We took a 7-day cruise to the eastern Caribbean on the Eurodam out of Fort Lauderdale. Because we were worried about getting snowed in at home, we arrived in Fort Lauderdale a couple of days early. After a quick $25 cab ride from the beach, we arrived at the cruise terminal about noon, and it took about a half hour to board from there. Checking in was no problem; most of the wait was upstairs as they let people on in groups. Waiting area was not glamorous but efficient. At least you can sit rather than stand in a long line.

Overall the Eurodam is a very nice ship, with a few quirks. The ship was built in 2008 and still in excellent condition. The glass elevators midship are great. This is a mid-sized ship by today's standards. It handles over 2000 people but we never felt crowded. A mid-sized ship also means there are not fancy wave pools or rock walls and it has a slightly older crowd. On the plus side, it was always easy to find a quiet place on ship. The only crowded area was on deck in a sun chair during a sea day. One nice thing about Holland America is that you can bring wine (not beer or hard stuff)to drink in your room (not in the dining room or elsewhere).

This sailing was on school vacation week and the kids appeared to enjoy themselves anyway and did not seem to bother the adults. All of the public spaces are on floors 2&3 and on the top of the ship (Lido-deck 9, bars/lounges on 11). The smoke from the casino unfortunately drifts to all the nearby bars and even the main level of the theater. There are two swimming pools (one limited to adults) but if you go for the pool, both are quite small. Read more