islandwoman

I am also considering a cruise on the Zuiderdam. Having recently sailed on the Koningsdam, and finding it to be crowded (insufficient seating for the World Stage, insufficient seating and competition for service in the Lido, long waits to get into the MDR), I am wondering whether the Zuiderdam will be the same. I see that it is a smaller ship, but not HAL's smallest. Also, can the Zuiderdam dock in-town or is it large enough that it must dock further away or tender at ports where smaller ships can dock in-town?

Going off on a tangent here: How are HAL's mid-sized ships for crowding and port access? The Vista class and the Signature class ships? We're currently booked on the Zuiderdam. ShipClassYear Launched Tonnage Passenger Count ms VolendamRotterdam1999 61,214 1,432 ms ZaandamRotterdam2000 61,396 1,432 ms ZuiderdamVista2002 82,820 1,970 ms OosterdamVista2003 82,820 2,024 ms WesterdamVista2004 82,862 1,968 ms NoordamVista2006 82,897 1,972 ms EurodamSignature2008 86,23 2,104 ms Nieuw AmsterdamSignature2010 86,273 2,106 ms KoningsdamPinnacle 2016 99,863 2,650 ms Nieuw StatendamPinnacle2018 99,863 2,666 ms RotterdamPinnacle 2021 99,863 2,668

It's a matter of opinion. To me, the Koningsdam felt crowded in the MDR, World Stage, Lido, and the pool deck. When I have to wait to get into the MDR, it's noisy, and the service is slow; when there are no seats available in the World Stage 10 minutes before the show starts; when there are no tables available in the Lido; when there are no seats available on the pool deck; it's crowded.

I agree. I recently took a 22 day cruise on the Koningsdam. Never again!

Are these Viking included shore excursions the ones that you would choose if you were to book them yourself or do you feel that since you've already paid for them, you ought to take advantage? When I went on my one and only Viking cruise (it was a river cruise), I signed up for every one of the included shore excursions just because they were already paid for. By the end of the cruise, I was SO tired of riding on busses and wished that I had done something different in many of the ports. But then again, I would have had to pay double for shore excursions. Also, when comparing Viking and Holland America, don't forget to compare their cancellation policies.

How long after a cruise does HAL add those mariner points to the passenger's online account? We disembarked from the Koningsdam on April 26. While we were still onboard, we received a note saying that we had earned the next Mariner level, but my online account is still showing the same points and star level that I had before the cruise.

There have been several questions about laundry on this thread. The answers, as I read them, amounted to "If the laundry is put in by 9 AM, it will come back the following day." Indeed, that is what the laundry slip says. But, that is not what is happening onboard the Koningsdam's 22 day cruise. At the beginning, laundry came back over night. But now, on the second half of this cruise it is taking 2-3 days to get laundry back.

My reply is based on my experience on the Koningsdam. If someone who has sailed the Noordam disagrees, please post. First, if your traveling companions are in a Neptune suite and you are not and you do not have Club Orange, you will not be able to eat with them if they choose to eat in Club Orange. But they could eat with you in the MDR if they want. Second, the Lido does not have table service, except for water and other drinks. It is a buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

We have CO on the Koningsdam.. We still have to wait to get into the CO dining room if we happen to arrive at the wrong time.

Sorry to hear that you've had such bad experiences. I hope your next cruise will be better. Thanks for sharing.

No. I am on the 22 day Eclipse and Hawaii cruise, starting in San Diego and ending in Vancouver.

Yes.

By "crowded", I mean too many passengers for the public spaces. And I could add, too many passengers per crew. Some ships can be "filled to the gills" and still not seem crowded if they have sufficient public spaces and crew. Glad to hear about your positive experience on the Zaandam.

Our experience, too.

I don't remember. We booked a long time ago.