Experiences during maiden voyages(s) of Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam.

[Alphen]

What were your experiences during maiden voyages(s) of Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

Before booking a maiden voyage on Koningsdam, I would like to know experiences of the maiden voyage of Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

Do people have experience of a maiden voyage on these latest additions to the fleet, so we know what to expect of a maiden voyage, in particular, that of a new HAL ship.

 

I would like to hear anything, good or bad!

[KirkNC]

I have no direct experiences with the NA or Eurodam but I don't eat at restaurants the first week they are open, sail on ships the first week out of dry dock and would also never sail on a maiden voyage of a new ship. I think the odds that something is not working correctly is very high. Hopefully what ever it is would be minor and not major.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We didn't do the maiden voyages of the Eurodam or the Nieuw Amsterdam.

But we did do 2 maiden voyages on Princess -- one by accident.

Yup -- problems on both. Water pipes burst, fire alarms went off accidently and fire doors closed suddenly. Some crew were new and had no idea what they were doing.

[Ine]

We did the 1st cruise Rotterdam-Copenhagen on Eurodam. The offical maiden voyage was the same, but much longer.

 

The cabin was certainly o.k., but service in diningroomwas terrible. The 1st night we were sent up and down the stairs as nobody knew where our table was in 2nd seating. Serving meals took a long time. Very long line at as you wish dining, waitingtimes often for more then 1 hour.

Often bars were closed during the day, often also at night for private parties.

Lots of attentions for (invited?) VIPS, (not so much to mariners) it certainly made us feel like 2 nd class passengers.

If we decide to sail Koningdam it will be one of the later sailings that season.

[Alphen]

We did the 1st cruise Rotterdam-Copenhagen on Eurodam. The offical maiden voyage was the same, but much longer.

 

The cabin was certainly o.k., but service in diningroomwas terrible. The 1st night we were sent up and down the stairs as nobody knew where our table was in 2nd seating. Serving meals took a long time. Very long line at as you wish dining, waitingtimes often for more then 1 hour.

Often bars were closed during the day, often also at night for private parties.

Lots of attentions for (invited?) VIPS, (not so much to mariners) it certainly made us feel like 2 nd class passengers.

If we decide to sail Koningdam it will be one of the later sailings that season.

 

Thank you for your response, I did here somewhere that there are a lot of “Bobo” during the inaugural voyage and that public areas can be closed off. I was hoping that these were rumors and not really true, but apparently this does happen.

 

Any good things about the first cruise on a brand new ship?

[1ANGELCAT]

I am hoping it will be smooth sailing. I am booked for the maiden voyage on 2/20. I am sure it will be an adventure.

 

 

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[jhannah]

We were on the maiden voyage of Eurodam with Ine. Overall it was wonderful. We didn't experience any dining room issues. But there were lots of closings of public areas due to the higher-ups who were onboard. (None of which really affected me to any degree.) I think it's safe to assume there will be glitches with any ship that enters service. Testing and trial runs aside, there are simply going to be situations that arise when you're in the game for real the first little while. Just go with the flow and you'll do fine.

[RuthC]

I was on the E-dam inaugural and following cruises with a large group of friends. They are experienced HAL cruisers, as well as being frequent CC posters at that time.

At least one of those friends noted that had it been her first HAL cruise, it would have been her last.

 

My friend in the next cabin was in the shower, all lathered up, with a full head of shampoo, when the shower fixture fell out of the wall. :eek: Her daughter called the Front Desk who told her they would put in a work order to have it fixed. :rolleyes:

Their cabin was coated in dirt & dust from building the ship when they boarded---it had never been cleaned.

 

Service in the dining room was uncoordinated at best. But it was entertaining to watch the doors fall off the cabinets in the service areas.

 

Had it not been for a fabulous itinerary and a great group of friends, I would consider that cruise a disaster.

I recommend that if you do decide to take an inaugural cruise, you go into it with your eyes wide open as to what can happen. And your eyes closed tight when it does.

[Ine]

""Any good things about the first cruise on a brand new ship?""

 

Yes the thrill to be on a new ship as 1st passenger makes it special. Also the itinary (and being on board with friends) makes it more special.

[kazu]

We were on the Inaugural N.A. Transatlantic. Now, it wasn't the ship's maiden voyage but her maiden TA, and, basically most of the crew was. I hadn't expected that. Many of the crew had never done a Transatlantic and were obviously very nervous.

 

MDR service was abysmal and by day 2 we had spoken to the dining room manager at the end of the meal. (I can't say dessert because we didn't get it after 2 and 1/2 hours). We weren't the only ones. He was busy going from table to table.

 

Simple things that happen, just didn't. To make matters worse, the ship had NORO and never shook it for the entire 20 days. Having been on other ships with NORO I saw a definite difference in how it was handled and suspect this is why it was not eliminated.

 

Yes, we had toilet issues, A/C issues, you name it, we had it. A brand new ship!

 

It was still an ok cruise. But, certainly not my favourite and like Ruth, if I hadn't sailed HAL before I might not have been back.

 

So, things happen. If you are going for the fun and excitement of being the first on the new ship - fine. But don't have high expectations.

[sail7seas]

Aside from all the mechanical issues that can possibly arise, the crew needs time to work together and get a rhythm. They amass crew from other ships, new hires, new contracts and they have to learn to meld. It seems almost impossible to expect smooth, flawless service on a brand new ship. They have to settle in, get used to the new ship's idiosyncrasies and specifics especially with a new class of ships.

 

Edited December 6, 2014 by sail7seas

[iancal]

We have no intention of paying top dollar for a cruise that is really a 'shake down' and training cruise for the staff. Not to mention the cabin/ship related physical issues that could arise.

 

They can train the crew and shake down the ship on someone else's dime.

 

Now....if that cruise was heavily discounted to compensate for this we might look at it from a different perspective!

[Alphen]

We have no intention of paying top dollar for a cruise that is really a 'shake down' and training cruise for the staff. Not to mention the cabin/ship related physical issues that could arise.

 

They can train the crew and shake down the ship on someone else's dime.

 

Now....if that cruise was heavily discounted to compensate for this we might look at it from a different perspective!

 

You can back this opinion with own experience of inaugural cruise on HAL?

[iancal]

No, we don't do maiden cruises nor do we do the first one or two cruises out of drydock.

 

Not because of personal experience. Rather, because of many posts from credible posters over the years. Including a few just above this one! Not a HAL specific issue either...for us it applies to all ships/lines.

Edited December 7, 2014 by iancal