Question re HAL Zuiderdam issues-a/c and restrooms

Hello all. My father booked us a cruise on HAL Zuiderdam for 1-2-15, to the Panama Canal. We will be cruising in separate cabins, balcony, deck 7, aft. However, i have been reading so many reviews about the restroom and air conditioning issues that i am very apprehensive about taking this cruise. I am 35 and disabled, with several health problems. My main issue is that it is life threatening for me if i get much too hot. 72 degree rooms are somewhat warm to me, btw, but above 80 or so, if i am not able to get cooled off, could be bad. On most other cruises we've taken, my parents and other guests said it was pretty cool in the main rooms, while i was comfortable or just slightly warm. Never before had issues keeping the cabin cool enough (have had a steward or two call the temp in the cabin "frosty" lol). Also, i do have stomach/intestinal problems on occasion, so a working commode is pretty important. Can anyone that has sailed on this ship lately please help? I'd like to know if you encountered these issues, and if so, was anything done about it. I'm so hoping everything has been fixed! Thanks in advance for any comments. 😊

(I know that every ship has these issues, and just because it happened once doesn't mean it will happen again. However, the problem seems ongoing, at least from some reviews. I get it! Still, I'm curious as to what people who have sailed recently have experienced. Also, any other thoughts you had are appreciated. Thanks again.

Take a good look at the dates of the reviews, especially those talking about HVAC and plumbing problems. Are they all in a close period? When?

There was a time, a few years ago, when the Zuiderdam had severe plumbing, and HVAC only to a lesser extent, problems. This went on for several months! :eek:

However, eventually this was pretty much fixed, and the problems have been sporadic since. That's normal.

I don't recall reading reports of the serious problems more recently.

Do be aware, though, that when you are sailing a Panama Canal itinerary, you are going to a very hot/humid place. You are likely to feel the heat regardless of the ship you are on.

Take a good look at the dates of the reviews, especially those talking about HVAC and plumbing problems. Are they all in a close period? When?

 

There was a time, a few years ago, when the Zuiderdam had severe plumbing, and HVAC only to a lesser extent, problems. This went on for several months! :eek:

However, eventually this was pretty much fixed, and the problems have been sporadic since. That's normal.

 

I don't recall reading reports of the serious problems more recently.

Do be aware, though, that when you are sailing a Panama Canal itinerary, you are going to a very hot/humid place. You are likely to feel the heat regardless of the ship you are on.

Thanks for the comment Ruth. Yes, i looked very closely at the reviews. Some are from up to a year ago, and those don't really worry me too much, except to show that it isn't only a recent problem. However, 20+ reviews in the past couple of months did get my notice-including those posted just toward the end of last month. Yes, i realize it happens on every line and probably every ship sometime, but the ship we've booked is the one I'm concerned about. I called Seattle to reserve a fan, and was told they were all taken, and the agent stated she had been hearing "a good bit" from passengers on this issue. I wondered if perhaps it was more noticeable in one section, those kind of things. I get that we are going to a hot/humid place. We live in southeast texas, so that's pretty much our norm. I'm mostly worried about getting way too warm and not being to get cooled off again-good a/c does the trick, but if it's on the fritz.....

November 7-17, 2014. Cabin 4152 would not cool below 77F. The guest relations manager worked very hard with the technical team to try to resolve the problem. In the end we were given inside cabin 4158 for sleeping allowing us to maintain the use of our verandah. The inside cabin was very cool and comfortable.

They also provided a letter of apology with a generous onboard credit.

Jim

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We were on the Zuiderdam last May but it was Alaska and there were no heat issues obviously.

When you first get to your cabin, make sure the air thermostat is turned as low as it can be.

On our recent Noordam cruise, our cabin steward reported a temperature problem before we did, and they cleaned out the air return and from then on, all was fine.

November 7-17, 2014. Cabin 4152 would not cool below 77F. The guest relations manager worked very hard with the technical team to try to resolve the problem. In the end we were given inside cabin 4158 for sleeping allowing us to maintain the use of our verandah. The inside cabin was very cool and comfortable.

They also provided a letter of apology with a generous onboard credit.

Jim

 

 

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Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like they worked to accommodate you. That's what would be most important to me. Some reviews make it sound like nothing was done at all regarding this issue-i try to take reviews with a grain of salt (and maybe some of these people weren't polite in dealing with the crew members, that would be the best way to get nothing accomplished), but I'm a worrier lately, and if it happened, would be a big issue for me. I'm definitely hoping it won't happen, but if it does, your feedback has done a lot to ease my mind. Thanks again.

Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like they worked to accommodate you. That's what would be most important to me. Some reviews make it sound like nothing was done at all regarding this issue-i try to take reviews with a grain of salt (and maybe some of these people weren't polite in dealing with the crew members, that would be the best way to get nothing accomplished), but I'm a worrier lately, and if it happened, would be a big issue for me. I'm definitely hoping it won't happen, but if it does, your feedback has done a lot to ease my mind. Thanks again.[

 

You're welcome. I have found a smile and politeness go a long way in life.

The crew deal with many issues. I made sure to write a thank you note to the guest relations manager, Andres. We met later at the captain's cocktail party and he spent a fair bit of time chatting with us. Turns out we will see him again soon onboard Zaandam for our Antarctic cruise.

Jim

 

 

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I was on the Zuiderdam in mid-October for a 10 day cruise. As soon as we entered the cabin, we noted a major problem. There was no air coming out of the vent at all. We proceeded to call the front desk several times and visit them several times. Numerous people came up and agreed that it was hot in the cabin and that there was no air coming out of the vent. They gave us a fan, but that just blew hot air around the cabin. We kept after them until 11 PM, when one of the previous mechanics on his third visit came with another mechanic. That one was able to resolve the problem somehow.

Everyone was concerned and checked the air flow, the thermostat, and something outside the cabin, but no one could fix the problem until the one man who came at 11 PM. This was the first cruise of the Sunfarer season, so we suspect that there was no one in the cabin just before us. It came from Alaska where A/C would not have been necessary and there may not have been anyone in the cabin during the repositioning.

This was a bad start to the cruise, particularly after a VERY slow processing in at Port Everglades. If there was a Mariner's welcome lunch in the dining room, we missed it. With people coming and going to check the A/C, we weren't able to leave the cabin except for dinner.

With the thermostat at it's coldest setting, the cabin was OK as long as the curtains were closed in the daytime. It turned out to be a very enjoyable cruise with pretty good food and an excellent crew. We were in a stern verandah cabin on deck 6.

Currently on Zuiderdam Navigation deck. No problems with A/C or plumbing. Have not heard any grumbling from others. Although there may be some with trouble, as other posters have noted. Stuff happens on any ship. We are enjoying our first cruise on this ship very much.:)

Currently on Zuiderdam Navigation deck. No problems with A/C or plumbing. Have not heard any grumbling from others. Although there may be some with trouble, as other posters have noted. Stuff happens on any ship. We are enjoying our first cruise on this ship very much.:)

Thanks very much for your reply. Glad to hear you are enjoying your cruise! Have a wonderful rest of your trip. :)

I was on the Zuiderdam in mid-October for a 10 day cruise. As soon as we entered the cabin, we noted a major problem. There was no air coming out of the vent at all. We proceeded to call the front desk several times and visit them several times. Numerous people came up and agreed that it was hot in the cabin and that there was no air coming out of the vent. They gave us a fan, but that just blew hot air around the cabin. We kept after them until 11 PM, when one of the previous mechanics on his third visit came with another mechanic. That one was able to resolve the problem somehow.

 

Everyone was concerned and checked the air flow, the thermostat, and something outside the cabin, but no one could fix the problem until the one man who came at 11 PM. This was the first cruise of the Sunfarer season, so we suspect that there was no one in the cabin just before us. It came from Alaska where A/C would not have been necessary and there may not have been anyone in the cabin during the repositioning.

 

This was a bad start to the cruise, particularly after a VERY slow processing in at Port Everglades. If there was a Mariner's welcome lunch in the dining room, we missed it. With people coming and going to check the A/C, we weren't able to leave the cabin except for dinner.

 

With the thermostat at it's coldest setting, the cabin was OK as long as the curtains were closed in the daytime. It turned out to be a very enjoyable cruise with pretty good food and an excellent crew. We were in a stern verandah cabin on deck 6.

Hi Sundagger. Thanks a bunch for taking the time to comment. Goodness, it does sound like the cruise started off badly for you. I'm glad that they were able to get your stateroom to a level acceptable to you finally (even though you had to keep curtains closed, which is the point of the balcony level, to see out, but you did what was necessary) and that you enjoyed the rest of your cruise, in spite of the beginning. Had heard from others that lately the processing at PE is extremely slow, but nobody could pinpoint why. We'll go prepared for snail pace, i think, and hopefully be pleasantly surprised. Pleased to hear that the food was pretty good and the crew excellent.

We were on the Zuiderdam Oct 27-Nov 7. Our aft cabin was a bit hot (according to my wife - it was fine to me), so we closed the drapes as much as possible during the day and that solved the problem.

I heard that a few people had toilet problems, but it was not widespread - this can happen on any ship IMO.

We had a great time on the Z and loved the crew - very friendly and helpful.

DaveOKC