Eurodam: I have found Paradise

It has been a week since I returned from my Caribbean cruise on Eurodam, plenty of time to reflect on what the ship had to offer.
So what’s the verdict?
I had not sailed with Holland America before, but I can report that they are now my second favourite cruise line.
Although Eurodam is HAL’s biggest ship, it is a manageable size, on a par with Cunard’s Queen Victoria, and P&O’s Arcadia. As I wrote during the voyage, the ship handles its 2,100 passengers admirably, and there was never a moment when it felt over-crowded.
There’s a wraparound Promenade deck and plenty of open space on the Lido Deck and Panorama Deck, and there were no unseemly squabbles over the reserving of sun loungers, even on days at sea. Not that we had to worry about that too much, with the splendid balcony on two sides of our suite.
The décor is muted, similar to P&O and Princess, rather than the gaudyexcesses of Carnival and Costa.
There was a sprinkling of Brits on board, but most of our fellow passengers were American, and it was apparent that the majority had cruised with Holland America before; the line certainly scores highly on customer loyalty.
The evening entertainment was rather limited, I have to say. The ship’s theatre company was proficient, but their shows were a bit samey. At least with P&O or Fred Olsen, for example, there’s usually a comedian or two, and there’s a good chance that you will have heard of at least one of the performers.
But the highlight of the ship was undoubtedly the food. The presentation, the variety and the quality was superb, in the main Rembrandt restaurant, in the Pinnacle Grill steakhouse, in the Tamarind eastern speciality restaurant, and in the Lido buffet.
What of the ports of call?
Few passengers venture beyond the beach or the shops in the Carnival-owned cruise centre on Grand Turk, unless it’s to go on organized excursions – diving, snorkeling, or horse-riding.
The old town of San Juan, Puerto Rico has impressive UNESCO World Heritage fortifications which make for a pleasant stroll, and there are more shops and market stalls in St Thomas than at Bluewater or the Trafford Centre.
The highlight for me was the call at Half Moon Cay, a perfect crescent of privately-owned beach in the Bahamas, on our last day at sea before returning to Fort Lauderdale.
The sand is as soft as talcum powder, there are more than enough sun loungers and cabanas for everyone, and the sea was calm and warm. The ship’s crew came ashore to prepare buffet lunch, and cold drinks were on tap at the beach bar, appropriately named “I Wish I Could Stay Here Forever.”
Paradise found.