1st time cruisers

[dsdyer]

Hi everyone:
I am taking my mom on a cruise (she is 72, I am 49) and neither of us have ever cruised before. We are looking at the Zuiderdam with HAL, sailing May 30th. If anyone has the time to post a few things, just positive please:) about this ship and pointers for first time cruisers, I would really appreciate it.
Thanks so much in advance,
Sandy

Also, we are looking at inside because of the price and also because we have been told you spend more time out of your room anyway - any thoughts on that???

[mrskmirolla]

Hi Sandy and welcome to Cruise Critic! We were on the Zuiderdam a couple of years ago, we went to the Eastern Caribbean. We had a great time. The Zuiderdam is a large ship and we got lost a few times but it was great to adventure out and find new things. We had a balcony but we have also had insides in the past. We love HAL and truly enjoyed the Zuiderdam.

Kathy

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Haven't sailed on the Zuiderdam in a few years -- so can't help you there.

I looked for your Roll Call -- not much help there either.

[Tweedy]

My Mom and I booked this exact sailing last weekend. We've booked inside cabin. I've not sailed HAL before so I'm looking forward to seeing the difference from the other lines I have.

[middle-aged mom]

I think that's an excellent itinerary to pick for your first cruise. You live in Vancouver, your cruise leaves from Vancouver, and you will be taking a very scenic route. No airline travel to hassle with. Also, the cruise is not too long, which is always a good idea for your first try.:)

If budget is a concern, then stay with your inside and enjoy viewing the gorgeous scenery from the various outside decks and the Crow's Nest. Alaska shore excursions can be expensive, so save your money for those. If you haven't already done so, you may wish to check out the Alaska Ports of Call forum here on Cruise Critic for lots of great info:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

I haven't been on the Zuiderdam yet, so I'll leave it to others to tell you more about that ship.

[Mary Ellen]

The insides on Main Deck are quite nice and large. They are definitely preferable to the other (much smaller) inside cabins. The TV can be tuned to the 'view from the Bridge' so you can use that as your 'window'.

In the Lido for breakfast, in the juice area be sure to ask for the fresh squeezed OJ. Well worth doing.

[May4]

Well, welcome to this message board and to the wonderful world of cruises.

I do have a couple of hints I hope are helpful. First, get involved in a variety of activities and experiences. Check the daily program for ideas. Remember just chilling and watching the waves is worthwhile too.

You might want to stay in one another's view when you are making your selections in the Lido. My sis and I circled the place for a few minutes the first time we sailed the Zuiderdam before one of the stewards helped with, "She went that way."

Remember the crew absolutely want you to have a fine time. Let them know what you want or need.

For that matter, let us know here on the HAL board if we can answer any specific questions.

[hogwildcruzers]

We loved the Zuiderdam and what is there not to love on any HAL ship!

[pipedreams62]

Hi Sandy- Make sure you take your mom to the thalassotherapy pool.


http://www.02cruise.com/lines/holland%20america/westerdam/photos/westerdam%20spa%20thalassotherapy%202.jpg


Have Fun

[Love the beach]

We sailed on Zuiderdam's 1/28/09 cruise to Panama Canal & Southern Caribbean and had a wonderful time! we are hoping to board her again in August for an Alaska cruise. Have a great cruise :)!

[fann1sh]

Hi there, fellow Canadians. I agree a cruise from your home town is an amazing way to introduce yourself to cruising. You've had lots of great advice already.

Feel confident about your inside cabin choice. My first few cruises, including my first on HAL, were all in insides. Consider taking a nightlight, as the cabin will be very dark, and an illuminated travel clock (none in the cabin). An extension cord is a good idea for chargers or other tech devices, as there will be only one outlet, on the desk, not near the beds.

My last cruise and my next one (November, Panama Canal) will be on Zuiderdam. She's had some refurbishing since I sailed December 2007. Read the deck plans ahead of time to get to know the ship.

While buying ship's own shore excursions will guarantee the ship will wait for you if there's some delay, they're more expensive than buying from local tour guides. Do check out the link provided by Middle-Aged Mom for the Alaska ports of call board to get more info, as well as checking out the Cruise Critic general information on the ports here:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/ports/area.cfm?area=1

Once you get an idea of what you want to do in each port, you can do more research on those sites (and sights) on the internet.

For information about the glaciers you're going to see, I like this site, although some of the info on ships sailing hasn't been updated:

http://www.alaska-cruise-advisor.com/index.html

If you arrive at the ship on embarkation day by noon - 1 p.m, you can dine in the main dining room (table service), rather than the crowded Lido buffet.

As May4 suggests, ship's activities are a great way of meeting people. The one I heartily recommend is team trivia - circle it on your daily schedule the first night (the next day's schedule should be delivered to your mailbox, or slipped under your door.) Teams are formed that first day, and sometimes it can be hard to join an existing team if you don't participate from the beginning.

If you'd like to buy a week long pass to the thermal suite/spa pool, it's best to do that the first day. Or, if that seems to pricey, you can always get a single day pass. The pool is shown in Pipedreams's post - here's a pix of the loungers, which are warm, and way more comfy than they look:

http://www.cruiseweb.com/hal-imagelibrary/ship-oosterdam/ThermalSuite-w600x400.jpg


At the ice cream station in the Lido, the liqueurs you can add to your sundae creation are complementary (at least, they were last time I cruised her!)

HAL offers an amazing variety of items for room service. If you request delivery of breakfast after the main dining room opens, you can write in items like "eggs Benedict", or anything else on the regular menu.

Have a wonderful time losing your cruise virginity!

[scapilot]

My wife and I are sailing on our third HAL cruise in a few weeks. We have sailed on the Oosterdam and the Amsterdam, both ships were great and we enjoyed every day to the fullest. We think you will have a wonderful time on the Zuiderdam.

Happy sailing

[ranles]

A little pause at the counter with your tray will often get some help for you mom to get her (your) tray to a table. Note it can be a bit dicy to find each other if you get in different lines for different foods in the Lido. Eating in the dining room gets you service, table cloths and a bit more formality. The Lido can sometime seem like McDonald's.

Do try to take some tours. They can be extremely expensive in Alaska, because they often involve helicopters or fixed wing planes. There will be less costly choices too. The tour desk can help. The ship will also have a meeting for passengers early on where they describe all the tours. This is repeated on the TV. Check the little stick figures on the tourguide, they let you know how "tough" the tours is and some issues of limitations, if your young mom has any issues. My mom is now 90, and doesn't want to go anymore. Many cruise passengers are her age and loving their trips.

Lots of things to do on board. Do make an effort to get involved in anything that interest you.

Dress in layers, especially on tours. Bring binoculars. Use sunscreen. Wear sensible shoes. Have good sunglasses. Bring your flexibility. Be open to meeting new people. This often happens at meals. Ask questions. Cruise people like to give advice and be helpful. Don't over pack. Think combinations. Try something new. Leave all your unnecessary jewlery at home. Wear your backup watch. Make sure your camera and batteries are ready.

[Lurker1]

The Explorations Library should have good DVD's that you can rent, but you might not want to spend that much time in your cabin. If you want to sign up for internet use, do it on the first day as you can usually get free extra minutes. If you have a web-based email account, you can use it from the ship's pc's.

[Sandy64]

Also, we are looking at inside because of the price and also because we have been told you spend more time out of your room anyway - any thoughts on that???

My wife and I have been on 10 cruises, and we normally take inside cabins. We have not been on your ship, but we find the rooms we have had have been a reasonable size with lots of space for clothes etc. We really only use the stateroom for sleeping, and we find that having no natural light helps us sleep better.

Having been on cruise from Vancouver up to Seward and then back down again a few days later, I am quite sure that you and your mother will enjoy the experience.

[Solo Cruiser]

Hey there and welcome to Cruise Critics and the wonderful world of cruising. I've only lately begun this great mode of travel too and HIGHLY recommend it for you and for your mother.

While I cruised with inside cabins on Princess, I slightly upgraded to a fully obstructed view outside cabin on HAL. My voyage was on a sister ship to the one your are taking, similar in size and configuration. The best part of my outside cabin (and the main reason I spent the few extra dollars) was that it had a bathtub. Not only is that better for me if I want to sit and bathe, it guarantees that the shower size will be larger. This is pretty important for the comfort of fluffier women like myself :D. Check with your travel agent to find out what the cost differential would be and decide if it fits into your budget. If not, there is absolutely nothing wrong with an inside cabin, plenty of space to sleep, bathe and relax, even to have wonderful room service meals if you choose.

You will love Holland America and what a great way to take your first cruise. Alaska was the destination for my first cruise too and it took my breath away. I agree with others that ship tours can be pricey, but check the shore excursion pamphlet carefully and take at least one of these tours.

Ok, tips for first tme cruisers:

Visit the message board here on Cruise Critic for first timers. Lots of good information there.

Make sure you keep all your documentation in one place and with you until you reach your cabin where you can stow it in the safe.

Packing can be problematic if you don't remember this: you won't need nearly as much as you think you will need. One of my veteran cruiser pals told me to pack your suitcase and then take out half. He was pretty much right. I overpacked for the first cruise (a large suitcase, a sall suitcase, an overnight shoulder bag and a HUGE purse just for me!) but have been paring down little by little.

All the other suggestions you have gotten have been terrific, I too vote for the hydrotherapy suite purchase. Remember this is your well earned vacation and start smiling now. It will be fantastic.

[ideastoday]

I also agree that the cruise from your hometown is a great idea. You'll have a wonderful time, especially if you've not cruised before. If you're inclined to save the cash and do an inside cabin, I think that's a perfectly reasonable choice.

Be sure to bring some very warm clothing for Alaska, as well as some lightweight raingear in case it's warm, but rainy. You might not need the heavy stuff, but you'll have it in case you do.

Just book, go, have a great time. On your next cruise you'll have the knowledge to branch out and apply what you learned this time.

[debnjoe1438]

The insides on Main Deck are quite nice and large. They are definitely preferable to the other (much smaller) inside cabins. The TV can be tuned to the 'view from the Bridge' so you can use that as your 'window'.

In the Lido for breakfast, in the juice area be sure to ask for the fresh squeezed OJ. Well worth doing.

Yep, the inside cabin on the main deck is a really great size. I've been on 3 ships (2 were other lines) and the Zuiderdam inside cabin on the main deck was the largest. I believe I had cabin 1123 (I could be wrong, it's been a couple of months) Nice ship.:D

[debnjoe1438]

We sailed on Zuiderdam's 1/28/09 cruise to Panama Canal & Southern Caribbean and had a wonderful time! we are hoping to board her again in August for an Alaska cruise. Have a great cruise :)!

I hope you make the August cruise and it's as enjoyable as the 1/28 cruise. That was a wonderful trip.

[mamadot]

Check out th Alaska board on cruise critic! You will get clues on how to see ports on your own if you would like that. They are small and there is often a city bus for touring on your own!