need help- Why should I pick Eurodam

[cards10]

What is the difference between CCl & HAL? Trying to decide between going on the Dream or the Eurodam in Dec. I like the ports that the Eurodam goes to. How is the food on the Eurodam do they have a Lobster night??

 

Thanks for all of your help

[Essiesmom]

In my experience, food will be just a little better, and yes, they do offer lobster on one of the formal nights. HAL is a bit more dress conscious than Carnival, you will see a majority of people dressed up on formal nights. There are more polls and no slide. Decor will be more subdued, and there will be enrichment lecturers rather than a hairy chest contest. Try it, you might like it. EM

[Willsot]

We think that the Tamarind restaurant on the Eurodam is one of the best specialty dining options at sea.

[lovetocruise2020]

10 Reasons for we choose to cruise Eurodam VS Carnival

 

1. Tamarind Pan Asian * and its free for lunch

2. Canaletto free Italian dining, amazing

3. Retreat Cabanas

4. Wine/Champagne Policy (You can bring as much as you want for in your cabin or balcony)

5. Better food

6. More upscale enviornment

7. Afternoon tea delivered, evening appitizers, unlimited dry cleaning & laundry if you have a deluxe suite

8. Eurodam docks in crown bay

9. If you are not in a suite, you can book a suite package I think its $299 or something like that, includes 2 bottles of liquor, 2 bottles of wine, unlimited laundry and pressing, 2 bathrobes, afternoon tea delivered in cabin OR appitizers each night, or mix and match, flower arrangement, etc, etc

10. Course by course in cabin dining with white linens and fine china included.

 

The ONLY thing I miss on carnival is the warm chocolate melting cake.

 

Young couple, looking for relaxation, romance and great food

[fann1sh]

Surfergirle's list is excellent! Here are a couple more random thoughts.

 

HAL's waiters don't sing and dance. Waitstaff usually not as gregarious. Emphasis in the main dining room is elegance, not fun.

 

Live flowers everywhere on HAL ships. Better finishes in the HAL cabins, like fabric sofas rather than vinyl.

 

On lobster night, HAL kicks it up a notch from Carnival's Cruise Elegant. Formal night = jacket/tie for gentlemen in the main dining room. There will be some tuxedoes; there will also be the usual suspects whose highlight of the evening is seeing whether the Maitre D' will turn them away or whether they can "get away with" whatever they're wearing.

 

While the casual Lido usually serves the same menu as the MDR, on formal night they have scampi rather than lobster. So, to get the lobster without dressing up --- room service.

 

Course by course really only works well if you have a suite (dining table on the balcony) or at least a balcony, IMO.

 

However, you can also get standard room service. Order anything from the dinner menu, any night, by MAKING your order within half an hour of the MDR opening, to be DELIVERED anytime you choose that the MDR is still open/serving. If you want 6 lobster tails, order 6 lobster tails.

 

Room service is always free. If you want to tip, have it ready, because the waiter will be out of there before you can fish for it. While the menu is more limited at 3 a.m., room service is 24/7.

 

Breakfast room service is a delight. Besides the items you see on the "door hanger" menu, you can write in other items, if your order is delivered after the galley opens. "Eggs benedict" and "chocolate croissants" are HAL board favourite write in items.

 

Chocolate croissants - fresh and warm from the oven, with the chocolate oozing - can almost make you forget chocolate melting cake.

 

Almost.

 

PS - If you don't drink wine, you can order a liter bottle of liquor delivered to your cabin from HAL, at prices that start around $35 (roughly $1 an ounce). You can also bring unlimited soft drinks/water aboard, no problem.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Criric.

Eurodam:

2 pools

Has the PanAsian Tamarind Restaurant ($15 per person for dinner -- Free for lunch)

Canaletto -- Italian -- only open for dinner -- Free

Pinnacle Grill -- great steaks ($20 per person for dinner -- $10 per person for lunch)

larger cabins

lobster night is the last fornal night

[Bippie]

Surfergirle's list is excellent! Here are a couple more random thoughts.

 

HAL's waiters don't sing and dance. Waitstaff usually not as gregarious. Emphasis in the main dining room is elegance, not fun.

 

....

 

Breakfast room service is a delight. Besides the items you see on the "door hanger" menu, you can write in other items, if your order is delivered after the galley opens. "Eggs benedict" and "chocolate croissants" are HAL board favourite write in items.

 

Chocolate croissants - fresh and warm from the oven, with the chocolate oozing - can almost make you forget chocolate melting cake.

 

....

 

Two clarifications to a very good post. First, the MDR waiters do try to entertain but that is usually only on the last night. Second, write-in breakfast orders work best when you ask for delivery times that coincide with the MDR breakfast hours.

 

Only you know what you're looking for in a vacation. If food is important, HAL wins hands down. On a recent Baltic cruise, they offered a Sommelier dinner in the Pinnacle one night. The price was about $75 per person but this included all wine pairings with each course. There might have been seven courses but I can't remember - maybe too much wine :) The dinner, service, and wines were excellent....one of the highlights of the cruise on the Eurodam. The other dining highlight, as others have mentioned, were lunches and dinners in the Tamarind. So good we went several times. I agree with the sentiment that it is my favorite specialty restaurant on any cruise ship, any line.

 

One place you'll also notice a difference is entertainment. The main show room shows on Eurodam are not elaborate. You'll find nice entertainment in various lounges around the ship. The HAL cats and the string quartet were very good but this is a more laid-back entertainment roster.

 

Good luck with your decision.

[Al_Frescoe]

 

However, you can also get standard room service. Order anything from the dinner menu, any night, by MAKING your order within half an hour of the MDR opening, to be DELIVERED anytime you choose that the MDR is still open/serving. If you want 6 lobster tails, order 6 lobster tails.

 

 

This was a question I wanted to ask about, thanks for bringing it up. Let me get it straight though :)

 

We are not in a suite, in fact we have an obstructed ocean view (last minute booking) ... does the above room service info apply?

 

Regarding MDR ... On my Century cruise a couple years ago I always started dinner with a shrimp cocktail, they were not on the menu but my waiter knew I wanted one and that's what I got. Can something like that happen on HAL? How about extra helpings (two apps for example). Your info about "6 lobster tails" has me salivating, is it really ok to order like that on HAL? For the record I would probably only order 4 :).

 

We are really looking forward to our first HAL experience.

 

Thanks for the help and advice.

 

Al

[fann1sh]

Al Frescoe:

 

Yes - anyone in any HAL cabin can order free room service for any meal or snack.

 

Yes - anyone in any HAL cabin can order dinner from the evening dinner menu (if order is placed w/in 30 minutes of MDR opening, and delivered while dinner still being served.)

 

I have never seen/heard of any limits on what is ordered. The first time I ordered HAL room service for breakfast, I messed up the form. Enough food was brought for about 8 hungry people. :o

 

P.S. - Bippie, thanks for the clarifications of my post.

[catl331]

Well, they have that wonderful chocolate cake in the Pinnacle Grill which is a little more upscale than MDR and costs $20 but especially good if you like steak (Lg. ones).

[cards10]

thanks for all of the replies. I'm going to try the EUrodam. I'm very excited to try a new ship. Question about the dress in the MDR- can you wear capris or sundresses?;)

[catl331]

as long as you have a nice shirt to go with the capris or jacket. Sundress is okay but bring a shrug or sweater cuz it can be cold in the MDR. There also always are cold spots on the ship. Bon Voyage!

[lovetocruise2020]

Surfergirle's list is excellent! Here are a couple more random thoughts.

 

HAL's waiters don't sing and dance. Waitstaff usually not as gregarious. Emphasis in the main dining room is elegance, not fun.

 

Live flowers everywhere on HAL ships. Better finishes in the HAL cabins, like fabric sofas rather than vinyl.

 

On lobster night, HAL kicks it up a notch from Carnival's Cruise Elegant. Formal night = jacket/tie for gentlemen in the main dining room. There will be some tuxedoes; there will also be the usual suspects whose highlight of the evening is seeing whether the Maitre D' will turn them away or whether they can "get away with" whatever they're wearing.

 

While the casual Lido usually serves the same menu as the MDR, on formal night they have scampi rather than lobster. So, to get the lobster without dressing up --- room service.

 

Course by course really only works well if you have a suite (dining table on the balcony) or at least a balcony, IMO.

 

However, you can also get standard room service. Order anything from the dinner menu, any night, by MAKING your order within half an hour of the MDR opening, to be DELIVERED anytime you choose that the MDR is still open/serving. If you want 6 lobster tails, order 6 lobster tails.

 

Room service is always free. If you want to tip, have it ready, because the waiter will be out of there before you can fish for it. While the menu is more limited at 3 a.m., room service is 24/7.

 

Breakfast room service is a delight. Besides the items you see on the "door hanger" menu, you can write in other items, if your order is delivered after the galley opens. "Eggs benedict" and "chocolate croissants" are HAL board favourite write in items.

 

Chocolate croissants - fresh and warm from the oven, with the chocolate oozing - can almost make you forget chocolate melting cake.

 

Almost.

 

PS - If you don't drink wine, you can order a liter bottle of liquor delivered to your cabin from HAL, at prices that start around $35 (roughly $1 an ounce). You can also bring unlimited soft drinks/water aboard, no problem.

 

 

ABOUT THE CROSSIANTS! where, when, how and how much?

[fann1sh]

Surfergirle: breakfast, anywhere!

 

They will be on the pastries tray in the MDR which one of the servers brings by after you have ordered. I don't eat breakfast in the Lido, so I don't know where - and don't know if they're warm, as in the MDR.

 

Just like the regular croissants except they have dark chocolate folded inside, and a bit on top (varies by chef).

 

Amount of chocolate also varies by chef. Never a river, overflowing on the plate. Just enough to set off the buttery crisp yet soft croissant. Just enough to get your hands a bit sticky.

 

In the MDR, my Dad - who has never gained an unwanted ounce of fat in his life - asks for *three*, to go with his eggs benedict.

 

I prefer to write them in for room service, where I can give them the focus of attention they deserve. (Available for times AFTER the MDR opens and that galley starts operating.)

 

As noted on this board, HAL's desserts are mediocre, but their breads and breakfast baking are superb.

 

I once tried to save a room service chocolate croissant as an after dinner treat, but....it wasn't the same. IMO, they have to be warm and fresh from the oven. :)

[RuthC]

They will be on the pastries tray in the MDR which one of the servers brings by after you have ordered. I don't eat breakfast in the Lido, so I don't know where - and don't know if they're warm, as in the MDR.

Except for one ship, no, the chocolate croissants are not warm in the Lido. They sit there on the pastry tray with the danish and other "treats". They don't tempt me one iota.

The exception is the Prinsendam. I was pleasantly surprised to see the chocolate and plain croissants sitting under a heating lamp when I went to breakfast. I did try one, and it was sooo much better warm. :) But I didn't think it so good that I would give up other things I wanted just to have a chocolate croissant instead.

[Nasmas]

I don't know anything about the 'other guys', but I can tell you that the Eurodam is absolutely beautiful. It is not crowded and we loved it. So much we're going back in Oct.