Great cruise!
Eurodam Cruise Review to Alaska - Inside Passage
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 7+ cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 56
Review summary
Overall this was a very good cruise. The destinations and excursions were very scenic and fun, and different, because Alaska is a unique place. The ship experience was great in some ways, average in others, but overall very good, and the service from embarkation, on the ship, to disembarkation, was excellent.Embarkation
Easy, simple, no stress
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
The food was very good, and I liked the selection of options. My only complaints are that the buffets and dining rooms were closed just a little too often, for an hour or two in the afternoon and at night, and I thought it was strange not to have the ability to get food, basically whenever, on a cruise ship. I also think there could have been more available at the buffet off hours. Both are minor issues, but compared with other cruises I've been on, the availability of food was slightly less than expected. Still, overall, food and drink were great.
Onboard Activities
I wish the pools and hot tubs were open later, as 10pm is very early to close, especially when all are closed at the same time. I think Holland America's reputation for catering to an older crowd is earned, especially in this case. The fitness center, pools, hot tubs, and other facilities were all more than adequate, but the hot tubs are small, and there aren't enough of them, in my opinion, considering they are almost always full until that early closing time.
Entertainment
There are slightly fewer activities and events on this ship than I've seen on others, but the ones I participated in were very well done. The comedian, Paul Morrisey, was really funny, and the Magician was really good. The singing and dancing shows were better than expected, with good sound and a laser lighting that was unique and interesting. The piano players and classical string performers were talented, and the trivia activities were good too. I would have rated this higher, had there been a little more to choose from, but overall the entertainment was good.
Service and Staff
Service was really good. Ship personnel were very polite, attentive, and accommodating.
Ship Quality
Layout and design are good, common areas are very clean and well maintained, and the observation deck, game rooms, and lounge areas are actually top notch, better than other ships I've been on. I also like the cabana offerings, particularly the retreat area, which I would recommend for seeing Glacier Bay. We did that, and it was the place to be for that day. This is a smaller ship than some, so options are slightly more limited or smaller, like the small hot tubs, for example, but the design and cleanliness are excellent for what is available.
Cabin / Stateroom
The cabin was good size, for what it was, and the bed was very comfortable, with nice, soft pillows, four of them, with better than average sheets, and a nice comforter. There wasn't enough closet or any drawers, so we kept clothes in suitcases, but we knew we were getting a very basic cabin when we booked the cruise, and I've seen a lot worse. The shower was great, with solid water pressure, and the design of the bathroom was better than past cruise experiences I've had.
Ship tip
If you go on the Alaskan cruise with Glacier Bay as one of your destinations, I would suggest booking a cabana in the retreat area for the day that the ship passes through Glacier Bay.
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Ports of call
Juneau is beautiful, and the Mendenhall Glacier was a fun thing to see. We also took the tram up the hill and hiked around, and the views from that hike were incredible, overlooking the whole water way and downtown Juneau. The russion dumplings were great too, and it was easy to get around.
Glacier Bay was awesome. Very cool scenery, and wildlife. You need binoculars for this, and get a cabana on the ship, and it will be fun.
Sitka was my favorite stop, mostly because we took a sea kayak excursion that was really fun, and the scenery in Sitka was the best of the trip. It's a beautiful location, with large rocky mountain peaks and hills rising up right from the large ocean, inlets, and channels of water that run all around the place. Kayaking there was a great way to see the natural beauty, and we also saw a bear from our kayak, which was really cool.
Ketchikan had the least scenery of the stops, but had one of the better excursions, which was the log show. That was a lot of fun. I also really liked the creek street, which was interesting to see.
Victoria is pretty, and an interesting city, but not somewhere particularly exciting as a cruise destination. Ladies seem to love it, because of it's ambience, so that's a plus. The food at the Irish Times pub was oustanding, and the live music was good too.
Disembarkation
Very easy process.