We were on the Eurodam from San Diego - 3/1 - 18/20 to Hawaii. This was during the Grand Princess from Hawaii to San Francisco, that docked finally in Oakland. We were all concerned about corona virus positive crew or passenger(s) being on board our ship. The Captain gave us daily updates, changes in hand sanitizer use, cleaning, food being served only in buffet, etc. and lack corona cases. Passengers were generally good about hand sanitizer use, but not about covering up when coughing, and no social distancing was recommended or followed. No special procedures (other than filling out the standard CDC form) were followed at ports, or embarcing/disembarcing/customs (no temperatures taken, medical interviews or recommendations of the use of masks or gloves). On the last night of the cruise, a note was slipped under our door advising the CDC had notified HAL Medical Officer that a passenger on the previous Eurodam cruise had tested positive for COVID-19. We have not had any COVID-19 symptoms. We live in Northern California, and were under shelter in place on 3/18/20. We'd love to hear other passengers experiences upon return from the cruise. Read Less

Location of travel. Not a good experience with room staff that took an item from the room, Onboard shops pushy, harassing and unethical. Food was average and allowed many people on excursions and onboard move around the ship that were sick in lite of the Corona Virus issue. Almost on a daily basis, I was standing in a food line while someone was sneezing, on a bus or tender coughing and sneezing, in the upscale dining room a few nights and still the same. In the upscale restaurant brought the wrong order or forgot to bring an item requested on the menu. The wine steward many times dripped wine on the table, and try to upsell a wine that I can get at home which a low grade of wine. The wine tasting had a collection of really cheap wines that you can easily find at a big box store. The person at the dessert counter when seeing a line of people was very rude a short with every customer request. This was the worst cruise experience I though you always get what you paid for but in this case, you will pay more and get less One last item would be the fitness center trying to push a product that you can get a lot cheaper at home. Read Less

Embarkation went fine . The ship was clean and fresh. Our cabin was comfortable. Our cabin attendants were great. They got you anything you wanted or needed. We opted for anytime dining and were usually seared within 15 minutes. The food was very good with a good selection. If you don’t want to try anything there is always the classic menu available with steak, chicken or fish. all were very good. Service in the Dining room was excellent. The entertainment and activities were NOT very good. The evening shows were mostly just okay. The activities were almost nonexistent. Holland America has decided to go with “enrichment programs” and seminars instead of giving their guests anything fun to do. The Cruise Director was invisible. Never saw her unless she was introducing the show. Never interacted with the guests. The crowd was much older on this Cruise. Lots of walkers, scooters, and wheelchairs. It felt like a floating nursing home. The ports were mostly depressed areas with little to see, with the exception of Puerto Vallerta. The crossing of the Panama Canal was a highlight. Read Less

Friends had enjoyed HAL before, as had we 11 years ago, over the past two years. However we found that we were slightly disappointed overall. First impressions of the cabin, and indeed the ship, were that it was in need of a refurbishment. The cabin carpet was sorely in need of replacement, and indeed looked grubby. No slippers were provided which would have been nice. Cabin had adequate hanging space but it would have been helpful if they had had sliding doors rather than opening doors which prevented the bathroom door being opened at the same time. The MDR.....we had anytime dining but were advised to book a time which we did . The first night was fine but after that it baecame a problem. Food was good and the staff serving in the restaurant were very good, but the dining reception staff left something to be desired. We ate twice in Tamarind, speciality restaurant, and found food there to be very good. Staff were excellent there too. Entertainment on board was not great, we went to main theatre only twice. However, the classical group recitals were very well attended. The only bad mark against that was the venue, the Lincoln stage. It was open, in the main gangway to the dining room, and was often over crowded as was the gangway to the dining room. I could not understand why the recitals were not held at a bigger venue. Especially as it was split into two areas....those seated in the back half were unable to see the performers. The gangway corridor was packed with people listening to the concert. Itinerary was good, we particularly liked Cartegna and Panama City. However due to swells we were unable to dock at Costa Rica which was a disappointment. Panama Canal transit was interesting. Read Less

Good price, with free daily lectures. Wanted to try HAL again after many years and many cruises on RCL and Princess. Service and crew where very happy, friendly and efficient. Food was tasty great with lots of choices in Lido every meal! Never ate in dining room. Won money in casino so that was great! Microsoft lectures where amazing from actual Microsoft employee and learned lots about many MS tools and apps. Photo shop provided "free photography lectures" from an actual National Geographic photographer -"Justin James" and learned many tips on improving my pictures! Really enjoyed all of the destinations especially Aruba because of the TukTuk Tour we took from a Expedia vendor. Wish HAL had large central public malls like RCL on some of their newer ships. Always enjoy sitting in a cafe and watch the people walk by. Eurodam just has a great VIB and loved this cruise. Would definitely go again. Highly recommend the Sting Ray swim excursion in Half Moon Cay. Read Less

We chose this cruise because the Canal had been on our bucket list for a long time. We have sailed on Eurodam almost ten years ago and had some really good memories of that time. We stayed in Deerfield Beach the night before where we found a delightful Brazialian buffet. Since spouse was riding a med scooter, we were given some leaway on standing in lines so embarcation went very smoothly. On board and in room by 12:30. The ship was well done in overhaul with new color scheme and upgrades. Our cabin 8033(accessable) was larger than most on the ones we were albe to peek in with plenty of room for the scooter to park and turn around. The shower was spacious but did flood the entire bath when used( drains wouldn't contain water). The bedding was very comfortable and the room was expertly maintained by steward whenever we left cabin ( one day even making bed 4 times). The dining was good in the main dining hall ( didn;t try specialitys) and we were treated with care and graciousness. Was nice to called by name every evening when we came to sign in to dine and by several of the attendants on the Lido deck. Even had one of the line supervisors prepare a plate and then carry to find table for spouse. The main entertainment was not as elaborate as we remember with the "shows" being a single singer or comedian. The best in our opinion was the staff preformance. Plenty of other activities with two excelent piano players in the Billboard who often had fifty or more people standing in the aisle watching since no more seating. The orange party was no more than waiters bringing around canapes while the band played very loud music in the BB King room. Don't bother with wearing Orange, few did. The self walking tour in Curacao was nice and we felt completely safe while seeing a good bit of the old city. The canal tour in Puerto Limon was excelent with many sloths and other wildlife being seen. The bird park at Cartegena was well done with some beautiful displays and easy to travel pathways. Most ports were typical vendors pushing the same trinkets and "local" (made in China) wares. Disembarcation for us was very easy since we were in the last group to be called. Eight ships in port that day. We lazed around and enjoyed talking and visiting until after 10:15. Walked off ship, picked up luggage, stood in line at immagration for about 10 minutes and then strolled to parking garage and were on road to Alligator Alley before 11:00. Overall a good cruise with some highlights and some letdowns. The worst was when HAL "allowed" us to have Meet and Greet in same room where they were playing bingo loudly. HAL did set up snacks and coffee which was jumped on by bingo players. Saw several quieter possible locations. No officers or other HAL reps attended. Read Less

This cruise was a getaway from grey winter in my Midwest city. I had a lot of choices and settled on this one for two new ports and totally warm weather. I'm an experienced cruiser, a solo traveler of 76, and this was my fourth HAL cruise. I liked the same things on this cruise as on other HAL cruises: nice shipmates, great crew, pleasant experiences, fun shore excursions, lots to do, not very crowded, very comfortable ship. I liked the trivia games and their fun host, Monique. Every evening that I ate in the Dining Room I walked in without reservations and asked for a sharing table with 8 to 10 other travelers. I met 200 people in all 11 days. All of them were pleasant and interesting, and from many places. My room was a delight and my stewards the sweetest and nicest possible young men. I tipped them 50 dollars each, and the head housekeeper said that was lavish in the currency of their Indonesian country. But they earned it; my sons couldn't have been nicer to me. Of course, this was on top of the daily gratuity charge, much of which the stewards don't get. I really believe in abundant tips for good service, and I got it from Ari and Sya every day. I ate at Canaletto restaurant several evenings and it was superb; best of all the ship's food and service. This was only a $19 surcharge. The Dive In burgers were gorgeous, and the pizza bar wonderful too. Food is no problem on Eurodam! Another plus was great entertainment from the Piano Guys in the Billboard Bar, and the fantastic always energetic BBKing band and singers. A tip: in the back of the BB King showroom are curved banquette-type seats, and these are far more comfortable than the theater seats, and with a better view. As for the mainstage shows, I felt really sorry for the ship's dance crew of six dancers who had to fill a stage and give energetic performances to canned music and in lackluster costumes. The impressionist was good and funny, but I skipped other mainstage shows. One of them was actually the history of Holland America Line via a film. I much preferred the music elsewhere. The best advice I have is to FIRST don't get hurt on your cruise. Then, SECOND, get a higher floor than my deck 5 balcony cabin, because I had the gear for the lifeboats within inches of my balcony, and it kind of spoiled the view to look down on orange lifeboat roofs all the time. They also creaked and groaned during rough sea nights. I also found the balcony door so hard to open I had to do it two handed and if it had slammed on me, I know it would have knocked me down. I guess this is necessary, but it was really a daily problem. I really enjoyed my In Room coffee there on the balcony in the sunshine and my In Room continental breakfasts were treats: fresh fruit and tiny Danish pastries. Invariably, the In Room staff called afterward to see if I enjoyed my meal, and I did. On my last cruise on another cruise line, this kind of service for breakfast had a charge of $7, but on Eurodam, all In Room Dining 24 hours a day is included in the fares. One morning I didn't order breakfast and the manager called up to say, "Don't you want anything to eat?" They had the best warm chocolate chip cookies too, and I enjoyed these with afternoon tea after my nap. As a solo traveler, I have to pay two fares: my verandah cabin cost me what they call a supplement of 100%. A $1500 cabin is $3000. All cruise ships do this: I have no choice. But it doesn't put you in the mood to be mistreated, I can assure you. For my double fare, I expected and got a nice cruise that I enjoyed a lot. I can't fault Eurodam for anything a cruise should be for a traveler. I'm not a diva; I'll agree with anything that makes sense, but I expect my cruise for two cruise fares to be good. I always tell my steward exactly what I like and what makes me happy at our first meeting: with me, it's a lot of towels and a lot of ice. My cruise expectations were definitely met on Eurodam. But, there was a great big skunk at this picnic. This is the first cruise where I was ever hurt on embarkation -- or hurt at all -- and boy, did the gloves come off in the TLC department. The wheelchair assistant who was supposed to help me board the ship in Ft. Lauderdale actually rammed into my ankle with the wheelchair. . I reported it as an accident the instant it happened, before I got on the ship. My ankle was bruised, swelling, raising a big goose-egg lump, and it was plain for all to see. This only increased over the next days. I I could walk with only small discomfort, although I couldn't stand up for long, and I did the rest-ice-elevate steps faithfully for hours. The pain only got to be a problem after 6 days. My foot and leg were purple up to mid-calf. The ship's Guest Services Director was a charming man who wrote me a nice "sorry to hear about your accident" note and sent a lovely plate of chocolates. That was about all forthcoming from the ship. In the end, I got some aid, but I had to contact HAL home office and get a member of my care team at home to call too. I had to petition like a prisoner to a warden, and almost everything was refused at first, and only reluctantly given at last. I was refused gel cold packs, a medical exam, an xray, wheelchair for the long piers, and even some kind of bucket to soak my foot in up to my ankle. They told me at first I'd have to stand in line on and off in ports behind a hundred other people, although I just couldn't take it on my ankle. The ship claimed it didn't even have an ice bag or a bucket; they could only give me ice in a vegetable bag, like a baggie! They told me I'd have to pay for all medical services upfront and put in a claim later. It was just ridiculous. I lost my temper. Let me add that I eventually got almost all I needed and without charge to my account. I did get to bypass lines. But I had to fight like 20 armies to get it. I found out, sitting around the medical office, that a lot of people were injured one way or another; much more than I'd ever expect to see. Most complained about inadequate responses, so I wasn't the only one. An experienced tip: You have to know that rough seas are inevitable and you have to hold on to a rail, be near a wall, not use stairs if you can help it. You have to get to your feet and then pause to balance, then walk. A cruise ship is moving and you aren't: it's you who has to adjust. There's long walks on a cruise ship. it can be tiring to get around. You can be sort of lunged without knowing it from side to side, and it takes good balance to get upright again. Everybody looks kind of drunk sometimes, swaying around. Hold on! The pool decks can be very wet, and it's not easy to get in or out of whirlpools. I thought Eurodam didn't have enough signage. I was confused for days about going the right way or not. I did find that the glass elevators in midship are always fast to arrive: much faster than the central ones. But the decks aren't marked in the elevators except for numbers. You have to know, for instance, that Guest Services where we all wound up one time or other is on Deck 2. A clever idea from another traveler: they construct the public decks as models at home out of bits of paper and corks and things, and memorize them in the weeks before the cruise. I so wish I'd done that too. I was determined to enjoy all my prepaid excursions, ankle or not. I always take ship-sponsored tours. In Aruba, I had a great day sailing on a catamaran. By far the oldest participant, everybody was very kind and gentle, handling me off and on the boat. I didn't snorkel, but basked in the warmth and drinks and Caribbean music. I found in every port the people of the islands were very helpful and thoughtful. t the Pelican's Nest bar stop, the hostess wired up my wifi for no charge and took my photo. In Curacao, I took the country drive and enjoyed every minute. What an interesting place, with beautiful flora, birds, sea cliffs, nice beaches and salt flats. I loved it. The stop at the museum of a former black slave village was fascinating. I went crazy over the kind and variety of succulents: even saw fences made of cactus. In Cartagena, through a mixup, I wound up on the highlights bus tour but I enjoyed it and bought an inexpensive emerald ring in one of the Poveda shops. There again, the bus driver and guide were very careful and thoughtful about my disability. For the Panama Canal, which I'd done before twice, I stayed on my balcony and enjoyed waving and calling to the Canal workers who are very near the ship sides all day. I treated my swollen ankle with ice and heat and rest. You can view the bridge cam from the inroom tv, and see all the lock operations up close, with no need to stand on a deck. It was rainy, cool, and misty all day, so I felt very lucky to be sheltered. Leaving the Canal is just like entering the Canal, so you have two opportunities to see the operations, and by the afternoon one, almost everyone has cleared out and you get a great view from the bow. Also, the ship offered many shore tours to see the whole Canal, and most people took one of those. The ship was almost empty that day. My favorite stop, hands down, was Puerto Limon where I took the rainforest aerial tram, one of the top travel experiences of my life. Two hours there in heavy traffic, two hours in the rainforest with lunch and the tram ride, and two hours back to the ship, with our guide Christian talking the whole time with great enthusiasm about everything in Costa Rica. I'm definitely returning there. Here again, our tour guide did everything to see I got a front seat to myself with plenty of room to elevate my foot and to help me on and off all our transportation. This was worth the $149 cost of the day, completely. At the first day, we stopped at Half Moon Cay for a beach bbq and island stop, but it was sadly different than what I'd experienced before, and I wish I hadn't bothered. I would have never known there was some kind of transportation around the rather confusing complex if an employee hadn't casually mentioned it as I came in from the tender. We didn't have much time: by the time we tendered over and ate it was time to line up to go back by the 2pm deadline. I only played $20 worth of slots in the casino, but everyone seemed to enjoy it. Mercifully, it was smoke free unlike most cruise casinos which stink up the whole deck. I did have a beverage package card which my travel agent arranged for me at a huge discount from the regular $500+ cost, and I enjoyed Prosecco and cocktails of new varieties all the cruise. If you wait till close to your cruise and make your case, you can usually get a nice discount on those beverage cards. I didn't use any spa services, as they were outrageously priced.. They had a ladies' evening for about $90 which sounded like it could be fun, but I didn't take them up on it. The spa was attractive, and I thought of acupuncture, but my acupuncture at home is $40 a session, and $159 on Eurodam. They offered all kinds of silly things like analyzing your footprint, but I didn't do any of them. Bottom line of my long review: you'll like this 11 day Central America and Panama Sunfarer cruise as long as you don't get hurt. HAL will do a good job for you, but keep your back turned on that medical center. My ratings below are tainted by my injury, but I enjoyed everything I was able to do and you will too. Good cruising! Read Less

This was a very successful vacation. Aft cabin on 8th floor was perfect for going thru the Panama Canal. The guide narrating the cruise was a welcome surprise...he did a great job. We also liked the (30 minute) educational classes they offered and attended almost all of them. Microsoft classes. Photo-coach classes. Port to table cooking demonstrations by chef about local foods. Presentations by the cruise director about the regions, and animals, and history. Fascinating topics. Also, the Lincoln Center Stage offered classical music performances and talks about performers. Such a treat! Our biggest complaint is that we don't like to dress up for dinner on the 2 gala nights, and eating in the Lido buffet can be challenging if ya want to just sit and have dinner as a couple. Would prefer HAL to come up with a dining service option for the "under dressed"...lol. One other thing we don't like is the high pressure "spa and fitness" people. They are too aggressive and materialistic...so we stayed away. However, we will definitely return to HAL!!! Read Less

Really nice mid-sized ship with excellent stops (Half Moon Cay, Aruba, Curacao, Cartagena Colombia and Puerto Limon Costa Rica where we went zip lining. Entertainment was much better than expected, and food in Lido was very good although we were disappointed in the in-cabin continental breakfast and limited dinner selections in the dining room. The only real disappointment was the relatively short time spent at the Panama Canal. If the Canal is your main reason for taking a cruise, I suggest you take a canal trip that goes end to end. Be aware that there are mostly seniors on this particular itinerary and although a few dress up for dinner, especially on the two Gala nights, most cruisers dress just enough to meet the requirements (e.g. no shorts in dining room at night). No lunch was served in dining room except once for Mariner members. It was our anniversary so we tried Tamarind on that night. The food was good but not exceptional although the service was special. All in all, a relaxing cruise that basically met our expectations.This was our second cruise on HAL (of six taken) and we would consider another one. Read Less

I am one cruise away from 5-star mariner status, so I consider myself an experienced Holland America 'expert' level passenger, lol. Starting with the convenience of sailing in and out of Fort Lauderdale (I live in Florida) the entire cruise was a real treat. The embark was a breeze, going by HAL shuttle bus from airport to cruise terminal, then right through security and right onto the ship. I was in a Signature Suite, which was spacious beyond necessity and had many lighting options, good temperature control, two-sink vanity, two desk areas, full sofa, big flat-screen, lots of places to plug things in. Midship was convenient to everything, and although I was in the suite adjacent to the glass elevator, (cabin #5093) I never heard a sound from it. The balcony was more narrow than most, because of the location the lifeboats directly under, although there was room for two reclining chairs, two ottomans , and a good sized table. Robes and slippers provided, and there was twice-daily 'turn-down-and-tidy-up service. I had a terrific table for two on the upper level main dining room, and had dinner there every evening, which after the first evening, only took one hour from appetizer to dessert. Breakfasts and lunches were always a treat in the Lido with such an enormous selection of foods, my favorite being the fresh sushi served daily. The entertainment was interesting enough, and as always, I had my own puzzle books, Kindle, DVD-player and DVDs to entertain myself. I very much enjoyed the dancers, and my husband liked the singers, and we both liked the comedian, who was hilarious, and we both liked the talks about the local history. Room service was always pleasant, and prompt. I have been to the Dutch islands many times, and always go to the casinos in Aruba and Curacao because they are walkable. I urge new cruisers to do research, and a lot of it before signing up for any cruise on any line. HAL's clientele is mostly the older generations, like myself, which is why I adore it. In 23 years of sailing HAL, I have NEVER seen a 'tipsy' passenger, and I have NEVER been kept awake at night by 'party animals'. This is what I like, al serene relaxing experience, and I always get that when sailing with HAL. There are nightclubs on board, and I have heard they are terrific, so if you like to stay up later, you can! And I have also heard that their kids' club is the best at sea. My tip for new cruisers to HAL would be to go places early whenever possible, for example, go to the Lido a few minutes before they open and you will easily find a table you like, and you'll be first in line at the buffet. Read Less

My wife and I (both 53) were asked to join our friends on the Eurodam 11 day cruise to the Panama Canal. Having cruised several times before on Disney, RCCL & NCL we were eager to experience HAL. I was aware that the HAL demographic was the older sort. We booked in 2018 for a 2020 cruise, so we had plenty of time for research and YouTube video watching. My wife kept insisting that it wasn’t an “old person” cruise....and today, as I sit on the Lido deck of the Eurodam on day 10 of our 11 day cruise, writing this review, I can confidently say that it is a cruise geared to seniors. This doesn’t make it bad, or boring. Perhaps for my wife and I it is a bit boring. But I can certainly see why this cruise appeals to the over 70 crowd. As a disclaimer, please let me remind you that the views expressed herein are from that of a young-at-heart 53 year old. 95% of the passengers on our cruise are older than me...by a good margin. But they all seem to be enjoying the selection of activities and entertainment. There is a game room where the passengers gather to play board games or card games. There are televisions set up in that room. There is a small casino, that seems very tight on the payouts. There are two very talented pianists that play in the Billboard Onboard club and they attract a nice crowd. They performed almost every night so far. I don’t feel as though I am qualified to review the entertainment on the main stage. I am not a fan of stage shows, so normally I don’t attend. I did go to the comedian show....he was okay..but his set was targeted toward an audience 80 and up. I went back a few nights later to see the impressionist, I gave him about 20 minutes before leaving the show. His first impression was of Paul Lynde. If you know who Paul Lynde was...then this is a show for you! There was also a Brazilian musician (Danilo Gonzalez) that performed one night..I did not attend that show but I heard a lot of people walked out on the show because it was a lot of loud guitar music, not targeted toward this crowd apparently. So what is lacking? What could HAL do differently? I’m not sure they will change anything, as apparently this type of cruise works for their demographic, but here are a few things I would like to see. There is no live band on the pool deck. There are no activities throughout the course of the day that might appear on the pool decK. Other cruise lines we have been on have offered volley ball or even belly flop contests which of course would not appeal to this crowd, but surely there must be something they could offer in the form of entertainment. Half way through the first week, my wife and I found ourselves working on a jigsaw puzzle in the Explorations Cafe. That was a first for me. By the way, if jigsaw puzzles are your form of entertainment, maybe the cruise line could pitch in and buy a few new puzzles before each cruise? The one we were working on had a note in the box saying it was missing 11 pieces. Food is hard to find at certain times of the day. You can always get room service 24/7 (although the menu is quite limited). And you can always get pizza by the Sea View pool but you have to order a whole pizza and wait 10-15 minutes. An improvement would be to offer slices and have them ready-made, with an option for a whole pizza if you wish. You can also order burgers and dogs for Dive-In with a 15-20 minute wait. But if you are looking for food around 4:15PM - 5:15PM and the again from 9:30PM - 10:30PM you are out of luck! What ever happened to midnight buffets with ice sculptures and butter carved into seahorses? Does any cruise line offer that type of fare any more? As I sit on my deck chair looking at the selection of activities to choose from for the day, I may go to the Team Trivia challenge but will pass on the selection of “Look ten years Younger w/ Dr. Diana”, “Increase your Metabolism”, “Design your own Luggage Tags” or “Design your own Keepsake Tin Box”. The food on board is good, some of it is very good. I haven’t experienced anything amazing however. You can, of course, pay more money to experience one of their “exclusive” restaurants, but that is an entirely different topic that I could comment on for days. Starting with, “Let me get this straight, you can offer better food if I pay you more money? So in the meantime I have to settle for the “free” food that is included with the cruise?” I know this is common not just on HAL but the other cruise lines I have been on as well, I just disagree with the idea. There was a time when, if you paid to go on a cruise you got amazing food at each meal and didn’t have to pay an up charge for better food. Some of the other cruisers seem to like having the staff dish out your selections at the buffet. I am not a fan. I have stood to the side waiting for a roll or sausage or piece of fruit to be placed on my dish while the food staff is attending to another passenger by dishing up an omelet or crepe or other food item which does need assistance. The food at the Lido is presented in such a way that you cannot, in most cases, help yourself even if the tongs are within reach. The sneeze guards are so low that you have to be very short or have extremely flexible limbs to helps yourself, forcing you to ask for assistance for that food selection that you wanted one more piece of, but were too embarrassed to ask for. The dining room is well run and the servers, assistant servers and head waiters are very accommodating. We originally chose the as-you-wish dining option, thinking that would be great to not have to be locked in to a dining time, but very early on we discovered that once we found a table we liked with servers that knew us, we opted to go to that table each night at the same time and the wait staff accommodated our request. This is one of the truly unique experiences you can still have on a cruise ship. That is...having your waiter call you by name, know your likes and dislikes, having your favorite beverage ready for you when you sit down and all of the other quirks you may have that you would have to explain to a new waiter if you did not commit to a dinner time. I now know that I much prefer that tradition much more than the optional come-when-you-want. Specific to this cruise, the ports were good. I think they could have squeezed another day in at half moon Cay if they wanted to. We had to miss our day in Costa Rica due to rough seas. This gave us three sea days in a row and the ship was tossing everyone around, I won’t say violently, but someone else might say it was violent. The pools have been closed for two days because of the rough water and the sliding roof is closed as well, they say they cannot open it because of the rough seas and it could slide back and forth. Not sure if that is true, it would be a bad design if that is the case. They have a policy not to save pool chairs, but that is largely disregarded by our fellow cruisers. They say that chairs unattended for 30 minutes will have the towels removed and the chair made available to someone else. This is not heavily enforced by the staff, but the seniors on board are not shy about moving your stuff if they feel your chair had been empty for too long. Towels at the pool are super easy to get. On other cruise lines we have traveled on, we have had to “sign-out” towels and then check them back in. It seems HAL is not concerned about missing towels, they are readily available to everyone and no one cares if you take one, three or thirty. Our cabin is fine, plenty of room for two adults, I think our placement at the rear of the shop may have added to the queasiness we felt after a few days of rough seas, but that is to be expected, our room steward tried his best at pronouncing our last name each time we saw him, but he was attentive and thorough and I appreciated his attempt at the towel animals each night. I also liked that this was a smaller ship. We have been on trips that have 5,000-7,000 passengers and on a ship of just 2,100 you are not standing around as much for food, or elevators or disembarking. I am very glad to have experienced the Eurodam. It is not for everyone, But that doesn’t make it bad. I probably wouldn’t do it again, there are a lot of other cruise lines I might like to experience. But knowing what to expect before you go is important for any trip you take. I got what I expected from the Eurodam, I just think they could offer their cruisers a bit more. Read Less

We wanted to go to Panama. Looking at the itineraries, we chose the Eurodam. I was reluctant about Holland America because I do get motion sickness so I was concerned about HAL’s smaller ships, as compared to others we have been on. I only had a problem one day, when the weather was extremely bad. Also, they have a reputation for older clientele. It’s true, but not bad at all. I’d say mostly active older adults. I wished they had more exercise classes at better times, but it was a great experience. The Lincoln Center piano quintet was our favorite. They were very popular. It was like going to a professional concert every night. This will be a big priority on our next Holland America ship. Amazing performers and performances. If not for them, I would have rated the entertainment a 2. Meals were better than our other cruises. They had the Navigator app, but it was disappointing as far as the information about events. One negative was their lack of a convenient cafe to get better coffee. You have to go all the way to the 11th floor. Read Less

embarkation/disembarkation were smooth. cruise staff worked really hard. entertainment was disappointing. while the dueling pianos were terrific, BB King was monotonous and most other entertainment mediocre. very comfortable chairs on deck 3 and towels always available. menus were varied; prompt and attentive service in dining room LIdo ran out of ice at lunch several days which was disappointing for ice tea drinkers (the sign on the ice machine that reads "do not fill up personal drinking tumblers" was largely ignored. sad that so many of my fellow cruisers are illiterate) Half Moon Cay - bathroom was out of toilet paper EARLY in the day and there was trash on the beach when the first tender arrived--so this debris was from an earlier ship. very disappointed in lack of cleaning. disappointed in the tour guide who boarded the boat for the trips through the Panama Canal locks. Could have easily been more informative and entertaining. room was very quiet (room 1111) and convenient. enjoyed a smoke-free casino. Read Less

We chose HA because the reviews & travel agents said they catered to older travelers. Thought it would be a perfect way to bring in the New Year, some good music, dancing and space to enjoy. Well the only thing good was the music, it was excellent. Guessing because it was a New Year’s cruise there were lots of families & extended families on board. Also, HA must have had some good rates as the boat was packed. New Year’s Eve was like a “mosh pit” on deck. No place to sit and enjoy the music and definitely no place to dance, well unless you got a drink and jumped around. The only other music entertainment for NYE was the dueling pianos, It was packed as well. 2nd seating diners had no chance for a place to enjoy. Anyway, we spent NYE in a quite bar toasting with our friends & the servers. Because the ship was so crowded every night was pretty much like this. BB King Club had excellent music but area was packed, no seats & no space to dance. Also, for some reason HA decided that would be a good place for private functions so a couple nights half the club was reserved. So for the entire 7 day cruise we were only able to dance 4 times, the day after the mosh pit was fairly quiet. We will now pass on cruising with HA and add them to our list which include Carnival, NCL, Princess ....... time to move up a category. We did pay for the Neptune SB suite so we weren’t trying to cruise cheap, just wanted some space to ...... Read Less

Hi This was my 7th cruise with HAL and my first time on the Eurodam. We really enjoyed it. We were on a 7 nights cruise in the caribbean. We left Port Everglades and the route was: -Half Moon Cay (always nice but another ship was in port this time so slightly busier; however we always walk to the end of the beach to get peace and quiet) -Grand Turk (did a snorkelling tour there organised by HAL - great fun!) -Amber Cove (we didn't book any tours for here - not much to see at the port - multiple gift shops selling the same things) - Nassau (we didn't book a tour for her - big mistake as the main street around the cruise terminal is just wall to wall jewellery shops. Also the area was a bit grubby) On each of the nights we ate in the speciality dining rooms - Tamarind (3 nights) and Pinnacle Grill (4 nights including the New Years Eve dinner). The food and service was superb on each of the nights. We went to a couple of the shows and really enjoyed it. Lastly the crew - it's the HAL crew that really make the difference. Everyone is so friendly and go out of their way to make your holiday - wonderful! Don't know what else to say excpet it was another excellent cruise from HAL and we're looking forward to the next one later in the year Read Less

Great time. Excellent service. Food of high quality with good taste; however, sometimes the selections didn't meet my taste (too much seafood and duck). The ship was in good repair and very clean. We did miss the big production shows on the mainstage. The BBC animal video with music was excellent and so fun. The ship's layout is slightly different than other ships, but once you got used to it was okay. Didn't notice much smoking at all. I would recommend this ship. Loved Half Moon Cay as always. Beautiful clear waters. Take the time to explore outside the port in Grand Turk. Very nice island. The donkeys are so cute. We did the Mountains and City Sights tour in Dominican Republic and would highly recommend it. We did not care for Nassau. We would not recommend the Top 10 Nassau Sights as it is just a restaurant meal and shopping. We did Club Orange and were pleased with the experience. Made any time dining a breeze and some other nice perks like a behind the scenes tour. Loved the Pervuian Chicken and Short Rib Club Orange entrees on the menu. Read Less

This is the second time I've sailed on the Eurodam this year. In February, my husband and I sailed to Hawaii and liked it for a leisurely senior sailing (we read lots of novels)--but it was also a great choice for a three-generation family Christmas week cruise. Let it be said that there were some skeptical cruisers on board--but they were won over by the low-key ship, the good food that included a number of local Caribbean and Mexican dishes, and the professional and unobtrusive service. And my 11-year-old grandson, though disappointed with Club Hal (which he abandoned after the first day), thought the french fries at Dive-In, the pool and the hot tub--and especially the day on Half Moon Cay-- were so wonderful that he was reluctant to get off the ship! We were very fortunate in having good weather almost everyday (the day before and the day after our day at Half Moon Cay, the seas were too rough to take people ashore) which made, of course, a big difference. Everyone loved the "Humanity" performance by the One Step Dance Company (a second performance, "Stages" was much less spectacular), the BBC Planet II showing with live music, and the BB King Blues Club. And I, as always, loved the America's Test Kitchen demonstrations; Lori was a fantastic teacher/performer. The Eurodam makes up in classic elegance what it lacks in glitz. I really like this ship and think (at least if you watch your bar bill) it is excellent value. We loved the time to talk and bond as a family--and the way that the ship offered something of interest to persons from 11 to 73. Those so-inclined spent time in the gym and snorkeled, everyone danced to blues music, and there were two sea days to just sit on the deck and talk and enjoy the views of sun and sea. It was a great cruise. Read Less

After sailing on the Eurodam two previous times in the past 14 months, we were looking forward to this trip. Our disappointment was primarily in the fact that the ship’s services have declined significantly. The ship has discontinued its production shows. And the level of talent being hired for the main stage is also declining. Further, the ship no longer offers lunch in the dining room (even on sea days), which forces everyone to the buffet. Additionally, we really enjoy the America’s Test Kitchen shows, but on this cruise the were repeats from a cruise we took, in August. Two of the ports were also a complete waste. In Panama, you either took one of the ship’s tours, or you were restricted to visit Colon. The town of Colon is a poor port town. Nothing of note, and not enough time to plan a trip on your own to go anywhere. At this port, I’d recommended staying aboard. In Costa Rica, we landed at the port of Limon. This too is a shipping port. Very little to see. San Jose is more than 2 hours away, and visiting the rainforest or sloth preserve is very difficult on your own. We did hire a driver to see the countryside, and he informed us there was wide spread corruption in the city. I am a fan of Holland America, but this was not their best showing. Read Less

I consider myself a veteran cruiser and, having done my research, thought it was time to try my first HAL cruise for my 'bucket list" Panama Canal trip. It definitely met my expectations and more. This was also my first sailing from Ft. Lauderdale. Having flown in the day before, we stayed at a hotel near the port. Embarkation was smooth with just a short wait. The terminal is smaller than others I've seen and a little worn but staff was helpful. You're given a group number and board accordingly. The Eurodam is absolutely beautiful! I was immediately impressed by the decor, cleanliness and easy navigation to the different venues. But, even more impressive was, as we stepped aboard, we were told that our cabins were available...that was a FIRST. See cabin review below. We had the majority of our meals in The Dining Room and Lido Market and both are very nice. The Dining Room is beautiful. Food was good and service were great. The Lido Market has a great selection of food options. I was happy that the buffet staff dishes up your choices. The Explorations Cafe was quiet with a great view and good coffee. We did all HAL shore excursions. Most were very good, some just okay. Disembarkation was quick and easy Read Less

I chose this line as a solo traveler because I wanted an enjoyable cruise without the crazy party atmosphere. However, I did anticipate some nightlife activities and this is where I was disappointed. Entertainment on this ship barely goes past 11:30PM. Although 2 venues, BB Kings and Billboards were quite entertaining they ended too early. Unless you gamble good luck finding entertainment after. Dining was delicious and the dining room staff was exceptional. Lido was clean but often times not open to those who do not eat at normal times. Guest service members did thier job, they were great at not really being of assistance. For example, one experience was when I was in need of feminine care and I was told that they had no complimentary products and the gift shop was limited but also not open until the next day. Clearly in this situation staff should have been more accomadating. It was also said to me on my first day experience with guest services that Holland America is for those who have reached a certain milestone in their lives and perhaps I would have a better time on another line! Now what exactly was he suggesting? I could go on about other experiences but I think you get what I myself and John from guest services are saying. If you are under 80 choose another cruise line! Read Less

We were scheduled to go on Celebrity in October 2019 but had to cancel so thought we would cruise in December. Always wanted to try Holland America and liked the itinerary. In general the ship is very nice, loved that the pool was never crowded, elevators came quickly and the standard balcony was nice. However, as others have said the shows were lacking and only had a couple of comedians, a five piece band playing music from the 70's and a poorly acted production by the crew members. The BBking band was excellent and listened to them every night The other two venues - the duel pianos and the classical venue were not to our liking. it would have been nice to hear music while having a drink before dinner. The lido buffet was ok - felt the selection of food was the same every day and the food was just ok. The dinner selections were just ok also; however, the staff throughout the entire ship was very accommodating and friendly. Getting on and off the ship was a breeze. We were seated with another very nice couple at dinner and they felt the same as us about the whole experience on this voyage and were disappointed. I could get the sense that Holland America wants to please its passengers and always asks what they can do to keep their passengers or bring on new passengers - they need much better music venues, better shows and better quality shows. Any questions please feel free and I will try to elaborate. Would I go back on Holland America, no - it was just too quiet for us and lacking pizzaz. I know the question is always asked about the age group of passenger. The answer is it was a mix anywhere from the 40's to the 80's. Read Less

We chose this particular cruise because we had always wanted to see the Panama Canal and Aruba, both of which we got to see. As usual though, the highlight of our trip was meeting other guests and the wonderful staff members. From the Sea Bar bartenders/servers to the Caneletto servers and Maitre'D, to the Casino workers and the Tamarind servers, it was top notch customer service. All were friendly, personable, hardworking, and remembered everyone's names immediately. Seeing the Panama Canal was really more interesting than I thought it would be. It was on my husband's bucket list (not really mine) but seeing in person the locks and how they worked was really interesting. Watching our ship go through the locks (wake up early and don't miss this!) was another highlight of my trip. The passage on either side of the Eurodam was just inches, and it was fascinating how they do they navigate this. The engineering of the damn itself was also fascinating to read about, along with the history of how it was done and what discoveries were made to help not only the completion of the dam, but future generations from diseases like malaria. Onboard entertainment as a whole was very good. I loved the BB King's Band. They were constantly high energy and fun, as well as being extremely talented. The comedian was funny, and the BillBoard piano singers were also entertaining. As far as dining, we never once ate in the Dining Room, so I can't rate that. But Tamaring=d and Canaletto's were excellent, and we ate at both several times for dinner. Service at both was excellent. As I mentioned before, meeting the staff and seeing how hard they work while smiling every day, is aleways my favorite part of a cruise. If I might, I want to persoanny thank a few staff members: Dolce, (casino), Donny, Saul, Phee Jahy, and Chindawan (Sea Bar), Evi and Arma (tamarind), and Nelson ((Canaletto Mgr.) Thesee people all made our experience on this cruise a truly great time. Holland has an older demographic, and my only advice to them to is include more onboard activities for those of us that haven't reached that demographic yet. While I enjoyed trivia and martini tastings, there wasn't much else I was interested in. Overall, in was just a wonderful time as always on Holland America. And they do an incredible job of training their staff. Thank you! Read Less

My sister is a 4 time mariner and after the loss of her husband of 56 years asked me to join her for a cruise that she and my brother-in-law had wanted to take during Thanksgiving. I did! I am 58 and had such a great time. I went without picking up any internet packages (no phone calls/texting, no FB...., -I called my husband 3 times in 16 days to check in. I was able to relax like I haven't in years. My sister gave me the choice of Excursions and with the exception of 1, we had the best time. Being afraid of heights she was not thrilled when my first pick was the Canopy & Zip Line tour in Costa Rica, but after her first line, she loved it and would do it again (she is 74). One of our other highlights, was do to Cruise Critic roll call, one of the passengers noted that they purchased the Palm Oasis in Half Moon Cay - WOW!!! It cost us each $117 to have our own private party!! We had a huge covered Cabana with a table setting for 12. They were their to great us when we arrived with food, and our lunch was unreal. We had a hot tub, float mattresses and snorkel gear that was all provided.....oh and a unlimited bar, all included. And yes the water and view were to die for. We didn't sleep in at all - we were up walking deck 3 at Sunrise, I just can't tell you enough how relaxed, how much fun I had. We met so many people, and thankfully we exchanged emails with some. Our dining crew was spectacular, we stayed at the same table due to our waiter Sumerta, Dining room 2, table 212. He not only served us, but entertained us. Thanks Holland America and my Sister for a AWESOME 1st Cruise!! Read Less

We’ve sailed in HAL and I find they have excellent service. This was no different. I really loved the itinerary (Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and the Bahamas) and they had great choices for shore excursions. It was a lovely way to experience the canal and parts of Central and South America. Delicious food too. The ship is a little dated. Wonderful entertainment (classical Lincoln Center quintet, dueling pianos, singers, dancers, comedians, magicians, musicians). My only quibble: terrible internet (no streaming and only one device at a time per payment). They shouldn’t be charging for internet which is now like charging for AIR and especially without streaming! Also they charge their employees for internet and I think that’s wrong when they work so much and need to stay in touch with family. Loved all our shore excursions which I went on with my active 81 year old mom: swimming with dolphins (Puerto Vallarta), snorkeling (Huatulco, Mexico), Lake Atitlan (Guatemala, beware 2.5 bus ride each way plus 2 hour round trip boat ride), equestrian show at a ranch in Nicaragua, crocodile nature boat ride in Costa Rica, food tour in Cartagena, Colombia, surf horseback riding / kayaking in Bahamas and great Panama Canal experience. Read Less

Very clean, well appointed ship. Dining @Lido and Dining Room was usually top rate. Lots of variety, well presented, variety of options through the cruise. Staff, without exception, were terrific for the whole cruise - friendly, responsive and efficient. Cabin steward was very responsive and helpful - very knowledgeable. On board entertainment - numerous and varied - from magicians to dance, musicals and comedians. Other activities were directed at an older audience - Holland America seems to attract older demographic which is fine but maybe more active types of activities on board would be welcome. Charges of $15 for fitness classes seemed a bit excessive. Gym was outstanding!! Tours were generally very good - well organized and good guides. One tour occurred (Cartagena) in which the guide (limited English) took us to two different stores during a 3 hour shore tour. This ate up at least 45 minutes of our overall tour - was quite insistent, to the point of raising his voice, if we didn't stay in the store and look at the merchandise. He had little historical/cultural knowledge of the city. Read Less