Zuiderdam - Favorite Things

[cgladin]

Posters are often very quick to point out all the negative things about the Zuiderdam (or HAL in general) rarely mentioning the things they liked. We're booked on this ship in January, and I would love to hear some positive things...

..so...

What are your favorite things about the Zuiderdam?

[njmoms]

Wow, we like so much.....such as the thermal suite, the Lido with it's different food stations, Bingo, winning a free cruise via the raffle, easy on/off the ship.

[tommy]

Service,even if the service isnt as good as it was they were still generally friendly,the desserts are the best of any line we have been on,we found the ship to be clean,and our balcony on the back awesome. TOM

[JDee]

1) SS accomodations; 2) Extended Lido lunch hours; 3) Specialty coffee station; 4) Ocean lounge seperated from the bar; 5) Very good taco fixins;

[sail7seas]

I love the crews of HAL the best of all things HAL.


On Zuiderdam, I particularly like the Pinnacle. To my eyes, it is a very romantic, beautiful room.

I love the elevator doors. Magnificent.

The glass elevator is spectacular.

Love the Neptune Lounge.

I like the 'station design' of Lido.

[hogwildcruzers]

I like reading the positive also because I have cruise booked for April of 05' , so thanks everbody!;)

[Shifra]

I just had to respond to this.....We had a wonderful cruise on Zuiderdam last year. The ship is beautiful throughout. Service was great and friendly. Food was excellent. Even though we had some stormy, very rough seas for a few days I can still say it was one of my favorite ships and cruise.

My advice to you is don't listen to complainers. You will find them on any ship in any cruiseline and if you are not careful it can be contagious!

Have a great cruise on a great ship!

[Lokalona]

My advice to you is don't listen to complainers. You will find them on any ship in any cruiseline and if you are not careful it can be contagious!

Have a great cruise on a great ship!


A review should include any good and bad, productive complainers manage to change some things for the next passengers if they are truley valid complaints and follow through to the head office.

I am one of the complainers and I followed through with a certified letter to Seattle and several other offices. The experience I had was unusual, it could have been a dangerous situation and need to be reported, the fact the hotel manager ignored what happened was not acceptable. I however think complaining about a little bad service or bad weather is to be taken with a grain...

So in that light, there were good things on the Zuiderdam cruise I was on, I will list my likes;

*Flambe' dessert in Explorer lounge
*Drinks in the Crows Nest
*Internet Cafe was very efficient and a nice airy place, you can order specialty coffee to be delivered there (this has a cost)
*Embarkation and Debarkation was smooth
*My mom's cabin steward took very good care of her knowing she was solo
*Padded Loungers
* I agree the elevator doors were very cool, outside elevator kinda made me dizzy :)
*Edge the juggler was good
* Of course HMC

[Shifra]

Lokalona,

I did not mean to offend anyone who has a "complaint". You are correct that a good review includes constructive pros & cons. I just think that there is a difference between making a legitimate complaint and being a complainer. You are a perfect example. You had a bad experience, you made a formal complaint and you didn't let it ruin your cruise, and you still have good things to say about Zuiderdam.

My past cruises have not been perfect, but I have enjoyed each one. You seem like the same type of cruiser. :)

[Lokalona]

I am not offended :) I try to be optomisitc if I can and try to find the good in life. Makes for an easier time of it. I just printed off my photos and am working on a cruise scrap book for my mom...shh let's hope she has not found this site or she will know what she is getting for Christmas...I have $75.00 into the assesories so far..not including 144 photos that I printed! :eek:

[Tatka]

We loved a lot of things about Zuiderdam

1) Beautiful and classy ship... We even thought color of carpets were not bad ;) . Nice inside and outside.

2) Art collection..Both sculptures and paintings. We loved collection of painting of "Dam" ships of different years. We also liked paintings, canvas of tulips.

3) Stateroom. I think it is the LARGEST inside stateroom available on modern ships. (Inside large, about 200 sq ft). We had queen (i think) bad + sofa for our son + nice table with comfortable leather arm chair and chair. Great bedding.

4) I liked Lido buffet area and breakfests and lunches there. I loved it even more than on X( which is still #1 for me:o ) Best variety of fresh juices I ever saw on the cruise ships. I think it was about 10 different kinds every day, so keeping my son from drinking soda was no problems. Loved salad bar!!!

5) May be it only concerns small amount of pax but we love availability of Ping Pong tables and equipment (take your own raquets though). My son loved bball court.

6) Couple of shows we watched...Specially on the second formal night. That was something, music, dancing , unbelievable costumes!

7) Room service was very good and reliable.


Overall if I have more positive memories than negatives. (Most memorable negative is good BUT slow service both from room attendant and waiter. I guess it's more of the understaffing issue)

[Isis]

Fresh grapefruit cosmos and Half moon cay were my favorites!

[cgladin]

Thanks to everyone who has responded so far. I love reading your responses.

Tatka: I loved your photos on webshots. Thanks for sharing them. I had no idea there was Ping Pong. That sounds like something fun to do. Is there not any equipment for the games?