Westerdam vs Eurodam

[luvtravel]

we’re trying to decide which ship to take to Alaska they have the same itinerary and we haven’t been in either ship. They seem similar - Eurodam refurbished more recently but in 2017.  Which has better restaurants?  Would the Westerdam be less crowded b/c fewer passengers. Any comparison would be appreciated. Thanks!!

[CruiserBruce]

Eurodam is newer, has more entertainment and dining options. Bigger..somewhat. Because of that, we prefer Eurodam. But if Westerdam is going somewhere we want to go...

[rkacruiser]

Other than the difference in the the dining options, either ship would be a good choice.  

[strickerj]

Not sure if you've seen this, but HAL's website has a comparison of each ship's amenities: https://www.hollandamerica.com/content/dam/hal/inventory-assets/ships/at-a-glance/hal-ships-at-a-glance-05-23-22.pdf. Per this, the only facilities that Eurodam has but Westerdam doesn't are Tamarind, Nami Sushi, and New York Pizza.

 

As I understand it, the Signature class (Eurodam) is pretty heavily based on the Vista class (Westerdam), just with one more deck. I was on Eurodam last week but wouldn't hesitate to try either.

Edited June 4, 2022 by strickerj

[Cruise Suzy]

2 hours ago, luvtravel said:

they have the same itinerary

 

This depends on when you plan to cruise. Most Westerdam itineraries include Hubbard Glacier. Most Eurodam itineraries include Glacier National Park and Icy Strait Point. Both ships stop in Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan and Victoria. This was the deciding factor for us as we had been to Glacier NP and wanted to experience Hubbard.

 

[Heartgrove]

Having "Tamarind" on the Eurodam makes a difference. We have done an 18-day Circle Hawaii on the Eurodam and 7-day Mexican Riviera on the Westerdam.

[zgscl]

The Signature class ships are virtually identical (from a passenger amenity perspective) to the vista class. The only meaningful difference is tamarind/nami sushi is not available on the vista class. There is also no NY pizza but they do have pizza options in the lido. I absolutely love Tamarind so if all else was equal I would go with Eurodam/Nieuw Amsterdam. If you are not a fan of Tamarind/Nami or it isn’t a big deal to you then it makes about zero difference. The only other noticeable difference is the location of the retreat cabanas and no lido cabanas on vista class. 
 

All that being said I wouldn’t hesitate to book a vista class either. If you are looking at a very long voyage on a vista class I’ve been told that they will sometimes do a tamarind night in the pinnacle grill, but not sure what the cutoff for this is. Certainly will not help you in Alaska. 

[DrKoob]

From someone who has been to Alaska eight times, this is a no-brainer—neither one. I would take Konigsdam from Vancouver. 

Two reasons I would skip Euro and Wester. First, Konigsdam is a Pinnacle Class and that's one of the best ships we have ever sailed on. They have everything. Can't wait to sail any of them again. 

But most importantly, sail out of Vancouver. Here's why: 
Sailing from Vancouver

You get the Canadian Inside Passage. This is a glorious area you sail through on the way to Alaska. Forests full of flora and fauna as well as many Canadian villages will glide by just off the sides of your ship. The waters of the Canadian Inside Passage are smooth as a lake. You won’t feel a thing as you sail to and from Vancouver’s port.

When you sail from Vancouver, you don’t have to stop in a Canadian port when you return so you get much more time in the Alaskan ports. Which is why you went on the cruise in the first place.

When you sail from Vancouver, the cruise is all about Alaska. The ships are usually slightly smaller and the itineraries are more about our 49th state.

Airfares directly to Vancouver can be more expensive than flying to Seattle but you can fly to SEA and take a coach or a train to board a cruise in Vancouver.

 

Sailing from Seattle

If you sail out of Seattle, you turn left at Vancouver Island and sail out into the Pacific Ocean. All you see for an entire day is the ocean and Vancouver Island off in the distance.

Because you are out in the Pacific for two full days, there is more chance of motion sickness.

When you sail from Seattle due to the PVSA Act (a USA law that says a foreign-flagged cruise ship can’t move passengers from one US port directly to another) you have to stop on the evening of your last day in Victoria, BC. Not really enough time to do anything as you don’t usually arrive until around 6:00 pm. Plus you spend the day at sea.

You also lose time in the Alaskan ports. When you sail from Seattle, the cruise is all about the cruise. The ships are larger and often have all the cool, new stuff like go-carts, bumper cars, etc.

Airfare is usually less expensive going to Seattle from inside the USA.

Hope this helps you decide. The only time we ever sail out of Seattle (on our eight trips) is when we take our kids/grandkids. The ships that leave from Seattle have all the kid stuff. But if you want to see Alaska, go from Vancouver. 

 

So even though you are asking about two ships out of Seattle, skip them both and go north. Just an alternative for you. 

[DaveOKC]

On 6/4/2022 at 4:30 PM, luvtravel said:

we’re trying to decide which ship to take to Alaska they have the same itinerary and we haven’t been in either ship. They seem similar - Eurodam refurbished more recently but in 2017.  Which has better restaurants?  Would the Westerdam be less crowded b/c fewer passengers. Any comparison would be appreciated. Thanks!!

Eurodam has the Tamarind speicalty dining venue which we love.  Plus it is a bit newer ship.

 

HOWEVER - I would CLOSELY review the itineraires, especially the times in port.  We are on the Eurodam in August and I am a bit disappointed with the times (lenght and when), but for us its not a big deal as we have been to AK a number of times.  For others it could be critical, especially if you want an excursion that is best offered at certain times (Victoria comes to mind with Butchart Gardens).

[rkacruiser]

10 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

For others it could be critical, especially if you want an excursion that is best offered at certain times (Victoria comes to mind with Butchart Gardens).

 

Agree.  If there is a tour to Butchart Gardens, the time there would be so abbreviated that making the trip is hardly worth the effort.  One would get a small sight of the beauty and "that's all folks"!  

 

 

 

 

[cruisingrob21]

Doesn't the Westerdam have the Rijkmuseum at sea?  It may not be enough to choose over the Eurodam with Tamarind and Tamarind Bar area which I use as a second crows nest.

[strickerj]

37 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Agree.  If there is a tour to Butchart Gardens, the time there would be so abbreviated that making the trip is hardly worth the effort.  One would get a small sight of the beauty and "that's all folks"!  

 

 

 

 

I was on the Eurodam a couple weeks ago, and when our port time was changed (in advance) from a 6:00 PM arrival to 8:00 PM, our booked Butchart Gardens tour was canceled.

[cruisingrob21]

The ships are all slowing down to save fuel it sounds like.  The Crown princess had engine issues earlier this summer and they were only making 2 ports on a few journeys.  Seems like engine problem combined with saving fuel.

Edited June 7, 2022 by cruisingrob21

[MISTER 67]

On 6/6/2022 at 7:36 AM, DrKoob said:

From someone who has been to Alaska eight times, this is a no-brainer—neither one. I would take Konigsdam from Vancouver. 

Two reasons I would skip Euro and Wester. First, Konigsdam is a Pinnacle Class and that's one of the best ships we have ever sailed on. They have everything. Can't wait to sail any of them again. 

But most importantly, sail out of Vancouver. Here's why: 
Sailing from Vancouver

You get the Canadian Inside Passage. This is a glorious area you sail through on the way to Alaska. Forests full of flora and fauna as well as many Canadian villages will glide by just off the sides of your ship. The waters of the Canadian Inside Passage are smooth as a lake. You won’t feel a thing as you sail to and from Vancouver’s port.

When you sail from Vancouver, you don’t have to stop in a Canadian port when you return so you get much more time in the Alaskan ports. Which is why you went on the cruise in the first place.

When you sail from Vancouver, the cruise is all about Alaska. The ships are usually slightly smaller and the itineraries are more about our 49th state.

Airfares directly to Vancouver can be more expensive than flying to Seattle but you can fly to SEA and take a coach or a train to board a cruise in Vancouver.

 

Sailing from Seattle

If you sail out of Seattle, you turn left at Vancouver Island and sail out into the Pacific Ocean. All you see for an entire day is the ocean and Vancouver Island off in the distance.

Because you are out in the Pacific for two full days, there is more chance of motion sickness.

When you sail from Seattle due to the PVSA Act (a USA law that says a foreign-flagged cruise ship can’t move passengers from one US port directly to another) you have to stop on the evening of your last day in Victoria, BC. Not really enough time to do anything as you don’t usually arrive until around 6:00 pm. Plus you spend the day at sea.

You also lose time in the Alaskan ports. When you sail from Seattle, the cruise is all about the cruise. The ships are larger and often have all the cool, new stuff like go-carts, bumper cars, etc.

Airfare is usually less expensive going to Seattle from inside the USA.

Hope this helps you decide. The only time we ever sail out of Seattle (on our eight trips) is when we take our kids/grandkids. The ships that leave from Seattle have all the kid stuff. But if you want to see Alaska, go from Vancouver. 

 

So even though you are asking about two ships out of Seattle, skip them both and go north. Just an alternative for you. 

I like the older Vista and Signature Class ships better because they have the traditional promenade deck with the steamer deck chairs.

Wasn't happy with size of the cabins and bathrooms on the newer Pinnacle class ships either.