Eurodam Review
Rating by category
Additional details
ARRIVAL
We have been on about 10 cruises, once previously on HAL. We flew to Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday and spent the night at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport and Cruise hotel, which was in the process of transitioning from a Comfort Suites to the Hilton family. It retained most of the style of Comfort Suites while we were there. We had billing issues with them that remain unresolved at this point. However, their shuttle service was prompt and helpful and we arrived at the pier shortly after 11 AM. Boarding began about 11:40 and HAL handled the process smoothly, with minimal confusion. We had immediate access to our cabin, 5071, which was a major improvement over having to wait until around 3 PM as on some other cruise lines. We were on back-to-back 7-day cruises (14 days total) along with about 500 of the other passengers: the first 7 days in the Eastern Caribbean and the second 7 days in the Western Caribbean.
DINING
Cabin Review
Deluxe Ocean-View Verandah Stateroom
Our cabin was great. We appreciated the recent upgrades such as the big-screen TV. The cabin had plenty of storage in closets, shelves, and drawers, and had plenty of outlets. The bed and pillows were extremely comfortable; far better than most hotels. We had our steward remove the heavy comforter and replace it with a simple blanket. The verandah was a joy and we spent time there watching scenery and reading. We loved to watch the sunrises and sunsets when we were on the correct side to see them.
The bathroom was snug but large enough for one person at a time. We loved the faucet arrangement in the shower, where we were able to set the water temperature just once and it came on exactly right each day. What a relief from fiddling with it every time! The wall dispensers for soap and shampoo were a huge improvement over lots of little bottles that fall over and are difficult to open. We brought along a night light and plugged it into the overhead outlet, which was a good choice. Otherwise the bathroom is pitch black at night.
Our cabin happened to be right across from the food service room although we couldn't tell that from the diagram when we booked it. The first couple of nights it was very noisy, with carts running in and out, stewards clanking dishes around, and such. My husband mentioned it on a comment card and the noise immediately was reduced. The door to the area remained closed and carts were managed more quietly.
Our steward, Duie, was efficient and helpful and often anticipated our needs.