Zuiderdam Review

[Coolcruise02]

We were also on the 3/18 sailing and had a GREAT cruise! I'm sure others are tired of us posting on their reviews so we will write a small one of our overall thoughts. This was our 11th cruise but 1st on HAL. We are 50/52 years old.

 

*Embarkation-We arrived at the pier around 1:40 and we were in our room at 2:00-very fast and friendly service.

 

*Ship-We found it very tasteful and clean. The art work was beautiful. We had new carpet in our hallway and elevator area.

 

*Room-Smallest we have ever had, and no drawer space, but a nice large bathroom and shower. The beds are fabulous!

 

*Food- Our dining room meals were delicious and great presentation on every plate. Our head waiter was a little aloof, but the asst. waiter was very nice. We never found lines in the Lido, but we eat breakfast at 7:00 and early lunch. The fresh OJ every day was wonderful as well as the scrambled eggs. They are being made right at the station so they don't have to "travel".

 

*I Hunky Dory-If you did not meet him you missed out. What a pleasant way to start your morning. We were told by a crew member his name is mentioned on 300-400 comment cards every week! (Is that his real name?)

 

*Activities-Always started on time and well attended. They don't award prizes at any event but you earn Dam Dollars and we ended up with t-shirts, hat and water bottle.

 

*Casino-The staff was the most unfriendly of any cruise we have been on. The slots were very tight, but we did go home with some of the ships money from slots and craps.

 

*Entertainment-Great production shows, singers and dancers. They were some of the best male dancers we have seen. Lots of costume and scene changes. We loved the Joel Mason\Elton John show so much my DW went back for the late show also.

 

*Lounges-We liked dancing after dinner in the Ocean Lounge and later in Northern Lights. DJ Kerry is very nice. The times we went to the Crow's Nest we enjoyed the music but not our type to dance to. The Piano Lounge was very nice with active crowd participation.

 

*Pools/Hot Tubs-They do not enforce "no kids in adult pool or hot tubs" or no babies with diapers in the pool. YUK! We didn't like the way they arrange the loungers in the mid Lido pool area, they end up getting drug into the shade with tables. By mid-afternoon you could not walk from one end of the Lido deck to the other on sea days.

 

*Disembarkation-Very easy! They started calling colors around 8:50. We were off by 9:30. But watch out for the FLL airport, what a ZOO!

 

Ports:

 

*HMC-What can I say, it was beautiful and the sofest sand. We had a perfect weather day and the BBQ was great. Unlike others, we never encountered any lines the two times we were there and thought the chicken and ribs were delicious.

 

*St. Thomas-We took a great tour with Sunny Liston for $25pp for the whole day. We did 2 1/2hr of shopping, 1 1/2hr island tour and 2 hr at Saphire Beach. It was another perfect weather day!

 

*Tortola-We took the ferry to Virgin Gorda and went to the Baths. Another perfect weather day, great snorkeling and large waves.

 

*Nassau-We had a rain shower as we were docking but cleared off. We did a self walking historic tour then took the $1.00 jitney to Cable Beach.

 

Overall it was a GREAT cruise and great weather. We went expecting an older group of cruisers but were pleasantly suprised at the younger crowd. On the last sea day we recieved a notice in our cabin that we could have an inside room on the next sailing for $299pp or a balcony for $499. What a temptation! :)

[shonuf]

So glad you enjoyed your cruise. Have the SOE improvements been completed on the Zuiderdam? Demonstration kitchen, etc.? We're booked for next January.

[Lv2sail]

Thanks for your review. We are sailing on the Zuiderdam in June in Alaska. You mention that the cabin is small. Was it an inside cabin? I have my DD & her hubby booked into an inside and hope it's not too cramped. Any info would be appreciated.

[doone]

Great review, glad you had a great cruise. What cabin did you have as you mentioned it was the smalled you have had?

[Coolcruise02]

Yes, it was an inside stateroom on deck 4 at the front of the ship. We have had a couple other insides (Canival & RCCL) and had plenty of room. The way the room was arranged does not help the cramped feeling. Looking back if we had the bed converted to two twins it would have given us a little more space.

 

We are in our room so little it does not bother us. We only seem to notice when we are getting dressed for dinner. So, one gets dressed while the other is in the shower. :)

 

We could not go to bed until after the 2nd show ended at 11:30 because we could hear the thumping from the music. We knew the stage was on deck 2 when we booked but didn't think about the music coming thru 2 floors because we forget that it is an "open" area. DH is usually in the casino till midnight and I wander around so it was not a proplem for us, but could be for others.

[Coolcruise02]

Lv2sail....... Just go prepared to be in close quarters. We have got packing down to a science so there was plenty of shelf and closet space for the 2 of us. The only drawers are the ones in the night stand. There is a nice shelf in the bathroom under the sink, the full length of the bathroom. Also, a cabinet with shelves in the bathroom.

[Lv2sail]

Coolcruise02

Thanks for the info. My DH & I have a deluxe verandah suite booked so I might share my closet with my DD & hubby if they run out of room. Knowing how she packs, she'll need more room.....especially for Alaska where weather can be unpredictable.

[keep on cruising]

Thanks Coolcruise02

 

We will be boarding the Zuiderdam in just 3 days!!!! :D It was great to hear how great your cruise was.

[twinkletoes4445]

Thanks for the review! We're sailing on the Zuiderdam next year. :)

[akur23]

Demonstration kitchen, etc.? We're booked for next January.

 

The demo kitchen is just some units that roll in and get clamped down. You can barely see them here:

 

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/akur/detail?.dir=/fa85&.dnm=52c2.jpg&.src=ph

 

It worked fine for both the demo and the cooking classes.

[Britters]

How does the demo kitchen work? Do you sign up for classes or just show up? We are looking forward to that!

[akur23]

How does the demo kitchen work? Do you sign up for classes or just show up? We are looking forward to that!

 

Can't recall the exact names of the recipes (but can look them up if you want).

 

For the demo, you just show up. Seating is a little limited, but when I went it wasn't full. Chef Troy (of the Pinnacle Grill) held it, and he asked for a volunteer. It was very informal, and people asked lots of questions. He made Prawns on bruschetta and Chocolate Volcano. After the demo was over, staff brought miniature volcanos and passed them out to the audience. :D Yummy!

 

For the classes (held on at sea days), you have to go to the front desk to sign up, and they cost $29. You get a toque (paper), a nice apron with the Culinary Center/Food & Wine logo, a bottle of water, recipes, a pen and a notepad. And a lot of fun! Each person gets assigned a duty, and 3-4 recipes are prepared.

 

The first class was tuna avocado tartar with thai Chili sauce, Beef tenderloin in a bed of sea salt, and chocolate chip bread pudding. The second class was part bartending (martini, not a cosmo and mojitos), and then duck breast with chutney, salmon lollipops and fried brie nuggets.

 

Everything was delicious and Chef Troy was very nice and personable (I've known Chefs that aren't).

[Kinky.Rigger]

We could not go to bed until after the 2nd show ended at 11:30 because we could hear the thumping from the music. We knew the stage was on deck 2 when we booked but didn't think about the music coming thru 2 floors because we forget that it is an "open" area.

 

An excellent observation to pass on to others - the main cluster of the show lounge is actually hung above the edge of the stage and so those inside cabins on deck 4 forward are literally right next to them. I'm happy to hear it didn't bother you that much - I hope others read your post.

[S&M in Pgh]

This might seem like an odd question, but do you remember if there was a non-slip mat or carpet in the area on the main deck where you exit to the tender or gangway? I am referring to the area from the bottom of the steps or elevator and the security checkpoint.

 

Thanks

 

Mike

[Coolcruise02]

Wow, don't hold me to this, but I think there was a mat at the bottom of the stairs in the elevator area. I think it was a tile floor as you go down the hall and thru security and a carpet mat in the area they scan your card to go on/off the ship. Hope that helps. :)

[heartofamerica]

*I Hunky Dory-If you did not meet him you missed out. What a pleasant way to start your morning. We were told by a crew member his name is mentioned on 300-400 comment cards every week! (Is that his real name?)

HIs name is Imam. His ability to remember names is uncanny. I was on the ZUI in March of 2004 and saw him there. He remembered not only my name, but my daughters name -even when she wasn't with me, he always asked where she was. Saw him one night in the main dining room...sitting with a CC friend I met on board - as he passed, he asked us (by name) if he could get either of us a cup of coffee....he was not our regular waiter. I took it again in June of 2005, but he had just left for vacation. I asked our assistant maitre'd about him, and she said that several HAL ships wanted him, but the staff of the ZUI insisted that they get him back on the Zuiderdam.