RevNeal's LIVE Eurodam Report

[houston_raider]

RevNeal

 

a question was asked in another thread about the IA inside cabins on the Panorama deck and if they had windows overlooking the dome.

 

Any impressions of these cabins?

 

thanks for any help and for your reports. we are most likely sailing on the Eurodam in June next year for a baltic cruise, so this is great info.

[Sir PMP]

Further Thoughts on the Eurodam

 

After reading some of the remarks on this thread, and having some others sent to me via e-mail from other threads, I really feel like I need to express a few more thoughts on this ship.

 

Firstly, I have already shard my opinions on the Eurodam and her crew. After 20 days aboard her, my view point has shifted some but has not changed. I believe that, for the most part, the ship's interiors are lovely. Yes, there are some decor features for which I don't care, but by-and-large the ship is lovely. I wanted to say that, going out the gate, because the ships is absolutely NOT a disaster ... and certainly not in terms of its interior lay out and decor.

 

Secondly, on the outside she looks overly rectangular and box-like (think "container ship"), but otherwise she's an impressive vessel. She handles the seas well, though that's not saying a whole lot given that we've had mostly calm, lake-like seas here on the Baltic. Ruth isn't happy that we've not had rough seas, but I'm happy about it and I know Mary Ellen is too. Sometimes it's hard to even tell we're on the ocean!

 

Thirdly, the crew is working very hard to make things right. Yes, the crew is at "capacity" for this ship; however, observations of the stewards hard at work in the main dining room every evening tells me that the staffing distribution is wrong. In order to staff the specialty restaurants they have to pull berthing space for more staff, and that results in a reduction of the Indonesian stewards who are available for service in the Main Dining room. I feel very sorry for these stewards. They're always over worked and appear to be trying their best but just can't see it clear to being caught all the way up. On those nights when/where there are not a lot of people in the main dining room, service is much faster. It's when the place is packed that they service rates slow.

 

The Silk Den and the Tamerand are wonderful additions to the ship. Likewise, the Canaletto is very nice and continues to improve each time I've been there. The service, too, has improved. However, apart from the Silk Den there really isn't any more public space and yet there are over 200 more people aboard ship (and that's assuming no triple occupancies, as on this cruise with all the children you ever want (or don't want) to see! Adding more people but not adding significant public space is a recipe for a disaster.

 

Would I cruise on the Eurodam again? If the itinerary were right, or if it happened to be with a bunch of people with whom I want to cruise, then yes. I have no plans to book her right now, but I have been sufficiently won-over by her interior charms and the earnest desires of the staff to serve and serve well that I would have another "go" at her if the circumstances were right.

 

If I had known then what I know now, would I have still cruised aboard this ship, or would I have cancelled? I most definitely would have booked this cruise anyway and the thought of canceling never crossed my mind. Indeed, I cannot comprehend why someone would make noises about canceling a cruise based upon my reports from the 3-day and the first 10-day sailing. Inaugural sailings are always fraught with problems; I went into these cruises knowing that things might not turn out very well, and that there would be problems big and small. I would do it again, anyway. The ship is a great HAL ship, and with time the problems will be ironed out. She is most definitely NOT a Some issues can't be fixed by training, experience, or procedures ... those problems will stick with this ship until HAL changes their thinking on how many people to book aboard this vessel. I don't look for that to happen. :(

 

I will also sail the inaugural of the next Signature ship. It should be a lot of fun. I just hope it's from the States, and not from Europe.

 

I can read between the lines, I pick up definite signs of disappointment, even the word 'disaster' is mentioned, so I stick with my conclusion, the ship is a disaster.. no increase in public space but a lot more 'public' including 200 plus children, and less staff to take care of you, this is not going to work.

[KLLund]

As always great reviews .. I told my husband when this started that I hoped you would see The Vasa in Stockholm .. and lo and behold you did!!

 

I thought your comments on Helsinki were interesting along with Carolyn's comments .. somehow when we were there we got "off the beaten track" and wandered into a street market where we had the opportunity to talk to a lot of the friendliest people imaginable .. so Helsinki made a very positive impression on us !! In fact the whole Baltic experience was filled with very freindly people .. we need to go back !!

[mamaofami]

I can read between the lines, I pick up definite signs of disappointment, even the word 'disaster' is mentioned, so I stick with my conclusion, the ship is a disaster.. no increase in public space but a lot more 'public' including 200 plus children, and less staff to take care of you, this is not going to work.

 

Your negativity comes through in all your posts. How can anyone expect a brand new ship on her maiden voyage to be "smooth sailing" all the time?

[asailingnowwego]

We have cruised with our son (12) for years - the last 3 times on Holland America which is now our cruiseline of choice. He acts appropriately because that is our expectation. Holland America has plenty to keep guests engaged at any age. My son LOVES Holland America and can't wait for our next cruise adventure.

 

The solution is that PARENTS should monitor their children and teach them how to behave appropriately in any setting.

 

Please forgive this hijacking of RevNeal's OUTSTANDING(!) description of his journey. I read each word with delight! Thanks Reverend.

 

Hi, having Eurodam withdrawal (am in Helsinki for vacation and have seen the ship since I got off a couple of weeks ago in Copenhagen! was great!) and so am checking in to see how the cruise is progressing. RevNeal's written a fantastic blog and I've loved living through his experience.

 

Have read a couple of the most recent pages of posts re kids running amok and have to say -- that if I were cruising on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, P&O (some ships), Ocean Village, etc. the kid thing WOULDN'T BOTHER ME AT ALL. Emphasis on all caps mine.

 

But on Holland America -- it's wrong. It doesn't fit. It's appalling. These ships are simply not built, designed and operated for the family market. That of course doesn't stop Holland America from marketing them to families anyway -- but please, if you have young kids, do them -- and do other folks -- a favor and pick a cruise line that has appropriate kids facilities and a passenger base that is more reflective.

 

There are two stories we've written in the past, one by me (we don't have kids) and one written by a contributor with a 6 year old son about Holland America. Please read them -- and decide whether you want to cruise during kid-friendly times (with or without the facilities) on a line that's not really set up for them....

 

I'm a bit surprised that HAL is marketing itself as kid friendly in the Baltic. Mind you, there are ports in the Baltic that are GREAT for families (minus St. Petersburg, I'm thinking of Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki, especially) but still...pick your ship (and there's plenty of choice).

 

Here are the links:

 

*Come Aboard: Eastern Caribbean (during spring holiday season) on HAL's Westerdam: http://www.cruisecritic.com/features/articles.cfm?ID=369

 

*Family with a young kid: http://www.cruisecritic.com/cruisestyles/articles.cfm?ID=618

 

The crew (as I believe I noted in the Westerdam piece, which for my husband and me -- we cruise A LOT -- ranks easily as the worst EVER so I think that's saying something) can't really do anything...they're powerless. The problem comes from the top and it's enough to say that the Westerdam cruise took place four years ago! And HAL still ignores the problem. So caveat emptor.

 

Carolyn

 

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

[RevNeal]

Just want to correct the Swedish tax information......

 

Denmark Replaces Sweden as Top Tax Burden Country

2008-03-11 22:14:16 Xinhua

 

Denmark has replaced Sweden as the country with the highest tax burden in the world, the Danish newspaper Boersen reported Tuesday.

 

Based on figures taken from the tax authorities in both countries, Danes have a tax burden of 48.4 percent, compared with 47.8 percent for Swedes, the report said.

 

Sweden's center-right government has introduced a series of tax breaks since taking office in October 2006.

 

Danish Taxation Minister Kristian Jensen told the newspaper that recent tax cuts in Sweden also affected Danes. He projected that employment taxes in Denmark would be lower by 2011, without elaborating on the overall tax burden.

 

Thanks. That's interesting.

According to our tour guide in Sweden the lowest tax rate on income in Sweden is 45% and the highest rate is 89% (I had to dig it out, but I wrote it down when she said it); it's factored into brackets. This doesn't include the VAT (25%). She did seem surprised that people at the upper end of the income scale would protest paying 114% in combined income and VAT tax. :eek:

 

I have not researched the issue, so maybe our guide was lying to us about taxation rates in Sweden. Or, it may be that she's not up on the current factors ... though, given that she lives there and has to pay taxes, too, I'm not sure how that could be. We did ask her point-blank if we had understood her correctly, repeating back to her our interpretation of her statement, and she said "yes."

[RevNeal]

Greg, thank you once again for all your reports and observations aboard ship. As I posted on another thread, I know the last thing you would ever want is someone to even consider cancelling a cruise based on anyone's review alone. When deciding on a cruise, it's helpful to read other people's opinions, but that must be weighed with what we know we personally are looking for in a cruise experience.

 

I can't believe your journey is finally coming to an end. It seems like a long time even from here. I hope you enjoy your last days on the Eurodam and I wish you a peaceful and safe journey home:) .

 

Thank you, Heather. Yes, it's been a very long cruise. 23 days isn't the longest cruise I've ever taken, but it comes close. It's certainly the longest I've done in the last 8 years (the closest was 21 on the Zaandam in 2004). And, this being a European cruise, it was exceedingly port intensive. I'm tired. However, it's been wonderful.

 

Surprisingly (or not?) ... but, I'm ready to go home. I'm not looking forward to the flight from London to Dallas on Saturday, but once I'm home I'll be home. And, from the e-mails I've been getting from home it sounds like things are going well ... nothing has come unglued (the place didn't fall apart without me). But, it almost never does. :D

[Goldryder]

In relation to the rugrat problem...

 

On my Cape Horn cruise over Christmas/New Year 2005/6 aboard Norwegian Crown, there were 375 rugrats. About 50% were fine but the other 50% were an absolute nightmare...running up and down the hallways, round the outer prom deck, messing about in the elevators etc.

 

This went on for the first 3 days of the cruise. The crew and security constantly rounded the blighters up and returned them to their parent's cabins. The parents (I overheard many of them) told the staff in no uncertain terms that they were on holiday and the rugrats could do as they pleased and that 'they' (the parents) have hangovers and want peace and quiet.

 

On day 4 everything changed.

 

Capt Emil Holthe came over the tannoy and demanded that the parents take full responsibility for their rugrats otherwise they and the rugrats would be removed from the ship at the next port of call and the parents would have to pay for repatriation.

 

Everyone on the ship stopped dead in their tracks when the announcement was made....many, myself included, had never heard a captain lose it like that before.

 

Day 5 dawned and the 375 rugrats were as good as gold right through to disembarkation on day 14.

 

The captains can read the riot act if they feel it is appropriate. Capt Emil Holthe really read the riot act to the parents and rugrats on my cruise and it worked.

 

It's a shame that other captains cannot take the same initiative, such as the captain on Eurodam in relation to the rugrats that obviously made their mark on the cruises featured here.

[RevNeal]

I think your suggestion is very shall I say, well I am not sure what to say...As long as I am taking care of my kids, I don't see why I should not enjoy something I want to do. I don't need a lot of bells and whistles to take care of my kids. Maybe it will change as they get older, but I want to raise kids that are self sufficient and that can navigate in any environment. I am not doing them a favor if I don't teach them that they have to adjust and be creative in a different situation. Its not a favor if all I do is give them a ton of stimulation and let them have at it. If there are no rules against it I do not see the problem. This is reverse ageism to me. Can you say that old folks should not go on Disney or one of the big freedom class ships because they are too old to enjoy it?? If I starting posting threads about how terrible it is to have so many older, ornery people on a ship I would get slammed. I would never say that and don't feel that way, but I think you see my point. I am new to CC and maybe this has been said and this argument repeats itself every 3 months and I just have to get used to it.

 

You make me think of the wonderful parents of some of the wonderful children and youth which we had on this ship on the first 10-day cruise, and of those who are, indeed, still aboard this ship today. It's really NOT that all the children and youth are little demons ... it's just that a few of them are, and those few tend to ruin things for everybody else. And that's true for adults as well as children ... one mean, loud, arrogant, self-centered brat (be s/he 12, 21, 51, or 71) can ruin the good times for everybody.

 

On the last cruise, and on this one, I've enjoyed meeting those many children and youth who know how to behave in public and on a ship, who enjoy themselves without being destructive or putting other people or staff at risk. I've enjoyed meeting the parents of the well behaved children, for they tend to be well behaved too! :D I spent quite a while with a bunch of them on my shore excursion today to Leggoland. They were all great! It's always just a few who are awful and ruin it for the rest of us.

[RevNeal]

I can read between the lines, I pick up definite signs of disappointment, even the word 'disaster' is mentioned, so I stick with my conclusion, the ship is a disaster.. no increase in public space but a lot more 'public' including 200 plus children, and less staff to take care of you, this is not going to work.

 

No. I wouldn't say that the ship is an overall "disaster." I DO say that some things have been poorly planned and poorly executed in her building. I don't like the overcrowded "feel" or the noise in the main dining room or some of the shoddy workmanship in cabin appointments and lounge fixtures (there are a couple of lamp shades in the Lido that have cracked and broken and fallen in pieces to the floor) ... but those are not "disastrous" things. Disappointing, yes. Frustrating, yes. Disasters, no.

 

Some things ARE a disaster waiting to happen: for example, children running through the ship, through the lounges, through the corridors, through the Lido and the main dining room. This cruise we've had VERY smooth seas; there has been very little motion. But what will happen to these "little darlings" when they take a cruise in the open OCEAN where there are heavy swells and the seas are very high?? Running in "high seas" is a recipe for breakage of ship, other passengers, and the child when the child trips and falls. Some of these kids have been VERY lucky that the decks have been relatively calm this cruise for, in high seas, darting to the left or right and "just missing" a steward with a highly-stacked tray of dishes won't cut it ... the "darting" doesn't work when the ship is darting too. I've finally said that to some of the older boys; sadly, they don't get it and it MAY take a broken leg for it to hit home. I just pray it's not someone else's broken leg (not that I wish them harm, but ... well ...).

 

Now ... the front desk and the general administration of this ship has been disastrous. That miscommunication between various departments has been disastrous. The kinds of mistakes being made to onboard accounts, travel arrangements, cruise histories, dining arrangements, etc., are exceedingly unfortunate if not disastrous to the enjoyment of one's cruise. But 90% of the worst in that regard is staffing coordination and integration issues, all of which can be fixed over time. Give these people time and they'll get their act together. They always have in the past (or HAL wouldn't still be in business after more than a century).

[RevNeal]

This is probably going to be my last post from the Eurodam. :(

I spent the entire day, today, at Leggoland ... it was very nice, but I'm glad to be back aboard ship. It's 7pm and time for me to head for cocktails in the Ocean Bar. Our LAST evening aboard ship is always filled with a touch of sadness and well as joy. But, it's time to be ready to go home ... and I think we all know this. :)

 

I have an unbelievable number of photographs to process, including a full photo tour of the ship. I'm going to work hard to getting those ready and up before too long. Hopefully just a week and I'll be able to post links to my photo tour of the ship. I'll then added the destinations, etc., later and as time goes on. My formal review will come somewhere within the next two weeks. Thankfully, I have this blog to help my memory, etc.

 

I want to thank all of your for taking this journey with me. I am aware that some who haven't posted on the thread (for whatever reason) have nevertheless been reading along, and I want to thank you for taking the journey, too. And, for those many of you who have wished me well and thanked me along the way for this labor of love, I want to thank you most especially. It's been grand, as always!

 

I have a few minutes left on my plan, so I may check back later tonight and give any final remarks if I can at that time. Also, once I get home I'll try to answer any questions that I may have missed up until now.

 

Blessings on all of you!

[marle7]

And Bless you, Greg for taking the time and the money to keep us up to date on this new ship. It sounds like overall, you had a wonderful cruise, and even with the problems, I wish I could have sailed with all of you.

 

Safe travels home, and thanks again.:)

[Travelrd]

Thanks for all your postings, RevNeal. I've really appreciated what you have done for all of us here at CC. Have a safe journey home.

[Sir PMP]

Your negativity comes through in all your posts. How can anyone expect a brand new ship on her maiden voyage to be "smooth sailing" all the time?

 

 

Sorry about that,having done over 20 cruises on the HAL and going over 300 days, I believe that the service is going down, less public spaces and more people on board is the wrong direction and most of all: a brand new ship christened by the queen should be 100% ready to go with everything prepared to perfection, that has always been the HAL's signature. But I hope that this ' Euro ship' will have a lot of fans, it just won't be me and I do not think that the Rev will be back on it!

[AlohaPride]

Thank you, Greg, and have a SAFE journey home!!

[Susie51]

Thank you for your final reflections while on Eurodam. Have a safe journey home.

[GeriatricNurse]

Or, how about "bungee jumping from the bow?" :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

 

Or, how about keelhauled, slowly, from bow to stern?

[puddles'n splashes]

Thank you Greg for your interesting and honest reviews of all aspects of this btob cruise on the newest ship. You have many CCer's and friends who post often and others [like me] who lurk and enjoy, but seldom post.

 

I'm looking forward to your further reviews and photos.

 

Thank you again, and safe journey home.

[EbayCruiser]

Thank you so much Greg! I have eagerly waited for each of your posts and enjoyed it immensly. Thank you for your time and expense and all your comments, they have been very helpful and informative.

 

I am eagerly awaiting my "short" cruise on the Eurodam. Have a safe trip home!

 

God Bless,

Vickie

[RustaRoo]

It has been a pleasure, as always, receiving your reports Greg (and keeping tabs on my other friends cruising with you)!

 

Now, after some down time, you can really look forward to the Good Nuts cruise in January '09:D

 

All the best and enjoy a safe journey home!

[KLLund]

Thank you so much Greg .. for writing this and taking us along with you and most of all for Not giving up on us there at the beginning!!! It has truly been a memorable cruise for us as well.

[amusea]

There is one other element regarding the disturbance from young people that nobody has mentioned and it is from my own personal experience. My mother died at age 95 after a very active life including twenty years as resident manager of a very prominent hotel where there was always the possibility of unruly guests and unexpected problems, etc. I noticed that in the last ten to fifteen years of her life she was much less able to cope with sudden noise or any unexpected disturbance. It just seems that her nerves would not enable her to keep the equilibrium that she formerly was able to muster easily - especially when it came to young children.

Since HAL caters to many older clients I think that this factor must be taken into consideration by those of us that are somewhat under the age of 80. Of course, on my last cruise I met a fabulous lady who was well into her 80's and nothing seemed to bother her. But she may be the exception rather than the rule. I wonder if HAL should consider offering a cruise exclusively for people over a certain age. One of the S or R ships would be most logical since of their size. Perhaps other elements of the cruise could also be geared to older folks such as modifying the kind of music that is played over the PA system. I think for a good number of older travellers this would be of great appeal regardless of the itinerary.

[huskypup]

I'd like to thank Greg, and the other posters for taking us along on their holiday - Ive had a great time:) . Looking forward to meeting you and the others!! (sounds like something from a science fiction film) on the Good Nuts in Jan 09 - can't wait.

 

Have a safe journey home.

 

Nancy

x

[innlady1]

Thank you, Greg, for such wonderful reports of your Eurodam journey...I have enjoyed each and every one of them. Have a safe trip back to Dallas, and I look forward to your wonderful photo journal in the coming days. :D

[silvercruiser]

I feel as if the only part of your journey that I haven't shared is your upcoming flight home.....and thank goodness for that! Thanks for sharing.