our SY suite on the Zuiderdam.

 

The balcony ,how many hours did I spend in this dear space. It to was larger than I expected, The fourth deck appears to jut out further than the decks above.( 6ft deep?) Chair with ottoman ,cafe chair and small cocktail table were the furnishings.

The vista from the balcony was everything I hoped it would be.

When the ship is underway, your view seems to widen and widen and you can take everything in at once (albeit a little after everyone else);)

The wake,that glorious ,frothy white, churning of power .I do love it so!:)

I am afraid we're hooked , it's afts for us ,evermore !

 

We were checking excursion vouchers, wine card,and all the literature provided,when a gentle knock came to the door.

A voice, we would soon come to reconize, sang out"Housekeeping"

It was Anom,our cabin steward, DHs' rental tux in hand .( more about that later)

Anom took care of us very well,The cabin was always beautifully kept.

He had a genuine and pleasing manner and was a delight to know.Holland America should be very proud to have him in their employ.

 

I began my ' nesting rituals'. I can't really began to relax ,until we are unpacked.DH opened the wine( travelled unscathed in our luggage)while I checked his suit and my evening wear to see just how well they had travelled with all my careful packing .(I did good! )

 

We toasted our good fortune and each other, then set about making the cabin our own.

 

 

After we finished unpacking, we thought about a 'ship exploration 'but the ship seemed congested and kaffuffaly. I hoped once everyone was settled Eurodam woulld take on a more sedate feel ,indeed that was the case.

 

The passengers for the most part did seem older than us,but there were still many in our age bracket( If I tell ya,I'll have to kill ya ) We are in our 50s, but if I walk fast,I look 40:D

 

There were very few children on board,in fact ,it was days before I saw any.

We did encounter, an adorable set of twins about four years old ,a sweet babe in arms,two actve toddlers,and a pretty little blonde girl about five.Sightings ,however ,were rare.

 

We did scout out the dining room, it to had a familiar feel. Decor was pleasing. We had AYWD lower dining room,(it worked out well for us ,more about that later.)and wanted to see the tables for two.

 

We enjoy meeting other people,but prefer to dine alone.DH has his own business and I work in a hectic medical facility ,so ten dinners in a row with just the two of us.....well, it's one of our favorite parts of cruising.

 

The tables we liked were # 122 and #127, port and starboard,respectively ,corner tables ,at the very back of the dining room,quite secluded ,with partial water views (if you lean forward )

#109 and #111 water view tables ,well for one of you,the other has to turn around. Happy with our finds ,we headed back to the cabin,it was almost time for the life boat drill. We had a quick look at the menu posted outside the dining room, yum yum.( lucky we did ,more about that later) We booked #127 for 8pm (no problem) on our return to the cabin.

 

I know ,there are many people who look great in orange( I saw a photo of Brian in his blazer) I just don't happen to be one of them. The new life jackets, however , are easy to put on. Not so many strings to get entangled. I have a new respect for Mae West, her balance must have been extraordinary !! I couldn't see my feet,and felt like one of those Weeble toys.

 

Does anyone else do this?? Do you observe your fellow passengers at the muster station and wonder what it would be like to abandon ship with this group.

 

If the boat should be adrift for days,like in a movie,who among them will emerge as the natural leader, the selfless kindhearted soul,or the obnoxious lout ,that everyone wants to throw overboard. I just don't want to be that hystreical female they end up having to slap.DH is quite a fisherman,I thought I could be the one to serve sushi and tell silly stories to lift peoples spirits. Strange....I know ,but it gives me something to do while I am sweltering in a lifejacket ,waiting for people to answer to their names.

We dutifully wore our life jackets back to our cabin ,so no one would trip.

 

Sailaway out of New York harbour was everything ,everyone said it would be.

Thanks to Ruth C,we made the most of the experience.

One of my first questions on Cruisecritic had been about sailing out of New York harbour.Ruth ,kindly responded.

 

Operation RuthC goes like this... Get up on deck (Lido or higher) go port side for a good view of the New York skyline,about twenty minutes into sailaway get your wee self over to the starboard side , The Statue of Liberty is easily viewed from there.Passing under the bridge ,was just as she said it would be,I felt as though I could reach out and touch it. Thank you Ruth, it was a memorable time.

The Statute of Liberty is inspiring when you see her in photographs,close up, words fail me.

Sailing passed , I had goose bumps and found myself becoming very quiet, How proud Americans must be of their national symbol

 

After sailaway( which was quite festive by the way) we took our first walk on the promenade.

 

Promenade,how to I love thee ? Let me count the ways.I love thee ,the length and bredth thy teak can reach. I shall love thee better after death ,because I know there is a promenade deck in heaven.(Sorry Elizabeth for stealing your lines) I could walk for ever on a promenade deck. The breeze in your hair, the sky ,and the sea, there's simply nothing like it. WAAHHH I want to go back !!!

 

Suddenly Colleen began to fade, I did not sleep the night before we left at all,and frankly much the night before that, We had frantic days leading up to the cruise. I was suddenly exhausted,DH took one look at me and said "How about roomservice for dinner? "But we have that great table booked, are you sure?"

"We could eat on the balcony." was his reply. This why I love this man!!

 

I quickly canceled our reservations , We showered, changed into lounge wear, complete with bathrobes( they are very soft waffle material,white with blue piping, again that nautical look..... there's something about a man with a tan in a white bathrobe) and ordered dinner.

 

The room service menu is really just fine, but you can order from the dining room menu if you do it early enough. However you do have to know what you want..They seemed most reluctant to read the menu to me.Luckily we had a peek earlier,and remembered a few things( I don't know why the daily menus for all the restaurants couldn't be posted on a TV channel) Didn't really matter I was so weary ,I wasn't that hungry anyway.

 

Dinner arrived in less than 30 mins, after tipping ,we inserted the Privacy Please whatsit in the door and hung our breakfast order on the doorhandle.

 

It was heaven. The wake, cool white wine,and a Cobb salad ,I was a happy girl.

Really folks, ordinarily ,we are a lot more fun than this.Pathetic as it sounds,we were both asleep by 8.30pm

 

5.30 am ,Colleyberry is wide awake ! DH was still in dreamland After a quick trip to the loo(how close are we?) I donned my cozy bathrobe,( it kind of engulfs me ,but I love it anyway) and quietly opened the balcony door

. What a magical moment,.The air was soft and cool. To the east ,I could see a thin ribbon of crimson,which told me the sun was barely awake.To the west, the distant shore line twinkled with lights, a small New England town I thought.Above me, the sky was still dark enough to showcase stars.Below ,my beloved wake ,white and dancing as it propelled us forward.The solitude was wonderful ,just me and the sea( and the 2,000 people sleeping behind me)

I had no idea where we were,somewhere between New York and Newport R.I. I felt rested and renewed and blissfully content.As I turned to go back into the cabin ,I had a flicker of panic ,if this balcony door has locked behind me, I am in a bit of a fix.

No worries, it opened easily,I crept quietly back to bed ,it was too early to start the day just yet..

Newport R.I, lay ahead,,,,, it would prove to a fun port ,with a most delightful encounter on the Cliff Walk....... to be con'd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Jade13

Jade13

Posted
Posted
Vista Class...thank you Ruth. I couldn't remember the name. ;)

 

Does the ship hold more passengers? Hope not!

 

It is really about the same. We actually had less passengers two weeks ago on Eurodam (who was full with 2,104 - I think) than on Westerdam last year when the Captain told us at the M&G we had over 2,200 on Westerdam. The difference is in the triples in the cabin, so they are very much the same.

 

If you liked Noordam, you will love Eurodam.

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RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted

Thank you for the honourable mention, Colleen. :) I'm glad my advice worked out well for you.

I'm enjoying your tale--sure hope Newport turns out as well as the lead-in predicts! I would hate it if my area wasn't good for you!

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MsBoomerang

MsBoomerang

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Great review. You are right up there with the best of them! I am really able to get a sense for the wonders of an Eurodam aft stateroom. I had one on the Zuiderdam a few years ago and LOVED it, but wasn't crazy about the ship. Sounds like you and your DH had a lovely time together. I woke up feeling irritated with my DH today, no particular reason, just after so many years of marriage it happens. But after reading your latest installment, I want to call him and suggest a cruise, without the kids.

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seafun

seafun

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I'm enjoying your review as well. You and I share the same sort of folksy, ramble on style, getting through the facts as well as the "oh, by the way, did I mention..."

I thought I got a little carried away with my long review of my trip to Egypt, but you know what? Everyone on these boards seems to love reading long reviews (lucky us!). ;)

Like you, I often found the most common comment was "Keep typing; I can't wait for more!" So keep up the good work, and I look forward to enjoying more of your trip with you! :D

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localady

localady

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Reading a wonderful review of a marvelous cruise is second only to being onboard a DAM ship, so I thank you for your fabulous writing.:D :D :D

I could truly feel myself standing out on the veranda in the wee hours of the morning and having a similar feeling....gosh how I long to feel that again.......:cool:

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seabourndt

seabourndt

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keep it up, i am going on her in 4 weeks from ft lauderdal;e to nassau and hmc am in the spa balcony cabin. did the visit in soton a month ago and really loved the ship. this year a did a close connection i flew the day berfore off NCL DREAM from south america to boston. flew from BOSTON to london landed heathrow 0700 next morning then home to REPACK and down to soton to board the QUEEN VICTORIA ion the afternoon. no problems with the aircraft like you had(THANK GOODNESS!)

dave

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PoohUnderstands

PoohUnderstands

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Colleyberry:

 

I have never responded to anyone's review before, but just had to tell you I love your writing style. Just telling about opening the door out to the balcony early in the a.m.............. I can't wait for our Eurodam cruise on 11/15 to begin. No balcony this time, but everything else will be so great. Keep up the great writing and thank you for taking your time to do so.

 

Pooh

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SakeDad

SakeDad

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Posted

I absolutely love your style of writing. Thanks for sharing! I can't wait to hear what you think of the shows. I was the Stage Manager that put them on and really liked them and the performers. (I can only talk about the production shows, not guest entertainers) I hope you enjoy them!!! If you get a chance tell the performers Nathan says "Hello!":D I look forward to reading the "rest of the story"!;)

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