Oct 9th Zuiderdam Likes/Dislikes

[Montia65]

Likes

 

 

 

Meeting with the Cruise-Critic crowd: We arrived somewhat late, did not know who the people where…however I did find Jim wearing his slippers and I knew we were in the right place. It was nice to put a face with a name.

 

 

 

Our Cabin steward, no request too big or too small

 

 

 

Suite Big enough for 3 people and lovely verandah

 

 

 

Our dinner mates, They were from Australia. Many nights we were the last ones out of the dinning room.

 

 

 

Larry from the piano bar, quick witted, however needed some ritalin. He could start a song, but had hard time finishing

 

 

 

Concierge service: all requests promply met.

 

 

 

Neptune lounge: Nice place to grab great snacks

 

 

 

Free Laundry

 

 

 

Luncheon with the Captain, they serve the big shrimp on this one

 

 

 

Breakfast + Lunch at the lido deck: many options.

 

 

 

The Porterhouse steak at the Pinnacle.

 

 

 

Dolphin swim in Tortola.

 

 

 

Winning $400 in slots to pay for dolphin swim

 

 

 

Finding out that Sierrachick won at the Casinos.

 

 

 

Someone returning my precription sunglasses to lost + found

 

 

 

Breakfast on our verandah

 

 

 

The band playing at Half Moon Cay, they played great, really set the mood

 

 

 

No Chair hogging was observed

 

 

 

The Aquarium in Atlantis hotel in Nassau, they have one huge stingray in there. Try going during feeding time. I believe it was 3pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dislikes:

 

 

 

St Thomas: everyone on the boat has to show their id. To top it off, it was in the morning, so no sleeping in.

 

 

 

Crew selling all you can drink pina coladas, however not finding them when you need a refill

 

 

 

Waiting for over an hour for a bus to get back on ship after the dolphin swim. We were in remote spot, so no taxis

 

 

 

Kids running up and down the hallway at all hours of the day.

 

 

 

Walking around like a third grader with my tray, trying to find a place to sit at the lido deck.

 

 

 

Tiny shrimp in the shrimp cocktail.

 

Trying to post on this board, I had to resubmit this review 3 times, hopefully this time it will take

 

 

 

 

 

 

Random thoughts:

 

If you ever have a chance to go on S suite, I highly recommend it. We had 3 people in our room and there was room to store everything.

 

We stayed at room S7067, it was by the elevator. There was no one peeking in our cabin, it really didn’t bother us. .At night, if you did not turn on your verandah light, no one saw you. (at least I hope nobody did!!)

 

Items bought that were useful, Nightlight, Duct tape and lanyard, water bottle and 20 year old tawny port.

 

We got lots of compliments on signs placed on our doorway, Westie dogs and Sponge Bob, people commented on how they were able to find their room by seeing our signs.

 

Pina Coladas gripe was resolved by moving to where they were actually making them.

 

This was a good cruise. I didn’t let the Dislikes get to me, after all I was on vacation. I would recommend this cruise.

[kelelmel]

Thanks so much for the post. Sounds like your cruise was a great success. Now the important question, where do I need to locate myself to be in close proximity to the Pina Colada's? :p

 

10 days to go! Woo Hoo!

 

~Kelly

[doone]

Great review, the likes outweighted the dislikes and the St. Thomas thing, I think we can all agree on that, but that's out of HAL's hands, its an immigration thing.

 

I am sailing the Zuiderdam in March and my first time in a suite. We have an aft suite and are really looking forward to the big wrap around balcony and all the other perks that go with it.

 

Thanks again for the great review.

[Esme]

"St Thomas: everyone on the boat has to show their id. To top it off, it was in the morning, so no sleeping in. "

Now you know what we non-US citizens or as they used to call us "aliens" have had to go through for years when sailing from a non-US port to a US port. :p Since 9/11, if you sail from a non-US port to a US port everyone, including American citizens, has to go through Immigration whether it's St. Thomas or another US port.

[carabou1]

When is the all youcan drink pina coladas event. Sounds good.

[Cruising Jake]

Did you take the cruise ship dolphin swim in Tortola? I thought they would have arranged return transportation.

[Montia65]

I believe the Pina colada was during Dutch Nite. It was at the lido deck by the pool area. They set up the Pina colada stand between the bar the the pool. there are permanant chairs located between there. I sat there and drank away. 4 refills within the hour. $12, not a bad price. It was only for 3-4 hours.

 

I went with the Cruise ship on the dolphin swim. They had a bus bring us up but there was none when we were done. We waited for an hour, and finally another bus full of people came. It was hot and felt like a hostage as we were in a remote part of town.

[jfishe]

Great review :) thanks ! We did the dolphin swim in Tortola, booked it independently and had no problems with a return taxi. We just walked up to the lobby of the hotel :)

[Roadwork]

Good review. I enjoyed it. Thanks.

[sail7seas]

I like the way you presented your likes and dislikes. Thanks for posting it. I enjoyed reading it.

[sail7seas]

"St Thomas: everyone on the boat has to show their id. To top it off, it was in the morning, so no sleeping in. "

Now you know what we non-US citizens or as they used to call us "aliens" have had to go through for years when sailing from a non-US port to a US port. :p Since 9/11, if you sail from a non-US port to a US port everyone, including American citizens, has to go through Immigration whether it's St. Thomas or another US port.

 

Aren't people from Canada and countries other than U.S. STILL called ALIENS by U.S. Immigration Officials? If the term Alien is no longer used, what are non-U.S. now called?

[Esme]

Aren't people from Canada and countries other than U.S. STILL called ALIENS by U.S. Immigration Officials? If the term Alien is no longer used, what are non-U.S. now called?

Non-US Citizens! :D Aliens are those little green martians! :D

[Ziggy7]

Good review. Thanks for sharing it! I enjoyed it. Thanks. :)

[Sierrachik]

Finding out that Sierrachick won at the Casinos.

I liked finding that out too, LOL :)

 

Did you know I won a second time in the casinos? It was in the wee hours of Saturday morning, on our "goodbye walk" of the ship, which as it happens was also our anniversary. It was on the same machine and almost as much as the first time :)

 

I was definitely a happy cruiser!

 

I really enjoyed meeting fellow CC posters as well, and our dolphin swim in Nassau was the highlight of the cruise for me.

[Montia65]

I liked finding that out too, LOL :)

 

Did you know I won a second time in the casinos? It was in the wee hours of Saturday morning, on our "goodbye walk" of the ship, which as it happens was also our anniversary. It was on the same machine and almost as much as the first time :)

 

I was definitely a happy cruiser!

 

I really enjoyed meeting fellow CC posters as well, and our dolphin swim in Nassau was the highlight of the cruise for me.

 

Congratulations, I am so happy for you. Happy Be-lated anniversary. I can't think of a better way to celebrate an anniversary. Are you now going to start taking a cruise every year?

[Sierrachik]

Are you now going to start taking a cruise every year?

Taking a cruise every year would be a wonderful thing! I'm not sure about cruising every year, it just depends on several things, my shop, my husband's vacation time, what's going on with our respective families, etc. I must admit I'm looking at another cruise for next year :)

 

We shall see what happens, how about you and your wife? Any plans for another cruise?

[dakrewser]

Excellent presentation of your thoughts and impressions, thanks. I sometimes wish others could be as succinct!

[Montia65]

We shall see what happens, how about you and your wife? Any plans for another cruise?

We really enjoyed the cruise and the Suite life is the way to go! We will go on another cruise, but we are not sure when. If we take in a cruise a year, we might have to invest in the stock to get extra ship board credit.

 

Dakrewser:

Thanks, I just learned a new word!!

[dakrewser]

Dakrewser:

Thanks, I just learned a new word!!

See, there's an educational quality to cruising, also! (That might make it tax deductable for you.....:rolleyes: )

 

-dave

[Chris uk]

Aren't people from Canada and countries other than U.S. STILL called ALIENS by U.S. Immigration Officials? If the term Alien is no longer used, what are non-U.S. now called?

 

 

I don't know what we are called but are treated as criminals.