Changes We've Noticed - Just back from Eurodam

[WeLoveCruising]

We had a wonderful cruise on the Eurodam. Before this cruise, we were on the Oosterdam in 2015, but prior to that we hadn't sailed HAL since 2011.

 

My husband and I noticed a number of changes this cruise, some of which may be more recent than others. For fun, here is what we noticed.

Things Added / Improved:

-Wonderful, fresh salads from a new salad bar, served in big blue glass bowls, much better than the self-serve salad bar.

-Composed cheese plates, both at the Lido and the Neptune lounge. Each plate had a small sampling of 3-4 kinds of cheese, along with some fruits or veggies. These were much better than the old cheese blocks in the Lido years ago, and better than those rubbery cheese cubes.

-The Dive Inn Bar - I know this has been around a few years, vast improvement over the Terrace Grill, both in quality and selection. I also like the fact they will buzz you when ready so you dont have to stand there waiting.

-NY Pizza - so much better than Slice. These were "real" oven pizzas, also a great variety running from classic (Margherita) to creative (Elizabeth Faulkner cream sauce, sausage and fennel).

-The Lido has normal size glasses for iced tea. And they are glass! Much better than those small plastic ones.

-I liked the spa amenities in my Neptune suite - we had various Elemis eye creams, lotions, bath salts, etc. They were replaced daily.

-The large screen TV in our stateroom, and the "on demand" programming

-The local entertainers that came onboard in Cozumel (long time since I saw that on a 7-night cruise)

-The varied drink menu, lots of new choices, and not all frou-frou drinks

-Lincoln Center Stage strings

-Boardwalk Dual Piano area

-BB King club (I know this is a few years old already)

-The Gallery bar replacing Northern Lights

-On formal nights, they had stewards going around Decks 2 and 3 with trays of small desserts. Very classy, very nice touch. They were in all the clubs.

 

 

Things that seem to be cutback or disappeared:

-Wine stewards in MDR, very hard to get a timely drink

-Towels at gangplank for ports - you know have to sign for the 2 in your room

-There were more announcements

-There were more "pay as you go" activities - which I dont necessarily mind but please dont disguise them as educational, just advertise them for what they are.

-Bread pudding was behind the counter, and not always available (horrors)

Edited January 26, 2017 by WeLoveCruising

[Krazy Kruizers]

Followed your review.

Thank you for summing everything up.

[kazu]

Thanks for taking the time to share.

 

Our towels were in our room. You just need to remember to take them off ;)

 

Some ships still pass them out at the gangway I believe and others have them in the room for you.

 

Personally, I wasn't a fan of the cheese plates as there are only certain cheeses I want/like and I hate wasting food, but I am keeping an open mind for March :)

 

Glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise :)

[jabcruiser]

We also have noticed the beach towels handled differently on different ships. On Zuiderdam in Dec in room. On Westy earlier last year at gangway. On two earlier cruises in '15 they were in room. We also like the cheese plates and salad bar. On one of our cruises in '15 bread pudding was behind counter at ice cream/desert counter. All others was at end of main entree line. So maybe that varies also by ship. We have only done 4 HAL cruises in past two years, but there does seem to be some variance on each ship.

[WeLoveCruising]

Thanks for taking the time to share.

 

 

Personally, I wasn't a fan of the cheese plates as there are only certain cheeses I want/like and I hate wasting food, but I am keeping an open mind for March :)

 

This did cross my mind. I never met a cheese I didnt like, so it wasn't an issue for me, but I definitely thought about it.

[WeLoveCruising]

Thanks for taking the time to share.

 

Our towels were in our room. You just need to remember to take them off ;)

 

Some ships still pass them out at the gangway I believe and others have them in the room for you.

 

 

 

Glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise :)

 

I didnt like having to take them from the room, because I didnt like thinking if I didnt return them I would be charged for them. Not that, in 20+ years of cruising I think I ever left them anywhere, I just preferred to grab them at the gangway. I will say the quality of the ones in our room was great.

 

We had a cabana both on HMC and on the ship (retreat cabana) so we had extra towels at both if needed.

[colbe]

Thanks for taking the time to share.

 

 

Personally, I wasn't a fan of the cheese plates as there are only certain cheeses I want/like and I hate wasting food, but I am keeping an open mind for March :)

 

Glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise :)

 

Kazu - that is what husbands are for. You take two plates of cheese, put all the pieces that you like on one plate and give him all the remaining pieces. Works for me!!! :)

[kazu]

Kazu - that is what husbands are for. You take two plates of cheese, put all the pieces that you like on one plate and give him all the remaining pieces. Works for me!!! :)

 

LOL:D:D. I thought their purpose was to help schlep luggage ;). DH and I like the same types of cheese ;):eek:

[bUU]

-Composed cheese plates, both at the Lido and the Neptune lounge. Each plate had a small sampling of 3-4 kinds of cheese, along with some fruits or veggies.

I wonder if these are following any specific guidance, like Food & Wine's "fresh, aged, soft and hard" or Zagat's "aged, soft, firm, and blue".

[Toad]

Last year on a cruise, we took the towels from our room ashore at Half Moon Cay. We left them on our chairs and swam out. We saw a family stop by our chairs, take a towel and leave. We were charged for the towel. Not happy. We were too far away to stop this theft.

Edited January 26, 2017 by Toad

[POA1]

I wonder if these are following any specific guidance, like Food & Wine's "fresh, aged, soft and hard" or Zagat's "aged, soft, firm, and blue".

Yes. The cheese plates follow the "composition rules." if you are familiar with such things, it'll be pretty obvious. They do tend to go a little heavier on the Dutch cheeses, but that's to be expected.

[Boytjie]

This did cross my mind. I never met a cheese I didnt like, so it wasn't an issue for me, but I definitely thought about it.

 

American cheese too?! :eek: Not real cheese IMHO.

 

Otherwise, I agree with you! A few years ago we went to a cheese/wine pairing evening at Artisanal Premium Cheese in New York; they gave you an array of cheeses and wines and walked you through what usually goes well with what. And then you could try out your own combos to see what works for you. A great experience.

[bUU]

Yes. The cheese plates follow the "composition rules." if you are familiar with such things, it'll be pretty obvious. They do tend to go a little heavier on the Dutch cheeses, but that's to be expected.

Excellent!

[DisneyDatknee]

Last year on a cruise, we took the towels from our room ashore at Half Moon Cay. We left them on our chairs and swam out. We saw a family stop by our chairs, take a towel and leave. We were charged for the towel. Not happy. We were too far away to stop this theft.

 

 

Yikes. That stinks.

 

 

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[ski ww]

Happened to us at HMC, somebody took one of our towels while we were swimming. When we got back we told our cabin steward & he just replaced the towel. The one big thing was we noticed it took a lot longer for our cabin stewards to do our room, we're guessing because they're cleaning more rooms with less cabin stewards. Also in the Lido & around the Sea View pool it took longer to clean tables, offer drinks, etc. The ratio of crew to passengers is less. The staff are still friendly always smiling.

Allan

[DaveOKC]

Happened to us at HMC, somebody took one of our towels while we were swimming. When we got back we told our cabin steward & he just replaced the towel. The one big thing was we noticed it took a lot longer for our cabin stewards to do our room, we're guessing because they're cleaning more rooms with less cabin stewards. Also in the Lido & around the Sea View pool it took longer to clean tables, offer drinks, etc. The ratio of crew to passengers is less. The staff are still friendly always smiling.

Allan

 

Guess people just figure that they are all HAL towels, so no big deal! Why bother to bring one when you can just steal someone else'. No class.

[greatver]

No wine stewards in MDR? Is this fleetwide?

[DaveOKC]

No wine stewards in MDR? Is this fleetwide?

 

There still are wine stewards. However they just handle full bottles of wine, not wine by the glass (your table steward handles this).

 

Not a good change IMO, as both approaches now seem to take alot longer than before.