Judy

Age: 51
Occupation: bookkeeper
Number of Cruises: 3
Cruise Line: Holland America
Name of Ship: Zuiderdam
Sailing Date: August 2nd, 2003
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean

My husband, daughter (20 years old) and I have just completed a 7-day cruise aboard Holland America’s “Zuiderdam.” This 7-day Easter Caribbean cruise (Aug. 2-9, 2003) took us to Holland’s private island, Half Moon Cay, and to St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and Nassau, Bahamas, with two additional days at sea. We were pleased with the itinerary, especially enjoying Half Moon Cay and Nassau.

As I share details, I will be making a few comparisons to our last 2 cruises, both with Royal Caribbean (Monarch of the Seas – May 2001 – Eastern Caribbean and Enchantment of the Seas – August 2002 – Western Caribbean). The Eastern Caribbean ports are definitely our preference. This was our first cruise with Holland America. The port itinerary was a big factor in our choice this year, as well as wanting to try another cruise line. (Our preference is still Royal Caribbean.)

I will give a general overview and then more specifics for those desiring more detail. Considering the Zuiderdam is only one year old, the ship is surprisingly in need of a couple major corrections: (1) there is a lack of sufficient public restrooms around the pools, dining rooms, and lounges (One or two stalls for the ladies…quite inadequate). 2) a foul odor is hard to miss around the ship, especially when the ship is docked.

As a plus, the Zuiderdam has many cabins with balconies and larger bathrooms in the cabins. Embarkation and debarkation went quickly and smoothly (I can’t say as much for check-in at the Ft. Lauderdale airport. It’s taken two hours just to check or luggage…and we haven’t even attempted going through security yet). The Zuiderdam was punctual with reaching and departing each port (and almost an hour early arriving in Nassau). Their immigration checks were quick and simple. The Zuiderdam’s food and service were good…no better, no worse than R.C.

One thing we were disappointed in was the décor of the Zuiderdam. Even knowing this before hand (we had read the reviews of others) we still would have preferred a “prettier” ship. Both Royal Caribbean ships were beautifully decorated. Others we talked to on board were equally disappointed, especially with the atrium. We were accustomed to beautiful staircases, glassed atrium elevators, grand pianos, mirrors, flowers, and much more space.

There were lots of kids on board (350 of the 1200 people). Next time I would limit travel to a time when school was in session. There were activities for the kids 5 years and older. The two days at sea brought all the kids and teens to the small pool. It’s not that I think the kids shouldn’t use the pool, they are just not considerate of anyone around them.

The ships ride was smooth for the most part. We only had stormy time (before dawn) when the waters were rough and we really felt the motion.

Ok, now for some specifics:

Embarkation/Debarkation: We had read many unfavorable reviews about this endeavor. However, we were surprisingly pleased at how quickly we were checked in and allowed to board. We arrived at the port at 11AM and were onboard by Noon and found our way to the Lido restaurant for our first meal. The cabins were ready for occupancy by 1:45. Our luggage arrived in plenty of time to get ready for dinner at 6 PM. This was a smooth, easy process. Debarkation began at 8:45 and everyone was off the ship, had their baggage, and were on their way to the airport by 10:15.

Cabins: We were in Cabin 8029, a Category A, Deluxe Veranda Outside. We had 2 twin beds and our daughter slept on the sofa bed. The veranda was nice, with 2 chairs and a small table. There was adequate drawer and closet space. The luggage fit nicely under the beds. Although not a “roomy” cabin, we also didn’t feel crammed. The bathroom was larger than both Royal Caribbean ships. This bathroom was a real plus.

Food: We enjoy eating dinner each night in the formal dining room. There were 2 formal dress nights (the 2 days at sea), 1 semi-formal and 4 casual dress nights. The food offerings were very nice (except we were never offered crab cakes L The beef dishes were the best I’ve ever eaten (Beef Wellington, Filet Mignon). Plenty of seafood was offered. All our other meals were in the Lido (cafeteria style). A real “plus” was the availability of both soft-serve and regular ice cream from 11AM-1AM each day J (Royal Caribbean only made soft-serve ice cream available for a couple hours a day). We found the food to be very good on both Holland America and Royal Caribbean. We enjoyed one afternoon “Royal Dutch High Tea” in the main dining room. The pastries were both attractive and delicious. Tea was served in a smaller lounge a couple other times during the week. We were out on the islands at these times. The “Chocolate Extravaganza” was similar to the “High Tea.” It was nice as well. We were not overly impressed as it was so similar to the “Royal Dutch High Tea” with much the same desserts. The Chocolate display did not compare to those on Royal Caribbean’s Midnight Buffet. The Zuiderdam did not offer a midnight buffet (sigh L). One added nicety was a behind the scenes tour of the ship’s kitchen. The Oddessy Restaurant (beautifully decorated and the prettiest spot on the ship) offered alternative dinner dining for $20 per person. We did not eat there (why pay with all the free food???) but heard from others that they had a delicious meal.

Entertainment: For the most part, we enjoyed the after dinner shows. There was a juggler (Barnaby), a magician (Sam Simon) and a singer/impersonator (Paul Tanner). The last night they all performed a short 15 minute show. We enjoyed each one. We were disappointed in the Zuiderdam singers/dancers and even walked out on their show when it became too risqué. We were disappointed with the comedian (Bernie M.). He found his humor in putting down other people and places. We were told his performance was even more unacceptable at the later night performance with ‘R’ rated material.

Ports: Day 2 – Half Moon Cay, Holland’s Private Island – What a beautiful spot to spend the day!! The beach had the clearest water and the whitest, softest sand anywhere. The day was so relaxing, with a BBQ lunch served and easy access to/from the ship. This non-commercial island offered a most wonderful day.

Day 3: at sea

Day 4: St. Maarten – Having been on St. Martin before (the French side) we chose to spend a few hours on a beach close to the ship (a quick water taxi ride away). The jet-skiing was the best we’ve ever had, with calm waters and a very large area to ride. We walked for a very short time down the street of shops. The area was very run down and we left quickly.

Day 5: St. Thomas – We had been on this island before. It is not one of our favorites. We spent a couple hours at Sapphire Beach. The waters were clean, but the beach was very rocky, making it hard to enjoy being in the water. It was too hot to stay on the beach very long. Our taxi driver was friendly and pointed out a couple beaches and a golf course as we rode to our designated beach.

Day 6: At Sea – A nice day to relax on board. We went to the pool early to get lounge chairs. By noon, no chairs were available for those just arriving.

Day 7: Nassau, Bahamas – This was our first time on Nassau. It’s a very pretty area. The shopping just up from the ship (Bay Street) was very nice. Although we weren’t there to buy much, we liked the nice clean shops (unlike St. Maarten). Next we took a water taxi to Paradise Island, walked through the grounds of the Atlantis Hotel. We were unable to access the beach from there as it was for Atlantis Hotel guests only. We were able to get on the beach a few hundred yards away via a pedestrian only access. We chose to jet-ski. There was a large area; however the waters were very rough. The beach/water was clean and clear (but lacked restrooms/changing facilities).

Excursions: We did not use any of the excursions offered by the ship.

In Conclusion: We always enjoy our vacation times as a family. The port itinerary was great. As far as cruise lines, my first preference would be Royal Caribbean over Holland America. I am not leaning toward the mega ships (skating rinks, golf course, climbing wall) but definitely prefer a ship larger than the Zuiderdam. We found the service on the Zuiderdam to be good, but not as personable as on the Monarch or the Enchantment. There was a library, but when we went to it in the evening the bookshelves were all locked. There was limited hours to access a book or game. The smaller size was very limiting in the atrium space and other public areas. There were only 3 onboard shops, instead of the 10-12 we were accustomed to on the RC ships.

If you are looking for a relaxing, enjoyable time, you will have it….less attractive décor and size. Had this been our first cruise, we would have enjoyed it more….not knowing what other lines offer.

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