1-day Cruise Review (Vancouver to Seattle, Eurodam, May 3, 2024)

I couldn't find much information on the web before our cruise, so I figured I'd post some notes about our trip.

Cost: $360 CAD for a guaranteed balcony room, all-in for 2 adults. We had $50 shareholder OBC which covered our gratuities and some happy hour drinks.

Reason for trip: We live in Vancouver and were planning to take a trip to Seattle this Spring. This 1-day itinerary left on a Friday and we figured it was a fun way to get down there. The cruise was cheaper than than a night in a Seattle hotel. We did stay another night in Seattle, then caught the Amtrak Cascade train back home again.

Embarkation: There were 2 ships in port at Canada Place, but getting on the ship was a walk-through experience. No lines whatsoever. Not sure why, but no complaints here!

Ship: We've sailed on one other HAL ship before (Koningsdam), and the Eurodam is noticeably smaller. Although older, it seemed to be in very nice shape. Our room was fine, and we enjoyed having a balcony. I was amused by the tiny bathtub in our bathroom.

Food: Buffet salad lunch, MDR dinner, and MDR breakfast were all nice enough. I wondered if there would be anything special for the 1-day itinerary, but not so much - pretty typical fare all around. The desserts were disappointing, which we also noticed on our previous HAL cruise.

Sail-away: There wasn't much in the way of pomp & ceremony for this sailing. We never met our steward, and the disembarkation instructions were in our room when we arrived. Maybe there was a sail-away party, but we opted to sit on our balcony with a coffee to watch Stanley Park and Lion's Gate go by. It is a beautiful port to depart from. Spotted an Orca on our way out of English Bay, which was a real treat!

Vibe: It seemed to be a mix of people who tacked this leg onto the previous sailing (Panama?) and/or the upcoming sailing (Alaska), and people like us who were out for a fun weekend. We met some couples who took the train up from Seattle and were sailing back home again. This short itinerary certainly skewed younger and louder than a typical HAL trip - a bit louder, and a bit drunker.

Scenery: The weather was fair and waters calm. Other than sail-away we didn't see too much, since it was dark by the time we finished dinner and a show. When we woke up, we were docked in Seattle.

Entertainment: There was a typical song/dance show on the main stag (All That) which was fun. The jazz band at Ocean Bar was a nice background to to enjoy a drink to. The pair at Billboard Onboard put on a couple of great request sets - that was the highlight for us.

TLDR: It was a unique part of a weekend trip from Vancouver or Seattle, but nothing stood out about the cruise itself. I wouldn't recommend anyone go out of their way to try it, but for locals it's a fun weekend and I'd certainly consider it again!