Zuiderdam

DECEMBER

When you cruise this many days, you get to know the staff well. This is where Holland America shines. All the ships staff, starting with the Dining Staff that met us the first evening and remembered and greeted us each day by name, to the beverage staff who smiled and knew our favorite beverages, to all the Friendly Guest Service staff who also remembered our names, room number and ready for whatever question or request that was thrown at them. Last by not least our cabin stewards, maybe I'm biased but ours were the best. We enjoyed the choices of food in the Main Dining Room and the Lido Market. In the Main Dining Room, you can choose to have fixed dining or open dining. We preferred to do open dining and share tables with others doing the same. The specialty dining includes the Canaletto and Pinnacle. Going back to the question on what do you do on Sea Days? Every day you have a full list of activities to choose from. Port talks, Pickleball, various exercise classes, Guest Presenters from the Grand Voyage Lecture Series, Bridge Lessons, Creative Writing Class, Art and Crafts, How to Paint with Watercolor and Trivia, to name a few. Add that with meeting with new friends to play games/cards/chess or puzzles in the Crow's Nest. At night, you can choose nightly entertainment on the World Stage, Dueling Piano players singing to your requests at the Billboard, and listening to a band at the Rolling Stones Lounge or The Ocean Bar. The Itinerary/ports were simply amazing and some more than others. Each place had something different to offer and it was all part of the experience. The excursions or tours were well organized and offered exciting adventures. Most ports included a shuttle service. Guest services and those behind the scenes made sure that we had all the proper documentation to visit these countries, kept us organized for Face-to-Face Immigrations, etc. Captain Friso would do an announcement at noon, starting each one with "Good Afternoon, It's Me", briefing us for each port, potential problems or concerns, telling us of the reasons behind canceled ports. You could tell that he and Holland America did not take these things lightly and that the safety of the passengers came 1st. This is the smallest ship we have sailed on but a perfect size for this voyage. It is an older ship in the fleet but well cared for. A beautiful, classy ship. On port days, the banner hanging from the promenade railing in big bold letters said WELCOME HOME. And that sums up how we felt, we were home.

OCTOBER

Our porters treated us like royalty. The servers were very friendly and helpful.

OCTOBER

Have traveled with Holland America several times, always well satisfied with this Cruise Line. Needed additional help on the last day and received that help immediately - fell needed help getting up, needed a wheelchair which was obtained immediately.

OCTOBER

Really loved the entertainment. Piano bar and main theater. Staff was good. Need newer ships.

SEPTEMBER

Extra night in Quebec City was the best part of the trip. The hotel was exceptional. Acadia National park tour was too long, would have enjoyed more time in Bar Harbor. Bay of Fundy trip was also much too long and food was less than adequate,disappointing at best.

SEPTEMBER

We like the mid-size ship. Overall, Holland America is our preferred cruise choice.

MAY

Cantara and the dance troop were excellent entertainment. Other than that, if you did not visit a bar in the evening, there was no entertainment. The afternoon movies were a great distraction however, they were shown in a room that had too many obstructions. There weren’t very many seats that were on obstructed. So we stopped going to the movies. the lectures were excellent a lot of great information and a very good speaker.

SEPTEMBER

The Activities Director, Kimberly was amazing in her presentations! All of our ports and shore excursions were wonderful. Don’t ever miss the Tracy Arm Inlet excursion! Was our highlight as well as having sunshine everyday! Glacier Bay was special as we experienced Sawyer Glacier which few ever get to see. Even first time for our captain. They extend a few permits after the first of September.

AUGUST

My first cruise & it was very enjoyable!!! All the workers were very friendly & greeted you as we passed one another. Clean ship & was kept clean.

JULY

Cabin with veranda deck view made for a wonderful 1st cruise experience

JULY

Felt that our land tour guide/coordinator could have made more of an effort to determine the needs and expectations of the various members of our group. .The Klondike Spirit cruise was touted as part of the tour but hadn't been launched for the season due to high water. While this is beyond anyone's control it should have been explained along with how to navigate Dawson City and arrange walking tours and other activities. Similar experience with Gerties and the touted Can-Can show. Gerties was closed the Monday and Tuesday we were there. We did arrange a guided tour through the city's information center that was very good. I would have thought that the Denali Wildlife excursion would have included the Park Visitor Center. A transportation shuttle was available but was not well explained. Our driver from Dawson City to Skagway "Jimmy" was great, very knowledgeable and informative.

FEBRUARY

Have never met a more friendly crew as those on this ship, always smiling even though they work exceptionally hard to make life good for all the passengers. An older crowd seems to enjoy hanging out on the ship. Not for passengers who like a noisy, busy, busy vacation. Would definitely sail with Holland America again.

FEBRUARY

Very clean, easy on and departure. Loved the dance shows, the Lincoln Center performers, and the comedians.

DECEMBER

The crew members were very attentive and happy to help you. The captain was often seen walking around, interacting with the guests and crew. One waiter even mentioned that Captain Wourter was the best captain he had worked under. Entertainment was great. Food was great. I think I would do it again! I could hardly believe how difficult it was to get the canal built!! I rally is a wonder of the world!!!

SEPTEMBER

Overall a good trip.

SEPTEMBER

<div>Captain Vaatjes provided continual info about ports and weather conditions. We had a &quot;cold weather&quot; cruise with days of rain, but&nbsp; mostly on sea days. Dining was very good and Chef was creative in Lido showcasing fruits, desserts, etc. Entertainment was good and varied with show times changed to 7:30 and 9:30. BB King Blues was too loud and sound not contained in that area so some staterooms are affected. Balcony staterooms are narrow with little room to walk around the bed. Housekeeping was excellent with laundry delivered back on the same day it was sent out a few times. Group games/activities on sea day games were not as evident.</div>

AUGUST

The ship is lovely, the staff friendly and helpful, and the itinerary magnificent. But the overwhelming majority of passengers were old, affluent, white people. My husband and I fit this demographic and we would consider taking another cruise with Holland America. However, we would pick a more family focused cruise line if our trip included our children and grandchildren.

JULY

I recommend this cruise for everyone of all ages.

APRIL

We certainly like this ship, staff are great, food is good, entertainment is also great....no negatives from us

APRIL

<div>As usual, the staff was friendly and extremely helpful.</div>

MARCH

See above!

FEBRUARY

<div>February 2019..Any issues or concerns we had were dealt with promptly by the front desk and especially by our cabin stewards. Everywhere we went staff greeted you like you were special even and even in the dining room by waiters who weren&#39;t even looking after your table. Tables in Lido buffet were cleaned quickly and staff was attentive. We had a suite so check in was quick and departure from the ship was very quick and orderly. Local port printed info could be improved and also the talk on each port could have had more local info and less about the shops as to where buy diamonds etc which seemed to be the focus.. There was a concern about the pool not clean enough and it was quickly drained and cleaned. Could have had more time in Cartagena and would have been nice to finish up with a half day again in Half Moon the day before returning to Fort Lauderdale.</div>

FEBRUARY

Some of the adventure tours were not up to what was described for the adventure but the guides had energy and did their best.

FEBRUARY

<div>The food rivals Regent, Crystal, Silversea. The service is the best. The shows were very good. The cabins for the price beat the other cruise lines. We have sailed on Silversea, Princess, Viking, and Crystal.</div>

OCTOBER

Enjoyed every port and all times on ship. Top notch!!

AUGUST

Overall, this was a amazing Cruise! So many wonderful moments and memories!

DECEMBER

Although the ship is about 20 years old it received recently a renovation and the cabins (at least my Verandah storeroom) have recent flat screen TV's with wireless connectivity. Also the crows nest (upper most deck near the bow) has several large touch screen tables that display interactive information about the cruise ports.

DECEMBER

Excursions were great. Food excellent. In lido deck and dining room. Off shore meals good. A few more variations of fish and more vegan meals would help But I wouldn't change much December 2017

DECEMBER

Excursions were great. Food excellent. In lido deck and dining room. Off shore meals good. A few more variations of fish and more vegan meals would help But I wouldn't change much December 2017

OCTOBER

Perfect trip when you can get off the ship and be home shortly thereafter. Limited daytime activities as very few sea days... fine with me...

SEPTEMBER

ports of call on this tour are just super. the sailaway fromNewYork at night, oh my!! going down the Cabot trail in NovaScotia, the scenery, wow! and Boston, just super. every stop on this cruise was a winner and all the brew pubs, good times.

APRIL

Highly recommended!

MARCH

Excellent cabin stewards (Sugi). Chefs and Dining staff (Widy, Daru, Mario) above expectations! The Asst Dining Room Manager was an excellent leader by example, ever present and always smiling. Only disappointment was the sub floor "divots" in the cabin hallways. Our Panama Canal Cruise was a fabulous experience and loved all the excursions! But it was the continued service that I appreciated most. Thank You Very Much Holland America for returning my phone by express mail when I left it in my stateroom as we exited the ship. Now that is exceptional service!!! The show: Island Magic Steel Drum Band got thunderous applause and total audience standing ovations at both appearances. You have got to see their Beethoven and Beyond collection!

MARCH

Excellent cabin stewards (Sugi). Chefs and Dining staff (Widy, Daru, Mario) above expectations! The Asst Dining Room Manager was an excellent leader by example, ever present and always smiling. Only disappointment was the sub floor "divots" in the cabin hallways. Our Panama Canal Cruise was a fabulous experience and loved all the excursions! But it was the continued service that I appreciated most. Thank You Very Much Holland America for returning my phone by express mail when I left it in my stateroom as we exited the ship. Now that is exceptional service!!! The show: Island Magic Steel Drum Band got thunderous applause and total audience standing ovations at both appearances. You have got to see their Beethoven and Beyond collection!

FEBRUARY

Best staff I have ever encountered... Friendly and efficient. Beds were cozy... Staterooms were ample. If looking for a relaxing cruise, I would highly recommend this one. If you're a party animal, it's not for you.

DECEMBER

Fair

SEPTEMBER

Tremendous Value!

AUGUST

Third trip with Holland. Very satisfied.

JUNE

We very much enjoyed our twenty-four day cruise stopping at so many places that we have always wanted to see. Our biggest frustration was there was so much to see and so little time to see and do everything that we wanted to see and do. Holland America should consider including wifi as it is becoming a necessity rather than a luxury.

MAY

The cruise ship is catered for adults.

APRIL

Cabin stewards could not have been more helpful and pleasant. Food in their dining room and restaurants was excellent. However, in the Lido restaurant a station for less exotic and lower sodium food would be welcome. The make your own salad station was great!

APRIL

Ship had a couple of medical emergencies on board which they handled great, including a Coast Guard helicopter medical evac off Cuba on last day

MARCH

Overall, we had a fantastic time. The destinations were good and the sea days were fun too. The staff went over and above to make it a trip of a lifetime.

MARCH

Had a wonderful time. Entertainment and Food was great.

FEBRUARY

Great cruise--staff very efficient and friendly. Food was excellent with a good variety.

JANUARY

Have cruised with Holland America many times over the years. On this ship found the entertainment and activities to be very lacking compared to other cruises.

DECEMBER

Best of Bonaire tour was disappointing-not much to see. The salt ponds were the only interesting feature. Panama Canal tour met all expectations; we were very happy with the bus trip to Miraflores-our guide, Jill, was excellent. Veragua-Eco Tour was more physically demanding than advertised. It's a must see when in Costa Rica, but 4 hours on my feet after two back surgeries was tough.

DECEMBER

Pleasantly supprised at the quality of the Zuiderdam. Everything about it was comfortable. Plenty of space to relax, lots of varied entertainment, great alternative restaurants and wonderful presentation in all venues.The staff was attentative and most pleasant.

DECEMBER

From the time we arrived at the port prior to our embarkation to the time we completed going through Customs, everything was perfect. Holland American thought of everything.

SEPTEMBER

I feel that on the whole the cruise was a success. We had a good time both on and off the ship, with interesting ports, a pleasant swim at the end of the day and a good dinner, nicely served, with family. We often caught several minutes of classical music in one of the lounges after dinner. My granddaughter enjoyed the Memphis blues night club and some of us tried our luck ( not good) in the casino. We patronized some of the shops on the ship. We also appreciated having a card room. I enjoyed walking around the promenade deck. So many ships nowadays don't have a walk that goes all the way around.

MARCH

ESPECIALLY ENJOYED THE TRAIN AND BOAT TRIP AND BANANA PLANTATION IN COSTA RICO.

FEBRUARY

The cabin and service on board was excellent. Food could be better including a better menu in the Pinnacle ( great space and service was over the top). Did not like having to buy water to take off ship at with tropical ports. First time on HAL- they do a good job.

FEBRUARY

Loved the whole thing. Thank you for arranging it.

OCTOBER

Over the years we have enjoyed our cruises on Holland America Line's ships, as well as this cruise on the MS Zuiderdam. Our favorite was our cruise with our 15-year-old grandson on the Prinsendam from Rome to Amsterdam in June/July of 2007.

MARCH

If there was a problem it was with the hard sale of the cruise tours, they used the scare tactic and lied to the onboard passengers saying there was nothing to do in ports other then their tour. I took offense to these tactics and lies.

JANUARY

<div> Our weather was wonderful which contributed to lazy days on a beach for those who were so inclined. HAL&#39;s private island, Half Moon Cay, is perfect for lazing the day away or being as active as you choose with horseback rides, snorkeling or hikes around the island. I really recommend the rental of a Clamshell ($15 for two chairs) to give you some shade from the strong sun. Our only rainy day was the transit of the Panama Canal. It did impact our outdoors enjoyment somewhat because the rain was coming down in buckets. But it&#39;s warm outside and somehow you don&#39;t mind so much! We watched our ship being pulled through the locks from under a shelter. The vantage point from the ground was fascinating to be able to see the engines pulling the ship and being so close. An 11 day itinerary is an ideal length of time to be away.</div>