baggal Posted July 19, 2016 #1 Share Posted July 19, 2016 We are considering a partial Panama Canal transit on the Zuiderdam in February 2017. We were last on the Zuiderdam in 2008. Since then, have they added cabanas to the pool deck like there are on the Eurodam? I hope not. The thought of a 10 day cruise with an overcrowded pool deck is very unappealing. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtl513 Posted July 19, 2016 #2 Share Posted July 19, 2016 (edited) No Lido cabanas ... just the Retreat type on deck 11: http://www.hollandamerica.com/main/DeckPlansFull.action?ship=zu_2&deck=s&deep=0 :) Edited July 19, 2016 by jtl513 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VacationCharlene Posted July 19, 2016 #3 Share Posted July 19, 2016 We had the BEST time on our partial Panama Transit on the Zuiderdam. Here is a short video to get you pumped !! Book it and have an amazing time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baggal Posted July 19, 2016 Author #4 Share Posted July 19, 2016 No Lido cabanas ... just the Retreat type on deck 11:http://www.hollandamerica.com/main/DeckPlansFull.action?ship=zu_2&deck=s&deep=0 :) Thanks for your quick response! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted July 19, 2016 #5 Share Posted July 19, 2016 We had the BEST time on our partial Panama Transit on the Zuiderdam. Here is a short video to get you pumped !! Book it and have an amazing time! Great video. Thank you for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate-AHF Posted August 13, 2016 #6 Share Posted August 13, 2016 We had the BEST time on our partial Panama Transit on the Zuiderdam. Here is a short video to get you pumped !! Book it and have an amazing time! Thank you for sharing that. Great video. Seeing you so happy made me smile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare boards Posted August 13, 2016 #7 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Wow what great video. We have considered doing the partial transit and now will really look into doing it. Thank you. (was that draft beer you were drinking)?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollDoll Posted August 13, 2016 #8 Share Posted August 13, 2016 To anyone booking that February 15 cruise on the Zuiderdam...come on over to the roll call. We've only got three or four people so far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Copper10-8 Posted August 13, 2016 #9 Share Posted August 13, 2016 We had the BEST time on our partial Panama Transit on the Zuiderdam. Here is a short video to get you pumped !! Book it and have an amazing time! Cool video! Can't beat the Zac Brown Band, well maybe the BB King Band onboard can ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nutensteve Posted August 13, 2016 #10 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Great video !! This one is on my list of must do cruises. Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvz2cruz Posted August 14, 2016 #11 Share Posted August 14, 2016 We did the ten night partial transit on Zuiderdam and it was lots of fun. I would love to do it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baggal Posted August 14, 2016 Author #12 Share Posted August 14, 2016 We did book - taking a Signature Suite with the Explore 4 package. As many have advised, we compared the per day cost to Princess in a balcony. HAL actually came out to be less expensive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlsSalt Posted August 14, 2016 #13 Share Posted August 14, 2016 We did book - taking a Signature Suite with the Explore 4 package. As many have advised, we compared the per day cost to Princess in a balcony. HAL actually came out to be less expensive! The Vista ship Signature suite in our opinion is the best cabin value out there. Breathing room to unpack and relax. Enjoy your cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joepeka Posted August 14, 2016 #14 Share Posted August 14, 2016 We had the BEST time on our partial Panama Transit on the Zuiderdam. Here is a short video to get you pumped !! Book it and have an amazing time! Thank you for the cool video Charlene. We are booked on Zuiderdam this coming winter for the 10-day partial canal cruise. I noticed you did the Tortuguero Canal excursion and we're considering it as well - was that through HAL and what are your thoughts on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollDoll Posted August 14, 2016 #15 Share Posted August 14, 2016 From time to time over the past years I've read on these boards that the Zuiderdam has had air conditioning problems and also toilet problems. Can anyone tell me if either or both of these issues has been permanently resolved or should I anticipate possibly running into one or both of these next February when I do the partial transit. Thanks in advance for any input! 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlsSalt Posted August 14, 2016 #16 Share Posted August 14, 2016 From time to time over the past years I've read on these boards that the Zuiderdam has had air conditioning problems and also toilet problems. Can anyone tell me if either or both of these issues has been permanently resolved or should I anticipate possibly running into one or both of these next February when I do the partial transit. Thanks in advance for any input! 😀 All ships on all cruise lines from time to time report similar problems. Biggest plumbing problems come from passenger ignoring the warnings not to dispose improper items down the plumbing system which cause back-ups elsewhere on the same line. A ships engineer reported here just recently that everything from underwear, bathing suits to wet wipes goes down the plumbing systems causing havoc for others in cabins on the same lines. So yes, one can "expect" the occasional plumbing problem on ships - lots of people living together in closed system. One violator can make it tough on a lot of other people. Same with the A/C, some passengers insist on leaving balcony doors open contrary to express signs asking them not to. This also in this closed system cause problems for other passengers. Additionally, when traveling near the equator, like the Panama Canal, there will be an over-stressing of any A/C system simply due to the outside temperatures. They ask passengers to keep curtains closed when leaving their cabins so that helps others too by reducing the daytime demands on the system. So yes, again in this closed system that depends upon mutual passenger cooperation, there can be the occasional mishap in the A/C systems too. Several years ago there were reports of aft cabins on the Zuiderdam having A/C issues during a Panama run but there have been been recent reports. I have always held if one goes to the tropics, one will be in the tropics which is part of the expected travel experience. No guarantee one will get a 100% room temperature northern climate experience on this route. Order a cool drink, pull out your fan and languidly enjoy the change of scene may be the best way to approach any glitches you run into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollDoll Posted August 14, 2016 #17 Share Posted August 14, 2016 Thanks for the response. I've experienced people putting who knows what in the toilets so a whole section of the ship toilets don't work! I do get that. A bit worried about the a/c. I know it can't be optimal, hopefully just comfortable. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlsSalt Posted August 14, 2016 #18 Share Posted August 14, 2016 (edited) Thanks for the response. I've experienced people putting who knows what in the toilets so a whole section of the ship toilets don't work! I do get that. A bit worried about the a/c. I know it can't be optimal, hopefully just comfortable. Thanks again. For a few days it might not be comfortable. But the ship will move on to more accommodating climes in short order. BTW, I have to be prepared to take my own advice as I soon head to the Panama region on a ship that has also had a string of A/C complaints in the past too. I am prepared to be uncomfortable for a while and will be surprised if we are not. It helps to know this up front. I remember it being blistering hot in Cartegena Columbia, which was such a pretty old city to visit but punishing in the heat. Then when I reminded myself where it was on the map, I realized the heat simply came with the location. Averages close to 90 degrees year round - with humidity. (Well, duh?... as they say). Edited August 14, 2016 by OlsSalt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampa Girl Posted August 14, 2016 #19 Share Posted August 14, 2016 The Vista ship Signature suite in our opinion is the best cabin value out there. Breathing room to unpack and relax. Enjoy your cruise. I second that! We also had the Signature Suite and Explore 4 on the Panama Canal, Zuiderdam cruise. Great cabin, and the Explore 4 is icing on the cake. OP: Enjoy your cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Crew News Posted August 14, 2016 #20 Share Posted August 14, 2016 From time to time over the past years I've read on these boards that the Zuiderdam has had air conditioning problems and also toilet problems. Can anyone tell me if either or both of these issues has been permanently resolved or should I anticipate possibly running into one or both of these next February when I do the partial transit. Thanks in advance for any input! 😀 A major cause of the Zuiderdam A/C problem is leaving your curtains open while in the Panama Canal area. The direct sunlight into the stateroom heats the furniture and the A/C just cannot overcome that. Keeping the curtains closed really made a difference once our Room Steward enlightened us. We will be returning to the PC again this November on the Zuiderdam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VacationCharlene Posted August 14, 2016 #21 Share Posted August 14, 2016 Thank you for the cool video Charlene. We are booked on Zuiderdam this coming winter for the 10-day partial canal cruise. I noticed you did the Tortuguero Canal excursion and we're considering it as well - was that through HAL and what are your thoughts on it? We enjoyed that tour alot! We used private company Syl Travel Day Tours 4 hr tour Tortuguero Canals and Banana plantation for only $55pp. Look up TripAdvisor and Charlene351 for all my reviews for that cruise and glad you liked the video!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailingpeace Posted August 14, 2016 #22 Share Posted August 14, 2016 If my memory is ok , Zuiderdam has some absolutely great balconies aft , some with two regular chairs and two beach chairs ( loungers). No crowd ! ( but no pool ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Crew News Posted August 14, 2016 #23 Share Posted August 14, 2016 If my memory is ok , Zuiderdam has some absolutely great balconies aft , some with two regular chairs and two beach chairs ( loungers). No crowd ! ( but no pool ;) Large verandahs with the aft staterooms. No pools on the verandahs but a large one on the aft Lido Deck 9. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easyboy Posted August 14, 2016 #24 Share Posted August 14, 2016 We had the BEST time on our partial Panama Transit on the Zuiderdam. Here is a short video to get you pumped !! Book it and have an amazing time! Thanks for sharing the video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now