Zuiderdam Trip Review -- 4/2 - 4/9

[kpatjipr]

Hi all. My wife and I were on the HAL Zuiderdam in the Eastern Caribbean from April 2 - 9, 2005. This was our first cruise with HAL.

 

There are plenty of places online to read the same info over and over about HAL and this particular ship. I'll not repeat everything you can see there. Instead, here are some details that we noticed / experienced, plus some dispelling of things others have said. This is a bit long, sorry about that.

 

BACKGROUND: I'm at a pr firm (I'm 37), my wife (she's 34) is an attorney. She had a deal closing that was 8 months in the making. When we saw the window of opportunity to finally escape, we took it. That meant we only booked our trip 1 month prior to sailing (unusual because we book trips far in advance and then do lots of pre-planning).

 

We booked online through mycruisevalue. They provided smooth, easy service. We had a SS category cabin on the Upper Verandah deck about 3/4 of the way toward the aft of the ship. We got a great last-minute price of about half what the room usually costs. We received our cruise documents about 10 days in advance of sailing. I would recommend them and use them again.

 

Editorial note: I thought hard about a S category cabin (the next step up from SS). Now that I've had an S, there is no need to pay the extra $$ for a slightly larger room, access to the suite lounge (if you don't use it, you won't miss it -- and you certainly don't need it), priority check-in and disembarkation (there was no wait at either anyway) or the first tender out for Half Moon Cay (you're there all day, why pay more to get there 15 minutes ahead?)

 

ARRIVAL: We had a flight to Ft. Lauderdale early Saturday morning. There were storms in Lauderdale early that afternoon and it shut the airport down for nearly 2 hours. That gave us only an hour to get to the ship once we arrived. No need to fret -- the ship terminal is 10 minutes by cab from the airport (about $12 when accounting for slow traffic) and there were no lines at check in. Since the airport had shut down, the ship delayed its departure, scheduled for 5 p.m., until 6:45 p.m. That meant we left the dock at sunset.

 

After going through security, a porter grabbed our carry ons and took them all the way to our room for us. Lifeboat drill was about to begin, so we grabbed jackets and headed for that. It went smoothly, seems to take longer than it actually does, and we were back to the room.

 

ROOM: As others have said, the rooms (at least our SS) are great. Spotless. Plenty of hangars. All the usual bathroom supplies (soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, shower cap). These were restocked as we needed them during the week (other posters have said their supplies were not).

 

Our cabin steward was Charles. He's from Bali. Been with HAL for 7 years. Just transferred from another ship. Speaks English very well. Excellent service.

 

VISTA ROOM: As we were escaping home to "get to know each other again" we had requested a table for 2. We got it (table 171, middle of the dining room). We were late to book the trip, so we had the late seating at 8:30 p.m. We would have chosen it anyway. The dining room was fairly full, but there were plenty of tables for two or four, so if that's what you'd like, you can probably get it.

 

Our waiter was attentive, professional. Didn't talk much. But, we didn't try to engage him in much conversation. Knew the menu well and made recommendations if we were stumped between two choices. Food was delivered as ordered, hot / cold as necessary, and promptly. In fact, there really is no lingering -- dinner moves along at a pretty good clip. There is no chance you'll miss the late show in the lounge.

 

Our wine steward was very good. Quick to arrive each night. We had brought several bottles of our own with us for some of the dinners because they were vintages we had picked up during previous travels. No problem bringing them on board at all. Some we had in our room on the balcony, some we brought to dinner. Our wine steward informed me of the $15 corking fee the first night. I said I knew about it and was fine with it. Then, he didn't charge us for it. At the end of the week, he received one of our bottles of wine as a thank you.

 

We also ordered wine and even a bottle of champagne off the menu. They were all good and more than fairly priced. In the Pinnacle Grill, we had a bottle of Caymus cabernet for about $30 cheaper than I can get at my liquor store down the street.

 

DRESS CODE: It's always better to be over dressed than under dressed. Apparently, some people haven't heard that. At least show up dressed as requested. On the formal nights, I wore my tux each time. About 1/2 the men in the room had on a tux, 1/4 wore dark suits (ok, fine), and the rest wore some combo of light suits to sport coats. Many of the women were dressed appropriately (mostly), though if you're detail oriented, you'll notice the poor choices of shoes, clutch bags and even dress fabric (velvet in the Caribbean??) That's just me being silently critical -- but, hey, that's part of the fun.

 

Informal night was fine. Easy for most to accomplish.

 

Casual night goes off without a hitch. I didn't see any shorts in the Vista Dining Room, but there are plenty in other areas of the ship, even late night. And, some people changed out of their formal wear into far-less-than-formal-wear after dinner before hitting the casino, disco, and lounge.

 

BARS: I don't understand why some others have complained about bar service. They couldn't get served. Their drink order was wrong. Prices are too high. Service is slow. Hogwash. None of that is true in my experience. Our dining room wine steward was just right. The bars by the pool were always available without a wait. Heck, you don't even have to go to the pool bar -- if you're anywhere near it, they'll send a waiter to you. Drink prices are what they always are at a hotel / resort / club. The best deal on the boat is the buckets of beer during the day by the pool -- 4 beers for either $10 or $12, depending on what kind. You can take the bucket of them back to your room, if you want. Beer comes in bottles or cans, depending on what you order.

 

The Ocean Bar for pre-dinner drinks is just right. Very stiff cocktails, plus hot appetizers (that they bring to you on a little plate, you don't have to do a buffet-type thing). Go there twice and they'll remember what you drink.

 

SPA: I didn't go to the spa, but my wife did twice (massage, pedicure, manicure, facial). Prices are fine. You have to tip on top of that (it's not automatically added in) so be prepared for some mental math. Seemed easy to get an appointment. There was no sales pressure for products. I had planned to use the thelassatherapy (sp?) pool, but never did. Looked ok; saw a few people in it.

 

Went to the gym a couple of times. Standard equipment with a million dollar view. You will likely have the place to yourself.

 

SHOWS: We went to the late (10:30 p.m.) shows in the Vista Lounge. Had no problem getting a seat. But, if you show up 5 minutes after the show begins, you probably will have trouble. The magician was very good. The Elton John impersonator was better than I expected. The comedy guy was fine (attended the "adult" version, which was still pretty tame). Skipped the Broadway musical stuff. I'll go there for that.

 

The chef does a couple of cooking shows / schools in the afternoon in the Vista Lounge. They are fun and worth attending, if you're at all interested. They last about an hour.

 

CASINO: I lived a number of years in Nevada, so I know better than to gamble. However, it was a center of activity. Bring your cigarrettes, it's a requirement to smoke in there apparently. It's a popular place at night.

 

DISCO: The Northern Lights is fine in short amounts. Most we spent in there was on 70s night. It was the most crowded that night, I think. The DJ is fine -- sort of a grown up fraternity guy is the best way to describe him.

 

EXCURSIONS: We didn't go on the cruise in order to go on any organized outings, so we didn't. Many did, though, and seemed to enjoy them. We only got off the ship for short stints to wander around and say we were there. Tortola is our favorite -- we had spent 10 days there a couple of years ago. Most don't like it because there is little to do and virtually no shopping -- that makes it an odd stop for a cruise ship. That's why we like it.

 

What I like about port days is that everyone gets off the boat. You can stay on and have the place to yourself (well, almost). Lots of pool lounge chairs, no wait at any bar or food line, discounted spa appointments, etc.

 

SHOPPING: We did buy some bling in St. Thomas and in Nassau for a good price, but that's it. We didn't power shop like many of our fellow passengers. Also, bought some stuff on sale on the ship. Wait until Thur or Fri to buy from the ship shops and you'll likely get it on sale.

 

FOOD: All the food on board is fine. I can't think of a bad meal and I can think of a few things that were truly very good. I don't understand how people are suggesting ordering so much at dinner ("Wow, go for the filet and the lamb chops and the seafood pasta!") If you order one thing from each course (5 courses in all) you're full by the time you finish dessert. Or, you should be. I even only had the two standard lobster tails (even my waiter was urging I order more). There's just no way. And, I'm not a small guy at 6'2", 220lbs.

 

The Lido food is fine. There's always something there to eat. Sometimes the smell from the Italian area and the Wok area can be a bit too strong (garlic, soy, etc.) It was only too crowded on maybe two occasions when it was hard to find a table. If you don't go at the peak time (which only lasts about 30 minutes), you'll be fine. Others have complained that there is nothing to eat after 2 p.m. I don't know what cruise they were on because the sandwich area, the pasta bar, the taco bar, and the desserts are all open longer, some until 4 p.m. (when they basically switch to dinner and everything reopens). We did not have dinner in the Lido, but we did go to the pool BBQ one night. It was fine -- lots of food, chicken, steak, ribs, baked potatoes, etc.

 

The Pinnacle Grille is everything everyone says it is. Go there. If you call for reservations and they say they are full and put you on a waiting list, go by the restaurant in the late afternoon to "check if you can get in." It won't be a problem. Food is great and worth the $20 per person. We tipped the waiter when we left.

 

We ordered room service for breakfast a couple of times. Prompt. Food served hot. Everything we ordered arrived on the first try.

 

In other words, there is plenty to eat. It is all pretty good to varying degrees.

 

Editorial Note: I realize it is an American epidemic, but you truly notice the mega-sizing of Americans when you go on a cruise. If you are slim and fit, you are in a minority. People are too large -- and they aren't doing anything about it. Loading up on the food. Then, getting more. Not going to the gym. Wearing expandable clothes. Take a look at the cruise ship crew -- what a contrast to the passengers. It's crazy.

 

PHOTOS: We saw the photographer several times. Unobtrusive. Took several pictures of us, but we didn't buy any. We just took our own.

 

STAFF: Anyone who has written that the staff is unfriendly is wrong. I blame it on the writer. The staff -- from the captain to the plumber -- is so friendly it almost drives you crazy! If you're from NYC, you'll wonder why all these people keep smiling and saying hello to you. All the time. I never heard "no" or "can't" from any of them. One guy I grabbed in the hall even hunted down some Elmer's glue for me, no problem. They are first rate.

 

DISEMBARKATION: We had a noon flight out of Lauderdale. The ship was at the dock by 7 a.m. They began calling numbers at 8:30 a.m. to get people off the boat. We ordered breakfast and stayed in our room watching the royal wedding until they called us at 9:40 a.m. We were the second to last group called. Through customs without even a glance at our stuff (I knew I should have bought a crate of Cubans!) and outside to the cab line. It looked long, but went fast. We were checked in at the airport and at our gate by 10:45. And, we were on SW with a "B" boarding pass. Not a bad process at all.

 

RUMORS: We had read in other posts that the ship is dirty, the carpet has stains, that it is not kept up. That's false. I was looking for evidence and all I saw were staff members cleaning all areas of the ship at all hours of the day.

 

We had read other posts about a bad vibration in the Vista Dining Room. That's false. I tried to notice it. We were in the middle of the dining room on the lower level. On one night, my butter knife vibrated a tiny bit on my bread plate. Otherwise, there was no vibration and no noise.

 

We had read other posts about a sewer smell or otherwise strange odor in parts of the ship. I walked the halls on every floor, front to back, at varying times during the week, and never smelled any sewer smell, any cigarette smoke smell, or anything else unpleasant. At times, depending on the menu, the food stations in the Lido can be a bit strong, but that's it.

 

OTHER TIPS:

 

-- Bring a bottle of water on board with you. You can refill it at the water stations in the Lido and take it to the pool, your room, etc. with you.

-- Hunky Dory and Burt Reynolds are there to greet you every day in the Lido, just like everyone says.

-- Bring a travel clock and put it on your nightstand. You'll need it. (We brought an atomic clock, so didn't even have to reset it).

-- Some cell phone users had service in St. Thomas. Cingular, I think. Those on Verizon (like me) did not.

-- The Internet Cafe is easy to use. Sign up for a minutes package the first day, if you have to have service, and you'll get extra minutes for free. We had our wireless laptop to check email and it was easy.

-- They collect any liquor you buy onshore and give it back to you when you depart the ship. No big deal, lots of people doing it. I did buy some beer (Carib) in St. Thomas and walked right back on with it (even sent it through the security scanner) without anyone asking to keep it. In Nassau (Friday), we bought a bunch of liquor and took it straight back to our room -- I guess because it was the last day. Didn't open any of it, though.

-- Movies in the Queen's Lounge are fine. It's not a tiered theater, so get there early to get a seat where you can see. Smaller, rolley chairs are in front. (Back to the people size issue, some movie goers would try those chairs and have to move because it was a tight squeeze). Free popcorn.

-- You can rent DVDs at the front desk for your room. Actually, a pretty impressive list.

-- Your DVD player in your room also plays CDs, so bring some from home. The 3 music channels on the TV leave something to be desired. You can't keep the door to your verandah propped open -- it's a door, not a sliding glass -- so no listening to tunes on your deck. That's ok -- hearing the ocean is better.

-- On days at sea, the pools become very crowded, as you would expect. Go in the a.m. or later in the afternoon to get a lounge chair. Do something else in prime sun hours. Also, there are plenty of lounge chairs (more comfortable ones, too) on decks 9 and 10 above the pool. There is no reason to sit by the pool unless you are getting in the water (which few people actually did), though if you are reading, it's pretty windy on the upper decks.

-- Seasickness. Didn't have any. Took the new 24-hour non-drowsy Dramamine. No problem. Not even sure I needed it. After the first day, you get used to walking around in the sway. And, it's great movement for sleeping -- out like a light. I wasn't sure I'd sleep as well at home. Took about 2 days after getting home to stop feeling like I was moving.

-- Soda cards. Didn't buy one. Only had a few canned sodas (the soda card is only good for fountain sodas). If you don't drink soda all day, you won't need it. Plenty of water, lemonade, ice tea and, of course, beer.

-- Tipping. Tipped extra to my cabin steward, the Pinnacle Grille waiter and my Vista Dining Room waiter. Not a lot, just something to show appreciation. Also, a couple of times to bartenders and to the room service guys.

-- Decor. Sure, it's colorful. But, not outlandish. Some people have written the decor is too crazy for them. It's hardly worth paying any attention. It's certainly been overstated on here.

-- Smoking. Some people are, but you learn the areas that they do and avoid them if you're a non-smoker. Our room did not even have the slightest hint of smoke to it.

-- Kids. There were fewer than 100 kids on our trip. We hardly noticed them except if there were a bunch in the aft pool (we hung out at that pool instead of the midship pool).

-- Band. There is a band that periodically plays at the midship pool. Didn't pay much attention to it. Otherwise, there is a top 40 hits track that plays over and over all week. You'll get sick of Kelly Clarkson.

-- Piano Bar. That Kory guy is good, but also a little goofy, so we didn't hang out there.

-- Sports Bar. It's really an extension of the casino, but does have several satellite tvs. Unless a big game is on, you'll be watching ESPN out of South America (hey, do you like soccer??) But, who wants to watch TV anyway?

-- Cruise Director. Upbeat. Informed. Unobtrusive with announcements. He's fine.

-- Beds. Comfortable. Some have said they don't change the sheets everyday. Not true with us. We got new sheets everyday and twice a day towel service, as needed. Our steward stowed the comforter away, so we just had sheets and a wool blanket. It was just right.

-- Room temperature. You can make it as hot or cold as you want. You have to keep the door closed to your verandah so the room doesn't get humid, but the door closes automatically anyway (not sliding glass like on some ships).

-- Ship size. It seems huge from the outside, but it is just right inside. Also, though it was nearly full, you can often have spaces all to yourself. I rarely waited on an elevator (though we took the stairs 80% of the time) and it was often empty.

 

I think that's it. Overall, very good experience. We'd go again in a second. Any questions, just email me at kevin@ingramgroup.com

[bcc99]

Thanks for posting a great detailed review! I'm feeling much better about the Zuiderdam after reading the recent trip reports.

[obriendan]

Welcome the boards! Glad you dispelled all the bad reports on the Zuiderdam. We spent twoo week on her in 2003 and found everthing to be excellent.

[Tatka]

Thanks for posting a great detailed review! I'm feeling much better about the Zuiderdam after reading the recent trip reports.

 

Don't worry..:) You will be fine! Zuiderdam is a great ship.:)

[DAllenTCY]

Thanks for a nice review, I love to hear that others can enjoy their vacation, as I always do. Unfortunately, the "game" that is played is "pacify the complainers".

More and more, cruise lines dole out hundreds of dollars worth of discounts to those who list the most gripes. I can honestly say that I was on a cruise from New York a few years ago where on the very first morning at sea, a table of 4 were sitting by the pool composing their letter of complaint!

I'm not making this up.

These wonderful people count on a few hundred dollars off of their next cruise, and the always get it.

I also thing a lot of this complaining helps people justify not tipping.

In all, the service on the Oosterdam last week, was far better than I expected, and so was the quality of the food. You wouldn't know it by reading posts on this and other boards, however.

I'm glad you had a great vacation, and at a great price!

David

20 cruises in the last 7 years

[Tikla]

We're gearing up for our first cruise, and yours is the most helpful review I've read yet.

 

I..can't...wait!

 

Appreciatively,

 

Tikla

[cheshire999]

Thanks for the great review. Nice to see a positive spin. But.... doesn't anybody going on the WEstern Carribean write reviews???

[stonfield]

Elmers glue?

[MessyJessy]

I enjoyed your review. It certainly has pushed some of the doubts from my mind. I’ve read so many scathing reviews of the Zuiderdam that I considered switching to another ship. I’m glad to hear an honest review. :D

 

I have also noticed how many people indulge during dinner. Trust me on my first cruise I wanted to try it all and ended up feeling sick and gluttonous. By the third cruise I was content with the one entrée that I ordered and skipping one or two of the courses. Don’t get me wrong, I love to eat, cook and am addicted to the Food Network, but temptation is all around. In this land of plenty, you are faced with super-sized helpings, all-you-can-eat buffets, and extra-large clothing to match. It’s actually not that hard to eat reasonably. Typically, when my husband and I go out to land based restaurants we share an entrée since they are so large and try to skip the freebies (chips and salsa or bread).

 

I’m trying to help my father-in-law lose some weight before we cruise again in September. He is like the type of people you mentioned in your review. He used to be in really great shape but over the last 5 years he hasn’t had much of a desire to exercise. We (me, the husband and mother-in-law) are all on a challenge to get Vito (my father-in-law) fit to cruise! He is concerned about fitting in the airplane’s seat! I’m just trying to get back in my bikini body with a little help from Mr. Billy Blanks! :rolleyes:

[MOMOFTWOSONS]

My family and I are going to be on the Zuiderdam in August - thanks so much for all the details!! :) You probably didn't notice but in case you did, is there a lot of kid friendly food on the ship? My boys are very picky and I'm tempted to bring a jar of peanut butter on the ship with me.

 

Thanks again!

[ekerr19]

Fantastic review! Extremely well written and a true pleasure to read. :)

 

Thank you.

[RuthC]

My family and I are going to be on the Zuiderdam in August - thanks so much for all the details!! :) You probably didn't notice but in case you did, is there a lot of kid friendly food on the ship? My boys are very picky and I'm tempted to bring a jar of peanut butter on the ship with me.

 

Thanks again!

There's a children's menu in the dining room. Macaroni and cheese, fingers and fries, that sort of thing.

Your picky sons should also be happy at the Lido for breakfast and lunch.

btw---HAL has a big jar of Skippy peanut butter. I've seen it.

[kpatjipr]

Thanks for the replies.

 

1) Yes, the kids will find plenty they like to eat. If they don't have something out or on the menu at that moment the kids like, then I bet they'll whip something up, if you ask nicely. :)

 

2) I know, Elmer's Glue sounds odd, but it made the point they'd find the obscure. Here's the story: I'd broken the back off my cufflink and needed a quick fix.

 

kevin

[Tatka]

I’m trying to help my father-in-law lose some weight before we cruise again in September. He is like the type of people you mentioned in your review. He used to be in really great shape but over the last 5 years he hasn’t had much of a desire to exercise. We (me, the husband and mother-in-law) are all on a challenge to get Vito (my father-in-law) fit to cruise! He is concerned about fitting in the airplane’s seat! I’m just trying to get back in my bikini body with a little help from Mr. Billy Blanks! :rolleyes:

 

It's not only size of the portions but combinations. Just reducing the size won't help him at all.

 

He should:

1) Exersize

2) Eat less

3) Eat right combinations. ( Don't combine meat and potato, fruits with anything specially proteins etc). Try reading Susanne Sommers "Eat great loose weight", I don't follow her diet , but use her combinations.

 

It's practically impossible to make men follow this.;)

 

I am excersizing vigorously for the last 3.5 month and eat 5-6 times a day , small portions (right combinations). Went from 161 to 138 lbs. (I need to weight 120 lbs , but at this point I am not sure how much more weight I can get rid off :( ) I would also recommend this book http://www.vangelismovements.com/demis.htm ( "A question of weight" by Demis Roussos, famous European singer who managed to get to normal weight from 350 lbs!!!)

 

Following healthy life style on cruise is almost impossible. It was a struggle for me during my April cruise! Even if you don't eat alot ( I didn't eat pizza, hamburgers, bread, ice-cream, sweet tea or coffee) you still combining meat dishes and sweet deserts! Then there are late night buffets, gourmet bites etc. I went to gym every day...still gained 5 lbs (thankfully I lost more after I got back to my regular routine)

[Scrumpy]

I am late in thanking you for this review, but I really appreciate it. The more detail the better, as far as I'm concerned. Thanks again!

[cruzluvrs]

Thanks for the great review. We will be on the Zuiderdam 5/21. Can't wait. Just a quick question...you mention bringing an alaram clark because we will need one......do they not have "wake up" calls on the Z? Thanks!

[Gregg20]

Editorial Note: I realize it is an American epidemic, but you truly notice the mega-sizing of Americans when you go on a cruise. If you are slim and fit, you are in a minority. People are too large -- and they aren't doing anything about it. Loading up on the food. Then, getting more. Not going to the gym. Wearing expandable clothes. Take a look at the cruise ship crew -- what a contrast to the passengers. It's crazy.

 

Yes, it's painfully obvious on a cruise but one of the attractions of cruising is nonstop eating! I'm a big beer nut on the weekends but I have to torture myself in the gym 3 nights during the week to maintain at a reasonble level.

[OhioGirl]

I have manged to lose over 90 pounds, and feel good about myself, still wearing plus size 18 cloths...I'm very happy with my weight (more or less) but its jerks like you that make oversize people feel bad...being overweight isn't fun..and I take pride in knowing I look and feel better, not to fit into "your perfect world" but for me...I feel being overweight is like having a handcap...and you shouldn't pass judgement...but for some reason, its still acceptable to make fun of someone overweight..

I wasn't overweight because I overate, I was overweight because I have had to work since I was 15 years old, mostly in an office, never ate lunch, but was too tired when I got home to cook and exercise...and unlike most overpaid executives, didn't have a gym pass paid by my company...

 

Sorry I'm going on and on about this, but I feel if someone puts comments like this out there, you should have to listen to how I feel...oh and by the way, I certainly hope you aren't on the Zuiderdam Sept 17th, because myself along with 5 other happy "healthy size" people will be cruising, and hopefully without comments from jerks like you!!!

[jpny]

Hi all. My wife and I were on the HAL Zuiderdam in the Eastern Caribbean from April 2 - 9, 2005. This was our first cruise with HAL.

 

There are plenty of places online to read the same info over and over about HAL and this particular ship. I'll not repeat everything you can see there. Instead, here are some details that we noticed / experienced, plus some dispelling of things others have said. This is a bit long, sorry about that.

 

BACKGROUND: I'm at a pr firm (I'm 37), my wife (she's 34) is an attorney. She had a deal closing that was 8 months in the making. When we saw the window of opportunity to finally escape, we took it. That meant we only booked our trip 1 month prior to sailing (unusual because we book trips far in advance and then do lots of pre-planning).

 

We booked online through mycruisevalue. They provided smooth, easy service. We had a SS category cabin on the Upper Verandah deck about 3/4 of the way toward the aft of the ship. We got a great last-minute price of about half what the room usually costs. We received our cruise documents about 10 days in advance of sailing. I would recommend them and use them again.

 

Editorial note: I thought hard about a S category cabin (the next step up from SS). Now that I've had an S, there is no need to pay the extra $$ for a slightly larger room, access to the suite lounge (if you don't use it, you won't miss it -- and you certainly don't need it), priority check-in and disembarkation (there was no wait at either anyway) or the first tender out for Half Moon Cay (you're there all day, why pay more to get there 15 minutes ahead?)

 

ARRIVAL: We had a flight to Ft. Lauderdale early Saturday morning. There were storms in Lauderdale early that afternoon and it shut the airport down for nearly 2 hours. That gave us only an hour to get to the ship once we arrived. No need to fret -- the ship terminal is 10 minutes by cab from the airport (about $12 when accounting for slow traffic) and there were no lines at check in. Since the airport had shut down, the ship delayed its departure, scheduled for 5 p.m., until 6:45 p.m. That meant we left the dock at sunset.

 

After going through security, a porter grabbed our carry ons and took them all the way to our room for us. Lifeboat drill was about to begin, so we grabbed jackets and headed for that. It went smoothly, seems to take longer than it actually does, and we were back to the room.

 

ROOM: As others have said, the rooms (at least our SS) are great. Spotless. Plenty of hangars. All the usual bathroom supplies (soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, shower cap). These were restocked as we needed them during the week (other posters have said their supplies were not).

 

Our cabin steward was Charles. He's from Bali. Been with HAL for 7 years. Just transferred from another ship. Speaks English very well. Excellent service.

 

VISTA ROOM: As we were escaping home to "get to know each other again" we had requested a table for 2. We got it (table 171, middle of the dining room). We were late to book the trip, so we had the late seating at 8:30 p.m. We would have chosen it anyway. The dining room was fairly full, but there were plenty of tables for two or four, so if that's what you'd like, you can probably get it.

 

Our waiter was attentive, professional. Didn't talk much. But, we didn't try to engage him in much conversation. Knew the menu well and made recommendations if we were stumped between two choices. Food was delivered as ordered, hot / cold as necessary, and promptly. In fact, there really is no lingering -- dinner moves along at a pretty good clip. There is no chance you'll miss the late show in the lounge.

 

Our wine steward was very good. Quick to arrive each night. We had brought several bottles of our own with us for some of the dinners because they were vintages we had picked up during previous travels. No problem bringing them on board at all. Some we had in our room on the balcony, some we brought to dinner. Our wine steward informed me of the $15 corking fee the first night. I said I knew about it and was fine with it. Then, he didn't charge us for it. At the end of the week, he received one of our bottles of wine as a thank you.

 

We also ordered wine and even a bottle of champagne off the menu. They were all good and more than fairly priced. In the Pinnacle Grill, we had a bottle of Caymus cabernet for about $30 cheaper than I can get at my liquor store down the street.

 

DRESS CODE: It's always better to be over dressed than under dressed. Apparently, some people haven't heard that. At least show up dressed as requested. On the formal nights, I wore my tux each time. About 1/2 the men in the room had on a tux, 1/4 wore dark suits (ok, fine), and the rest wore some combo of light suits to sport coats. Many of the women were dressed appropriately (mostly), though if you're detail oriented, you'll notice the poor choices of shoes, clutch bags and even dress fabric (velvet in the Caribbean??) That's just me being silently critical -- but, hey, that's part of the fun.

 

Informal night was fine. Easy for most to accomplish.

 

Casual night goes off without a hitch. I didn't see any shorts in the Vista Dining Room, but there are plenty in other areas of the ship, even late night. And, some people changed out of their formal wear into far-less-than-formal-wear after dinner before hitting the casino, disco, and lounge.

 

BARS: I don't understand why some others have complained about bar service. They couldn't get served. Their drink order was wrong. Prices are too high. Service is slow. Hogwash. None of that is true in my experience. Our dining room wine steward was just right. The bars by the pool were always available without a wait. Heck, you don't even have to go to the pool bar -- if you're anywhere near it, they'll send a waiter to you. Drink prices are what they always are at a hotel / resort / club. The best deal on the boat is the buckets of beer during the day by the pool -- 4 beers for either $10 or $12, depending on what kind. You can take the bucket of them back to your room, if you want. Beer comes in bottles or cans, depending on what you order.

 

The Ocean Bar for pre-dinner drinks is just right. Very stiff cocktails, plus hot appetizers (that they bring to you on a little plate, you don't have to do a buffet-type thing). Go there twice and they'll remember what you drink.

 

SPA: I didn't go to the spa, but my wife did twice (massage, pedicure, manicure, facial). Prices are fine. You have to tip on top of that (it's not automatically added in) so be prepared for some mental math. Seemed easy to get an appointment. There was no sales pressure for products. I had planned to use the thelassatherapy (sp?) pool, but never did. Looked ok; saw a few people in it.

 

Went to the gym a couple of times. Standard equipment with a million dollar view. You will likely have the place to yourself.

 

SHOWS: We went to the late (10:30 p.m.) shows in the Vista Lounge. Had no problem getting a seat. But, if you show up 5 minutes after the show begins, you probably will have trouble. The magician was very good. The Elton John impersonator was better than I expected. The comedy guy was fine (attended the "adult" version, which was still pretty tame). Skipped the Broadway musical stuff. I'll go there for that.

 

The chef does a couple of cooking shows / schools in the afternoon in the Vista Lounge. They are fun and worth attending, if you're at all interested. They last about an hour.

 

CASINO: I lived a number of years in Nevada, so I know better than to gamble. However, it was a center of activity. Bring your cigarrettes, it's a requirement to smoke in there apparently. It's a popular place at night.

 

DISCO: The Northern Lights is fine in short amounts. Most we spent in there was on 70s night. It was the most crowded that night, I think. The DJ is fine -- sort of a grown up fraternity guy is the best way to describe him.

 

EXCURSIONS: We didn't go on the cruise in order to go on any organized outings, so we didn't. Many did, though, and seemed to enjoy them. We only got off the ship for short stints to wander around and say we were there. Tortola is our favorite -- we had spent 10 days there a couple of years ago. Most don't like it because there is little to do and virtually no shopping -- that makes it an odd stop for a cruise ship. That's why we like it.

 

What I like about port days is that everyone gets off the boat. You can stay on and have the place to yourself (well, almost). Lots of pool lounge chairs, no wait at any bar or food line, discounted spa appointments, etc.

 

SHOPPING: We did buy some bling in St. Thomas and in Nassau for a good price, but that's it. We didn't power shop like many of our fellow passengers. Also, bought some stuff on sale on the ship. Wait until Thur or Fri to buy from the ship shops and you'll likely get it on sale.

 

FOOD: All the food on board is fine. I can't think of a bad meal and I can think of a few things that were truly very good. I don't understand how people are suggesting ordering so much at dinner ("Wow, go for the filet and the lamb chops and the seafood pasta!") If you order one thing from each course (5 courses in all) you're full by the time you finish dessert. Or, you should be. I even only had the two standard lobster tails (even my waiter was urging I order more). There's just no way. And, I'm not a small guy at 6'2", 220lbs.

 

The Lido food is fine. There's always something there to eat. Sometimes the smell from the Italian area and the Wok area can be a bit too strong (garlic, soy, etc.) It was only too crowded on maybe two occasions when it was hard to find a table. If you don't go at the peak time (which only lasts about 30 minutes), you'll be fine. Others have complained that there is nothing to eat after 2 p.m. I don't know what cruise they were on because the sandwich area, the pasta bar, the taco bar, and the desserts are all open longer, some until 4 p.m. (when they basically switch to dinner and everything reopens). We did not have dinner in the Lido, but we did go to the pool BBQ one night. It was fine -- lots of food, chicken, steak, ribs, baked potatoes, etc.

 

The Pinnacle Grille is everything everyone says it is. Go there. If you call for reservations and they say they are full and put you on a waiting list, go by the restaurant in the late afternoon to "check if you can get in." It won't be a problem. Food is great and worth the $20 per person. We tipped the waiter when we left.

 

We ordered room service for breakfast a couple of times. Prompt. Food served hot. Everything we ordered arrived on the first try.

 

In other words, there is plenty to eat. It is all pretty good to varying degrees.

 

Editorial Note: I realize it is an American epidemic, but you truly notice the mega-sizing of Americans when you go on a cruise. If you are slim and fit, you are in a minority. People are too large -- and they aren't doing anything about it. Loading up on the food. Then, getting more. Not going to the gym. Wearing expandable clothes. Take a look at the cruise ship crew -- what a contrast to the passengers. It's crazy.

 

PHOTOS: We saw the photographer several times. Unobtrusive. Took several pictures of us, but we didn't buy any. We just took our own.

 

STAFF: Anyone who has written that the staff is unfriendly is wrong. I blame it on the writer. The staff -- from the captain to the plumber -- is so friendly it almost drives you crazy! If you're from NYC, you'll wonder why all these people keep smiling and saying hello to you. All the time. I never heard "no" or "can't" from any of them. One guy I grabbed in the hall even hunted down some Elmer's glue for me, no problem. They are first rate.

 

DISEMBARKATION: We had a noon flight out of Lauderdale. The ship was at the dock by 7 a.m. They began calling numbers at 8:30 a.m. to get people off the boat. We ordered breakfast and stayed in our room watching the royal wedding until they called us at 9:40 a.m. We were the second to last group called. Through customs without even a glance at our stuff (I knew I should have bought a crate of Cubans!) and outside to the cab line. It looked long, but went fast. We were checked in at the airport and at our gate by 10:45. And, we were on SW with a "B" boarding pass. Not a bad process at all.

 

RUMORS: We had read in other posts that the ship is dirty, the carpet has stains, that it is not kept up. That's false. I was looking for evidence and all I saw were staff members cleaning all areas of the ship at all hours of the day.

 

We had read other posts about a bad vibration in the Vista Dining Room. That's false. I tried to notice it. We were in the middle of the dining room on the lower level. On one night, my butter knife vibrated a tiny bit on my bread plate. Otherwise, there was no vibration and no noise.

 

We had read other posts about a sewer smell or otherwise strange odor in parts of the ship. I walked the halls on every floor, front to back, at varying times during the week, and never smelled any sewer smell, any cigarette smoke smell, or anything else unpleasant. At times, depending on the menu, the food stations in the Lido can be a bit strong, but that's it.

 

OTHER TIPS:

 

-- Bring a bottle of water on board with you. You can refill it at the water stations in the Lido and take it to the pool, your room, etc. with you.

-- Hunky Dory and Burt Reynolds are there to greet you every day in the Lido, just like everyone says.

-- Bring a travel clock and put it on your nightstand. You'll need it. (We brought an atomic clock, so didn't even have to reset it).

-- Some cell phone users had service in St. Thomas. Cingular, I think. Those on Verizon (like me) did not.

-- The Internet Cafe is easy to use. Sign up for a minutes package the first day, if you have to have service, and you'll get extra minutes for free. We had our wireless laptop to check email and it was easy.

-- They collect any liquor you buy onshore and give it back to you when you depart the ship. No big deal, lots of people doing it. I did buy some beer (Carib) in St. Thomas and walked right back on with it (even sent it through the security scanner) without anyone asking to keep it. In Nassau (Friday), we bought a bunch of liquor and took it straight back to our room -- I guess because it was the last day. Didn't open any of it, though.

-- Movies in the Queen's Lounge are fine. It's not a tiered theater, so get there early to get a seat where you can see. Smaller, rolley chairs are in front. (Back to the people size issue, some movie goers would try those chairs and have to move because it was a tight squeeze). Free popcorn.

-- You can rent DVDs at the front desk for your room. Actually, a pretty impressive list.

-- Your DVD player in your room also plays CDs, so bring some from home. The 3 music channels on the TV leave something to be desired. You can't keep the door to your verandah propped open -- it's a door, not a sliding glass -- so no listening to tunes on your deck. That's ok -- hearing the ocean is better.

-- On days at sea, the pools become very crowded, as you would expect. Go in the a.m. or later in the afternoon to get a lounge chair. Do something else in prime sun hours. Also, there are plenty of lounge chairs (more comfortable ones, too) on decks 9 and 10 above the pool. There is no reason to sit by the pool unless you are getting in the water (which few people actually did), though if you are reading, it's pretty windy on the upper decks.

-- Seasickness. Didn't have any. Took the new 24-hour non-drowsy Dramamine. No problem. Not even sure I needed it. After the first day, you get used to walking around in the sway. And, it's great movement for sleeping -- out like a light. I wasn't sure I'd sleep as well at home. Took about 2 days after getting home to stop feeling like I was moving.

-- Soda cards. Didn't buy one. Only had a few canned sodas (the soda card is only good for fountain sodas). If you don't drink soda all day, you won't need it. Plenty of water, lemonade, ice tea and, of course, beer.

-- Tipping. Tipped extra to my cabin steward, the Pinnacle Grille waiter and my Vista Dining Room waiter. Not a lot, just something to show appreciation. Also, a couple of times to bartenders and to the room service guys.

-- Decor. Sure, it's colorful. But, not outlandish. Some people have written the decor is too crazy for them. It's hardly worth paying any attention. It's certainly been overstated on here.

-- Smoking. Some people are, but you learn the areas that they do and avoid them if you're a non-smoker. Our room did not even have the slightest hint of smoke to it.

-- Kids. There were fewer than 100 kids on our trip. We hardly noticed them except if there were a bunch in the aft pool (we hung out at that pool instead of the midship pool).

-- Band. There is a band that periodically plays at the midship pool. Didn't pay much attention to it. Otherwise, there is a top 40 hits track that plays over and over all week. You'll get sick of Kelly Clarkson.

-- Piano Bar. That Kory guy is good, but also a little goofy, so we didn't hang out there.

-- Sports Bar. It's really an extension of the casino, but does have several satellite tvs. Unless a big game is on, you'll be watching ESPN out of South America (hey, do you like soccer??) But, who wants to watch TV anyway?

-- Cruise Director. Upbeat. Informed. Unobtrusive with announcements. He's fine.

-- Beds. Comfortable. Some have said they don't change the sheets everyday. Not true with us. We got new sheets everyday and twice a day towel service, as needed. Our steward stowed the comforter away, so we just had sheets and a wool blanket. It was just right.

-- Room temperature. You can make it as hot or cold as you want. You have to keep the door closed to your verandah so the room doesn't get humid, but the door closes automatically anyway (not sliding glass like on some ships).

-- Ship size. It seems huge from the outside, but it is just right inside. Also, though it was nearly full, you can often have spaces all to yourself. I rarely waited on an elevator (though we took the stairs 80% of the time) and it was often empty.

 

I think that's it. Overall, very good experience. We'd go again in a second. Any questions, just email me at kevin@ingramgroup.com

Hi all. We just returned from the Zui also on this week and I felt compelled to write. First I will say that I spent a lot of time on these boards reading everyones reviews, good and bad.. so we decided to go with an open mind and were going to enjoy no matter what. We booked 7113 which is the wrap around veranda aft cabin.. and were pretty excited.

 

In a nutshell.. we had an awsome experience. We've all cruised before, never with HAL. The room was clean, very large, the balcony was large enough to have a party for 15 comfortably. Our steward Arman was exceptional and almost every experience was without complaint.

 

Does the ship show wear and tear, yes.

Is the service exceptional; yes

Is it colorful, yes

The Pinnacle was worth every penny and then some. They also did their first ever food and wine tasting.. a 5 course meal and different wine with each course at lunch while we were on board. Just as good as any 5 star restaurant stateside.

The concierge at the Neptune did anything for us.

Our tablemates at the Vista will be new friends.

 

The downside... the entertainment, other than Joel and Julie Barr needs improvement; the ship does need an overhaul, but other than that, we were hard pressed to find anything bad enough to mention.

 

If you go with an open mind, have a pleasant attitude, everyone will go out of their way to make it a memorable trip.

 

We are planning our next .. which will be a new venture for HAL. famous chefs and someliers will be guests and there will be cooking classes, wine tastings etc... now that is something to wait for.

 

Hope you all enjoy and I'll be happy to answer any questions.

 

Jean

[Tikla]

Do they offer lunch everyday in the Pinnacle? How much is that?

 

I'm interested in your lunch experience, which day was it offerred, and how far in advance did you know about it? Was it limited seating?

 

Do they have breakfast in the Pinnacle?