Just back from Eurodam - any questions?

[Infi]

Just back from the Eurodam this morning - we had such a fantastic cruise. Ship is in excellent condition - she hardly needs her upcoming drydock. You could really see that Eurodam is very well-maintained and cared for. The crew was wonderful and the food fantastic. This was our second HAL cruise and we were even more impressed with the line than after our first trip. I'm already looking forward to our next one, which shouldn't be too far off now...DD won a free cruise at the win a cruise bingo game on the final day. I never thought anyone actually won those, but now I'm a believer! :D

 

I plan to write a longer review later this week with more specifics, but if anyone has any questions now about the ship or itinerary I'll be happy to answer them. :)

[Cruizer Bill]

I just have the usual questions, how was the food (including the Lido), the entertainment and your room steward?

Thanks....Bill :)

[Himself]

I have no questions but your report only confims my impressions of that ship last fall.

I, too, had a great cruise on her last October.

[elycelynne]

One question for now -- Who was playing in the piano bar? Was it "Piano Man Michael", or someone else?

[azalice]

I have a question about the Lido. Several have previously mentioned that the Lido was designed in such a way that it created crowding among the food and seating areas. Did you find it particularly crowded - annoyingly so?

 

Alice

[Harley57]

Thanks for the update. We have booked our first HAL cruise on Eurodam for June, 2012 and can hardly wait !!

[Krazy Kruizers]

welcome

 

looking forward to your review

 

congratulations on winning a free cruise

[kazu]

Welcome back - and congratulations on winning that cruise. Glad to see someone on the boards won one :) Glad to hear you had a great time as my DS just got off the same cruise with her family and friends.

 

Looking forward to your review :)

[Infi]

Thanks all for the welcomes back. It's always a letdown to get back to the real world after a cruise, but reminiscing about the trip makes it easier. :)

 

CruizerBill: The food was excellent, from the MDR on down. We loved the Tamarind for lunch and dinner and would go back in a heartbeat. Very unique dining experience, with wonderful food and attentive service. We usually eat all of our meals in the MDR, but it was closed quite a few days for lunch on this cruise (one of our big disappointments). So, we actually ate in the Lido more than usual. The food there was pretty good, considering it's a buffet. I especially enjoyed the made to order sandwich bar and the daily specials there, as well as the rotating Asian food station. I'd rank the Lido on par with Celebrity's buffets, and miles above Princess' Horizon Court. MDR food was excellent - very good quality and some interesting dishes.

The entertainment was pretty good. I'd say the production shows have improved since our last sailing, though I wouldn't rank them as the best I have seen. The dancers do work hard, but the sets and costumes just aren't as impressive as on other lines. Guest entertainers (magician, comedian, and singer) were quite good, my favorite was the comedian Julie Barr. She was on our last HAL cruise and she's just hysterical, the humor just flows so easily from her. Don't miss her show if you get a chance to see her.

Our room steward team was good. The room was always cleaned in a timely manner, but we never saw them around in the hallways. I do know they have a lot of cabins to clean, but I missed seeing them around.

 

Elycelynne: I think the piano bar entertainer's name was Eric, but I'll have to double check the dailies to make sure. I do know that all of the entertainment staff, from the performers to the CD staff, are disembarking in two weeks for the drydock.

 

Azalice: The Lido does feel crowded at peak times, IMHO. I think the setup is fine (several buffet lines rather than islands), and the lines do move pretty quickly. But, some of the seating is very close to the serving area, which makes for a narrow space for traffic. Also, at peak times it can be hard to find a table. However, I will say the staff does do their best to clean up tables quickly and will help you find a table if you need it. I was very impressed with their willingness to help and carry plates for those who needed extra assistance.

Kazu: Thanks. We are both pretty ecstatic over here about the whole thing, neither of us is very lucky at anything. Hope your DS had a great cruise as well, the Eurodam was fantastic for us. :)

 

If anyone has any more questions, please post and I'll try my best to answer them for you.

[SakeDad]

The entertainment was pretty good. I'd say the production shows have improved since our last sailing, though I wouldn't rank them as the best I have seen. The dancers do work hard, but the sets and costumes just aren't as impressive as on other lines. Guest entertainers (magician, comedian, and singer) were quite good, my favorite was the comedian Julie Barr. She was on our last HAL cruise and she's just hysterical, the humor just flows so easily from her. Don't miss her show if you get a chance to see her.

I'm curious if you sailed Eurodam before? The shows there are not on the other older ships so I would expect them to be "improved" as they are newer and bigger, but I assume they are still the same shows as when Eurodam was launched. Also, I adore Julie Barr and agree anyone should catch her if possible. Glad you enjoyed your cruise!:D

[erewhon]

Thank you for your positive report.

Congratulations on winning a free cruise.

[got2shop]

Hi, we are sailing EuroDaM on 3/26 and were wondering if they are still serving you in lide, due to sickness?(personally like it much better) and if the staterooms are clean and kept up nicely considering this ship is close to going into drydock! Thx so much for your reviews and WeLcOmE BaCk!! :)

[Flyingwarrior]

Hi when is the Eurodam going in for Dry Dock. I'm on the May 5th cruise outof Barcelona for my Honeymoon. I'll either get a "like new" ship or a slightly beat up one? Hoping for the "good as new" one lol. Either way - looking forward to our first time on HAL and to Europe.

[quartetman]

Just back from the Eurodam this morning - we had such a fantastic cruise. Ship is in excellent condition - she hardly needs her upcoming drydock. You could really see that Eurodam is very well-maintained and cared for. The crew was wonderful and the food fantastic. This was our second HAL cruise and we were even more impressed with the line than after our first trip. I'm already looking forward to our next one, which shouldn't be too far off now...DD won a free cruise at the win a cruise bingo game on the final day. I never thought anyone actually won those, but now I'm a believer! :D

 

I plan to write a longer review later this week with more specifics, but if anyone has any questions now about the ship or itinerary I'll be happy to answer them. :)

 

We will be on the Eurodam on 3-26 and was wondering if you had a copy of the menus,and who the piano player was. Glad you had a great cruise.

 

Rick & Harriet

[Infi]

Sakedad: I didn't really explain myself well on the entertainment question. :o Last year we sailed Westerdam, and found the shows to be just so-so. Sets and costumes weren't up to par with other lines. The nightclubs themed show on Eurodam was especially impressive when compared to Westerdam, but the other show (name escapes me now - memorable songs through the decades, I think) was only alright...similar to the other HAL shows. I do think HAL has stepped up their entertainment on Eurodam, but still, it's not as elaborate as other lines.

Are those the same shows from when the Eurodam was launched? BTW, I see you were stage manager on Eurodam - very neat photos!

 

erewho: Thanks so much!

got2shop: Yes, they still serve you in the Lido, but only for the first 48 hours onboard. We were told by many (from the CD on down) that this code orange precaution is a fleet-wide directive. I think it's a good policy, and likely squashes any Noro people might be carrying from beforehand or traveling to the ship. We were also told that of the 14 ships that homeport in Port Everglades on weekends, only Eurodam and one other have been Noro-free these past 2 years. So the crew must be doing something right. :)

Staterooms were very clean and ship was in excellent condition. I expected to see some small wear and tear due to the upcoming drydock, but Eurodam is very well-maintained. You'll always see crew painting, polishing, cleaning everywhere. The Captain mentioned the drydock was primarily for technical maintenance and checkups for the propellers, hull, painting, etc. Hope you have a great cruise!

 

Flyingwarrior: Eurodam is going in for drydock in 2 weeks, so April 2. I believe the drydock is 10 days, and then she leaves for Europe on her transatlantic. Considering she's almost "good as new" now, I'm sure she'll be sparkling new after the drydock. Have a great cruise!

 

quartetman: We actually do have copies of the menus - my daughter takes photos of all the menus onboard. I know she hasn't finished uploading and sorting the photos yet, but when they're available, I'll post the link here. As for the piano player, his name was Eric. Hope that helps.

[quartetman]

Sakedad: I didn't really explain myself well on the entertainment question. :o Last year we sailed Westerdam, and found the shows to be just so-so. Sets and costumes weren't up to par with other lines. The nightclubs themed show on Eurodam was especially impressive when compared to Westerdam, but the other show (name escapes me now - memorable songs through the decades, I think) was only alright...similar to the other HAL shows. I do think HAL has stepped up their entertainment on Eurodam, but still, it's not as elaborate as other lines.

Are those the same shows from when the Eurodam was launched? BTW, I see you were stage manager on Eurodam - very neat photos!

 

erewho: Thanks so much!

 

got2shop: Yes, they still serve you in the Lido, but only for the first 48 hours onboard. We were told by many (from the CD on down) that this code orange precaution is a fleet-wide directive. I think it's a good policy, and likely squashes any Noro people might be carrying from beforehand or traveling to the ship. We were also told that of the 14 ships that homeport in Port Everglades on weekends, only Eurodam and one other have been Noro-free these past 2 years. So the crew must be doing something right. :)

Staterooms were very clean and ship was in excellent condition. I expected to see some small wear and tear due to the upcoming drydock, but Eurodam is very well-maintained. You'll always see crew painting, polishing, cleaning everywhere. The Captain mentioned the drydock was primarily for technical maintenance and checkups for the propellers, hull, painting, etc. Hope you have a great cruise!

 

Flyingwarrior: Eurodam is going in for drydock in 2 weeks, so April 2. I believe the drydock is 10 days, and then she leaves for Europe on her transatlantic. Considering she's almost "good as new" now, I'm sure she'll be sparkling new after the drydock. Have a great cruise!

 

quartetman: We actually do have copies of the menus - my daughter takes photos of all the menus onboard. I know she hasn't finished uploading and sorting the photos yet, but when they're available, I'll post the link here. As for the piano player, his name was Eric. Hope that helps.

 

Thanks INFI.That does help and look forward to seeing the menus....Helps me plan.

 

Rick & Harriet

[IRL_Joanie]

...... I know she hasn't finished uploading and sorting the photos yet, but when they're available, I'll post the link here. .....

May I copy and use the ship and Stateroom photos on the HAL Staterooms/Cabins Web Site?? Along with any stateroom comments you have??

 

Joanie

[dritan]

Can't wait for the photos, as I have your Westerdam food pics on my Favourites!! It's very much appreciated!

[sportsmum]

Thanks so much! We are so excited to board her on Saturday.

 

Can you remember what movies they showed in the movie theater?

[LizKnight]

Will be sailing on HAL for the first time this May. We are a group of 6. We were considering the freestyle dining as opposed to a specific early or late dinner seating. Wondering which dining option you chose and why. If you did not chose freestyle, do you know any other passengers who did and if they were pleased with their choice or unhappy - did they have to wait for tables.

Also, we heard that if you choose freestyle, you could still make a reservation for a specific time on a daily basis? Would you know if we selected early seating and missed our time, could we then do freestyle? Thanks and glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise!!

[beachluvr!]

Just back from the Eurodam this morning - we had such a fantastic cruise. Ship is in excellent condition - she hardly needs her upcoming drydock. You could really see that Eurodam is very well-maintained and cared for. The crew was wonderful and the food fantastic. This was our second HAL cruise and we were even more impressed with the line than after our first trip. I'm already looking forward to our next one, which shouldn't be too far off now...DD won a free cruise at the win a cruise bingo game on the final day. I never thought anyone actually won those, but now I'm a believer! :D

 

I plan to write a longer review later this week with more specifics, but if anyone has any questions now about the ship or itinerary I'll be happy to answer them. :)

Thank you so much for starting this thread:) We leave this Saturday and I am so excited for this cruise. This is making me even more if that is possible;)I have read that some HAL ships have a fabulous steel drum band that plays in the evening. Do you know if there was this kind of entertainment?

[LMM1801]

Just back from the Eurodam this morning - we had such a fantastic cruise. Ship is in excellent condition - she hardly needs her upcoming drydock. You could really see that Eurodam is very well-maintained and cared for. The crew was wonderful and the food fantastic. This was our second HAL cruise and we were even more impressed with the line than after our first trip. I'm already looking forward to our next one, which shouldn't be too far off now...DD won a free cruise at the win a cruise bingo game on the final day. I never thought anyone actually won those, but now I'm a believer! :D

 

I plan to write a longer review later this week with more specifics, but if anyone has any questions now about the ship or itinerary I'll be happy to answer them. :)

 

Congrats on the cruise win at bingo. Our friends from a Baltic cruise won an upgrade to the penthouse suite at bingo. Really is amazing!

[elycelynne]

Congrats on the cruise win at bingo. Our friends from a Baltic cruise won an upgrade to the penthouse suite at bingo. Really is amazing!

 

Now THAT'S something worth playing for -- Much more than a "free" 7-day cruise in the lowest category inside cabin!

[Infi]

Just answering a few more questions...sorry for the delay in my reply!

IRL_Joanie: Yes, but all means - feel free to use any photos! I've found your website so helpful with cabin selection and getting a feel for each ship, it's the very least I could do in return. If you could just post a little note saying where they're from, that would be perfect. I will send you an email later with thoughts on our cabin too.

dritan: Thanks! Will be sure to post them soon. And I'm glad you found the other photo set helpful, too.

 

Sportsmum: I'm very jealous you get to sail Eurodam next Saturday, I wish I could do the same! As for the movies, I can remember Wall Street 2, The Social Network, Red, Unstoppable, and Salt played in the screening room. There's also the ShipFlicks booklet in your cabin, where you can rent just about any movie from the front desk.

Have a great cruise. I see you're also doing the Ruby Venice to Barcelona in a few months...that is a fantastic itinerary, we did it last year. One of my favorite cruises.

 

LizKnight: We booked very late for us (a month out), and were assigned anytime dining and waitlisted for traditional. When we boarded, we were assigned traditional, so we never experienced anytime. I do know that there were a lot of waits for anytime on this sailing, particularly on the first night and formal nights. On embarkation night the line stretched from the dining room until the end of Explorers lounge! I'm not sure if this was unusual, but I tend to think it was. Personally, I think it was due to the large number of families and big groups onboard - it was a spring break week.

Considering you're a group of 6, I would probably recommend traditional. At least then you know you'll have a place and time to meet everyday that's guaranteed. If you do go with anytime, I'd highly recommend making reservations for a specific time. You can do this with the MDR person at the Lido, there's a podium there. We met people onboard and they claimed reservations were the only way to avoid the waits. Good luck with your choice!

Beachluvr: The Eurodam has the usual band, the HALCats. They play by the pool, in the Queens Lounge in the evenings, and in a couple of the shows at night. The HALCats have someone who plays the steel drum, but no band. One thing I did find interesting was he taught a couple of learn to play the steel drum classes in the afternoons by the aft pool. Something neat that I haven't seen before. Hope that helps, and have a great cruise!

 

LMM1801: Thank you. And congrats to your friends - the PH sounds like a fantastic bingo win!

[IRL_Joanie]

Just answering a few more questions...sorry for the delay in my reply!

IRL_Joanie: Yes, but all means - feel free to use any photos! I've found your website so helpful with cabin selection and getting a feel for each ship, it's the very least I could do in return. If you could just post a little note saying where they're from, that would be perfect. I will send you an email later with thoughts on our cabin too.

 

Thank you!! I always give proper credit when I have it and will definitely post your photos and comments as soon as I get them:)

 

Thank you so much!!

 

Joanie