Am I going to hate the Zuiderdam?

[tripman]

I've never seen more mixed reviews. Either people LOVE it or completely HATE it. This will be my 3rd cruise. I've been on the Voyager of the Seas and the Sapphire Princess. I thought both were just great.

 

I'm not too picky, I just want cleanliness, good service, and good food. I thought the first two cruises more than exceeded all of those. Given this criteria, will I like the Zuiderdam?

 

Thanks

[probman]

hope so, I just booked it, will monitor thread

[Sierrachik]

We enjoyed it tremendously, booked a second cruise on her for this fall. I think you'll have a great time. Enjoy! :)

[Tarkus]

given the criteria you state, yes, i think you will enjoy your cruise on the zuiderdam.

[Ziggy7]

You will love it, just go with that same attitude and you will be fine :) Have a great cruise!:)

[BenBar1]

We were on the Zuiderdam last December in the Caribbean and had a wonderful cruise. Everything was just great!!

 

Have a terrific time.

 

Ben and Barbara from Long Beach, California

[sarplum]

We were on the Zuiderdam last December in the Caribbean and had a wonderful cruise. Everything was just great!!

 

Have a terrific time.

 

Ben and Barbara from Long Beach, California

 

We went on the Oosterdam last December and it was great. We are on the

Zuiderdam this December in the same time slot. Is there really a difference

between the 2 ships?

[doone]

As many regular posters know here, I booked the Zuiderdam with great apprehension and really was going with the thought I would not care for this ship at all. However, I do have to say I loved the Zuiderdam and would not hesitate to book her again in the future or any of the Vista Style ships, but only for 7 days, wouldn't want it any longer than that (no self-service laundries).

 

I also found the hallways that had soft spots and are in need of repair, but did not see anything else out of the ordinary as far as desperate repairs being needed.

 

I found the food to be excellent, the crew was incredible, the entertainment could have been better, but that's always been HAL's weak point, IMHO.

 

After sailing on the Zuiderdam, I sailed the Volendam. I have always enjoyed the R and S style ships of HAL and always will. The Volendam is a more refined, classy ship and I will agree, the guests who sail on these style ship are a bit more of a seasoned cruiser.

 

I enjoyed both ships for different reasons. If you are planning on booking the Zuiderdam, or one of the other Vista Style ships, I don't think you will be disappointed, I know I wasn't, even after alot of negative reviews about her on these boards before I sailed.

 

The Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, Westerdam and Noordam are all sister ships and built the same, only differences would be color scheme.

[BLStokes23]

You're going on vacation - you're going on a CRUISE! What's not to like about that?

Have a fantastic time - The Zuiderdam is a great ship.

[Giorgi-one]

You will hate it. Best thing you can do is send me your tickets immediately!

[K&RCurt]

You will hate it. Best thing you can do is send me your tickets immediately!

 

 

Giorgi-one:

 

I've seen you give this response several times.......Have you had any takers yet?:D I hope it works out, I would HATE for someone to have to suffer through a cruise on a ship they HATE, while you have so graciously offered to take on the unpleasant experience for them!

[jhannah]

Go to have a good time and you will. Go to find all the flaws and you'll do that as well. We had a great time on the Zuiderdam and enjoyed the ship very much. We sailed her during her first season and, yes, there were some things not quite up to par. But nothing of any consequence. Ships are like homes. They need some repair and sprucing up from time to time. I think you'll enjoy the ship and its feel.

[HAL92]

you will love the Zuiderdam:)

[kryos]

you will love the Zuiderdam:)

... unless you set yourself up ahead of time to be of the mind that you will hate it.

 

Think about it. You're on a cruise ship. Someone is waiting on you hand and foot. You don't have to prepare a single meal, nor clean up after one. You can get up from the table and leave your dirty glasswear, coffee cup and dishes there for someone else to pick up ... and it's perfectly acceptable. (I try that one at home occasionally ... no, it never works.) :(

 

My feeling is that a cruise would have to be pretty "dammed" bad for me not to find quite a bit to like about it. By bad, I'm talking on the level of the Titanic. :)

 

Go and enjoy!

 

--rita

[Appgrad]

I have sailed the Voyager, Mariner and the Zuiderdam. I didn't love it or hate it... I feel in between. Here are my thoughts:

1. Voyager is 10X prettier than the Zui. The decor is better, the open spaces are really open, everything on the voyager was breathtaking. Zui felt cramped in a few of the public spaces, especially the shows and bars where there were activities going on.

2. Voyager has more to do. Besides the nightly show, there was not a lot to do on the Zui except the casino and the disco. I missed the guitar playing at the pub on the promenade. Also, stuff like Zuiderdam Superstar fills up VERY quickly. If you don't get there early, you won't get a place to sit.

3. Food on the Zui is good, not great. We ate at the Pinnacle Grill one night. The steaks were fantastic. However, I still prefer the meal I had at the Italian pay-restaurant on the voyager.

4. Staff on the Zui was friendly, but not quite as friendly as the Voyager.

5. Rooms on the Zui are bigger and nicer. Soap and shampoo on the Zui are 10X nicer.

6. Shops are dead even. Both have the same things at the same cost.

7. Zui goes to Tortola on the Wastern Caribbean cruise. Tortola is beautiful enough for me to forgive/forget 1-6 above. Voyager does not go there.

 

It is simply a numbers game! I alos paid $500 p/p less for the Zui that I would have for the Voyager the same week if that makes any difference to you.