What are the top 5 dos and don'ts on Eurodam?

[scomar]

We will be sailing on the Eurodam in December. Although we have cruised before we will be HAL virgins on this trip. So I just want to get a feel for the ship before getting on her. Seen pictures and looked at websites but nothing does it justice as much as hearing from the horse's mouth. Or should I say HAL's mouth? So what are your top 5 dos/don'ts on the Eurodam for first time HALsters?

 

Thanks so much for making cruising easy as it can be.

 

Scomar

[bepsf]

Do book a balcony stateroom at a minimum. Don't choose a Category VH, VT or SZ.

 

Do have both Lunch and Dinner in the Tamarind as well as cocktails in Silk Den. Don't bother with the Wine Bar - Ever.

 

Do enjoy cocktails and dancing in the Ocean Bar before dinner. Don't look at the "Chandelier" in the atrium.

 

Do enjoy a dinner in Pinnacle. Don't accept a table where you might be seated on the Purple Dipped-Rubber chairs.

 

Do order breakfast delivery in your cabin every morning and try a Club Sandwich from Room Service. Don't expect to find a place to sit in the Lido for breakfast or lunch at peak times.

[nckvilledudes]

We will be sailing on the Eurodam in December. Although we have cruised before we will be HAL virgins on this trip. So I just want to get a feel for the ship before getting on her. Seen pictures and looked at websites but nothing does it justice as much as hearing from the horse's mouth. Or should I say HAL's mouth? So what are your top 5 dos/don'ts on the Eurodam for first time HALsters?

 

Thanks so much for making cruising easy as it can be.

 

Scomar

 

Do the Tamarind for lunch and dinner as much as you can schedule. It is wonderful....... Also seek out the Silk Den,,,very nice place to have a drink. Great selection of books a DVD's in the Exploration Cafe.....The Eurodam has a very nice gym and spa area...The Italian Canaletto was very good too. You will love the room service menu.....

 

Dan

[Tamaracboy]

We will be sailing on the Eurodam in December. Although we have cruised before we will be HAL virgins on this trip. So I just want to get a feel for the ship before getting on her. Seen pictures and looked at websites but nothing does it justice as much as hearing from the horse's mouth. Or should I say HAL's mouth? So what are your top 5 dos/don'ts on the Eurodam for first time HALsters?

 

Thanks so much for making cruising easy as it can be.

 

Scomar

 

Every single answer you get will tell you to get to Tamarind and Silk Den as often as possible.

There will not be much argument that they (especially Silk Den) are the most beautiful spaces at sea !

Since you are new to HAL, eat at Pinnacle early in the cruise, because you'll discover that you do want to go back. Probably the best Filet Mignon in my life !

I would say don't book the Observation Deck Spa Verandahs. They do NOT have a useable balcony and are at the top of the ship in case you are sensitive to motion.

Do try the Bread Pudding and some of the Indonesian and Philippine specialties.

Don't even try to figure out the Atrium Sculpture/Chandelier :confused:

Do expect to WANT to tip your Cabin Steward more than you planned for, they are THAT good.

Do have room service breakfast on your balcony in your comfy bathrobe (warning: you may not want to do anything else but that for the rest of your cruise)

 

And you just might plan to book another cruise while onboard ;)

 

r.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Do agree about the DO go to the Silk Den and Tamarind!!

[sail7seas]

Do have a drink at Explorer's Lounge. We love they have a bar there - no other ship does. It is now one of our favorite HAL bars.

 

Do remember the ship is WiFi throughout. I enjoyed using my Acer netbook at aft pool.

Agree with all the others about Tamarind and Silk Den.

Do look at the pretty art. Some beautiful pieces.

Do look out to sea from the glass elevators.... gorgeous.

Do have a fabulous time and Don't let small little things bother you.

 

[IrishLassie]

Do book a balcony stateroom at a minimum. Don't choose a Category VH, VT or SZ.

 

Do have both Lunch and Dinner in the Tamarind as well as cocktails in Silk Den. Don't bother with the Wine Bar - Ever.

 

Do enjoy cocktails and dancing in the Ocean Bar before dinner. Don't look at the "Chandelier" in the atrium.

 

Do enjoy a dinner in Pinnacle. Don't accept a table where you might be seated on the Purple Dipped-Rubber chairs.

 

Do order breakfast delivery in your cabin every morning and try a Club Sandwich from Room Service. Don't expect to find a place to sit in the Lido for breakfast or lunch at peak times.

 

:confused: Just wondering about your comment "Purple Dipped Rubber chairs" and why should we not sit there? We have reservations at Pinnacle in Nov. for our 30th. Anniversary Dinner, so just want to make sure we're happy with the seating. Thanks for your response.

[mamaofami]

Do have lunch and dinner at Tamarind, more than once if you can. Both are a treat.

Eat at The Pinnacle more than once. Steak is delicious and the chocolate volcano for dessert is wonderful.

I love having room service for breakfast every morning. Remember you can write in what you want if it's not on the menu. Don't forget to tip the stewards who bring you your meal.

Go to the Crow's Nest in the AM after breakfast and sit in the loungers. It's nice and quiet up there and you get a wonderful view of the ocean.

IMHO, don't bother with the cabanas at the pool.

[Zeta3]

Do join our Roll Call and introduce yourself!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=758450

 

Do check out a movie in the theater

 

Do try the segway tour in San Juan

[catl331]

Ditto on the Tamarind for lunch and dinner and Silk Den. See if they have a Happy Hour in the afternoon at Crow's Nest. Also plunk yourself down on thos relaxing chairs in the Crow's Nest on a seaday in the morning.

[INSIDERS CABIN]

My top 5 are orientation trip to visit each public room and floor and to check out objets d'art; tamarind and silk den for a lunch and a dinner; bar stop on way to dinner, just to listen to the featured group; library; balconies of any size are always wonderful! (Canaletto is good too; we had a most excellent couple of visits on our trip-just wish they had put it in a separate room. Pinnacle we do on each ship. I really do like the spa pool and ceramic chairs, but like it best in Caribbean.) Don'ts? Don't hesitate to change it up in DR, on shore excursions, Lido, lounges-- anywhere you find yourselves grouped with passengers with lots of negative energy! The cruise is too short to be burdened with complainers or those who cannot manage a smile in your direction. Have a great time!

[Saphire]

DO:

-Go the dining room after you board and choose your favorite table, then book it with the crew member waiting outside the dining room to take your request. You can book two days in advance.

-Get to the Spa at least once during the cruise, to enjoy the heated tile loungers and hydrotherapy pool.

-Take walks on the promenade deck, especially at night. Stop and look out at the moon over the water. Breathe.

-Try the dining room for breakfast and lunch. It is a respite from the Lido. (see below)

-Enjoy the music of the string quartet before or after dinner. Ahhhhh

 

 

DON'T:

-Feel that you must get off at every port. Exploring and relaxing and eating on the ship when everyone is gone is amazing.

-Visit the Lido during peak times. It is very, very congested and not a happy or relaxing place to be. Off hours work best.

-Be grumpy to staff or tablemates. How can you have a grumpy face when cruising?

-Forget your clock, the cabins on the Eurodam don't have any!

[Willsot]

Do have a lunch in the Tamarind

Do have a dinner in the Tamarind

Do make your lunch reservations in the Tamarind for a sea day right after boarding the Eurodam

Do make your dinner reservations in the Tamarind online prior to sailing

Do book a Retreat cabana if you are considering an onboard cabana

Do enjoy the string quartet in the Explorer's Lounge with before or after dinner drinks

Do enjoy an omelet made to order for a Lido breakfast

Do enjoy the Asian station in the Lido

Do book an HMC cabana online in advance if HMC is on your itinerary

 

Don't book a Lido cabana

[SF Cfan]

I loved listening to the string quartet before dinner,

sitting down to a two+ hour dinner,

watching sailaways from open Deck 12,

free icecream,

exploring the ship,

and not paying any attention to email from work.

 

Enjoy your trip and making your best To-Do's of Eurodam list.

[bepsf]

:confused: Just wondering about your comment "Purple Dipped Rubber chairs" and why should we not sit there? We have reservations at Pinnacle in Nov. for our 30th. Anniversary Dinner, so just want to make sure we're happy with the seating. Thanks for your response.

 

They're weird and kinda clammy to sit in.

 

The regular tub chairs are in the majority and much more comfortable to sit in, located at tables away from the atrium.

[JimVrhovac]

Eat at the Tamarind restaurant...

 

Ruth & Jim

[Tamaracboy]

They're weird and kinda clammy to sit in.

 

The regular tub chairs are in the majority and much more comfortable to sit in, located at tables away from the atrium.

 

Brian,

 

I had a regular tub chair right on the atrium rail.

Sorta liked watching all the activity, ALMOST like floor show.

The ones I don't like are those "Cast Aluminum" (?) sculpture-chairs in some of the Pinnacles.

I'd put them in the same category as the E'dam atrium ceiling thingy.

Ditto the E'dam's MDR ceiling thingys. C'mon scrap pieces of wood (??) amidst the rest of the decor ?????

"Art" may be subjective, but cheesy is still cheesy !

Maybe that's one of the "Donts":

On the Eurodam, Don't look UP :rolleyes:

 

r.

[IrishLassie]

They're weird and kinda clammy to sit in.

 

The regular tub chairs are in the majority and much more comfortable to sit in, located at tables away from the atrium.

 

Thank you so much for the advice. Will try to request "tub chairs" for 4. So great to get all this info from everyone. I just love CC :D

[Typhoon1]

Do take the IPOD art tour on a sea day. IPODs are available from the library.

[sammiedawg]

Enjoy the gorgeous Exploration Cafe, combination library Internet Center next to the Crows nest. Absolutely the nicest space at sea.

Ride the glass elevators every day.

Buy a wine card, I don't remember the exact price but very reasonable for 20 glasses of wine.

Splurge and do at least one hydrotherapy pool session, to die for and I don't usually do spas.

Relax on the promeenade deck chairs, watch the world go by.

We loved this ship and will sail her again in a heartbeat.

[Float&Bloat]

I thought the main dining room was better than the Pennicle, both in food and service.

[DizzyDallasDi]

Here's a different suggestion. Do go to the Sports Bar (doubles as the Casino Bar) so you can sit in the fun chairs that look like baseball gloves.

 

Diane

[bepsf]

Brian,

 

I had a regular tub chair right on the atrium rail.

Sorta liked watching all the activity, ALMOST like floor show.

The ones I don't like are those "Cast Aluminum" (?) sculpture-chairs in some of the Pinnacles.

I'd put them in the same category as the E'dam atrium ceiling thingy.

Ditto the E'dam's MDR ceiling thingys. C'mon scrap pieces of wood (??) amidst the rest of the decor ?????

"Art" may be subjective, but cheesy is still cheesy !

Maybe that's one of the "Donts":

On the Eurodam, Don't look UP :rolleyes:

 

r.

Perhaps they've eliminated those purple chairs - one can hope!

Yes, the ceiling in the MDR is pretty awful too: like something from "Design on a Dime"!

 

But I disagree w you on the cast-aluminum "Odyssey" chairs in Pinnacle aboard Zuiderdam and Oosterdam and in the Wine Bar aboard Noordam - IMO, Not only are they beautiful and elegant to gaze upon, but I find them to be surprisingly comfortable.

[plowkeeper]

Does Canaletto have an addition fee like the other two specialty restraunts? I looked all over the HAL site....

The Eurodam looks incredible. This will be my 7th on HAL--I have been on all of the class ships sans the little prince. Very excited about the Silk Den!

[RuthC]

Does Canaletto have an addition fee like the other two specialty restraunts?

There's no charge, but it is best to make reservations. The area is not large, and since there's no additional cost, it does tend to book up.

The Silk Den is one of the loveliest lounges on any HAL ship. The Tamirind Restaurant nearby is excellent. Make it a package deal!