New to Hal --Zuiderdam

[kiggy]

Hi Everyone --

 

I'm taking the Panama Canal Cruise on 1/2/10 on HAL's Zuiderdam. I'd be curious to know your thoughts on HAL, as this will be our first cruise with them, and on the Zuiderdam in particular. I've previously cruised on RCI and Princess and would be interested to know how they compare. Thank you!

[debnjoe1438]

My first (and only) Holland America cruise was on the Zuiderman going to Panama this past January. Before the cruise I had a few anxities due to preconceived notions about the age of the passengers, stringent dress codes, lack of activties.

 

Well guess what, I absolutely loved the cruise :D My husband also enjoyed the cruise. The passenger age was just a NON ISSUE. I'm 50 DH is 49, there were some older and some younger, everyone we meet was fantastic. As for the dress code, no big deal. There was a variety of dress in the main dinning room and in the Pinnicle grill. As for activities, we stayed busy, and received guite a few "dam dollars".

 

I would sail with Holland America again.:D

[twinkletoes4445]

Our first HAL cruise was a 7-day Caribbean cruise on the Zuiderdam. I had the same concerns as panamacruisin (especially when it came to the dress code), and found I worried needlessly. We had a wonderful time on that cruise, and followed it up with a 2nd cruise on the Noordam last Jan. and had a wonderful time on that cruise. We booked a 3rd cruise on HAL (while we were on the Noordam) and are excited to be cruising HAL again.

[Candy]

Hi Everyone --

 

I'm taking the Panama Canal Cruise on 1/2/10 on HAL's Zuiderdam. I'd be curious to know your thoughts on HAL, as this will be our first cruise with them, and on the Zuiderdam in particular. I've previously cruised on RCI and Princess and would be interested to know how they compare. Thank you!

Zuiderdam is our favorite ship of all! Our 10th Zuidy cruise was the same Panama Canal/Southern last November, and we loved it so much we're doing it again in October.

 

She's a more intimate ship than the newer Princess and RCI ships, and compared to other classes of HAL ships, she is geared more toward the family experience, so you can expect a little more energy and younger-than-usual pax. The most important thing about this ship, IMO, is that no matter what cabin cat you have, you will receive the very best service in the fleet.

 

Candy

[Solo Cruiser]

My comparison of Princess and HAL - PURELY my opinion of course:

 

Food - HAL

Cabin - HAL

Bed comfort - HAL and again HAL -bed was wonderful

Service - HAL

Entertainment - Princess

Spa - HAL strictly based on hydrotherapy area which was fabulous fun

Organization - tie

Shore Excursions - tie

Private Island - HAL

Passenger age - tie - and I never saw the importance of that but then I'm getting older LOL

 

Have a super cruise!!

[Susie51]

DH and I cruised on Zui... Nov. 2007. We had a fabulous time. Then DH booked us on Oosterdam which is also a vista class ship. We love the ships. DH prefers HAL over Princess and RCI. I think Zuiderdam has a lot of positive attributes such as beds, lido buffet, culinary arts, no extra fee ice cream with several yummy flavors to choose from. Very few announcements during the day.

 

I do prefer Princess Grand Class pools. There are so many options to choose from throughout the Lido deck. Diamond Princess also has several open seating dining rooms to choose from and plenty of tables for two.

 

RCI Vison class ships are also a favorite of mine because of the covered solarium pool with adjoining changing facilities, and surrounding the atrium there are several decks with lounges with huge windows.

 

DH and I are in our 50s and age of pax has never been an issue with us.

 

Be ready for a fantastic cruise. HAL is a great cruise line

[Copper10-8]

 

ms Zuiderdam (2002-present) Built in 2002 as ms Zuiderdam by Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A., Marghera (Venice), Italy for Holland America Line. The first of a class of four 'Vista' ships (Oosterdam, Westerdam and Noordam are her sisters), she was the largest-ever passenger ship to join the HAL fleet at the time. The names of the four ships translate to the four directions of the compass in the Dutch language; Zuid meaning south, Oost for east, Noord is north and West for, you guessed it, .........west.

The four ships are equipped with a diesel-electric power plant and an Azipod propulsion system. They were designed so that eighty-five percent of their staterooms have ocean views and sixty-seven percent have verandas; the extensive use of glass in the superstructure of the Vista-class ships is also reflected in the class name. The Vista’s feature "exterior glass elevators," located on both sides of the vessels and vertically traversing 10 decks, providing guests with panoramic sea views.

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At 81,769 grt, Zuiderdam is almost 30% larger than HAL's "R" class and almost 35% larger than the "S" class of ships. There were originally five Vista’s planned for HAL but that fifth hull was first transferred to Cunard Line in 2003 and then a second time to P&O Cruises to become their ms Arcadia.

 

Zuiderdam was the third ship in Holland America Line's history to carry the prefix "zuider" or "southerly". The first vessel was launched in 1912 as the 5,211 ton cargo ship Zuiderdijk. At the time, "dijk" or "dyk" was the suffix used by HAL for cargo vessels while "dam" was used for their passenger ships. Zuiderdijk would sail between Rotterdam and Savannah, GA through 1922. She then served as a troop transport during Worl War I.

 

The second "Zuider", and the first "Zuiderdam", was launched from a shipyard in Rotterdam for outfitting in 1941. However, a month later she was damaged and capsized during a British air raid. The German occupiers raised her hull but later sunk her again to block the port of Rotterdam to allied forces. She was raised once again after World War II, but never completed.

 

 

Her art collection carries a Venetian theme throughout the ship. Suspended in a three-story atrium, a Waterford Crystal Seahorse sets the mood for several art pieces which can be found throughout the ship. Examples of these include a painting of HRH Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands by pop culture artist and icon Andy Warhol, medallions by Frank Lloyd Wright, Carnival in Venice, created by Daniel Ogier, cast aluminum elevator doors inspired by the art deco work of the New York Chrysler Building, a massive floral painting by Charles Ben and a large collection of antiques and centuries-old paintings. Eighty-five percent of her staterooms have ocean views and sixty-seven percent have verandahs.

 

At the time of her launching on 14 December 2001, Zuiderdam embraced the latest industry and environmental technologies such as the use of a diesel-electric power plant for optimal energy efficiency and an Azipod propulsion system. She was also the first ship to offer data ports in every stateroom for internet and e-mail access.

After running technical trials in the Adriatic and having been accepted by her new owners, Zuiderdam crossed the Atlantic under the command of HAL Captain Jean 'Jack' van Coevorden. Upon arrival in Ft. Lauderdale, FL she was named by her godmother, broadcaster and TV anchor Joan Lunden in a ceremony on 14 December 2002. Dignitaries present for the event included Carnival chairman and CEO Mickey Arison, his wife Madeline, HAL president and CEO Kirk Lanterman and his wife Janet, Fincantieri shipyard executive chairman Corato Antonini, HAL interior designer Frans Dingemans and Reverend David Mesenbring, who would bless the vessel.

 

 

She then set off on her maiden voyage, a cruise to the eastern Caribbean. Her itineraries since then have taken her from the Caribbean via the Panama Canal to the North American west coast, Alaska's inside Passage and Glacier Bay, as well as various ports of Europe.

In November, 2003, Holland America Cruise Line announced a program of up-scaling their cruise ships, cruise line image and passenger cruise experience called the 'Signature of Excellence program'. This enhancement program included stateroom amenities (luxury beds and bed linens upgrades, Euro-style mattresses and waffle-weave bathrobes to all cabin categories), new massage-type showerheads in all bathrooms, new flat-screen LCD televisions and DVD players in all cabins, a Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food & Wine magazine, for gourmet cooking demonstrations and interactive classes; a Greenhouse Spa & Salon, offering thermal suite treatment, a hydrotherapy and thalassotherapy pool and heated ceramic lounges; Pinnacle Grill alternate restaurant, a ”Loft”, an area designed exclusively for teens (ages 13-17). Zuiderdam had her SOE enhancements installed while in dry-dock in December 2005.

In April 2008, Zuiderdam entered a second dry dock period, this time in Palermo, Sicily, where a new block of thirty-four prefabricated cabins was lowered into place and installed on her stern, her internet center moved to the starboard side of the Crow's Nest becoming part of her new Explorations Cafe there, a dedicated small-size movie theater, called the "Screening Room" added, a Pinnacle Bar added in place of the Windstar Cafe, her shops expanded and routine 'dry dock' maintenance performed.

[Harry1954]

My first (and only) Holland America cruise was on the Zuiderman going to Panama this past January. Before the cruise I had a few anxities due to preconceived notions about the age of the passengers, stringent dress codes, lack of activties.

 

Well guess what, I absolutely loved the cruise :D My husband also enjoyed the cruise. The passenger age was just a NON ISSUE. I'm 50 DH is 49, there were some older and some younger, everyone we meet was fantastic. As for the dress code, no big deal. There was a variety of dress in the main dinning room and in the Pinnicle grill. As for activities, we stayed busy, and received guite a few "dam dollars".

 

I would sail with Holland America again.:D

This sums up our feelings as well - not only about Zuidy .. but also the other ships in the fleet. HAL has been a great experience for DW and me and we look forward to our future cruises with excitement. We spent a month on Zuidy last summer and the ship is big enough to get lost in a knook or cranny and yet not so big that when you get off in port, you dont wait in long, long lines.

harry

[kiggy]

I'm really overwhelmed by the wonderful response to my questions! Thank all of you for your very helpful comments --truly appreciated!

[Mingus]

Copper10-8, great photos and write-up!!

[luxurysailer]

In general I would agree with Solo Cruiser's evaluation. In addition, I would add:

 

Dancing-Princess wins hands down. I've heard HAL was instituting a new dance program, but I do not know what the status of that program is.

 

Ship decor-Princess wins hands down when compared to the Zuiderdam, but not necessarily when compared to other HAL ships

 

Scenic cruising-the Crow's Nest on all HAL ships wins hands down when compared to the Skywalker Lounge on the Princess ships on which we've cruised.

[kiggy]

We have cabin 4128 -- is this a good cabin?

[Jena]

Kiggy, my DH and I are also on the Zuiderdam on Jan 2nd, and we are on cabin 4140! Just a few cabins away. This is going to be our 6th HAL cruise and have loved them all! Never been on the Zuiderdam, but positive it will be another great experience. We have also cruised on RCCL and Princess, and we love HAL the best. I have posted a question regrding the location of our cabin, but haven't gotten a reply yet, but from the answers you got, I think they are both fine. Can't wait, still too far away.:):)

[Christapie]

Can't believe this question came up! It is exactly what I wanted to know as well!! We have only sailed on Princess and I was also interested tin this same cruise.

 

Christapie

 

Can anyone elaborate on the menus at dinner?

 

Breakfast buffet? Compare to Princess?

 

Thanks in advance

[dobie]

Candy, are you on the 10/24 Panama Canal? That will be our first HAL cruise. Is there a roll call for that sailing? I haven't found one....thanks!

[Jena]

Can't believe this question came up! It is exactly what I wanted to know as well!! We have only sailed on Princess and I was also interested tin this same cruise.

 

Christapie

 

Can anyone elaborate on the menus at dinner?

 

Breakfast buffet? Compare to Princess?

 

Thanks in advance

I don't think you will disappointed in the food, as a matter of fact IMO it is great. My DH and I just got off the Eurodam last month and the food: good fish , rack of lamb, rack of veal, pork chops, steaks, prime rib, lobster, etc. HAL has a standard menu that you can order from every night: onion soup, steaks (2 sizes) salmon, chichen, caesar salad) Their Lido buffets are fantastic, much better than Princess (We have been there and We much prefer HAL to Princess) the cabins at HAL are bigger and they have tubs. I hope you join us on Jan 2. :):)