My family and I just returned from a Holland America cruise on the Eurodam ship, from Seattle to Seattle. Let’s review!
Food
You will be spoiled for options. There’s a buffet running just about all day, featuring a salad bar, pan-Asian dishes, sushi, a dessert bar, sandwiches and breads, and a range of hot dishes, from seafood pot pie to macaroni and cheese. One of the days, the kitchen prepared Indian food, and the chicken tikka masala was divine. The kitchen staff also serves the food to you, so you don’t need to worry as much about hygiene as with a traditional, self-serve buffet. If a buffet is too chaotic for you, you can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the main dining room. I thought the layout was a bit cramped, but I enjoyed the dishes, especially breakfast—go for the Dungeness crab eggs Benedict and the banana bread French toast. There are also specialty dining options, for a surcharge. We tried the steakhouse, Italian restaurant, and the Southeast Asian restaurant. All three were very good. The Pinnacle Grill had incredible lobster bisque and bacon appetizer (separate from the bisque!), but I have certainly had better steak. The Italian venue—Canaletto—didn’t have much of an atmosphere, but the food was authentic and the portions were large. The pesto pasta was superb. Tamarind, the Southeast Asian option, had a very intimate ambience. I thought my curry left a little to be desired, but all in all, I enjoyed. Beyond these options, you can grab pizza, burgers, and dogs from casual, made-to-order places on Deck 9.
Drinks
Each one of us in the party had the drinks package. The standard package gives you access to 15 drinks a day, which covers alcoholic beverages (US$11 and under) and specialty drinks like chai lattes and such. It’s a pretty good deal, but it was hard to make it to the 15 drinks! The Tamarind Bar (just across from the Tamarind restaurant) on Deck 11 was fantastic, and you can just walk in—unlike the restaurant, it doesn’t need to be specially reserved. It has a great ocean view and you can lounge around on couches.
Ship
The ship decor felt a bit outdated, but it was kept very clean! Neither are there many activities, but that was fine by us—we had each other for company, and were very happy to sit on deck and soak up the scenery. Regarding the WiFi, it's not fast at all, but hey, take the chance to disconnect, read, and socialize.
Service
You can’t find better service. Hospitality onboard Holland America is stupendous. The room attendants were excellent—the room was cleaned twice a day, to absolute perfection. Drink servers do a great job calling you by name, and every single employee you pass by in the hallway makes sure to greet you.
Social Scene
This is not a cruise you go on if you’re looking for a party scene. It’s mostly couples and families, ranging from middle-aged to elderly. People were mostly American and Canadian, as well as white. If you’re wanting to bond with family, though, this is a perfect cruise to take for relaxation, views, food, and drinks.
Ports
We left from Seattle, then went to Juneau, cruising in Glacier Bay, Icy Strait Point, Sitka, Ketchikan, Victoria (Canada), and back to Seattle. We got very luck with the weather! Most everywhere was blue, with relatively warm weather.
Packing
Just because it’s Alaska doesn’t mean you don’t need sunscreen. I was applying it diligently, but still got a pretty impressive sunburn from sitting outside on a deck. As for clothing, I recommend bringing items you can easily layer, like vests. The temperatures ranged from the 50s to lower 70s F, and the ship itself was quite chilly.
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