Zuiderdam - Important Wifey type question!

[Delbankin]

Hi,

We are due to cruise on The Zuiderdam in May to Alaska. My wife would like me to ask a couple of really important questions:

 

What are the in-cabin hair dryers like? Needs to be high powered for my Mrs!

 

If no good, what are the cabin sockets like for using her own? Are there UK and US or European outlets and are they 110v or (less likely) 240v?

 

We are from UK so would appreciate feedback from anyone who has experienced what the Zuiderdam has to offer in the hair dryer department.

 

This will be our first cruise with HAL having cruised with most other lines. Looking forward to see what the Zuiderdam has to offer. By recent accounts she seems to have very mixed reviews and quite a lot of negative ones as do HAL generally.

 

We chose the cruise for the itinerary so hopefully won't be disappointed.

 

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Del.

[Alberta Quilter]

There is one North American and one European outlet in each room. No UK outlet.

 

I have found the hair dryers to be fine. They have two or three speeds. I have thick hair and they work for me. I have heard of others not liking them and bringing their own. I prefer not bringing my own; it adds to the weight of the suitcase.

[AZNative2000]

We got off the Noordam (sister to Zuiderdam) on Nov 15th and we found our hairdryer powerful enough (two speeds) for us.:)

 

Nice to not have to pack one.

 

Cheers!

[IRL_Joanie]

I have a HAL Staterooms and Cabins web site that has a lot of not only stateroom photos, but also descriptions/comments about the various HAL ships. Zuiderdam's can be found at the following direct link to its Index Page, and the second link is to the Miscellaneous Page(s) which are the public areas, etc...:

 

http://abqreunion2008.com/Zuiderdam/index.html

http://abqreunion2008.com/Zuiderdam/index-2.html

 

Depending on which category stateroom you are in you will have 1 plug outlet with 1 US 120 and 1 European 220 plug plug combination (Inside and most Ocean View category staterooms), which is usually on the desk (hair dryer is usually located in one of the desk drawers in the lower category staterooms) OR up to 3 of the 1 US 120 and 1 European 220 plug combination, (Neptune Suites and Penthouse).

 

Click on this thumbnail to view the Plug Full Sized (This photo is of a plug outlet on Nieuw Amsterdam, but is the same on all the HAL ships):

 

 

Hope this info helps.

 

Joanie

Edited December 26, 2013 by IRL_Joanie

[Tarpeian Rock]

Alternate view: my wife's hair isn't particularly thick, but she always brings her own hair dryer. Her feeling is that while the in-cabin hair dryers blow fast enough, they aren't hot enough. She has always lugged a big hair dryer with her, but Santa brought her a folding one with a high wattage rating. Hope that will do it for her.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have found that many of the hair dryers that I used on various HAL ships are not very powerful.

[Delbankin]

Thanks for the replies, especially IRL Joanie. The photos are really helpful. Looks like my wife will be packing her own hair drier along with a European/UK adaptor.

 

Looking forward to our May cruise to Alaska on Zuiderdam and to our cruise later this month with NCL (Something of a contrast I'm sure!).

[cruz chic]

I think the dryers suck on Hal. I usually end up doing my make up first then using the dryer because they are wimpy and I hope that gives my hair a chance to air dry a bit.

[bcscot]

I thought that this thread was about wireless computer access, not your good lady! :D

[magandab]

Even if the hairdryer is powerful enough (which I don't think it is) it's hard wired into a drawer which makes it very difficult for me to dry my hair (I dry my hair standing up). So, I found a very small, powerful, dual voltage hair dryer on Amazon and I'm a happy camper... er, cruiser.

[RuthC]

Even if the hairdryer is powerful enough (which I don't think it is) it's hard wired into a drawer which makes it very difficult for me to dry my hair (I dry my hair standing up).

Not on most ships. The only ship I can remember having a hard-wired dryer is the Westerdam, although there may be another.

[magandab]

Not on most ships. The only ship I can remember having a hard-wired dryer is the Westerdam, although there may be another.

 

It was on the Zuiderdam a week ago, and on the Oosterdam the year before that. I no longer take the chance as the one thing I can guarantee is that if I don't bring mine along, the one on the ship will be wired in. :p

[cruz chic]

It was on the Zuiderdam a week ago, and on the Oosterdam the year before that. I no longer take the chance as the one thing I can guarantee is that if I don't bring mine along, the one on the ship will be wired in. :p

 

I'm not sure what you mean by hard wired. I was on the Oosterdam in August and the Eurodam in October and it was just like a normal hair dryer.

[Typhoon1]

The shipboard dryers are of good quality. Shouldn't be a problem drying her hair.

[magandab]

I'm not sure what you mean by hard wired. I was on the Oosterdam in August and the Eurodam in October and it was just like a normal hair dryer.

 

I've found on several cruises, not all, that the hair dryer is in a drawer and it's wired into the electrical current through the drawer. That is, you can't take it out and plug it in somewhere else. I'm 5'8" and having it attached that low makes it nearly impossible to dry my hair standing up.

 

fortunately, I found a very small travel dryer, flat iron, and 1" barrel curling iron, that all together probably don't weight more than 1 to 1.5 pounds.

[cruz chic]

I've found on several cruises, not all, that the hair dryer is in a drawer and it's wired into the electrical current through the drawer. That is, you can't take it out and plug it in somewhere else. I'm 5'8" and having it attached that low makes it nearly impossible to dry my hair standing up.

 

fortunately, I found a very small travel dryer, flat iron, and 1" barrel curling iron, that all together probably don't weight more than 1 to 1.5 pounds.

 

That's odd. I've got almost 300 days on Hal and the only thing I've seen close to that is a dryer that is attached to the wall in the bathroom. It's been a really long time since I've seen that on Hal. That includes several cruises on the Oosterdam so it's odd that they would have some dryers like that. For me, is about lightening up my luggage not the cost of a dryer.

[magandab]

That's odd. I've got almost 300 days on Hal and the only thing I've seen close to that is a dryer that is attached to the wall in the bathroom. It's been a really long time since I've seen that on Hal. That includes several cruises on the Oosterdam so it's odd that they would have some dryers like that. For me, is about lightening up my luggage not the cost of a dryer.

 

Maybe it depends on the cabin? I remember my first cruise on the Oosterdam I didn't bring a dryer, because on my previous cruise there was a standard hair dryer available. That time (SY cabin) it was wired in and I had to ask for a standard dryer, which they had trouble finding for me, but finally did provide one.

 

I agree, cost has nothing to do with it, but I'd hate to find myself without a dryer I feel comfortable and happy using for 12 days plus, so it's worth just bringing mine along.

Edited December 27, 2013 by magandab

[IRL_Joanie]

I've found on several cruises, not all, that the hair dryer is in a drawer and it's wired into the electrical current through the drawer. That is, you can't take it out and plug it in somewhere else. I'm 5'8" and having it attached that low makes it nearly impossible to dry my hair standing up.

 

fortunately, I found a very small travel dryer, flat iron, and 1" barrel curling iron, that all together probably don't weight more than 1 to 1.5 pounds.

 

OK Ladies, To try and settle this discussion, I have to say that on the 5 ships I have beenon with HAL, I have seen them both Hard Wired into a desk drawer, VF Category on Nieuw Amsterdam Deck 8 and Our first HAL cruise Oosterdam HC Deck 5 mid ship. But not in the suites, SA and SB and SC aft wraps on Westerdam, Oosterdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam and Zuiderdam, they are in the Dressing area and are not hard wired.

 

Joanie

[cruz chic]

Maybe it depends on the cabin? I remember my first cruise on the Oosterdam I didn't bring a dryer, because on my previous cruise there was a standard hair dryer available. That time (SY cabin) it was wired in and I had to ask for a standard dryer, which they had trouble finding for me, but finally did provide one.

 

I agree, cost has nothing to do with it, but I'd hate to find myself without a dryer I feel comfortable and happy using for 12 days plus, so it's worth just bringing mine along.

 

I would not be happy with that type of dryer so I hope that is the exception rather then the rule. On the Oosterdam I've had insides, balconies and the ph so I'm glad I never got one. I'm not likely to get on the Oosterdam again anytime soon since the itineraries don't work for me. I might start bringing my dryer again even though I don't want to. Thx for the info.

[bcscot]

I think the dryers suck on Hal.

 

A hair drier that sucks! :eek: That could cause a few problems. :D

[cruz chic]

A hair drier that sucks! :eek: That could cause a few problems. :D

 

You are correct. I knew someone would mention that:D. You might be able to vacuum with it;).

[solocanadian]

Not on most ships. The only ship I can remember having a hard-wired dryer is the Westerdam, although there may be another.

 

If my memory serves me correctly, it is hard wired in that stupid rectanugalr cupboard at the desk on the Oosterdam. I take my own.

[matondo]

As a female and not too picky about my hair I do not like the HAL hair dryers. I have been on the Zuiderdam twice. I ended up bringing my own dryer the second time. Reason why...my hair kept turning out funky. If you have space bring your own hair dryer with adapter or if you have time buy one they are not expensive ($20 or even less) and even the cheap ones which I own perform better than the ones I used.

[kazu]

Have managed to cope with the HAL dryers on all our cruises - even the 30 day ones :) I have enough junk to pack for a cruise - if I can leave a hair dryer out of the equation - that is a good thing :)

 

Now, if I find a really cheap one, I would pick it up in FLL when we leave out of there - but so far I haven't seen any bargains ;)

[RuthC]

If my memory serves me correctly, it is hard wired in that stupid rectanugalr cupboard at the desk on the Oosterdam. I take my own.

That's why I thought it better to say "most". The Oosterdam is one of two HAL ships I haven't sailed (although I will remedy that situation in April ;) ).