Review of HAL Zaandam SA/Antarctica Cruise with lots of Photos & Menus

Mike, Thanks for taking my note in the spirit it was intended. I am often hesitant to point such things out, but in this case, knowing how thorough you are and how many people read and appreciate your tremendous efforts I thought that it might be important to you and your readers.

As far as the deck naming goes, it is confounding why there are so many "promenade" decks. I believe the idea is that the "Promenade Deck" and "Upper Promenade Deck" are named that way as they identify the interior decks where one can "promenade" around the public areas, shops and lounges of the ship. I'm sure this naming convention has made many a cruiser scratch their head. :confused:

 

Again, thanks so much for all your wonderful reviews. I've always found your work interesting and informative. I can't say often enough how beautiful and other-worldly the Antarctic is.

Anyone even thinking about going should be motivated to take the plunge after reading your travel log, and I see from the comments some are!

I always appreciate others finding errors in our reviews. I hate providing incorrect information. I should have researched the Kdam promenade more thoroughly than depending on my memory of posts I had seen.

Since you saw the review, I have added a link at the end of the review to my Smugmug gallery with full size high resolution pics from this cruise. It shows beautiful Antarctica even better.

 

Since you saw the review, I have added a link at the end of the review to my Smugmug gallery with full size high resolution pics from this cruise. It shows beautiful Antarctica even better.

The photos are even more incredible full size!

Antarctica looks like Alaska on steroids. :)

bennybear, I'm not MVPinBoynton, and I know he answered your question, but I did this cruise back in 2010/2011. That was the year (December 2010) you may remember the small cruise ship "Clelia II" and its problems in the Drake Passage, the stretch of ocean from Cape Horn to the Antarctic. Clelia II was hit by a rogue wave and disabled and was assisted by the NGS Explorer. We saw her at port in Ushuaia later that year. We were on the ms Veendam, which had experienced a fierce storm in the Drake Passage on the way to Cape Horn on the cruise just before ours, where waves had broken a window in the Crow's Nest, broken most of the china in the MDR and left the bow of the ship damaged, rippling the bow vertically and damaging the decking at the prow near the small flag mast and ship's bell. She was not disabled but was about a half day late arriving in Valparaiso where we embarked for our cruise.

 

Our cruise was very different though. Cape Horn was clear and the seas calm and I remember the Captain saying we had gotten closer to it than he had ever gotten before. We had a terrific view. Our Drake Passage crossing was notably unremarkable. The seas were calm and glassy like a lake. Fog enveloped us the entire way to the Antarctic Peninsula and created an eerie atmosphere of being transported to a different world, which we were.

 

Long story shortened, you can never be sure of the weather in this area. It is often rough but it can also be smooth and boring even. We had great weather the whole cruise and only encountered strong winds and choppy seas on the transit leaving Antarctica and heading towards the Falklands. We had to endure those as there is only one direction to travel to get from one to the other. We feared we'd not be able to make a stop in Stanley, as so many cruises find, but once we arrived, we had a great day with fairly calm seas and light winds, allowing us to make the long tender ride into port.

 

I hope you don't let the threat of rough weather keep you from making this incredible voyage. It really is worth making the trip.

 

The comment I made on the promenade was in reference to MVPinBoynton's blog and I should have been more descriptive. My bad...

Thanks for the added detail. I would love to do it, but do suffer from mal de Mer. So apprehensive whether I would enjoy it. Even with my sea bands, meclixi e and ginger, lol!

Thanks for the fabulous pictures...we want to go back again! It was our best cruise ever.

Karen

The photos are even more incredible full size!

 

Antarctica looks like Alaska on steroids. :)

I thought you would enjoy them. Next year you can take your own to help you remember your Antarctic adventure.

Thanks for the added detail. I would love to do it, but do suffer from mal de Mer. So apprehensive whether I would enjoy it. Even with my sea bands, meclixi e and ginger, lol!

I can get seasick; but when the waters get rough, I take my ginger pills and all is well. I can appreciate your concern, since nothing is fun when you feel bad; but it might be worth the risk for you.

Thanks for the fabulous pictures...we want to go back again! It was our best cruise ever.

Karen

I know what you mean. I was thinking about an expedition cruise while cruising Antarctica to see even more of it. But I know realistically that won't happen.

I know what you mean. I was thinking about an expedition cruise while cruising Antarctica to see even more of it. But I know realistically that won't happen.

When I looked more closely at your pictures, Bambang your waiter, was our steward on the Prinsendam/Amazon 2013. When we dined the first night on the Zaandam/Antarctica holiday cruise 2014 we heard someone call to my DH, "Mr.Rick, Mr. Rick!" It was our Prinsendam steward, Bambang. So he is still on the Zaandam! It was great to see him again.

Karen

When I looked more closely at your pictures, Bambang your waiter, was our steward on the Prinsendam/Amazon 2013. When we dined the first night on the Zaandam/Antarctica holiday cruise 2014 we heard someone call to my DH, "Mr.Rick, Mr. Rick!" It was our Prinsendam steward, Bambang. So he is still on the Zaandam! It was great to see him again.

 

Karen

That is funny. He was a nice guy. He was getting ready to go home. He had a new baby that he was looking forward to seeing again.

Thank you for your outstanding review. We will be on the Zaandam its first voyage after dry dock. Excited to see the changes.

The Zaandam to Antarctica is spectacular and not to be missed.

We did it in Jan 2014 and best cruise so far. Much better than Alaska.

This cruise started in warm Buenos Aires to Montevideo and down the coast of Argentina then out to the Falklands. We still have penguin pictures at home in frames of the King and Gentoo penguins.

The run to Antarctica was a bit rough but very calm in protected Antarctic islands chain for 3 full days of cruising. The glaciers and mountains with snow are the trip highlights. Lots of whales, penguins, and seals as well as varied bird species to view.

We were in 6102 at front of ship and on Drake shake had wave hit our 2 picture windows. Sea sickness medication was helpful.

The trip around the Cape and through the fjords of Chile passed 5 Glaciers.

The end in Santiago was again very warm.

We did 2 nights at start and end of cruise in Argentina and Chile.

Enjoy.

That is funny. He was a nice guy. He was getting ready to go home. He had a new baby that he was looking forward to seeing again.

Isn't it amazing how easily the staff seems to remember names?

Isn't it amazing how easily the staff seems to remember names?

Truly incredible. I always amazes me.

That is funny. He was a nice guy. He was getting ready to go home. He had a new baby that he was looking forward to seeing again.

Thanks for the update on Bambang! I am amazed that they remember past guests. I will say, the open seating dining staff on the Zaandam, including an "As You Wish" dining host who stopped at our table frequently to see how things were going, were fantastic!

Karen

Thanks for the update on Bambang! I am amazed that they remember past guests. I will say, the open seating dining staff on the Zaandam, including an "As You Wish" dining host who stopped at our table frequently to see how things were going, were fantastic!

 

Karen

In 20 cruises, we have yet to run into a staff member from a previous cruise. That must be neat! Kinda like a reunion.

In 20 cruises, we have yet to run into a staff member from a previous cruise. That must be neat! Kinda like a reunion.

It’s funny on this cruise, a bartender recognized me from ou November NA Cruise. I didn’t remember him. I didn’t tell him, but I was quite surprised.

In 20 cruises, we have yet to run into a staff member from a previous cruise. That must be neat! Kinda like a reunion.

We've run into a few staff from previous cruises. Most of them remember us first but I have run into a couple of them who I remember from previous cruises and have said hi to.

It makes one feel like family when you are greeted by someone who remembers you like this, still one of the nice features of HAL and their staff.

Perhaps the crew are given information on guests that are onboard with whom they've sailed in the past?

Thanks so much for your detailed review of this cruise. It is on our wish list!

The photos on your website are wonderful!