Holland America Zaandam - no balcony??

[traveltripper]

Hey all, we are wanting to do the HAL Canada trip from Boston, end in Montreal. We want this specific ship since it goes to Montreal, the others don't. Problem is, no standard balconies! Unless we pay another $1000 per person for a suite.

We've cruised a lot before and usually get a balcony. I'm struggling with the idea of just a window. Thoughts?

We are early 50s and haven't had a trip in 3 years!

[FlaMariner]

Those older ships have few balconies and they come at a high premium also......We try to stay clear of them if we want a balcony......We find they are plentiful and affordable on the newer and bigger HAL ships.

 

We would need to book an Oceanview if we were on that ship. 

 

Pro:  The smaller ship fits under the bridge and can get you to Montreal.

Con:  Balconies on the smaller ships are very expensive

 

Choices.....enjoy the journey!

[Heartgrove]

This is a ship built before balconies became the norm. When the Vista-class, which followed by just two years, were placed in service a lot of promotion was made due to the increased number of balconies.

 

You may care to try a Lanai stateroom which will give you direct access to the Promenade Deck.

[janmcn]

A Vista Suite is not much more than your standard Verandah on larger ships. I call it a 9-drawer desk cabin vs 3-drawer desk (plain Verandah on larger ships). Only you can determine whether a Verandah is worth it. The ocean view cabins are an easy run up to the Promenade deck to be outside. It’s a port-intensive cruise so that always impacts my choice of cabins.

[OlsSalt]

With the smaller ships like the Zaandam, you are close to open deck public spaces than on the larger ones. Plus there are lower aft decks for some outdoor seating off the lower decks where the ocean view cabins are located.  

 

I think you will do fine, plus some of the lower deck ocean view cabins are quire large.

 

We did 51 days in an ocean view on her sister ship the Rotterdam and really enjoyed being more "forced" to be out and about in the public areas. They still have the great library spaces so they have options besides being confined to your cabin without an outdoor space.  Weather in this part of the world may not make the verandah as usable as other areas anyway.

 

PS: I love verandahs ,just because.  But when it comes to making a choice between cruising or not, my  preferences will rather quickly change. We love that Canada itinerary -the ports are all wonderful. 

[idiebabe]

1 hour ago, traveltripper said:

Hey all, we are wanting to do the HAL Canada trip from Boston, end in Montreal. We want this specific ship since it goes to Montreal, the others don't. Problem is, no standard balconies! Unless we pay another $1000 per person for a suite.

We've cruised a lot before and usually get a balcony. I'm struggling with the idea of just a window. Thoughts?

We are early 50s and haven't had a trip in 3 years!

We booked Zaandam for Montreal to Boston in early September and booked a Window.  We normally get a Balcony and love the Vista Suite on the Smaller Ships but for a 7 Night Cruise and the difference in Fare this time around we're going for price.  It will be our first Window Room (since our early days of Cruising on Carnival) and decided on our past Canada/NE Cruises we didn't spend much time on the Balcony.

 

 

 

 

[AryMay]

1 hour ago, Heartgrove said:

You may care to try a Lanai stateroom which will give you direct access to the Promenade Deck.

 

Unless something was changed recently, I don't believe the Zaandam has any Lanai cabins.

 

However, the oceanview staterooms on Deck 3 look out onto the Promenade Deck. If you can get a cabin near one of the exit doors (actually none are too far away) then it is just a few steps to get from your cabin out onto the wide wrap-around promenade deck. It is like having a HUGE balcony...as long as you don't mind a little company!

 

The Zaandam had just been refurbished prior to our Panama Canal cruise in 2018 and our cabin (#3339) was one that had the new updated bathrooms. To me this was a much better value than paying such a high price for a Lanai cabin with the door directly out onto the promenade deck.

[traveltripper]

1 hour ago, idiebabe said:

We booked Zaandam for Montreal to Boston in early September and booked a Window.  We normally get a Balcony and love the Vista Suite on the Smaller Ships but for a 7 Night Cruise and the difference in Fare this time around we're going for price.  It will be our first Window Room (since our early days of Cruising on Carnival) and decided on our past Canada/NE Cruises we didn't spend much time on the Balcony.

Oh well that's smart - thanks for sharing - we are doing same but was hoping for a Boston start. Happy sailing!!

[traveltripper]

36 minutes ago, AryMay said:

 

Unless something was changed recently, I don't believe the Zaandam has any Lanai cabins.

 

However, the oceanview staterooms on Deck 3 look out onto the Promenade Deck. If you can get a cabin near one of the exit doors (actually none are too far away) then it is just a few steps to get from your cabin out onto the wide wrap-around promenade deck. It is like having a HUGE balcony...as long as you don't mind a little company!

 

The Zaandam had just been refurbished prior to our Panama Canal cruise in 2018 and our cabin (#3339) was one that had the new updated bathrooms. To me this was a much better value than paying such a high price for a Lanai cabin with the door directly out onto the promenade deck.

hey, thanks for that information! I totally want an updated bathroom. I'm am going to take your advice and maybe even look for your room!! How can I figure out which rooms are updated?

[traveltripper]

1 hour ago, OlsSalt said:

With the smaller ships like the Zaandam, you are close to open deck public spaces than on the larger ones. Plus there are lower aft decks for some outdoor seating off the lower decks where the ocean view cabins are located.  

 

I think you will do fine, plus some of the lower deck ocean view cabins are quire large.

 

We did 51 days in an ocean view on her sister ship the Rotterdam and really enjoyed being more "forced" to be out and about in the public areas. They still have the great library spaces so they have options besides being confined to your cabin without an outdoor space.  Weather in this part of the world may not make the verandah as usable as other areas anyway.

 

PS: I love verandahs ,just because.  But when it comes to making a choice between cruising or not, my  preferences will rather quickly change. We love that Canada itinerary -the ports are all wonderful. 

Thank you!!! I don't feel nearly as conflicted now. I just need to find the right room. I love the idea I just responded to of finding a room on deck 3 near the exit. That person had an updated bathroom!

[traveltripper]

2 hours ago, janmcn said:

A Vista Suite is not much more than your standard Verandah on larger ships. I call it a 9-drawer desk cabin vs 3-drawer desk (plain Verandah on larger ships). Only you can determine whether a Verandah is worth it. The ocean view cabins are an easy run up to the Promenade deck to be outside. It’s a port-intensive cruise so that always impacts my choice of cabins.

Yeah, good point about the port-intensive itinerary. This isn't a larger ship, but we just love being able to watch the water flow by.

[traveltripper]

2 hours ago, Heartgrove said:

You may care to try a Lanai stateroom which will give you direct access to the Promenade Deck.

As someone else said, I'm not sure they have Lanai staterooms on this ship.

[Mabs]

First ship we ever sailed on and we have always liked it. Have over 700 days sailing a much prefer the smaller ships. We think you would like it and we like that voyage.

[traveltripper]

14 minutes ago, Mabs said:

First ship we ever sailed on and we have always liked it. Have over 700 days sailing a much prefer the smaller ships. We think you would like it and we like that voyage.

Thanks Mabs! Now we just need to find the right room, best flights, and decide if we want to start or stop in Boston/Montreal. We can only afford one day prior to the cruise.

[Loreto]

We have sailed the Zaandam in a fully obstructed cabin on the Lower Promenade just beyond the back elevators under the MDR several times (in fact the same cabin!) and found it an easy walk to the open deck.  Avoid the cabins in the center because they are under the galley and noisy at strange times ( like very early in the morning.)

 

All the verandahs are vista suites and eligible for double points.  We will be on the Zaandam Panama Canal in February, but in a Vista Suite, and yes, it was pricey but worth it.

[AryMay]

41 minutes ago, traveltripper said:

hey, thanks for that information! I totally want an updated bathroom. I'm am going to take your advice and maybe even look for your room!! How can I figure out which rooms are updated?

 

Here is the notice we received just prior to our cruise on the Zaandam:

 

This is to advise guests who've booked Ocean-view staterooms on board Zaandam
that during the April 2018 dry dock, the bathrooms in the below staterooms will
be updated to a shower-only configuration:
Lower Promenade Deck: D3331 - D3370
Main Deck: C2564 - C2647

 

Here is a link to some photos I took of our cabin so you can see what the bathroom looks like.: Zaandam Cabin #3339

 

The windows in these cabins on the promenade deck are designed so that you can see out, but no one can see in (although I would keep the curtains pulled at night when the lights are on.) It was actually fun to "people watch" out the window without anyone knowing you were looking! The outside coating on the windows makes them sort of mirror-like and it was hilarious to see people stopping to check their reflections or fix their hair and having no clue that we were just on the other side of the window watching them!

Edited April 14, 2022 by AryMay

[daisy-mae]

1 hour ago, AryMay said:

 

However, the oceanview staterooms on Deck 3 look out onto the Promenade Deck. If you can get a cabin near one of the exit doors (actually none are too far away) then it is just a few steps to get from your cabin out onto the wide wrap-around promenade deck. It is like having a HUGE balcony...as long as you don't mind a little company!

 

 

We sailed from Montreal to Boston on the Maasdam. Our cabin looked out onto the promenade deck, and we had easy access to the outdoors. In fact, on more than one occasion I snuck out there in my jammies for a breath of fresh sea air before turning in for the night.

[aliaschief]

Just a thought but I ponder how many balcony cabins have been set aside for quarantine?

[traveltripper]

25 minutes ago, AryMay said:

 

Here is the notice we received just prior to our cruise on the Zaandam:

 

This is to advise guests who've booked Ocean-view staterooms on board Zaandam
that during the April 2018 dry dock, the bathrooms in the below staterooms will
be updated to a shower-only configuration:
Lower Promenade Deck: D3331 - D3370
Main Deck: C2564 - C2647

 

Here is a link to some photos I took of our cabin so you can see what the bathroom looks like.: Zaandam Cabin #3339

 

The windows in these cabins on the promenade deck are designed so that you can see out, but no one can see in (although I would keep the curtains pulled at night when the lights are on.) It was actually fun to "people watch" out the window without anyone knowing you were looking! The outside coating on the windows makes them sort of mirror-like and it was hilarious to see people stopping to check their reflections or fix their hair and having no clue that we were just on the other side of the window watching them!

Yes!!! This is pure gold, thank you!!!!!!!

[FrankieSue]

We had always sailed in Vista cabins or above, for over 20 years until we did a 28 days days Ft Lauderdale to San Diego back to back (28 days).  For that one we were on the old Rotterdam and picked a partially obstructed on the Promenade deck…. In our case, we loved it… best and biggest balcony on the ship, plus we were not restricted to a Port or Starboard balcony… we could pick a seat on either side, as it suited us…. Plus we always had someone to chat with, and we were within feet from our cabin if we needed to step in for whatever….. we would pick a cabin on that deck any time. A great plus for the Zaandam is that it does not have Lanai cabins with loungers specifically assigned to those cabins.

[Tampa Girl]

The good thing about balcony cabins on the Zaandam is that they are larger than the balcony cabins on subsequent classes, i.e. Vista class.  We like the R class and always booked a balcony cabin.  Pricey, perhaps, but for us it is worth it.

[Heartgrove]

3 hours ago, AryMay said:

 

Unless something was changed recently, I don't believe the Zaandam has any Lanai cabins.

 

 

My mistake. The Volendam is the remaining R-class that has Lanai staterooms.

[rkacruiser]

With one exception, when I have sailed on a R Class ship, it has been in a Dolphin Deck outside stateroom, a few staterooms aft of the Forward Elevator/Stairway foyer.  Never have I been disappointed with my stateroom nor its location.  The one exception was when I booked a guarantee on the final segment of the 2007 Grand World Cruise.  I received a one cabin category upgrade to a stateroom in the same area in which I have sailed, but, on Main Deck.  Fine stateroom, but, there were footsteps that I often heard from the Lower Promenade Deck above.  Would not book such a stateroom on that deck again.  

[traveltripper]

Hi everyone, thanks so much for the responses. I've been reading threads and am now overwhelmed with all the covid stuff. I've basically been home the past 3 yrs. Is it hard to get the covid test before, and on the way home? Is it easier to start a cruise in USA or Canada?  Do you wear a mask everywhere on the ship? Is it safe???  Buffets?? agh! Is there a quick FAQ somewhere so I can easily get up to speed? Trying not to let covid ruin all the fun I used to have planning a vacay...

[Caribbean Chris]

13 hours ago, AryMay said:

 

Here is the notice we received just prior to our cruise on the Zaandam:

 

This is to advise guests who've booked Ocean-view staterooms on board Zaandam
that during the April 2018 dry dock, the bathrooms in the below staterooms will
be updated to a shower-only configuration:
Lower Promenade Deck: D3331 - D3370
Main Deck: C2564 - C2647

 

Here is a link to some photos I took of our cabin so you can see what the bathroom looks like.: Zaandam Cabin #3339

 

The windows in these cabins on the promenade deck are designed so that you can see out, but no one can see in (although I would keep the curtains pulled at night when the lights are on.) It was actually fun to "people watch" out the window without anyone knowing you were looking! The outside coating on the windows makes them sort of mirror-like and it was hilarious to see people stopping to check their reflections or fix their hair and having no clue that we were just on the other side of the window watching them!

Your info about the showers on HALFacts was so helpful after you posted it and a few weeks ago influenced me to book Zaandam for this year’s 16-day holiday cruise. Thank you! 

We’ve always chosen the Lower Prom Deck rooms on the smaller ships (now mostly gone☹️) next to a door leading outside. I truly love stepping out of my room onto that lovely, wide promenade.