Live and Happy from Eurodam October 6 to 30

[Darjeeling]

9 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

Well, that was rather strange, somehow my post was rearranged.  Don’t know if it was the internet, or CC.  I’ll try for some pictures from my iPad.

 

 

waterspout 

 

 

There is a little jog in our route, just about where the “spur”;is on the boot of Italy.  That must be where we had the helicopter evacuation.  We seemed to turn around completely, because we are on the port side, but our balcony was looking at the land.  
 

 

Your picture of the waterspout is amazing! Please keep sharing your pictures with us!

[Darjeeling]

45 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

today's food porn is HAL Bread Pudding mmmmmmmmmm

Now I really can’t wait to board msEurodam!🤣 @vanisland

[kazu]

7 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

Well, more strangeness.  I typed a long post and submitted it and it has disappeared.   I will just mention again then that we have booked the Pinnacle Gala dinner (it is evidently $80 without the drinks, but we are going whole hog) and the pop-up Sel de Mer.  This is only, of course, just as the CC guinea pigs…

 

I can’t wait to hear your report on the PG Gala.  Thanks too for the cost without drinks (not that I would ever go without my wine 😉 )

 

You and Colin @VMax1700are doing an absolute superb job of informing us and sharing your wonderful cruise with us 👍 

[HAL2pal]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

I believe I have some good news.

In January 2020 I posted on a thread that the OBC for Future Cruise Deposits had changed and did not take into account the different categories of staterooms.

Well they must have thought long and hard on this over the pandemic, because at the Future Cruise Consultant's desk is the current OBC, which offers OBC up to $500 per person.

(If I am wrong about these details, please post, as I am working from memory.  But I do think that it is a much better deal now!)

I still happen to have the exact same flier that I pick up during 2/2/2020 cruise. 

[AliceS]

4 hours ago, Darjeeling said:

Now I really can’t wait to board msEurodam!🤣 @vanisland

That is one of my favorites.   

[lilybay]

4 hours ago, HAL2pal said:

I still happen to have the exact same flier that I pick up during 2/2/2020 cruise. 

much better prices!

[VMax1700]

We are also having internet problems today. 

Edited October 8, 2021 by VMax1700

[VMax1700]

We have lost ship's wifi,  but luckily we are close enough to the Greek coastline that I can pick up a mobile data signal.

 

Tonight's entertainment was 'Frankie's Boys' made up of 4 English singers as a Frankie Valli and Four Seasons Tribute band.  They were good enough to watch and listen to.  Most of it appeared to be mimed, but then as we paid a lot of money a few years ago to watch Frankie Valli himself miming his own songs, we got good value for money tonight. 😉

We followed this up with Billboard Onboard who are a male & female pianist/vocalists who are quite good.  They are both accomplished entertainers.  The set we watch was the 70's and they performed well, even though someone in the casino, which is alongside Billboard Onboard, was doing their best to shout down the music.

We ended the evening's entertainment with BBK and their 'Sweet Soul Music' set, which was outstanding.

Then to the Lido for a late night snack.

 

Masking:  The Mainstage requires mask and it was mostly complied with.  A few chin breathers, but overall it was very good.

Billboard Onboard had less wearing masks, but more were actively drinking so that did seem totally acceptable.  Also in BBK masking was good although the signs that masking is required on the dance floor were ignored by the few active dancers. (I use the term 'dancers' in the loosest possible sense!).

[VMax1700]

The selection of movies on the TV is much poorer than I remember.  Maybe it is too long in lockdown and too much Netflix/Amazon Prime Video and various other 'sources', but there is very little of interest to watch.  I do of course realise that not too many movies have been released in the last 18 months, but there are only so many times one can watch 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Braveheart, Gerry Maguire etc.

Also the would appear to be no BBC movies on the TV.

Edited October 8, 2021 by VMax1700

[SilvertoGold]

15 hours ago, Cruising-along said:

We had our second dinner in the Tamarind last night (excellent) and were so surprised and happy to see Khay, a wine steward from our last cruise 2 years ago. She is now a Sommelier, promoted before the shut down. She recognized us first, it was great “catching up” with her. 
 

Not as great was seeing so few wearing masks in the BB King Lounge. There are signs everywhere and announcements to wear them but we’ve noticed more people now than before wearing them below the nose or not at all. 😞 I hope people aren’t getting a false sense of security, seeing that up until now things have gone well. Not to give the impression that people are walking around without masks, but we saw 4 yesterday (walking through corridors) and none before. 

So glad to see you have been able to get a cruise that wasn't ultimately cancelled.  You win with this one :)  The mask issue is one that is very unfortunate: I hope you will be able to avoid those pax who choose not to do the right thing and wear the mask when they are supposed to.  This is the one drawback to sailing now, but keep positive and enjoy being back on the high seas :) 

Edited October 8, 2021 by SilvertoGold

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

We are also having internet problems today. 

I hope it’s not Hal’s usual “wonderful” IT people 

[kazu]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

We are also having internet problems today. 

 

Bummer - hope you don’t have the IT guy we did on our Hawaii, Tahiti Marquesas cruise.  I swear every time he adjusted it, it got worse 😡 😂 🤣  I can laugh now but it wasn’t funny when we were in Hawaii for 2 days and still had no access but some did????

[luv2travel06]

On 10/5/2021 at 8:28 AM, VMax1700 said:

Well I had a bit of a disaster last night and have either pulled a muscle in my back or damaged a nerve.  It is almost impossible to move from sitting or lying down.  I am kinda ok when walking as long as I don't stop.  

I cringed when I read this as the same thing happened to me on a recent domestic trip. Went through LOTS of painkillers! Couldn't load/unload luggage in the car everyday. Struggled in airport. Had to hire out lawnmowing when we got home. Lasted a week to 10 days. I hope you have recovered!

[nimiq]

Very informative to read you.

 

Thanks for sharing your cruise 

‘Sea Ya 

Eric

[Vict0riann]

yes, Khay’s birthday is early November....

 

we are on the HOHO bus in Athens, I’m not sure how the Internet is going to be.  It’s down on the ship.  There will be food porn coming -we had another wonderful meal in Tamarind last night.   This evening we are going to meet Colin and Ellen for dinner.  Now from Piraeus we decided just to do the circuit on the hop on, refraining from hopping off.  Hopefully when we get back to the ship there will be internet.  We are having such a good time.  Back to real life!  

[gigianne]

Thanks for your updates Ann - it is nice to follow along on the cruise we were booked on.  Did you get on the HoHo at the cruise terminal?

[Vict0riann]

20 minutes ago, gigianne said:

Thanks for your updates Ann - it is nice to follow along on the cruise we were booked on.  Did you get on the HoHo at the cruise terminal?

 

 

Yes, just beyond the HAL tour busses there were three HOHO busses, yellow, blue and red. We took a blue one into Athens, and a yellow one around Athens.  17 Euro each.  Perfect to stay above the crowds..

[VMax1700]

Ship internet is still down - Server Error.  I immediately had a flash back to His Master's Voice Gramophone still being wound up by a handle.  And they have lost the handle.

 

Data is still working here (see, the EU are good for somethings!)

We just walked from the terminal towards Piraeus.  It was a long walk. We intended to buy a pair of replacement reading glasses as I have misplaced mine.  We met a local who spoke very good english and told us that he loved Celtic music.......he took us to a local bus and told us to go for one stop.  Not two stops, just one stop.  It took us up the steep hill from the port area.  I asked about a ticket and he said it is no problem for just one stop. 

On our return we hailed a taxi in the street and we were brought back to the ship for the princely sum of 4 euro.

[VMax1700]

Today was Colin looses his memory day, as Pat phoned this morning to suggest meeting for dinner tonight.  Great.  2 hours later I remembered that we had a reservation in PG, so hastily a scribbled note (no writing paper in stateroom - remember when there used to be headed paper in Signature Suites?) to Pat and Ann suggesting they join us in PG, which is going to happen.  Funnily enough without seeing each other we ended sitting at adjacent tables in Lido for lunch.  

So today's food porn (early edition) is Lemon Meringue Cup Cake with half a scoop of Strawberry Ice cream.

[VMax1700]

10 hours ago, luv2travel06 said:

I cringed when I read this as the same thing happened to me on a recent domestic trip. Went through LOTS of painkillers! Couldn't load/unload luggage in the car everyday. Struggled in airport. Had to hire out lawnmowing when we got home. Lasted a week to 10 days. I hope you have recovered!

Thank you, today I am much better and the pain is almost completely gone.  I now can rise out of bed normally whereas on Tuesday thru Thursday I had to roll out of bed on to my knees, straighten my back very slowly and then rise up keeping my back straight and using  my thighs to elevate.

[VMax1700]

On the third night we received slippers and the bedside mat/towel.  But did not receive chocolates or 'Where and When'.  

 

 

 

We have noticed a slight smell of sewage in the room.  It seems to occur late at night/early in the morning.  I reported it to the Front Desk and they have arranged to have it checked out.

 

Although we are at the end of this Med season, I will post the Laundry Pricing.  It is a lot more expensive than I remember.  

 

 

 

[kazu]

4 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

Although we are at the end of this Med season, I will post the Laundry Pricing.  It is a lot more expensive than I remember.  

 

That looks like the same pricing we had B.C. (Before covid.) $9 per day for unlimited and by the bag $30.  For whatever reason, laundry in Europe is more than the price in the Caribbean, etc. ($9 versus $7 & $30 versus $20)

[VMax1700]

Final post for now......

Arriving into Piraeus this morning

 

 

 

Planning is underway again for arrival into Marghera on Monday 18th.  Hopefully it will happen this time as I would not like to do that transfer to Trieste again.

 

[suec12]

We were on the 9/12 sail and did not have internet access as part of a package. We were quite frustrated / disappointed to pay $14.99? a day for very poor connection in our room. If we took our device out to a public area, esp. down to guest services to complain, then it worked much better! My guess is there are these white "mushroom shaped" gizmos in the guest room hallways that must be the internet spots - maybe if your room is close to one, you get reliable internet in your room but we were at the end of a hall and SOL (sorry, out of luck).

 

Otherwise we were very happy on the Eurodam. 

 

We did complain / report our internet frustrations and were assured "they are working on it" but my guess it is just not set up very well for in the passenger decks.

[Riversedge]

14 minutes ago, suec12 said:

We were on the 9/12 sail and did not have internet access as part of a package. We were quite frustrated / disappointed to pay $14.99? a day for very poor connection in our room. If we took our device out to a public area, esp. down to guest services to complain, then it worked much better! My guess is there are these white "mushroom shaped" gizmos in the guest room hallways that must be the internet spots - maybe if your room is close to one, you get reliable internet in your room but we were at the end of a hall and SOL (sorry, out of luck).

 

Otherwise we were very happy on the Eurodam. 

 

We did complain / report our internet frustrations and were assured "they are working on it" but my guess it is just not set up very well for in the passenger decks.

Sorry you are having internet problems.  I think you are right that there might be better reception in parts of the ship.  We were on deck 7 forward and the internet was almost always as fast as home.  No issues for 24 days.