Eurodam A Big Dissapointment

[Boytjie]

If you look behind the retreat cabanas, you can see the area on deck 12, and the stairs leading up to it, but I don't recall ever seeing deck 12 access from an elevator. It wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong though. Maybe the second. Is this the area people are talking about?

 

 

That's the area. I walked around that deck and there is no access other that the stairs from the Retreat area.

[goldblades]

Our room steward up in the verandah suite deck was rude and nasty

 

I had just the opposite experience. Our room steward, Hari, was an angel. Sweet and accommodating, we couldn't ask for better service. It just seems crazy to me that anyone would pass up the chance to make extra tips by being rude and nasty. We loved everything about the beautiful Eurodam and can't wait to cruise on her again. My only complaint would be the terrible internet service

[haligonian37]

Actually you are in Saint John, New Brunswick. St. John's is in Newfoundland. I was uptown to watch the arrival this morning and the Eurodam is looking good. I am leaving shortly with my husband to watch her leave the harbour. Very exciting. We received our invitation today to board the Eurodam for lunch and a tour next time she is in port. That will be October 8th. Can't wait!!!---Of course I replied "yes" immediately.:D

 

I'm feeling your excitement! I received an invitation today from my wonderful TA for the luncheon when the Eurodam is in port here in Halifax on Oct. 7th. My sister and BIL who are booked for their first ever cruise in February will be joining me as well and are quite excited at the prospect of getting a feel for shipboard life, albeit for a few short hours. My TA asked if I wanted to talk it over with my sister and get back to her but I told her there was no need, she could go ahead and accept on our behalf. :)

 

ps - the Saint John/St. John's error should be an entry in the niggly little annoyances thread! Trust me, even Maritimers get it wrong...grrrrr

[Jade13]

Thank you both, Nathan and Peter. But it seems you two aren't in agreement about getting up to Deck "13" :confused: , are you? :confused: (did HAL really number a deck "13"?) :rolleyes: .

 

Nathan, are you saying there's an elevator access to Deck 13? I sure as shootin' didn't notice it as a choice in the elevator banks.

 

But I do like the idea of using Deck 10, aft. That could work (if I ever find myself back on that ship).

 

I can confirm it is Deck 12. My stateroom was on Deck 11 and I walked one deck up to Deck 12. it was always empty with lots of lounge chairs.

[MrsMuir]

Those cabanas look stupid. What's next, sedan chairs?

[SakeDad]

Thank you both, Nathan and Peter. But it seems you two aren't in agreement about getting up to Deck "13" :confused: , are you? :confused: (did HAL really number a deck "13"?) :rolleyes: .

 

Nathan, are you saying there's an elevator access to Deck 13? I sure as shootin' didn't notice it as a choice in the elevator banks.

 

But I do like the idea of using Deck 10, aft. That could work (if I ever find myself back on that ship).

Sorry, that's what happens when you live on the ship.....it was 13 decks above where I lived.....A Deck....:rolleyes: You always think how many decks up our going when going somewhere.:p The top passenger decks are indeed Deck 12 and there is no elevator access. For mid-ship you can either walk from aft Deck 11 to the stairs or take the elevator to Tamarind, come through restaurant to the doors in the back and they will let you out by the stairs. For the Foward Deck you can use stairs by the Retreat Cabanas.

[RuthC]

Thanks for clarifying where that "13" came from, Nathan.

Oh, and you can also access the "Sun Deck" from inside the Crow's Nest/Explorations Cafe divide (probably not supposed to go that way, though ;) ).

[sapper1]

I'm feeling your excitement! I received an invitation today from my wonderful TA for the luncheon when the Eurodam is in port here in Halifax on Oct. 7th. My sister and BIL who are booked for their first ever cruise in February will be joining me as well and are quite excited at the prospect of getting a feel for shipboard life, albeit for a few short hours. My TA asked if I wanted to talk it over with my sister and get back to her but I told her there was no need, she could go ahead and accept on our behalf. :)

 

ps - the Saint John/St. John's error should be an entry in the niggly little annoyances thread! Trust me, even Maritimers get it wrong...grrrrr

 

Hope you enjoy your visit to the Eurodam. It seems in New York, that the invited guests were free to roam around and explore at will after they finished their lunch. I hope we will be able to as well. It was also noted that they could take advantage of the onboard future cruise deposit of $100 while they were on board as well. I would be interested in making the deposit but we have a limited time onboard and I want to see every part of the ship. I think doing the deposit would cut into that time so we will see.

My husband and I plan on spending a few days in Halifax next week. We always enjoy visiting your lovely city. I can already taste my Cow's Ice Cream!!!

[Boytjie]

I would be interested in making the deposit but we have a limited time onboard and I want to see every part of the ship. I think doing the deposit would cut into that time so we will see.

 

Don't even try to see everything, I wanted to but wasn't able to see it all in the 2 hours and change we had. There's just too much to see. :)

 

I would suggest going to the new stuff first: Tamarind, Silk Den, Retreat etc. Some places may not even be open; the Crow's Nest was closed for a wedding in New York.

[sapper1]

Don't even try to see everything, I wanted to but wasn't able to see it all in the 2 hours and change we had. There's just too much to see. :)

 

I would suggest going to the new stuff first: Tamarind, Silk Den, Retreat etc. Some places may not even be open; the Crow's Nest was closed for a wedding in New York.

Sounds like good advice. I'll try to remember it in my excitement at being onboard.

[Taxguy7]

Basically the chair issue was minor and did not account for much as it is always hard to get chairs on sea days. The lack of normal HAL standard of service was my biggest issue. For anyone who has sailed on HAL in the past on their smaller ships there is no comparison. We were numbers to be dealt with and not guests.

 

Thank God our 1st cruise on HAL is the Rotterdam on a TA.:p

[mariner]

EURODAM's biggest crew problem IMHO is: NO ROUTINE.

 

She started in Europe. Now she's doing New Engalnd. Then heading for Caribbean.

 

It's a crew in search of a routine.

[sail7seas]

I'm feeling your excitement! I received an invitation today from my wonderful TA for the luncheon when the Eurodam is in port here in Halifax on Oct. 7th. My sister and BIL who are booked for their first ever cruise in February will be joining me as well and are quite excited at the prospect of getting a feel for shipboard life, albeit for a few short hours. My TA asked if I wanted to talk it over with my sister and get back to her but I told her there was no need, she could go ahead and accept on our behalf. :)

 

ps - the Saint John/St. John's error should be an entry in the niggly little annoyances thread! Trust me, even Maritimers get it wrong...grrrrr

 

 

I think that Eurodam and Maasdam are going to be together in Sydney this week or next. Should be fun for the crew. :) Is there room on the dock for both at the same time?

 

Enjoy your lunch onboard. We had a great day.

[sauvichick]

If you look behind the retreat cabanas, you can see the area on deck 12, and the stairs leading up to it, but I don't recall ever seeing deck 12 access from an elevator. It wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong though. Maybe the second. Is this the area people are talking about?

 

 

If anyone is wondering which cabanas are the ideal ones besides the large family ones they are the ones on the left and to the right of the open space between the cabanas. Left one (Palma de Mallorca) right one (Cote de Azur-sp?)

[Copper10-8]

If you look behind the retreat cabanas, you can see the area on deck 12, and the stairs leading up to it, but I don't recall ever seeing deck 12 access from an elevator. It wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong though. Maybe the second. Is this the area people are talking about?

 

 

The Rev will know this but I'm trying to remember if this is the area on Eurodam that was used on the prelude and R/T Copenhagen cruises to display various city/port plaques given to Capt. van Donselaar on the ocassion of the first ever visit by his ship to those particular ports. If it is, there is an interior stairwell (and no elevator) that goes up there.

[babyher]

For me, aft on deck 10, with a great view of/access to the pool, ample space, chairs and breeze, plus conveniently one deck above the Lido and bar, is about as ideally situated as they come! I don't really enjoy being closed in by rows of chairs and the chance of being seated nesk to a "whiner"! The one drawback, which is not much concern, if the rather loud rushing air through an air exchange unit nearby.

 

I do agree that at times, the wait at the Sea View Bar was interminable. Everyone seemed to be moving in sloooooow motion. Plus for just about every order, it seemed, they had to get something from the back. One funny bartender at the Ocean Bar had a wonderful demonstration of how inefficiently laid out the work area was. Sink to the left, towel rack back to the right, glasses over there, ice opposite side, etc...He said that once on the Inaug. cruise he had the guests howling at this situation, only to discover that the "designer" of the bar was sitting right there listening, none to happy! Said he could not figure out why this one woman was not giggling. Discovered soon enough!

 

Michael

 

 

I have bartended in a few placves in my day and I will attest to the fact that the layout behind the bar can greatly impact service and speed there of. Same as a restaurant kitchen, there has to be a flow.

 

That doesn't excuse unattentiveness or a surly attitude by bar staff though.

[bepsf]

EURODAM's biggest crew problem IMHO is: NO ROUTINE.

 

She started in Europe. Now she's doing New Engalnd. Then heading for Caribbean.

 

It's a crew in search of a routine.

 

Not just that - There are too many visitors aboard ship at the various ports and they take up space at the bars, in the restaurants, etc - and the stewards and waiters don't make any more money but do have alot more work to do.

 

In addition, on these 3-day introductory cruises - there are plenty of TA's & VIP passengers who aren't paying any fares, so the stewards and waiters don't get any tips from them either.

 

They way we were treated and the level of service we received during the 3-Day Prelude and the 10-Day Inaugural was almost like being on a different ship. (Although our steward and the concierges were gems the entire trip.)

[bepsf]

One funny bartender at the Ocean Bar had a wonderful demonstration of how inefficiently laid out the work area was. Sink to the left, towel rack back to the right, glasses over there, ice opposite side, etc...He said that once on the Inaug. cruise he had the guests howling at this situation, only to discover that the "designer" of the bar was sitting right there listening, none to happy! Said he could not figure out why this one woman was not giggling. Discovered soon enough!

 

That explains the miserably slow service we experienced in Ocean Bar

[Boytjie]

Not just that - There are too many visitors aboard ship at the various ports and they take up space at the bars, in the restaurants, etc - and the stewards and waiters don't make any more money but do have alot more work to do.

 

I don't think the ship was crowed at all during our visit on Labor Day when we were on board for the Mariners brunch.

[Mary Ellen]

I don't think the ship was crowed at all during our visit on Labor Day when we were on board for the Mariners brunch.

Weren't you on board after the 3-day passengers disembarked and the next group wasn't fully onboard yet??? ;)

[Copper10-8]

Like Brian, I wasn't on the 3-dayer out of NYC last weekend but also like Brian, I can tell you that the crowd on the 3-day prelude out of Rotterdam was totally (totally, dude) different than the crowd on the subsequent roundtrip Copenhagen. And it showed on the ship!

[Mary Ellen]

One of things that struck me was the differences in the food between the Prelude, the Inaugural, and the next 10-days. First of all, the menus served for all 3-nights on the Prelude were all 'Formal Night' menus (you know, when the 'nicer' found is served). :rolleyes:

 

There was one dish that I ordered each time it was served. It did have a different name after the Prelude, but it was the same dish. On the Prelude it called 'land and sea', after that is was the 'little mermaid'. The dish was a large prawn atop a fillet. The prawn and fillet kept getting smaller each time it was served and the quality of the fillet diminished. Also the side of veggies was different each time. They were the same veggies, just different presentation. The carrot on the Prelude was a hand-peeled baby carrot with a tad of the greens still attached (what is usually considered a 'fancier' presentation. After that is was basic mass-serve carrots, one time plain old carrot sticks and the other baby carrots from a bag.

 

It really showed how HAL wanted to impress the VIPs, TAs, and media that were on board in the beginning. After that, us poor paying slobs, got things kicked down a notch - or two. I can imagine HAL also did the same for the NY 3-day. What people experienced there may not be indicative of future cruises....

[Boytjie]

Weren't you on board after the 3-day passengers disembarked and the next group wasn't fully onboard yet??? ;)

 

Were were onboard from about 10:30 am till 2:30 pm. People were boarding during that time (they announced that room were available at 1 pm). I am sure most were on by the time we left; there were a few people checking in for their 5 pm departure and the terminal was empty.

[bepsf]

Were were onboard from about 10:30 am till 2:30 pm. People were boarding during that time (they announced that room were available at 1 pm). I am sure most were on by the time we left; there were a few people checking in for their 5 pm departure and the terminal was empty.

 

Again, the crew has to take up the slack for entertaining/feeding the visitors - and they don't get any financial benefit whatsoever for the extra work involved.

 

Turnaround day is the most difficult and stressful for a crew - to do this twice in the same week as well as having to deal with hundreds of additional non-paying/non-tipping guests is no picnic.

[Boytjie]

Again, the crew has to take up the slack for entertaining/feeding the visitors - and they don't get any financial benefit whatsoever for the extra work involved.

 

Turnaround day is the most difficult and stressful for a crew - to do this twice in the same week as well as having to deal with hundreds of additional non-paying/non-tipping guests is no picnic.

 

I am not sure what this is in reference to.