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We are a mid-60s couple who have taken 20-plus cruises, mostly on Celebrity and Holland America. We have traveled on other cruise lines (Costa, Royal Caribbean), but they are not for us.
We almost did not cruise on the Eurodam because of negative reviews on the food and service, but we found a price we couldn't refuse. Ignore those negative reviews - nothing can be further from the truth.
From the beginning, the Eurodam was a pleasant experience. Embarkation was as smooth as we have encountered. And there were real smiles and warm greetings everywhere from the onshore staff as well the crew who were, in our opinion, exceptionally well-trained.
We found the ship and stateroom to be immaculate and they were kept that way throughout the cruise. We also found the ship, because of its design and layout, to have the ambiance of a smaller ship and not feel overcrowded even though it had a full complement of 2,100 passengers. The public areas were intimate and comfortably furnished.
We had always liked the food best on Celebrity, especially the alternative restaurants. However, in our opinion, Holland America has surpassed Celebrity recently in food quality and taste - with the Eurodam offering fine and innovative cuisine, both in the main dining room and in the Lido. We didn't take advantage of the alternative restaurants, but learned from fellow passengers that all three choices were superb. My wife did not feel well two nights so we ordered room service from the menu in the main dining room. The food was delivered promptly and was as good as if we had eaten in the dining room itself.
Service in both food and housekeeping categories were A-plus.
The spa and gym, both of which we enjoyed on a daily basis, were state-of-the art, staffed by highly-knowledgeable personnel. The Explorations Cafe, a combination library/cyber-cafe was well-stocked with books, games and DVDs, and was a relaxing venue at the top of the ship.
We had been to the ports on many occasions so we spent most of our time on the ship.
The entertainment was as expected - not bad, not great - although it had a good Las Vegas-style show, featuring a Sammy Davis Jr. impersonator and a hilarious comedian, who so popular that he was scheduled twice.
Finally, like the embarkation, the disembarkation was quick and flawless, the only negative being that we had to leave this fine ship. But we'll be back on Holland America again - and soon.
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