Mechanical Problems - Zuiderdam

#36 Today, 05:02 AM

WallyB

Cool Cruiser Join Date: Feb 2002

Location: Bel Air, Maryland

Posts: 1

 

Mechanical Problems

 

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Mechanical Problems

 

I was on the August 7 -14 cruise on the Zuiderdam.

 

I have been on 27 cruises and I believe that I am experienced enough to declare that this cruise was a calamity. This was my second Holland America cruise and probably my last.

 

The Holland America Zuiderdam is a very elegant ship. The cuisine was admirable. The service was first-rate. The foremost mechanical problem on the Zuiderdam was with the air conditioning system. I was aware of the air-conditioning problems on this ship from information gleaned from the Cruise Critic web site. I should have expected it. Anyway, there wasn't a cool public room on this dam ship. They refer to the ships in their fleet as dam ships. In every room I would break out in a sweat, whether we were eating in the dinning room, having a snack in the Lido restaurant, playing cards in the casino, or watching a production in the theatre.

 

On Friday, the last full day of our cruise, we received a letter informing us that the crew would be working on the air-conditioning system while the passengers were ashore at Half Moon Cay. Nevertheless, when we returned to the ship there was no noticeable difference in the temperature on board this vessel.

 

It was very warm in my cabin all week and impossible to sleep there. I had cabin # 7111, on the Rotterdam deck. The first couple of days I repeatedly complained and on four different occasions I requested repair service for the air-conditioning. After being unable to repair the air-conditioning they placed a fan in my cabin. After sleeping with the fan on me every night, which just circulated warm air around the room, I came home with a severe head and chest cold.

 

Throughout the entire cruise there were two restrooms that were “out of order”. In fact the door handles had been removed from both restrooms to prevent anyone from entering these restrooms. The most essential restroom that was out of order was located on the Lido Deck Aft, between the Lido restaurant and the aft pool. Of all places to have a restroom out of order! There were many children using the aft pool and one can only image where they went to the bathroom when they discovered they couldn’t use this restroom. Also, it would have been nice to be able to wash your hands before food handling in the Lido restaurant. I observed children come in from the pool area and help themselves to food located on the buffet without even having the opportunity to wash their hands. The other important restroom that was out of order the entire cruise was located on the Promenade Deck between the Atrium and the shops.

 

The shipboard Internet was out of service on Tuesday evening, and all day Wednesday. I wonder if they only fixed this problem because this service generates income for the ship?

 

Finally, I was glad that the ship was diverted from the Cayman Islands to Nassau in the Bahamas to avoid a confrontation with Tropical Storm Charley.

 

Our flight was on time and we arrived home without incident. However, since I arrived home I have been suffering with a very severe head and chest cold. Thanks to the air-conditioning problems on the Zuiderdam I spent both Sunday and Monday in bed. I am feeling a little bit better today.

Wally --

 

It's really unfortunate you had these problems, but remember that they are not HAL problems, but ship problems. It can happen anywhere, any time. The problems resolve themselves into three areas: (1) Air conditioning, (2) Two restrooms, (3) The internet cafe.

 

I think a major ship-wide a/c problem will be a bear to fix. As you said, you requested repair service for it, but you noted it was everywhere in the ship, so I assume the difficulty was up above the Sports Deck where the main unit is located. If you were up there and it was really quiet, that would indicate the central a/c was not working at all. It's pretty noisy, so you would notice it.

 

Two restrooms closed aren't bad, but --yeah-- you don't need one of them to be near the pool. I'm not familiar with the Zui layout, but on the other ships I think there are restrooms on either end of the Lido restaurant. If the kids can be taught that yellow food dye does not belong in the pool, they can make it thru the restaurant.

 

The internet cafe is a separate concession, not under the control of HAL. It doesn't get fixed any quicker because HAL makes a commission. Digital Seas Inc (DSI) and/or their parent company runs that little cash register. And you can be sure it's a license to print money.

The AC issue I've seen mentioned a lot lately has me a little concerned. I previously disn't read that complaint. Is this a new issue? Has anyone recently NOT noticed the problem and felt the ship was nice and cool?

So sorry that you had a bad cruise on the Zuiderdam. Just because of a few problems and the fact that you got a cold, don't give up on HAL.

Try one of the other ships.

Man I hate to read stuff like this...we leave 8/28. If it ain't cold...it ain't fun!!!!

Don't give up on HAL, mechanical problems can happen at any time, on any ship with any cruise line. I have been fortunate to never have experienced any mechanical problems on any of my cruises and I have been sailing for well over 20 years, so please give them a try again.

WELL...has the problem been fixed. Anyone on last weeks' cruise please let us know.

WELL...has the problem been fixed. Anyone on last weeks' cruise please let us know.

It'll be a couple of days yet before we hear, most likely. Last week's sailing doesn't return til tomorrow.

Sure hope they have it fixed for the group of us who are sailing on Saturday. Whew it'll be really hot if it isn't. :(

I hope it is fixed too - the only reason I can bear to go to the Carribean in the summer is because on a cruise ship you can always find a "cool" place

How hot are we talking? Not cold? Tepid temps, or unable to enjoy oneself because of the Caribbean heat and humidity?

If the air conditioning problem is as bad as stated, then HAL should cancel a cruise to put the ship into a yard where proper repairs can be made.

I'm sorry you had a less than perfect cruise. Hope your next is more to your liking. Glad to hear you are feeling better.

We were on the July 24th Western Cruise and noticed that there were some warm spots but really our cabin was fine and I think that the a/c was working fine.

 

What people forget is that in the summer the Caribbean can be extremely hot and there is only so much that an a/c can do. It definately cooled down the rooms and ship but it was not 65'.....I don't think any a/c would be able to do that considering the outside temp. If you don't like heat why would you take a cruise in July/August in the Caribbean

 

Glad to hear you are feeling better.....

After sleeping with the fan on me every night, which just circulated warm air around the room, I came home with a severe head and chest cold.

I'm sorry you contracted a cold while vacationing. That's no fun. However, contrary to popular belief, the A/C or fans had nothing to do with your cold. A cold is a virus. Fans don't cause viruses. The hygiene issue you mentioned with regard to the children and the buffet is what leads to the spread of viruses of all sorts ... including Norwalk.

 

Do give HAL another try.

The way he spoke, it sounded like a ship-wide breakdown and a rather serious one at that. Of course, the extent of the cooling is a matter of personal taste and it's also a matter of how much humidity the unit can take out of the air. A friend of mine keeps her a/c at 81-83 degrees because the humidity is reduced and that temp is quite comfortable.

tomoc:

What do you mean it's not a HAL problem, it's a ship problem. Is HAL only responsible for problems at headquarters in Seattle? Who would I complain to about problems on the ship?

 

We had similar experience on July 3rd cruise. Not every day, but off and on air conditioning. My guess is that they have a major problem and it is getting worse.

 

Also, there is a big difference between heat and humidity in the summer and winter in the caribbean. You can almost do without AC on many winter days, but it is brutal in the summer.

If you don't like heat why would you take a cruise in July/August in the Caribbean

I was kind of expecting to be hot on deck and cool off in the pool, or be hot outside and go inside to cool off. I didn't really plan on being INSIDE and have have to go get in the pool to cool off.

tomoc:

What do you mean it's not a HAL problem, it's a ship problem. Is HAL only responsible for problems at headquarters in Seattle? Who would I complain to about problems on the ship?

I believe he meant (at least that's how I read it) that the "problem" only affects one ship, not the entire fleet.....

That's what I meant. It's not a policy matter, not a fleet-wide difficulty. It's a problem with one ship, not with HAL as a company. Therefore, leaving HAL over a ship problem is a far different response than leaving HAL because, for instance, the fleet's menu choices have been cut in half and are too bland.

I don't think the problem is exclusively the Z's a/c. I think it is their ventilation system. We awoke every morning to a cabin smelling yummy, like the chef was in there with us. It got really bad one morning when the fried chicken smell was so Strong I Had TO DRESS AND Run up to EAT SOME... THEN I HAD TO WAIT TIL LUNCH FOR THEM TO actually SERVE IT!

 

There are definately spots that are less warm than others.

Here is what you as a cruiser on board her can do to help!

 

Every time you pass through the Lido and the kids have left the doors open shut them. My DH and I seemed to constantly find the doors ajar.

Drink water frequently, and treat youself to Ice Coffees, etc.

Bring only light weight clothing.

Close your curtains during the day if you are not enjoying the view... We found this to help the temp quite a bit.

We always tried to sit on the side of the LIDO not in direct sunlight.

 

The ship is not always as cool as i'd have liked, but it was WAY COOLER than the outside areas, so don't panic.

Thanx TylerRose - That made me feel a little better - only one more week!

maybe it is just individual preference, we really did not notice it being ectremely hot. It was warm but that was to be expected. Our cabin cooled off nicely. One thing they did tell everyone was not to leave the balcony doors open and the a/c on becasue it causes problems and I know that a lot of people did that. Maybe thats why it wasn't working correctly

Man I hate to read stuff like this...we leave 8/28. If it ain't cold...it ain't fun!!!!

Amen! I'm on that same cruise. I sure hope they get these problems fixed, because without air conditioning, it's not going to be a very pleasant 14-days. :(

 

I think fixing these sorts of things is difficult because the ship is not at dock all that much. Even at the various ports, do they have the facilities for major repairs?

 

When a ship does constant sailings, b2b every week, it would seem major systems problems would be difficult to fix. Shame they don't schedule in a "down week" every so often, specifically to overhaul systems that were showing signs of failing.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

Shame they don't schedule in a "down week" every so often, specifically to overhaul systems that were showing signs of failing.

They do. Just not as often as once per year. Imagine the annual cost of losing a whole week of full-ship revenue times the number of vessels in the fleet. It's cheaper to make some concessions/refunds/credits when really bad stuff happens.