Help please: HAL newbie seeks frank assessment of the Zuiderdam

Hello and Happy New Year!

My wife and I are veteran cruisers, but have never sailed HAL before. With the new smoking policy, I'm happy to say that HAL is now in the mix for us. :) We are looking seriously at the 20-day Viking Passage just announced for August 2018 on the Zuiderdam; it's a great itinerary.

My question is about the Zuiderdam -- very recent reviews of her here on CC have a "tired and dated" theme to them. Some of the photos I've been able to find bear this out (although I'm not sure when they were all taken). I know that the ship was in dry dock in the spring of 2015, but it's not clear what, if anything, was done to refresh/update the furniture and furnishings in the cabins, the MDR, etc. (If we do take this cruise, I think it would be in a Signature Suite.)

Also, I see that the ship is scheduled for another dry dock in October 2017, but I haven't been able to find any info about what is supposed to be done then. Anyone know?

We don't need the bells, whistles, water slides, etc. of new ships, but we also don't want to feel that a ship is really past her sell-by date, either, especially on a long cruise.

I would really appreciate frank comments about the Zuiderdam from recent cruisers (recent photos too), and any info that people may have about the 2017 dry dock.

Thanks in advance for any help, and happy holidays!

We were on the Zuiderdam May/June 2016 for 28 days - great itinerary RT from Copenhagen to Scotland, Outer Islands, Scandinavia and Baltic states, St Petersburg. Loved our large specialty verandah suite (can't remember this actual name) - best cabin value out there. Spacious, well-appointed, with the typical dated but comfortable color and designs as expected on HAL ships, no problems.

The ship is fine. It is an efficient, if predictable design, decor is routine. All the music venues were well attended in the evenings. It all works - if you expect no whistles and bells, she will be just fine. The typical great HAL crew and staff, excellent port lecturer. And oh, the places you will see ......

We have to agree with what OlsSalt wrote--- we were on the Z in December, 2016 in a Signature Suite & everything was in great shape...even the couch (not a loveseat) was comfy.

Had Anytime Dining & enjoyed all but a couple of dinners (only because the choices were not to our liking) but we were able to have the Always Available items. We always get a 2-top table so our meals were usually complete in about an hour. Had EXCELLENT service by our waiter & his assistant as well as the Wine Steward & had nice chats almost every evening with the officer that was overseeing our area.

The Lido Buffet has been revamped with new (heavier) chairs & the tables are set with napkins & silverware. Also, the staff will fill/refill whatever non-alcoholic beverages you wish so you don't have to juggle drinkware along with your plate/s.

Not that we spent much time in the Crows Nest but the one negative aspect of that is that there is a movable partition between it & the Explorations Café which really decreases the size of the room.

We just finished a 10 day cruise on the Zuiderdam Dec. 21, Signature Suite 8094 and were very pleased. That suite is in the bump our portion of the ship and has greater square feet inside and a larger balcony--same price! Yes there are some MINOR worn areas on some furniture pieces but it in no way marred our cruise experience.

I find it puzzling sometimes to read others critique of a ship I have just sailed on and their notations of disrepair. Perhaps they have fantastic vision or perhaps my standards of comfort are more relaxed.

The service in the Lido breakfast and lunch is better than ever and as always dinner in the main dining room and Canaletto. Not so the Pinnacle this time. First time I have ever left there after wonderful cuisine and a sour taste in my mouth. Both wine steward and waiter were condescending. Having this happen twice, same night, I feel is a reflection on the Pinnacle manager. Of course in the after cruise survey this was dully noted.

By all means feel comfortable with the ship's condition. I would cruise her again in a heartbeat, leaving my Pinnacle enjoyment for other ships!

Thanks for the reminder about Zuiderdam breakfast - and their new crepe maker. I would collect lemon slices and sugar packets from the tea service area, ask for just butter for my crepe and then dress it up with the lemon squeezes and sugar crystals - um, um - sweet, tart, crunchy.

BTW: I would never say any HAL ship is ever "past its sell date". That seems a crazy way to describe a company in the business to sell a vacation experience so that people leave happy they have taken it. These are heavily used ships in a closed system environment so not everything can or will work perfectly at all times on demand. They are subject to certain wear and tear over time and do get refurbishments on a routine basis.

I have never felt that HAL "skimped on maintenance" because as a business they know that is a fool-hardy long-term practice. Things can happen and will happen, and even passengers themselves can throw monkey wrenches into routine ships operations that affect other passenger's comforts. (tossing things down the toilet or leaving balcony doors open - in disregard of cabin warning signs).

Zuiderdam sailings are often bargains, this is not a popular ship within the HAL universe. Decor was butt ugly but I understand they have tried to soften it up. It was a decent ship but nothing to write home about.

Years ago I remember looking at the decor of all the Vista ships on the HAL website and by photos alone, I agree, the Zuiderdam looked the worst, dark and garish - all reds and purples in jarring abstracts - but after our first cruise on her to Alaska, we found the colors actually more rich and elegant - more burgundies and mahogany than the photos portrayed.

It was the sister ship Noordam that kept getting all the decor raves at that time and deservedly so - more modern and fresh colors and design patterns.

Since that first Zuiderdam cruise, it appears they have lightened up the decor or it just simply was not an issue this last time for us. There is no real wow factor to her, but there is a lot of predictable comforts. She is what she is - a way to get from point to point, with nothing getting in the way. But with the bonus-sized Vista ship verandah cabin options, that alone make her and her sisters an excellent cruising choice.

Zuiderdam sailings are often bargains, this is not a popular ship within the HAL universe. Decor was butt ugly but I understand they have tried to soften it up. It was a decent ship but nothing to write home about.

Oh Joy!

I'll be cruising butt ugly Zuiderdam in 6 weeks.

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Oh Joy!

 

I'll be cruising butt ugly Zuiderdam in 6 weeks.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Only if you refuse to listen to what others have reported. You can always cancel.

Hello and Happy New Year!

 

My wife and I are veteran cruisers, but have never sailed HAL before. With the new smoking policy, I'm happy to say that HAL is now in the mix for us. :) We are looking seriously at the 20-day Viking Passage just announced for August 2018 on the Zuiderdam; it's a great itinerary.

 

My question is about the Zuiderdam -- very recent reviews of her here on CC have a "tired and dated" theme to them. Some of the photos I've been able to find bear this out (although I'm not sure when they were all taken). I know that the ship was in dry dock in the spring of 2015, but it's not clear what, if anything, was done to refresh/update the furniture and furnishings in the cabins, the MDR, etc. (If we do take this cruise, I think it would be in a Signature Suite.)

 

Also, I see that the ship is scheduled for another dry dock in October 2017, but I haven't been able to find any info about what is supposed to be done then. Anyone know?

 

We don't need the bells, whistles, water slides, etc. of new ships, but we also don't want to feel that a ship is really past her sell-by date, either, especially on a long cruise.

 

I would really appreciate frank comments about the Zuiderdam from recent cruisers (recent photos too), and any info that people may have about the 2017 dry dock.

 

Thanks in advance for any help, and happy holidays!

The decor leaves a lot to be desired - it is a throwback to hippy, psychedelic days.:D There used to be plumbing and A/c issues, but I haven't read too many complaints about that in recent times. I've had some excellent cruises on the Zuiderdam thanks to a great captain and a fantastic crew. It feels like a happy ship. Either go and enjoy, or if you still feel uneasy, cancel and opt for one of the newer ships.

Oh Joy!

 

I'll be cruising butt ugly Zuiderdam in 6 weeks.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

And I'm sure you will love every minute.

We spent most of August on the Zuiderdam (in Europe) and found the ship to be typical of HAL ships. That is to say, a bit dated in design with just about everything functioning OK. Can't say anything stood out as fantastic...or anything was awful (except paint fumes from painting). Food, entertainment and service were all up to (or exceeded) HAL standards. I should mention we have cruised on all the Vista Class ships and do like the design.

Hank

And I'm sure you will love every minute.

Bingo!!!

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I sailed on the Zuiderdam from Quebec to Ft. Lauderdale in October. I had no issues with the ship the entire cruise, and in fact booked another cruise on her for December 2017 while I was onboard.

I do not understand saying she's tired and dated, I could see no evidence of wear anywhere. We had some rough sea days, and there was a lot of salt spray on the outside windows, but I'm sure that will have been cleaned off by now. The one place I might, might be able to find fault was a small leak in one of the glass elevator shafts, but that could have been an accident of the rough seas and high winds we sailed through between Saguenay and Halifax.

Do not worry at all. You'll have a great time on her! I had cabin 1001 and had no issues at all, even with the window was being swamped with the high waves. My parents were in 4179, so I travels the length of the ship quite often on almost every deck, and never saw anything resembling damage.

And while others complain about the decor, I love the Comedia dell'arte statues everywhere. I always knew I was on the correct floor by the statues in the mid-ship elevator lobby. And shadow-box display of Harlequin and Columbine near the Art Gallery/Pinnacle Grill is absolutely gorgeous!

One thing to check for, I noticed the sign outside the Sports Bar read "SPORT'S BAR" so I will to anxious to see if that has been corrected when I'm on her in December. Nitpicking I know, but it was a bit funny to me.

I'll be on her in a few days.

I absolutely do not sail for the ship and really don't care about the decor.

One of my favorite ships is the oldest in Carnival's fleet that has some hideous, garish, psychedelic colors. :eek:

For me, it's all about the "feel" of the ship. They all seem to have their own vibe. I'm not sure if that comes from the Master of the vessel of the cruise director, or a combination of all the upper management.

I expect to thoroughly enjoy myself for 11 nights. I'm not going to walk around looking for wear and tear. And if I see any, so what? How can that possibly have any impact on my actual cruise experience?

We were on Zuiderdam first 11 days of Dec. Wonderful ship IMO. Had read previous reviews about rust. Never saw one bit of rust which I actually was looking for after reading comments on this forum. In fact most areas, including our veranda (SS deck 8), looked like very recently painted. "Butt ugly" never entered my mind when wondering around the ship and viewing the decor. I enjoyed much of the art work. AC in room worked like a charm. SS had very comfortable furniture and beds and full size sofa, unlike our cruise on Wesderdam last year. Veranda furniture appeared quite new. Food really good as usual. I personally do not understand any of the "complaints" about the ship's condition.

It's been a few years since I was on this ship so it could have been completely overhauled though I don't think it has.

The color schemes in all the cabins seem to be bad, not limited to the Zuiderdam. But the rooms were in good shape, clean, with nice staff. Because of the fun and friendliness I tend to overlook orange and purple pleather.

The only spot that consistently "got to me" were the corridor hallways. The dreary 1980 nursing home color / pattern of the walls and the pictures in the cabin corridors was bad. Really, REALLY, bad. But that's no deal breaker for me. Just my decorating 2 cents.

We just finished a 10 day cruise on the Zuiderdam Dec. 21, Signature Suite 8094 and were very pleased. That suite is in the bump our portion of the ship and has greater square feet inside and a larger balcony--same price!

We're in 8099 in March...same bump out area except on the other side of the ship. Can't wait to experience that balcony!

I actually prefer the 'older' look of a ship. My husband and I are in love with 'old-school' cruising, and we enjoy really feeling as if we are on a ship and not a floating resort.

My wife and I sailed on the Zuiderdam in April and May 2016. I read all the previous review too and was concerned. However, I was more interested in the itenerary. We're not real picky only expect the systems to work and food be decent. Both met our expectations. The only complaint we had was when it came for our turn for maintenance work outside our balcony. That wasn't to my liken, but then again they have to maintain the ship so I understand what they were doing. Beat recommendation I could give is I wouldn't have a single doubt about sailing the Zuiderdam again.

Hi everyone and Happy New Year!

Huge thanks to all of you who have provided comments above, they are quite useful and just the kind of feedback I was looking for.

Any info at all about the scheduled 2017 dry dock?

Thanks again!

We were on Zuiderdam first 11 days of Dec. Wonderful ship IMO. Had read previous reviews about rust. Never saw one bit of rust which I actually was looking for after reading comments on this forum. In fact most areas, including our veranda (SS deck 8), looked like very recently painted. "Butt ugly" never entered my mind when wondering around the ship and viewing the decor. I enjoyed much of the art work. AC in room worked like a charm. SS had very comfortable furniture and beds and full size sofa, unlike our cruise on Wesderdam last year. Veranda furniture appeared quite new. Food really good as usual. I personally do not understand any of the "complaints" about the ship's condition.

Her hull got totally repainted while we were on her between May and June, 2016 - apparently there was some problem with weather that kept that from getting done earlier.

So she did look a bit shabby when we boarded. This was a valid report about her looking "rusty". But missed the reporting why this was the case. However, every port stop they were out with long rollers and she transformed into fresh, new navy blue by the end of our cruise - June 2016.

And crew members were scurrying around painting over all the rust spots everywhere else. Staying fully ahead of rust at sea with so many exposed metal parts is a permanent on-going task. How long a major hull paint job last? I don't know. I was surprised it could all be done dock-side.

We love the Zuiderdam but she could do with a bit of freshening up. My understanding is that her 2017 drydock will include an interior re-do with much the same new, brighter look as the Konningsdam. She's a wonderful ship but every girl needs her makeup adjusted once in a while.

Hi everyone and Happy New Year!

 

Huge thanks to all of you who have provided comments above, they are quite useful and just the kind of feedback I was looking for.

 

Any info at all about the scheduled 2017 dry dock?

 

Thanks again!

We were on in March 2016.

The ship was not as nice as previous HAL ships but it did not bother us. However, there were many first time HAL cruisers who expected much better. Time after time I told people to not judge HAL on the Zuiderdam.

We were told that when it was in drydock there was a strike and scheduled maintenance could not be done.

The ship was clean and service was wonderful. It was just not as maintained as it should be.

I would sail it again in a heartbeat. Just know what to expect going in.

We were on in March 2016.

The ship was not as nice as previous HAL ships but it did not bother us. However, there were many first time HAL cruisers who expected much better. Time after time I told people to not judge HAL on the Zuiderdam.

We were told that when it was in drydock there was a strike and scheduled maintenance could not be done.

The ship was clean and service was wonderful. It was just not as maintained as it should be.

I would sail it again in a heartbeat. Just know what to expect going in.

Thank you, yes that was it. A strike that prevented the painting to get started before we boarded her in May 2016 - but the hull painting was all done by the time we got off in June 2016.

Things happen and it is too bad something like this get reported in only a one-sided fashion, leaving lingering doubts about the entire ship for such a long time.

Just left the Zuiderdam this month and noticed no maintenance issues. Ship was in good shape, the portions that I observed, and the service was exceptional in all areas.