Ne/canada itineraries- older ships used?

Haven't been on a HAL ship since our last (and 4th) cruise in 2011. I am thinking of doing a NE/Canada cruise, but in looking I see the ships involved are the "older" ones of the fleet. I mean the Zuiderdam? I am a little concerned about this, so would like to ask my fellow CC'ers about this issue, or maybe it isn't an issue at all? Of the following ships, which do you knowledgeable HAL cruisers like the best? Zuiderdam, Rotterdam, Veendam, and Maasdam.

Thanks alot for any information you can give me.

Pooh

It is the size of the ships, not the age of the ships, that is the reason for them doing this itinerary. Large ships cannot go under the bridges. We took this cruise on the Maasdam and had a great cruise!

Maasdam and Rotterdam, in that order, for this itinerary.

Both are relatively small, easy to get around, and elegant. Maasdam still has the original aft on Lido and Navigation Decks, which were changed on Rotterdam, which is why I rank that ship higher.

Veendam had even worse reconstruction on the Lido/Navigation Decks aft, making it a terrible place to sit outside and watch the world pass. It has more lanai cabins than the Maasdam, too, making fewer places to sit on Lower Promenade.

Zuiderdam is just too big for my taste.

The fact that these ships are older than others makes no difference to me. They are well maintained, and especially nice on this port-intensive itinerary.

I've always found HAL's ships to be clean and well maintained, regardless of age.

Roz

Are you doing a repositioning cruise from New England to Ft Lauderdale? If so -- I would choose the Zuiderdam.

If you are looking at the seven day cruises -- then I would choose the Maasdam -- Boston to Montreal or vice versa -- or make it a 14 day round trip cruise out of Boston.

Maasdam is my favorite - the right size. Still Zuiderdam, while larger, is OK we've sailed her twice - Eastern Caribbean and half-Panama Canal-- next month sailing her from Quebec to New York (close to home).