Live from the Eurodam - 11-8 through 11-22

[NRFBQN]

Greetings from the Eurodam! DH and I have just embarked on a 14-day back-to-back cruise to the Western and Eastern Caribbean and we’re already having a great time! This is my first "Live From" so please be patient. I've enjoyed reading about everyone else's cruises, so I thought it was my turn to share.

 

It was a lovely day in Ft. Lauderdale and the water was full of beautiful boats. Due to the big Boat Show that is in town, we were treated to a veritable parade of lovely boats and yachts. As we were getting ready to sail, it was fun watching the pilot boats and the police boat get after the small boats and a couple of jet skis that were getting too close to us. I can’t imagine being brave enough to get close to a cruise ship that was getting underway!

 

Embarkation was very pleasant and smooth. We were surprised that they didn’t take our pictures this time, but it turns out that they are using the pictures they took on our last cruise in August. I guess becoming a frequent cruiser has its perks!

 

In the Embarkation Lounge, we found our Canadian friends we had met a year ago on a Caribbean cruise - we enjoyed dining together last year and vowed to do it again this year. Fun! Also in the lounge we were able to take a peek at the menus for Pinnacle, Canaletto, and Tamarind, which convinced me that it was a good idea to have pre-booked our visits to each. The spa ladies were there, too, and we bought our Thermal Suite package for the full two weeks. I knew that one week was $249, but didn’t know if we’d get a deal on the second week - happily, it was only $100 to add on the second week.

 

We were on the ship right around 11:30, so things were still a bit quiet. Our room wouldn’t be ready until noon, so we headed to the Dive-In by the pool on the Lido. It’s our favorite first day lunch - a good hamburger and a Heineken! Because we got on so quickly, it was pretty quiet up there. We noticed new tables and seating, all lined up neatly on the side that didn’t have the cabanas, so we took a spot that had good viewing out to sea and started relaxing immediately! Lunch was a good chance to try out the Signature Beverage package, so we started with the aforementioned Heinekens, then added a couple bottles of water and two Cokes to take to the room. Then it appeared that someone had emptied our beer mugs, so we had to order another set of Heinekens. Funny how that happens.

 

After lunch, we went to our room to check it out. It’s only our second time in a Signature Suite, so we’re still delighted to have the extra space and attentiveness. We were deluged with those little folded cards on our bed and in our mailbox - one for each of our SBPs, one for a Pinnacle lunch, one for a Pinnacle dinner, one for a Canaletto dinner, one for De Lebrije, one for Tamarind, and a couple for onboard credit. Nice!

 

Luggage came promptly after I finished reading all of the cards, then we were gifted with two extra pieces of luggage that weren’t ours. We called the concierge and put them out in the hall. A little while later, a very cheerful steward tried to re-deliver them to us. Still not ours! I hope the person who owned them was able to get reunited soon. The tags had our room on them, but no matter how many times they were delivered to us, they didn’t belong here.

 

Our room is very nice. The accents are orange - chairs, pillows, and even one piece of art. Everything is neat and clean and we love the space of the SS rooms. I especially love the desk with the window looking out on the water - it’s a great place for the computer. Since I still have to work a bit while we’re gone, it’s my office away from home.

 

At 1:30, it was time to go to the Mariner’s reception up in the Crow’s Nest. Apparently everyone else came at 1 because the place was packed! Happily, they opened the library section as we were searching in vain for a seat, so we took our champagne over to one of the crossword puzzle tables by the window and had a lovely view while sipping our drinks. There were some teeny hors d’oeuvres being passed but we missed on out those. All in all, a bit of a madhouse, but still a very nice event.

 

Then it was time for muster, so it was off to the Promenade deck to find our lifeboat. They had a staircase open that was for the crew - a new adventure for us. Our lifeboat compatriots were prompt and the staff soon declared we were all there. Good job, fellow cruisers!

 

Following the drill, it was crazy trying to get an elevator, so we decided to take a lap around the Promenade deck and take in the view from all angles.

 

Since we still had 22 possible drinks left on our Signature Beverage packages for today. We then went back up to the Crow’s Nest to watch the coastline and try a few new things. DH had a margarita and I had a Cosmo Cubana. The Cosmo was yummy! So sweet it was like drinking candy, just my style. While we were there, there was a beautiful sunset behind the skyscrapers of the Miami skyline - a perfect view while we set sail.

 

After the sun went down, it was time to see if the shops had finally opened, which they had. Did you know they now carry Tommy Bahamas shirts? We didn’t, but DH is very happy to have three new shirts in his wardrobe. Since he only has one suitcase and I brought two, it’s only fair that he supplemented his shirt collection on board. Also, since three Tommy Bahamas shirts equal one cruise day credit, I couldn’t complain! We’re getting closer to four stars and I’m very excited about free laundry :).

 

Back to the room to rest a bit and get ready for dinner, then off to the dining room for the late seating. We have a great table for four by the window and had so much fun catching up with our friends. Our steward and his assistant were both friendly and efficient. All of us remarked that it didn’t seem like the first day of the cruise - usually the dining room is a bit chaotic, but everything was really smooth today. The menu was a bit unconventional, so we opted for the grilled salmon and the broiled NY strip. The menu is organized a bit differently than in the past, with sections at the top and bottom called “Holland America Signature Favorites.” That made it easy to find the French onion soup and the Caesar salad, too. Our assistant steward was very accommodating, bringing me a different vegetable and a special bowl of berries for dessert. He said at the end of the meal that he would bring me a bowl of berries every night and I told him that I would be happy to take him up on that!

 

By the way, the SBP came in handy at dinner, too. They was a Beringer Stone Cellars Merlot for $7.25 per glass, so it fit in well with the package. And we liked it, too, which was even better!

 

Well, we didn’t do justice to our 15 drinks a day allotment, but it was fun getting halfway there. Time for bed so we can be up bright and early for Key West. We’re taking the History and Legends excursion so that we can see Hemingway’s house and Truman’s. I’m looking forward to the many-toed cats. Plus it’s my birthday tomorrow, so I am excited for the singing and banging of pots at dinner!

[chefestelle]

Well happy birthday and thank you for doing this thread! I'm really looking forward to more...

[hugger]

Key West style - hope you have an AWESOME b-day.

 

Thank you for taking the time to write the Live from thread. We will be boarding the ship on the 22nd for the 15 night cruise. So will be paying particular attention to your thread.

 

Happy Cruising

[Scrapnana]

Sounds like you had a fantastic day today. Hope your birthday is even better!

 

Thanks for taking the time and money to do a "Live" thread.

[tassietravellers]

Thankyou for sharing, looking forward to following you on your travels.

Wishing you a very happy birthday tomorrow :)

Deb

[Krazy Kruizers]

Loving your Live review.

Sounds like the itinerary has been changed -- we had Key West last on our Western part of the cruise.

We couldn't even use our Signature Beverage Cards until after 2:30 on embarkation day.

Happy Birthday to you!!

[NRFBQN]

Loving your Live review.

Sounds like the itinerary has been changed -- we had Key West last on our Western part of the cruise.

We couldn't even use our Signature Beverage Cards until after 2:30 on embarkation day.

Happy Birthday to you!!

 

The computers weren't set up for the beverage package until later in the day, but they hand wrote the drink orders during lunch and said it will all be taken care of later. I hope so! We'll get a printout of the bill later today so we can check.

 

One new thing I forgot to mention yesterday is that there are now two printer stations near the main desk where you can print out your bill just by swiping your ship/room card. It's really easy and convenient - a nice improvement! I had read about these here on CC, but hadn't encountered one yet.

[puppycanducruise]

So far so good.

I'm enjoying your review and look forward to reading more.

Have a great cruise!

[NRFBQN]

Good morning, everyone! We're a little more than an hour out of Key West now and looking forward to our day. Thanks so much for all of your birthday wishes!

 

More later ...

[Shogun]

Hi

 

Thanks for doing live from.

 

Looking at doing first HAL cruise next year on Eurodam,

 

Would be interested in how life on board works,

 

eg laundry how many, coins or tokens how much,

 

or coffee bar do you pay for a cappuccino or is it included,

 

any info would be great, understand ships being refitted

 

what new items is it getting,

 

have a great cruise

 

yours Shogun

[sunsetbeachgal]

-The Eurodam does not have a coin-op (self service) laundry. They offer laundry packages. Perhaps someone else can chime in with the price. We have never used this service.

 

-The coffees and cappuccinos at the coffee bar have a charge, and HAL does not have a coffee card. There are also some complimentary snacks at the coffee bar during the day, but these are no where near the offerings at the International Café' on the Princess ships!

Edited November 9, 2015 by sunsetbeachgal

[POA1]

Happy Birthday! Awesome start to your Live From. Thank you for spending time and treasure to take us with you.

[ger_77]

Happy Birthday - what a wonderful way to celebrate it on a cruise. I'm looking forward to your future posts.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[cruz chic]

The computers weren't set up for the beverage package until later in the day, but they hand wrote the drink orders during lunch and said it will all be taken care of later. I hope so! We'll get a printout of the bill later today so we can check.

 

One new thing I forgot to mention yesterday is that there are now two printer stations near the main desk where you can print out your bill just by swiping your ship/room card. It's really easy and convenient - a nice improvement! I had read about these here on CC, but hadn't encountered one yet.

 

Those are handy. Not sure if you have a tablet or iPad but they also have a web based program ( I got heck from a poster for calling it an app :rolleyes:) where you can check your account, itinerary etc. You can get to it by typing login.com

If you have issues using it just see the front desk. Looking forward to reading more. Hope the internet works well on your cruise. Have a great day!

Edited November 9, 2015 by cruz chic

[Vict0riann]

Happy Birthday!:) I'm enjoying your "live from", and it's full of useful information. Hope you continue to have a great cruise.

[NRFBQN]

Hi

 

Thanks for doing live from.

 

Looking at doing first HAL cruise next year on Eurodam,

 

Would be interested in how life on board works,

 

eg laundry how many, coins or tokens how much,

 

or coffee bar do you pay for a cappuccino or is it included,

 

any info would be great, understand ships being refitted

 

what new items is it getting,

 

have a great cruise

 

yours Shogun

 

Hi, Shogun! I checked out the cappuccino today for you. At the coffee bar, they charge $2.50 for a single and $3.25 for a double.

 

As far as laundry, we are doing the all-you-launder package. It's $49 for 7 days, or $7 per day, but you have to buy it for all of the days of your cruise. It says that it is good until the last two days. We feel we are getting our money's worth because we've already sent in two full bags in just two days. It's so nice to get your travel clothes cleaned right away, plus we seem to be changing clothes a couple of times a day.

 

Best regards,

Priscilla

[Lizzie68]

Loved your first report and looking forward to more. And wishing you a very Happy Birthday for tomorrow.:)

[NRFBQN]

Morning came early today - when I was getting up at 6:30, I wondered who in this family decided we were going on an 8:30 excursion. Well, that would be me. It sounded like such a good idea to go see Hemingway’s house, then see Truman’s Little White House. If we hadn’t already bought our tour tickets on board, I would have turned over and gone back to sleep.

 

Thankfully, I didn’t do that. We rose to the occasion and even made an appearance at the Lido to have breakfast. Of course, we got in the wrong (slow) omelet line, but we still were off the ship in plenty of time to catch our trolley. This was the History and Legends excursion and we loved it, even though the humidity got to us during our travels - we’re from Arizona and we’re not used to it. Still, we soldiered on and we were happy that we were doing it. Our trolley driver, Chris, was nice guy with a great voice who told us story after story about Key West. We saw lots of beautiful architecture and learned about the building styles, plants, trees, and more. We cracked the code on how to get some knee space on the trolley - there were two benches in the very back that had plenty of space!

 

After an hour of being driven around and learning about Key West, we were dropped off at Hemingway’s house. It was great fun to see the six-toed cats and all of the cats (they have 54 on the property) showing up all over the place. During the tour we went into Hemingway’s bedroom and there was a cat taking a nap right in the middle of the bed. We went into the bookstore and there was a cat up on a shelf just like it was a book :). It was an excellent hour and we learned a lot about his life, his passions, his demons, and his death. The home has great balconies all around and the grounds were full of trees - a very lush place for the two of us from desert!

 

Back on the trolley and we were taken to Mallory Square (apparently the center of shopping in Key West, at least for tourists) and dropped off with a guide who walked with us to the Little White House. Jane knew a lot about the house, but while she was “guiding” us to the location, she started at the front of the tour, then moved to the back, leaving those of us near the front to navigate for the group. Big mistake! Even though she kept telling us to go straight ahead, we kept veering off to the right or left - it’s amazing we didn’t get lost, although getting lost in Key West would probably mean ending up with a margarita in hand and having a great time. Once our group was safely on the property, we learned a lot about President Truman and got to see all of the main rooms of the house. It’s a place stuck in time, with the furniture, the knickknacks, the glassware, and more, that are original to the house. We got a good sense of the history of the place and how many important events happened there. Even though we were hot, soggy, and tired by now, we were still very glad we went.

 

After a couple of blocks’ walk, we were back in Mallory Square. We had asked the guide for a recommendation for conch fritters and she recommended a little shack called Key West Conch Fritters. We stopped there, had a bunch of conch fritters, and we were very happy! They had lots of sauces, which make the fritters very tasty - a spicy cocktail sauce, a hot sauce, and a key lime mustard were our favorites.

 

Then, back on the trolley to go back to the ship and collapse. The trolleys really do run continuously and there always seems to be one ready to go and a couple waiting behind. They were from the Old Town Trolley company and it was an easy way to get around.

 

I forgot to mention that there’s a big boat race coming soon, so we saw lots of very expensive, very fancy, very fast boats near the Naval yard on the way back to the ship.

 

Once back on the ship, we went straight to our room and camped out on the veranda, sharing one of the big bottles of water that we’d picked up yesterday in the bar, courtesy of our Signature Beverage Package. It was fun just enjoying the water and the view of more islands and lots of boats. Finally, it was time to sail from Key West. We were sad to leave, but we’d love to go back there. Next time I want to check out all of the cute shops, pick up a mug from Starbucks, and have more conch fritters. The first Margaritaville is there, too, so that would be fun to visit.

 

Unbelievably, we had not exercised our SBP yet today, so it was time to go up to the Crow’s Nest to have our sunset cocktails. Once again, I enjoyed a couple of Cosmos and DH had margaritas. Sunset was gorgeous, with lots of pinks, even after the sun had disappeared from view.

 

On our way back to the room, we stopped by the bar and picked up more water and Coke. When we ordered three of each, unopened, the waiter said, “You’ve got the package!” The limit is three drinks per order on the package, so it was pretty obvious.

 

The laundry that we’d sent out yesterday before dinner arrived just in time before we left for dinner tonight. We also sent another bag of laundry out - I’m determined to get our money’s worth :).

 

Dinner was Prime Rib tonight, followed by a wonderful birthday chocolate mousse. Everyone dug in and really enjoyed it, pronouncing it much better than the cake served last year. I had a celebratory Bailey’s and started my collection of the cute little cordial glasses that you get to keep. This one has a red bubble in the base, so now I have to find all of the other colors to go with it.

 

Our last stop for the day was the casino. I thought it might be fun to check my luck on my birthday, but the first indication that it wasn’t such a great idea was that the place was packed - crazy packed! I finally found one slot machine that gobbled up my twenty and that was that. It seems like it took more time to register for the 21 Club (frequent players’ club) than it did for the machine to slurp up my money. Still, it was fun and I hope to try again when the casino is a bit quieter.

 

So, back to our room for a good night’s sleep! No early morning commitments, thankfully, We are looking forward to a 10 a.m. CC Meet and Greet in the Crow’s Nest, then lunch in the Pinnacle. I’ll let you all know all about it tomorrow night!

[Krazy Kruizers]

We love Key West -- have been there many times.

Glad you had a wonderful time there.

We were fortunate that when we were there a couple of weeks we were docked at Pier B -- short walk into town.

[hugger]

We love Key West -- have been there many times.

Glad you had a wonderful time there.

We were fortunate that when we were there a couple of weeks we were docked at Pier B -- short walk into town.

 

on the Eurodam last November. I didn't even know there was another pier. We must have been at Pier B last year as we were right in town too. Hope we are again this year as we plan to walk to Truman's White House now that I kind of know where it is with help from CCer's. We couldn't find it last year.

 

Where is the other Pier?

[cruz chic]

on the Eurodam last November. I didn't even know there was another pier. We must have been at Pier B last year as we were right in town too. Hope we are again this year as we plan to walk to Truman's White House now that I kind of know where it is with help from CCer's. We couldn't find it last year.

 

Where is the other Pier?

 

You pass it if you go into Mallory square. It's fairly close but you have to take a trolley to Mallory square. There is a reason you can't walk but I can't remember why :o.

[NRFBQN]

We had a sea day today, sailing from Key West to Grand Cayman. It was a lovely day, cooler than yesterday, and a lazy day for us. We rested, then ate, then rested, then ate. Not a bad day!

 

Thanks to HRHeightness (Karen) for organizing a nice Meet & Greet for all of the CC folks. About 25 were in attendance and we met some lovely people. It was the first time we attended a Meet & Greet and you can be sure we will attend more.

 

One of the perks of our booking was a free lunch at the Pinnacle, so we went today. We started with the scallop creme brûlée, then I chose the steak with blue cheese and DH ordered the chicken and penne entree. For dessert, he had the chocolate lava cake and I had the strawberries and sorbet. Everything was yummy and service was exceptional. Our steward even upgraded our wine order, serving us a wonderful merlot and making sure it would be covered by the SBP.

 

After lunch, we headed to the spa for a dip in the Hydro Pool and some time on the ceramic lounges. We did the same yesterday, but I forgot to mention it. Yesterday was hot hot hot in the pool, but today was cooler. We also learned from a fellow lounger that the first and third ceramic lounges were very hot, while the second was quite cool. Despite all of this, we soldiered on :). In less than an hour, we get very, very relaxed — for us it’s really worth getting the pass so we can go every day.

 

The last time we were on the Eurodam we didn’t make it to the Tamarind, so we resolved to check it out this time. We had our pre-dinner cocktails in the Silk Den bar tonight - what a beautiful and serene place! We loved it and know that we will go back many times. In fact, we’ll be calling for reservations for tomorrow night at Tamarind.

 

It was gala night in the main dining room and it was well attended. Dinner was excellent - we both had a filet with shrimp. For dessert, I chose balsamic strawberries with white chocolate mousse (yummy!) and when it was served, it was accompanied by a bowl of mixed berries, which our steward had promised to bring me each night. Oops - I hadn’t intended to eat two desserts, but I forced myself. :)

 

Tonight’s big excitement was a rescue! It was about 9:30 p.m., dinner was over, and we were taking a look at some jewelry in the shop when suddenly there were three long blasts of the emergency horn. It sure caught everyone’s attention! All of the shop people started pulling the tables out of the aisles and we quickly got out of the shop, in case they were closing. Then the captain came on the loudspeaker and announced that the ship had received a distress signal and that there were some people who needed help off the port side of the ship. He asked everyone to stay away from Deck 3 on the port side. We went up to our room, changed out of our gala night finery, and then went up to the Crow’s Nest to see what we could see. By the time we got there, the captain had turned the ship around and the distressed craft was visible off the starboard side, so we headed back downstairs to watch from our own verandah. It was raining cats and dogs, the first rain we’ve had on the trip. The ship sent out a fast rescue craft that reached the distressed boat in five minutes or so, then started coming back. The captain came back on and told us that there were seven Cuban refugees and that it was only safe to bring three back the first time. They would go back and pick up the other four, then we’d be back on our way to Grand Cayman. While they were making the first trip back to the ship, lighting hit very close and the thunder was deafening. They made it back safely, which the captain announced, then zoomed back out to get the rest. They made it back safely the second time, too, and then the captain resumed our course and told us we would still be able to make our schedule to tomorrow’s arrival. We could hear lots of clapping after he announced that all seven were safe, as well as the crew who rescued them.

 

We’re back on course now and sailing toward Grand Cayman at 15 knots. Time to say goodnight and I’ll check back in tomorrow.

[chrismch]

Cuban refugees? Wow. After seeing your note, I did a bit of an internet search and discovered this isn't an isolated incident. Other ships have stopped for small refugee boats. Depending on where it happens, they are turned over to the Coast Guard or the Harbor authorities. However, they don't mingle with the other guests for security reasons.

 

This is apparently becoming a big issue around the Mediterranean and all the Syrian refugees.

Edited November 11, 2015 by chrismch

[Krazy Kruizers]

That was an exciting evening.

Glad the refugees are all safe.

Guess they will be dropped off in Grand Cayman??

[cruz chic]

That was an exciting evening.

Glad the refugees are all safe.

Guess they will be dropped off in Grand Cayman??

 

Well this was certainly more exciting then our situation KK. Do you remember when the eurodam circled back to check out a craft that may have been in trouble and it turned out to be a styrofoam boat.