OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 25122 posts, RR: 60 Posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 7508 times:
I have been long awaiting this new cruise ship and finally the date came to fly to Southampton to be one of the first lucky passengers to step on board.
DATE : 27/JUNE/2008
FLIGHT : BE 985
A/C : Q400
SEAT : 6A
ROUTE : BHD-SOU
I checked in online the night before and arrived at George Best Belfast City airport at around 0545.
I met my friends who had also been invited and we went through security. This did not take more than 5 mins.
After a coffee and a chat it was time to go to the gate to board.
The flight was un eventful. I tried to get some sleep and so didnt bother to buy anything onboard. We landed on time and then all got the train to Southampton Central. From there we had a few hours to kill so some went shopping and the rest of us went to a local hotel for breakfast. After that it was time to join the ship.
As we approached the ship I was really excited about getting onboard. Its the same feeling I get when I am going on a new aircraft type. We were welcomed by the staff of Holland America line and given our room keys and information pack.
I opened the door to my stateroom and was instantly pleased.
Flat screen TV with DVD player
Fresh flowers
Ok now I will take you on a tour of this wonderful ship. First we start at the Spa.
Then the covered indo ''Lido'' area.
Time for Champagne
The Tamarind restaurant
Therapy rooms
Gym
Each area has lots of fresh flowers . Its very impressive and really adds a natural feeling to the ships public areas.
Shopping boutiques
This is the feature in the Atrium but I do not like it . It has been nicknamed the ''Condom''
The main dining room
The thing I like also are the art displays . They have a old world theme of American and Dutch explorers.
Pinnacles restaurant
Time for the nightclub
Casino
Sports Bar
Check out the baseball glove seats !!
Theatre
One of the many suites
Time for lunch
Another cruise ship NCL's passing by our ship. The crew on our ship said that it was their ''tug boat' LOL... a bit of rivalry there !!
Cinnamon ice cream... was amazing
After a long day stiopping off at various bars and exploring the ship it was time to go to our rooms and shower and get our tuxedo's on for dinner.
I had the beef !!
After that it was time to see the show in the theatre. It was a great show.
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
HA_DC9 From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 647 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 7452 times:
Nice TR and great pics. As a lover of aviation, I am also a lover of ships and the sea. Looks like Holland America did an awesome job with the Eurodam. I believe it is part of the "Vista" class series of ships that other cruise lines use too. Cunard's new Queen Victoria is also a Vista Class ship. It's cool how the cruise lines can customize their own ships based on a generic design similar to how airlines can customize their aircraft interiors with each aircraft type.
CAP2008 From United States of America, joined May 2007, 255 posts, RR: 3 Reply 3, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 7449 times:
Nicely done,
HAL is my favorite cruise line, looks like the Eurodam will carry on the tradition of excellence. Even though they're owned by carnival, the European influence on HAL(and Costa also) makes for a better cruise IMO, something that royal Caribbean, carnival, and princess just can't equal.
The mother of the last KC-135 pilot has yet to be born.
Alexchao From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 686 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 7425 times:
Great TR! The cruise ship looks like lots of fun... and good food!
AJO From Netherlands, joined Jan 2005, 575 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 7313 times:
Great pics, thanks!
The Eurodam is now a couple of hundred meters from my window, and will stay there for the next couple of days (Wilhelminakade, Rotterdam, NL). Tomorrow is the official "opening ceremony" (in Dutch it's called the ship's baptism, don't know the term in English).
Airbuseric From Netherlands, joined Jan 2005, 4068 posts, RR: 51 Reply 9, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 7179 times:
Hi Philip!
what a great report on 'our' ms Eurodam! It's impressive, and just beautiful.
I really have to get on a cruiseship soon, to check it out myself.
Nice catch home on the E95 as well, still missing in my log, and to me, one of the best looking regional jets around.
Cheers,
Eric
"The whole world steps aside for the man who knows where he is going"
EICVD From Ireland, joined Mar 2008, 2076 posts, RR: 5 Reply 10, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 7129 times:
Hi Phil
Another very enjoyable TR from you. Them cruise ships sure are something else. Wouldnt be my sort of holiday though, id probably end up going mad LOL
Thanks for posting.
Dublin, where Sam Maguire will be coming home to in mid September
Jkj777 From United States of America, joined Aug 2007, 397 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 6976 times:
great TR, my fiance is a dancer on the ship and it was kind of nice seeing the videos of one of their shows and her in action. I have not seen her in two months and another 6 weeks to go before she is off the ship.
I am a little worried, however, about the videos you have posted. Stiletto Entertainment and Holland America do not allow these shows to be taped and posted without permission. The office here in L.A. will not be happy about this so I recommend that you write a letter or give them a call to assure you are not breaking any laws here.
Great TR! I love HAL and the Eurodam is an awesome ship from what I hear.
KL642 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 350 posts, RR: 5 Reply 12, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 6811 times:
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 25122 posts, RR: 60 Reply 13, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 6734 times:
Thanks guys for all the comments . It was a great two days.
Quoting EIRules (Reply 4): That actually looks like a cruise ship i would like to travel on,
Am I seeing things LOL... Finally !!!
Quoting Jkj777 (Reply 11): I am a little worried, however, about the videos you have posted
No its ok we asked and were told that as long as they were only mini clips and we were not filming the whole thing or large chunks of it . Everyone had their cameras and mobile phones so it was very obvious. Anyway very good PR for HAL and free advertising...lol... I should be getting a free cruise for this LOL.... Nice that your fiance was in the show. Always nice to see something on here that you personally are connected to. Tell her the show was amazing and very professional.
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
DALCE From Netherlands, joined Feb 2007, 1597 posts, RR: 7 Reply 14, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 6726 times:
Hi Philip,
What an amazing ship she is, the luxery is ashtonishing and breathtaking.
Is this one of the most luxerious cruiseships out there?
What flag does she have, the Dutch one????
Quoting OA260 (Thread starter): Some of the Dutch crew joined us on the dance floor and I have to say they are a very good looking and sexy race LOL....
Don't tell everybody about it....This is my pond to fish in
Also a nice combination of flights, with the Q400 and the E-195, not the most used aircraft in Europe
Thanks for sharing!
cheers,
Joost ( D-ALCE )
flown on : F50,F70,CR1,CR2,CR9,E75,143,AR8,AR1,733,735,736,73G,738,753,744,319,320,321,333,AB6.
StarAlliance38 From United States of America, joined Jan 2008, 1445 posts, RR: 4 Reply 18, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 6206 times:
Great TR! Nice pics!!
I live near a cruise ship port and I've never been on a cruise. The only way I cruise is in the air!
MadameConcorde From San Marino, joined Feb 2007, 10350 posts, RR: 40 Reply 19, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 6120 times:
This is a very very good report about this new ship. You showed us everything about the ship that you possibly could have. We see everything at least about the public areas.
Now I was never a Holland America cruise line fan. Neither am I a NCL fan. I still like Cunard the most even if she is no longer UK owned and this is sad.
We will have the QE2 here on 26 July for the last time ever.
I see Holland America ships from my windows when they arrive and leave Monte Carlo and they come quite frequently: the Zuiderdam, Noordam, Prinsendam, Rotterdam and other "dams". I find their architecture quite ugly and bulky especially the bigger ones, but this is only my own taste.
Your ship report is excellent. Thank you for posting it.
There was a better way to fly it was called Concorde
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 25122 posts, RR: 60 Reply 20, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 5873 times:
Thanks
Quoting MadameConcorde (Reply 19): I find their architecture quite ugly and bulky especially the bigger ones, but this is only my own taste.
Yes some parts are very nice and modern but other parts I have to say I think look old and dated. That center piece in the atrium is quite ugly and some parts of the ship are very dark.
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
Semsem From Israel, joined Jul 2005, 1779 posts, RR: 3 Reply 21, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 5782 times:
How long is the train trip from Belfast? New ships are so much nicer than the ships 25 years ago. Makes the QE 2 look like a slum. Makes me want to book a trip. Thanks.
BananaBoY From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2004, 1558 posts, RR: 25 Reply 23, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 1 day ago) and read 5652 times:
Quoting OA260 (Thread starter): Another cruise ship NCL's passing by our ship. The crew on our ship said that it was their ''tug boat' LOL... a bit of rivalry there !!
Cheek!
Wish I could have made it.. was unable to accept the invitation.
Thanks for the report!
Mark
All my life, I've been kissing, your top lip 'cause your bottom one's missing
Wish I could have made it.. was unable to accept the invitation.
LOL.... I know , I kind of felt guilty to be rushing to the window to get the pic LOL... But I love NCL , have booked a cruise for myself on the Jewel.... cant wait.
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
25 MadameConcorde: I got to see the Independence of the Seas yesterday on my way to Nice. She is huge. I still -- and much -- prefer the Cunard Queens above all others.
26 StevenG: Nice TR! As my mother used to work at the HAL on board of the SS Rotterdam in the early-mid sixties (and my late father at the HQ), I decided to show
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