EURODAM: Our Opinion of the Ship. Cruised 10/01/2008 thru 10/15/2008 (LONG)

[JimVrhovac]

General Comments about the Ship:

 

We have arranged everything is alphabetical order except for the two glaring deficiencies we noted on the ship.

 

The cruise that we were on had a largely elderly passenger base and our tastes may be a little different the younger crowd that the ship seems to be designed for.

 

ROOM 5187:

 

There are several reasons why we book a suite:

1-We like the size of the rooms.

2-We like the larger balconies and we use it extensively.

3-We like the Neptune Lounge and the other perks associated with a suite.

 

We booked suite 5187 prior to the ship being launched. We have sailed on the Vista class ships and these rooms have very large balconies. It will actually fit 4 full size tables with 4 chairs at each table. This room is actually a little smaller than the average suite on the ship.

 

We made a conscious decision to take a slightly smaller cabin away from the Neptune Lounge because it had a much larger balcony.

 

When we entered the cabin there were two major glaring deficiencies.

1-The balcony was the depth of standard non suite balcony.

2-The desk was not usable as the television was on top of it.

 

We contacted the Neptune Lounge and the Guest Relations Manager was at our room within the hour. The said that all the suites were sold out but if one came available they would move us to it at no charge. The agreed that the balcony is not like the Vista class ships. They agreed that the television screen was poorly placed. When you look out the window you sit at the desk and to your left there is storage cabined. The large screen TV sits centered over the divided between the desk and the cabinets blocking the view out the window and making it impossible to use the desk. We blame the architect who designed this room, the engineer who built it, and the corporate officer at HAL that approved this room being constructed this way. I have a bad back and had to lean over the coffee table to work on my computer the whole trip.

 

The bathroom was well laid out and roomy. The dressing area was a little smaller than the regular suites but adequate. The big thing we noticed was that the SHOWER CHAIR ACTUALLY FIT IN THE BATHTUB. This is a big plus for HAL.

 

WE WILL NEVER BOOK THIS CABIN AGAIN.

 

EXPLORATIONS CAFÉ, LIBRARY, VIDEO RENTAL, COMPUTER FACILITY:

 

On the Veendam this is spread out over a nice area and was extremely well used. There were always people in it and the library was extremely large and very well stocked.

 

On the Eurodam they took 1/3 of the Crows Nest and turned it into this facility. The coffee bar can barely fit two attendants in it. The video attendant has a very small desk with a small video storage area that faces out into the Crows Nest. The Library is extremely small, poorly stocked and some of the shelves are actually in the Crows Nest area. The desks designed with lights to put together puzzles are actually out in the Crows Nest and not usable during parties and affairs using the Crows Nest. The Computer Area is a joke.

 

The whole area looks like they crammed everything into this small area because they could not find anywhere else to put them.

 

HOLLAND AMERICA YOU BLEW IT ON THIS ONE. THIS IS AN AREA WELL USED AND EXTREELY WELL LIKED BY YOUR ELDER CLIENTELL AND YOU HAVE MANAGED TO DESTROY IT. PLEASE TELL ME HOW YOU COULD SIT AND SURF THE INTERNET WHILE A PARTY IS GOING ON IN THE CROWS NEST WHEN THE COMPUTER TERMINALS ACTUALLY EXTEND OUT INTO THE CROWS NEST.

 

PLEASE REVISE THIS ON THE NEXT SHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

CASINO:

The casino is designed similar to the Vista class ships. With the increase in the number of passengers it is not large enough. It was constantly crowded and often Ruth was not able to find a quarter slot machines to play. The blackjack tables seemed to be poorly used. They had both smoking and non smoking nights and it was sparsely used on non smoking nights. Several passengers did comment on how crowded the casino was.

 

The Casino Bar is smoking and is only one of two bars where smoking is allowed on the ship.

 

CREW:

 

We found the crew generally tried to meet the standards we have come to expect from HAL. It has to be taken into consideration that these people have been working together for only a short period of time and it will take time to develop good coordination and develop a ship’s personality that is truly theirs. There were a lot of people there in new positions and we heard a few complaints about crew problems and people not knowing their jobs or substandard performance. All those that we talked to were not overly angry about this and took the newness of the ship into consideration.

 

CULINARY ARTS CENTER:

 

I attended several presentations there but the kitchen staff and they seemed well attended and then they were later shown on the TV system. This area also doubles as the movie theatre and can be used for other presentations or meetings. A good utilization of space.

 

EXPLORER’S LOUNGE:

 

They have added a bar to this area and when the band was playing there it seemed to be heavily patronized. When there was not a band there it was lightly used and the bar area was virtually empty.

 

FRONT DESK STAFF:

 

We had multiple dealings with the front desk staff and always found them polite, courteous, and knowledgeable. We have sailed with several of these individuals before and it was like old home week.

 

 

LAUNDRY SERVICE:

 

We use this extensively during the cruise and have been well satisfied with the turn around time and the quality of their work. These are some of the behind the scenes people that never get the thanks they deserve. We did however talk with other passengers that did have problems with the laundry service. Specifically they had problems with lost items.

 

LIDO POOL AREA:

 

This area was not well used during the cruise as it was rather cool the first half of the cruise. The was that they have added the Cabana’s along one side of the pool area give the whole area a crowded appearance when you look at it from above or from the Silk Den. It does not have the roominess that most of us have become accustomed to. IT LOOKS MORE LIKE A CARNIVAL POOL AREA – EVERYTHING CRAMMED TOGETHER.

 

LIDO RESTAURANT:

 

We ate there quite a few times during the trip on all three meals. The service was generally what we had become accustomed to. It seemed to be a little more crowded in the isle by the serving lines.

 

During dinner meals the same food is served as in the dining room and rather than wait for it there is a waiter that will bring it too your table. Nice touch. Since Ruth uses a walker there was always someone there to assist her through the serving line and carry the trey to her table. This was well appreciated.

 

NEPTUNE LOUNGE:

 

We use the Neptune Lounge to make all our dinner reservations and to take care of a lot of small things for us. These individuals are one of the reasons that we continually book a suite. On this cruise they have done everything from obtaining a vase to finding out the policies and procedures or inviting a crew member to dinner and they did everything in a very timely manner. We gave both of them slippers prior to our debarkment and they loved them.

 

The snack tray, cookies, and constant supply of coffee and tea’s make it a relaxing place to stop in when returning from shore or an excursion.

 

OCEAN’S BAR:

 

We used this bar frequently as it had a smoking area. The bar and ONLY four tables are smoking. The service was excellent and what we have become accustomed to on HAL ships. The band was there when we had drinks before our 7:00 pm diner almost every night. This bar has been greatly enlarged when compared to Vista class ships and was heavily used. We never did see it overcrowded.

 

PINNACLE GRILL:

 

We did not use it during the cruise but heard generally good comments from those that did use it. The Pinnacle Grill and the Pinnacle Bar were never crowded, that we saw.

 

SHOPS:

 

The staff was nice but the shops are heavily weighted to jewelry and not enough in variety. Their clothing was furs and top end with minimal area given to cruise wear. The liquor area is greatly reduced and the cigarette area is virtually non existent. I had to search around to find where the cigars were kept. This is one of the cheapest cruises that we have taken when it comes to purchases in the shops. Ruth was not very happy with the selection either

 

REMBRANT DINING ROOM:

 

We used the As You Wish dining the whole cruise and were really satisfied with it. The Neptune Lounge set up all our reservations for us and we generally were admitted within 15 minutes of the reservation time. The waiters and wine Stewarts were what we have become accustomed to on HAL. Generally the food arrived in a reasonable amount of time. Ruth and I are basic eaters and are not the gourmet type so the food is a little fancy for our taste. The presentation was good and the palpability was good.

 

There was one incident in the dining room where a lady was chocking on her food and on of the waiters immediately applied the Heimlich Maneuver and the offending piece of food was dislodged. We were not there but we were told that it was handled in a very professional manner and the Captain actually complimented the individual by name during one of his noon briefings over the intercom system.

 

RETREAT:

This area was not heavily used and I think the weather had a lot to do with it. It is a nice concept for those who are willing to pay the extra tariff. I personally feel that they have taken away a lot of deck area for the benefit of a few passengers and a new profit center. Would we pay for a Cabana? NO.

 

ROOM SERVICE:

We us the room service extensively. We have breakfast in the room every morning and order tea, coffee, or snacks at least twice a day. Overall they did a very good job. No major mistakes were made on any of our orders and everything was delivered in a timely manner. We used room service over 50 times during the cruise.

We did not hear any major complaints from other passengers about room service.

 

SUITE PERKS:

 

Captain’s suite reception was held on embarkation day at 7:30 pm. Most of the senior officers and a lot of the other officers and staff were in attendance. Drinks and snacks were served. We had a chance to spend some time with Captain Jonathan Mercer, Stan Kuppens the Hotel Manager, and Geri Van Luven the Guest Relations Manager. It was typical of all the receptions but it was nice to have a chance to meet old friends and new acquaintances.

 

The Neptune Lounge is one of the reasons we choose to travel in a suite. They provide a multitude of services that make life onboard the ship so simple and enjoyable. They are arranging for dinner at 7:00 pm every night at a table for 2 or 4 by the window. Each morning there will be verification of our reservations in our mailbox and we have to do nothing on a daily basis.

 

We are using the laundry services every night and a generally very satisfied with the services. One suggestion is to separate dry cleaning from regular laundry and send them in on different slips.

 

The suite luncheon was well attended and there were only a few officers there. Not as many as we have become accustomed to on the other ships. The food was excellent and the service was very good.

 

TAMARIND RESTAURANT:

 

We ate here twice during the cruise and were extremely satisfied with the service and the food on both visits. He presentation was excellent. The staff was able to explain the dishes in detail and answer all questions that were asked. We would highly recommend trying this as the food is delicious and really on the light side.

 

One night we had drinks in the Silk Den (non smoking) prior to dinner. We left our camera case on the floor and our waiter (Romeo) insured that it was promptly returned to us. We commended him with a letter to the Captain and a letter to the CEO of HAL.

 

 

GENERAL:

 

We feel that they have increased the passenger compliment and decreased the common areas available to the passengers. The have added profit centers at the expense of the overall passenger. Some areas of note are: EXPLORATIONS CAFÉ, CROWS NEST, LIDO POOL AREA, and CASINO.

 

HOLLAND AMERICA YOU NEED TO RECONSIDER THE LAYOUT OF THIS SHIP AND GIVE US BACK SOME OF THE AREAS AND FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE COME TO LOVE AND EXPECT FROM YOU……..

 

There are a lot of areas that are not covered here mostly because we did not utilize them. The true test is will we cruise on the Eurodam again. YES. We have already booked the same itinerary for September 2009.

 

Holland America had drastically reduced the smoking areas on this ship. If this is an ongoing trend we will not be happy campers. Smoking has become severely restricted in the bars and lounges. There are only two smoking lounges available, The Casino Bar and a very small area of the Ocean’s Bar.

 

 

This review is our impression from what we experienced on the 15 day cruise on the Eurodam from 10/01/2008 thru 10/15/2008.

 

Smoking was addressed as Ruth and I are smokers and we sincerely hope that this does not turn into another smoking thread or personal attacks on us because we smoke.

 

I will try to post some pictures from some of these areas over the next week or so

[Moonlight Beach]

Thank you for sharing your insights on the ship. Much appreciated. I will be sailing on the Eurodam for 18 days in April 09.

[waASPCrusier]

Nice balanced review Jim :) Just off the Oosterdam yesterday and we saw them boot some smokers from the Oak/Cigar room....said it wasn't a smoking area anymore....and they had removed the cigars from the glass cases in the room...seemed kind of strange...a cigar room with no smoking...:D Kristy wants to know if Ruth is taking care of her hat till the next time we meet up :)

 

Tayo and Kristy

[Southbound]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for taking the time to write such an extensive review. We were on the Eurodam's NYC/Quebec inaugural for a b2b (9/1-9/21) and found many of your comments to be right on target -- pro and con.

And we, too, ended up saving money that we normally would have spent on board for the same reasons you mentioned; i.e., very minimal selection of liquor to purchase and bring home; non-existent cartons of cigarettes; and mostly only very expensive high-end merchandise in the shops. I enjoy coming home from a HAL cruise with a few "goodies", but a Eurodam fridge magnet was the extent of my shopping on board.

On our prior 12 HAL cruises, we enjoyed visiting the Ocean Bar every evening after dinner and the show for drinks and dancing, as there was always a wonderful and extremely talented Filipino band. But this time around, there was no Filipino band and we were so disappointed in the music offered by Sean Bell & The Neptunes during our first two visits that, thereafter, we decided to skip the Ocean Bar altogether and would go back to our cabin to watch movies. Again, saved a good amount of $ we were willing and well-prepared to spend.

We also missed the nice "little" HAL touches -- carpets in the elevators with the day of the week, the bud vase with flowers on the breakfast room-service tray -- to name just a couple.

Originally, we had requested and been confirmed for the early seating but, because the itineraries were so port intensive, we switched to the open seating. This was the first time we had tried it on HAL and it worked out very well. Never a wait, excellent service, and we met lots of very nice people from various parts of the world who were interesting and delightful dining companions.

And, like you, I don't want this to turn into a smoking thread, but just want to say we were very disappointed to find that the smoking area on the starboard side by the Lido pool is no more. This is such a huge, well-ventilated area that can easily accommodate both sides of this issue. But since it was no longer available to us, we again saved $ by not patronizing the bar there as we had frequently done on past HAL sailings.

Would we sail the Eurodam again? Probably not. Too big; lacks the intimate atmosphere of the "R" & "S" class, IOHO. But we did very much enjoy most of the ports we visited, lots of good food on board and the wonderful service provided by the crew, as usual.

[CalGal777]

Where are the areas outside on deck where smoking is allowed? Is there any area where there are table and chairs or even just chairs or lounges? We will be onboad next week and hope there will be someplace besides our balcony to indulge.

[DFD1]

Thanks, Jim, for your great review of Eurodam. We sail on her the 25th with some apprehension (sp).

 

I fear HAL is determined to pack more passengers on to all their ships, even the R and S Class when they undergo their upcoming major changes.

 

The Carnivalization of HAL. Too bad.

[GeriatricNurse]

Hi Jim,

 

Thanks for taking the time to write such an extensive review. We were on the Eurodam's NYC/Quebec inaugural for a b2b (9/1-9/21) and found many of your comments to be right on target -- pro and con.

 

And we, too, ended up saving money that we normally would have spent on board for the same reasons you mentioned; i.e., very minimal selection of liquor to purchase and bring home; non-existent cartons of cigarettes; and mostly only very expensive high-end merchandise in the shops. I enjoy coming home from a HAL cruise with a few "goodies", but a Eurodam fridge magnet was the extent of my shopping on board.

 

On our prior 12 HAL cruises, we enjoyed visiting the Ocean Bar every evening after dinner and the show for drinks and dancing, as there was always a wonderful and extremely talented Filipino band. But this time around, there was no Filipino band and we were so disappointed in the music offered by Sean Bell & The Neptunes during our first two visits that, thereafter, we decided to skip the Ocean Bar altogether and would go back to our cabin to watch movies. Again, saved a good amount of $ we were willing and well-prepared to spend.

 

We also missed the nice "little" HAL touches -- carpets in the elevators with the day of the week, the bud vase with flowers on the breakfast room-service tray -- to name just a couple.

 

Originally, we had requested and been confirmed for the early seating but, because the itineraries were so port intensive, we switched to the open seating. This was the first time we had tried it on HAL and it worked out very well. Never a wait, excellent service, and we met lots of very nice people from various parts of the world who were interesting and delightful dining companions.

 

And, like you, I don't want this to turn into a smoking thread, but just want to say we were very disappointed to find that the smoking area on the starboard side by the Lido pool is no more. This is such a huge, well-ventilated area that can easily accommodate both sides of this issue. But since it was no longer available to us, we again saved $ by not patronizing the bar there as we had frequently done on past HAL sailings.

 

Would we sail the Eurodam again? Probably not. Too big; lacks the intimate atmosphere of the "R" & "S" class, IOHO. But we did very much enjoy most of the ports we visited, lots of good food on board and the wonderful service provided by the crew, as usual.

 

 

 

 

I disagree that this a "well-ventilated area", since the windows along both sides of the Lido pool area are solid fixed panels of glass that have no "slider" sections that can be opened like on other HAL ships in this area, for proper "ventilation"! DW & I found it poorly ventilated with "stale" air in this area during our Eurodam Canada/New England cruise from September 1 to 10.

[iamwiz82]

You review worries me about our upcoming cruise on the Eurodam. We have an aft corner and judging from the pictures I thought the balcony was the exact same size as the standard rooms, and now you have confirmed it. :(

[Laserjock]

Jim:

 

Where exactly did you find the cigars for sale on ship, and can I assume that like most resort cigar offerings they were limited and equally expensive?

[our turn]

Jim,

 

Thanks so much for your comprehensive review. We will be on the Eurodam Nov. 29 and booked 4181 which I believe is directly under the cabin you had. I was really excited to have an aft corner balcony but now am concerned that we will be disappointed. Do you have any idea of the measurements of your balcony and cabin?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank for your report.

Jim -- do you remember the names of the concierges??

[iamwiz82]

Jim,

 

Thanks so much for your comprehensive review. We will be on the Eurodam Nov. 29 and booked 4181 which I believe is directly under the cabin you had. I was really excited to have an aft corner balcony but now am concerned that we will be disappointed. Do you have any idea of the measurements of your balcony and cabin?

 

You are on the sailing right before us in the very same room!:D

 

I'm sure the balcony won't be disappointing if you go with an open mind. Even at worst, you are still on vacation!

[Krazy Kruizers]

What pieces of furniture were on your balcony?

Is there a Sake menu in the Tamarind Restaurant?

[gelo7]

Welcome back Jim and Ruth, thanks for your observations. I'm really looking forward to April 09'.

[our turn]

You are on the sailing right before us in the very same room!:D

 

I'm sure the balcony won't be disappointing if you go with an open mind. Even at worst, you are still on vacation!

 

Of course, you are right. After re-reading my post, I realized I sounded negative and that is not what I intended.

 

Kim:D

[catl331]

Smoking with tables and chairs is allowed at the Sea View Pool (aft).

 

SAKE MENU: Cold - Momokawa Silver (clear) and Pearl (cloudy, unfiltered). Warm - Moonstone Asian Pear and Moonstone Raspberry. We had a Pearl carafe for $11 (plus 15%).

[JimVrhovac]

CIGARS:

There is an upright class case in front of the cigarettes that has the cigars. It is locked. Fair selection with reasonable prices.

 

LIDO DECK:

When the top is open the area by the pool is well ventilated. If the top is closed the ventilation is minumal. We found that on most descent days they kept the top partially open causing good ventilation.

 

OUTSIDE SMOKING:

On the lodo deck towards the sterm is open decking and the upper open decking are still smoking. When it is cold it is not the most comfortable area to smoke in. The casino and the casino bar are still smoking.

 

On the starboard end of the ship where the pool is there is unrestricked smoking as it is open decking. They have a canvas over the part of the deck by the bar and all of this area is tables and chairs and is smoking. My problem was the restrictiveness of the smoking in the bars.

 

On one occasion we were at a table in the Oceans bar smoking and the people in the next table gave me a dirt look and I politely said that this was a smoking area and if it bothers them they should move over a couple tables. They thanked me for the information and moved to another table farther away. There was no confrontation or nasty words exchanged. Once the knew where the smoking area perameters where they knew where to pick the table for themselves.

 

SHOPS:

There was too much space given to high end tiems. The actually had fur stols on the racks. In that small specialty shot the had reproductions of the Egs (Russian - Cannot think of their names) starting at $4,000.00. Rhere were very few racks with cruise wear and we had trouble finding a zip up sweat shirt that would fit Ruth.

 

Very few watches displayed. Ship models were all crystal and very expensive. They are going after high end sales not the mass market and they missed the boat here again.

 

CABIN 5187 verandah:

On the side there was two lounge shairs set at an angle. There was a small table with 4 chairs just outside the doors which would have been very cramped with 4 people at end. Just enough room for two to have breakfast on the table. To the right there were two chairs with foor rests.

 

There is enough room on the balcony to enjoy it. It was just not the balcony that I had expected,

 

TAMAROND & SILK BAR:

Both have sake menu, warm and cold. After all my years in the far east I prefer Jack Daniels now....

 

NEPTUNE STAFF:

Louise was the ladies name and will try to find his name for you. At the front dest there was Patricia from the Veendam Neptune lounge and both the people from the Oosterdam Neptune staff when we sailed them. It was old home week,

 

CABIN 5187 LAYOUT:

The layout of the cabin is different from the other suites. If you did not know the square footage sifference you would not know that there is a difference. It has enough space top be very comfortable.

 

 

I hope this answer some of the question you have asked.

 

I you have any further questions please free to ask them.

 

NOTE:

Copies of this review are being forwarded to the Guest Relations Manager on the Eurodam and Customer Service Representative at HAL the covers the Eurodam with a request that it be forwarded to the ceo for his information.

 

I am not trying to disuade anyone from cruising on the Eurodam. Overall we had a good cruise and we have already booked her again so we feel that she is a good ship and crew with some faults that will be corrected in time.

 

Ruth & Jim

[Krazy Kruizers]

Smoking with tables and chairs is allowed at the Sea View Pool (aft).

 

SAKE MENU: Cold - Momokawa Silver (clear) and Pearl (cloudy, unfiltered). Warm - Moonstone Asian Pear and Moonstone Raspberry. We had a Pearl carafe for $11 (plus 15%).

 

Thank you.

We are looking forwward to that. Our favorite restaurant where we used to get Sake has gone out of business.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the information.

[rwilli01]

Jim you stated you used your computer in your suite, did you have internet access in the room or did you have to take your laptop to hot spots? my DH has to continue work while on a cruise and we are going Thanksgiving. Would be nice to hear he can do it from the room. Thank you in advance. rwilli01 ( Kay)

[CinWin]

I'm beginning to wonder if I'm going to like the Eurodam (I've never sailed with HAL before). When I read the reviews, it seems that past HAL cruisers aren't too crazy about this class of ship - especially when comparing it to the ones they are used to. Sounds too crowded with the cabanas and narrow spacing between tables in main dining room and Lido, etc. One thing though - almost everyone mentions the good service and friendliness of the staff. :)

Cindy

[JimVrhovac]

I use my laptop to play games with while on a cruise.

 

I do not know where the hotspots were on the ship. Sorry.

 

Ruth & Jim

[Krazy Kruizers]

Jim you stated you used your computer in your suite, did you have internet access in the room or did you have to take your laptop to hot spots? my DH has to continue work while on a cruise and we are going Thanksgiving. Would be nice to hear he can do it from the room. Thank you in advance. rwilli01 ( Kay)

 

I have taken my laptop on a few cruises -- and sometimes I was able to use it from my cabin -- an example -- the Maasdam and Ryndam are sister ships -- we stayed in the same cabin on both ships -- Maasdam had no problems connecting to the internet -- Ryndam -- it was a no go.

All the ships have the hot spots listed with little signs -- but it is best to talk with the internet manager -- some of them will supply you with a Hot Spot list.

[mrmac]

I wish there was enough ventilation on the pool deck when the roof is partially open but that has not been my experience. Add to that the side windows not opening and it does make for poor ventilation when smoking is allowed. What most smokers don't realize is how the smoke from just one cigarette can migrate and pollute a very large area.

 

I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise, but having seen the larger corner balconies I, too, would have been disappointed.

[nchank]

The photo of the Eurodam on the opening page of the CC web site is very unappealing. It looks like a huge brick shaped ship with no deck space. Not my style.:mad: