Beware the Ides of March. A day that wasn’t too good for Julius Caesar was a great day in the Bahamas onboard the Eurodam. At least for those who got off the ship!
We arrived at Holland America‘s private island, Half Moon Cay shortly after 8am. While 95% of the ship got off for a day ashore, surprise! I stayed on. I’ve been to Half Moon Cay several times before, and may I say it’s the only stop on an Eastern Caribbean cruise worth getting off for.
I’m not a fan of the islands that make up the stops on either an eastern or western cruise. I find all of them to be dirty, touristy, trinkety and any other words you can make up that end with “ty.” Much like you won’t find a bus terminal or a train station in the wealthy part of town, ports aren’t necessarily placed in areas that are beautiful and attractive.
Some may argue with me and say that the islands on these tours are the most beautiful places in the world. I’m sure for many they are, but coming from someone who has been to each one at least six times, there are better places to go.
So why do I go on a cruise? One of my Facebook friends asked the same question the other day. I go to enjoy the beautiful ships and the peacefulness that comes with an ocean voyage. There’s just something to be said about being out there in the vast ocean with nothing around you but clear blue water and the gentle sound of waves as you ply through the water. At night, Mother Nature is at her finest when she lights up the sky with twinkling stars, moonlight on the water and the occasional shooting star where you make a wish that you can stay out there forever.
Heavy, huh?
Back to Half Moon Cay. Like I said, it’s a stop you don’t want to miss if you’re on an HAL ship or one of their sister line ships that happen to call there as well. The warm waters of the Caribbean provide the perfect backdrop for a day soaking up the sun on the shore, renting jet skis, being daring and going parasailing or if you want to develops sores on the inside of your thighs from something other than playing cowboy in your stateroom after dark, you can go horseback riding in the surf.
Personally, I recommend spending a couple hundred bucks and renting one of the many beach cabanas that line the shore. Trust me, it’s hot and you want somewhere to just get away for a few minutes and cool down – the cabanas are perfect for that. Plus, if you opt for butler service for a few more Washington’s, you can be waited on hand and foot for the day.
Besides having fun, you can eat all you want at the beach BBQ.
Since I was traveling alone, I stayed on board and as I previously mentioned skipped the BBQ and for lunch had my cabana butler’s hand picked selections from the day’s lunch menu which I now refer to as “Bernie’s Philippine Special.” Was it good? Having Filipino cuisine for the first time, I don’t have many complaints, although the crispy pork belly was certainly crisp and as I ate a few pieces I could feel my arteries clogging instantly.
If my dermatologist and cardiologist are reading, you’ll be getting your co-pay soon.
We left Half Moon Cay shortly after the last tender arrived back around 3pm. That was the exact moment when “it’s almost over syndrome” kicks in. It was also the exact moment I was inebriated enough on champagne that I really didn’t care. I continued to fry in the hot sun till just about the time the afternoon canapes would arrive, so I headed back down to my suite and as expected…. delivery!
Not wanting to go through the task of packing up after dinner, I used this time to take the neat little bundles of laundry out of the closet and began to tuck them away in my suitcases. Tip: If you have a Penthouse or Neptune Suite, you get free laundry service throughout the cruise. Big bonus for me, since the last thing I want to do when I get home is sort through a suitcase full of smelly socks and underwear that have been hanging around for a week. Nice visual, huh?
Dinner that night was my second trip to Canaletto, the Italian restaurant on board. Seems I wanted the fork-tender, veal osso bucco once more before departing. I was thinking about trying something different, but when you find something good you should stick with it right? So osso bucco it was along with some antipasto, minestrone and some strawberry gelato and cotton candy, yes cotton candy, for dessert. Six laps around the deck then it was off to bed.
So yesterday I mentioned I’d share some final thoughts on the ship. Let’s go through a few. First, the suite. I had suite 7050 which is a Neptune Suite located midship right across from the concierge lounge, appropriately named the Neptune Lounge.
Weighing in at a little over 500 sq ft, the suite was twice the size of the previously mentioned, twice as expensive, suite on the Oceania Riviera. Benefits of staying in a suite include the free laundry service I mentioned earlier, a special en suite breakfast menu, afternoon canapes, high tea served en suite should you want that, access to the concierge lounge where an array of cold food selections are available throughout the day. I have no complaints at all about the suite other than the low-flow shower heads and I thought they could do a little better by replacing the faux-marble plastic counter and sinks with the real thing. The cheap plastic took away from an otherwise perfect cabin.
One thing to note… while you’re cabin is meticulously taken care of by your stewart, you never see these guys and gals! They tend to hide in the shadows, know when you’re in and when you’re out and tend to your room almost magically. After dinner you come back to a pillow chocolate and a towel critter bidding you a good evening.
The public rooms on any ship are always beautiful. In fact, I’ve never been on an ugly ship! The Eurodam features elegantly appointed lounges, large collections of artwork and miniatures and the color scheme isn’t jarring. Plenty of deep reds, browns and blues make up the color palate and don’t expect to find any neon Ala Carnival. One thing I didn’t care for was what I call the iceberg hanging from the ceiling in the ship’s atrium.
One thing that attracts me to Holland America Line is the size of the ships, most come in around the 2,000 pax level, the overall value for the cruise vacation, the fairly older average age of the passengers (don’t expect it to be a party ship), the service and hospitality provided by the Filipino and Indonesian crew and the refined elegance the ships offer. Having sailed on some of the most expensive cruise lines in the world right down the line, Holland America offers just what I’m looking for at the right price.
I hope you enjoyed a look into my last seven days. While it’s always sad to leave such a wonderful experience behind, I’m happy to be rid of the low-flow shower head and have an Internet connection that allows me to download all that dirty stuff my mother would spank me for if she found it on my computer.
Personal Day-By-Day Eurodam Cruise Review:
Photo Tour of the Eurodam:
Preserving memories through photography is an essential part of any vacation, and this cruise was no exception. I captured a plethora of images showcasing various aspects of the ship, such as its interior design, outdoor pool areas, and my own stateroom. These photos can be viewed in the Eurodam Photo Tour and in the daily review of the cruise, which can be accessed through the links provided above.