Zuiderdam 7/24/04 any others? advice?

[colo-cruiser]

Hi all, We are booked on this cruise and it is the first for us on HAL. We have been on several other lines and ships, but just don't know what to expect. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I did read a post further down the board and it sounds like HAL is a pretty sedate line. But then I went to the roll call board and there are also honeymooners and families.

We ended up booking on this cruise as a last minute deal since they are practically giving away balcony and suite cabins. Check some of the websites for deals.

Maybe some of you should book this same last minute deal and we would all have a gay ol' time.

[Brucemcdou]

Hi, Colo-cruiser: We're not on the 7/24 cruise but were just on the 5/29 Western Caribbean Zuiderdam which was our first on HAL. Your opinion of Zuiderdam will depend on what your reference point is. We usually prefer Celebrity, and we thought that HAL fell short in food and service, and wasn't quite as gay friendly as Celebrity. That's due to the fellow passengers, not the staff or crew. We thought the cabins were great, larger and nicer than standard cabins on other lines, and the entertainment was the best we've seen on a ship. The ship has a spacious, well-equipped gym with views and a good spa. Try out the Hydro-therapy pool in the spa - I used it every evening before dinner.

 

We're not partiers: we always relax before a late dinner, then see the show and gamble a little bit before being in bed by midnight. This ship was perfect for that. I'm writing a more extensive review to post later, but in general we had a good time and thought the ship and itinerary was nice and relaxing. The cruise director (Dottie) put a FOD meeting in the daily newsletter for the second day, and we met two other very nice gay couples and one single gay man their. We chatted with them throughout the week. Other than a lesbian couple we met, I think that was the extent of the LGBT passengers.

 

Happy to answer any questions you might have.

 

There are never enough days at sea!

[colo-cruiser]

Thanks for the info. We also are not really the late night partiers. In fact there have been several times where we spent the day on the ship, just relaxing, while the others were off getting their tours in. The therapy pool sounds nice. Is that a "public access" or is that like so many other items that are charged ala carte?

I would agree that each cruise is its own experience. We are pretty comfortable and adept at almost all social situations.

Do you have any ideas for parasailing in Cozumel, or at the HMC? It's one of those things that is on the "must do" list.

[Brucemcdou]

Hi, Colo - Happy to oblige. I always learn so much from these boards I try to share info when I can. You asked about the average age in your first post. This cruise had a lot of families with children and "younger" couples, by which, of course, I mean couples our age. Seriously, we're both early 40's, and there were lots of couples in their 30's and 40's. Our table companions were two straight couples: one in their early 40's and one in their early 50's. Both of them were delightful and we've kept up contact since getting back home. Certainly plenty of older folks, but probably not too many due to summer vacation for the kids.

 

The Hydro-therapy pool is extra charge: I think it's $15 per day or $80 for the week. I paid for a package to use the hydro-pool and the "thermal suite" for $120. I never used the thermal suite (heated ceramic loungers, steam, sauna) as the weather was hot enough already! The Hydo pool is just like Celebrity's "Thalassotherapy" pools, if you've been on one of their ships. Of course, there are whirlpools by both pools, and there is a free sauna in the spa, although I never used it.

 

Sounds like we're alike: we can easily stay on the ship and relax rather than rush off to go on a tour. In Key West we walked around for about two hours before we melted in the heat and went back to the ship for the afternoon. In Cozumel we went on a ship excursion to the marine preserve where we kayaked in clear, acrylic kayaks, then snorkeled in the same area. In Grand Cayman we had arranged a tour with Nativeways, visiting Stingray City, then a separate stop for snorkeling. Stingray City is amazing - very touristy but worth it. Nativeways was very nice, smaller and uncrowded than the ship tours, but I would be a little concerned about their lack of concern for safety (no safety lecture before we started; the guides weren't watching everyone get in and out of the water; the engine stalled on the way back to port and we had to be towed in by another boat!). In HMC we rented a "clamshell" and just sat in the shade and read. HMC is beautiful and very well laid out so it's not crowded, but as in Key West we only lasted a short while before heading back to the AC on the ship.

 

We didn't parasail, but it was available at Cozumel, Grand Cayman and at HMC. I really don't have a basis for recommending one over the other; they're all beautiful.

 

There are never enough days at sea!

[bkonner]

Howdy,

 

I am going to be on the Zuiderdam on the 7/24 cruise. I am going down to Ft. Lauderdale three days early to extend the trip and get out of Boston before the Secret Service destroys the place (I live down town).

 

This is my second sailing in one year on the Zuiderdam and my fifth on HAL in three years. It is an older crowd, but there is a lot to do. I really enjoyed the Zuiderdam last August. I was on the Oosterdam in February and plan to be on the gay Westerdam cruise the end of February next year. They are all sister ships.

 

It is a good size ship. Certainly large enough for me. The pools stay open to about 7:00 PM or so. The hot tubs are open until 9PM. DEFINATELY DO LATE--EITHER 8 OR 8:15 pm--DINING. I made the mistake of taking early dining on my first cruise and most of the people were much, much older. I am not a late person and like Colo-cruiser I tend not to stay up too late. I am a morning person. The gym is reasonable. There is enough equipment to get a reasonable work out, except if you are into working on your stomach. I love HAL's Taco buffet at the mid pool during the day (very good, you can make a great salade). The Lido buffet at lunch around 12 noon can be a little crazy.

 

My only complaint about HAL is that they do not enforce hogging of chairs at the pools (grrrr). This can be a problem when you are at sea.

 

The private island is nice. Definately do the para-sailing. It's quick, about five minutes, but it's a thrill. Make sure if you do it to ask the crew to dunk you. You will get wet, but its a blast. They also have beginners scuba which is how I got my start. I did it in Cozumel several years ago (AND IT WAS WORTH IT!)

 

I am going down three days early and staying at the Hyatt Pier Sixty-Six. I want to get the most out of this trip.

 

All in all HAL is an exceptional value, especially if you are single which is why I travel on them a lot. Its the little things I like. No paper towels in the bathrooms (towels). Pretty good service (usually). In fact, the best waiter I ever had was on the Zuiderdam. This guy was wonderful. I still feel guilty about only giving him $ 50.00 for a tip. Every night (after the first night) my drink was already waiting for me, and I don't think I was ever charged. Make sure you go to the baked Alaska night. This is their theme evening. The food is quite good. I love escargot and it is very reasonable. DO NOT HISITATE TO ASK FOR SECONDS OR EVEN THIRDS! Definately try the escargot. Also, they have a barbaque at the mid pool one evening. My last cruise on the Oosterdam in February it was the night we were in Cozumel. While I had dinner in the restaurant, it looked good.

 

You will enjoy the ship. Its great in port, totally empty and you have most of the ship to your self. In fact, I am only going because of the ship. Seriously, how many times can you go to Cozumel? I NEVER, EVER GET OFF THE SHIP IN THE CAYMEN ISLANDS!!!!!!!!!!!! They will not get one single dollar from me if I can prevent it. It kills me that they get a port tax from me! Not gay friendly (official policy--NCL cruise several years ago)!

 

bkonner

[colo-cruiser]

Thanks bkonner.

We booked a parasail at Key West through a website called keywestsebago. They were much more reasonable and fo rsome reason, I am fooled into thinking that it might be a little safer than in Mexico. I could be wrong and then that would be a real bummer for the rest of the cruise. But really, I'm looking forward to that parasailing adventure. After that day, we have nothing definite planned. Maybe snuba either in Cozumel. We like hanging out on the ship when in port, too. Love it that the ship is nearly empty. We could probably go the rest of the week after Key West without leaving, but somehow I doubt that is going to happen.

There are a lot of other posts on the other boards for HAL and for roll calls and I didn't get the idea that there was a lot of family on this cruise. There is the hint that there might be one other couple from Columbus, but I am not sure. We thought that we would be the only gays on this voyage and would have to have all the fun and pioneer work for ourselves, but it would be nice to meet up with you.

We are also staying at the Hyatt. It's ok. Nothing spectacular, but certainly more than adequate. We had stayed there over the Memorial Day weekend. And it really is very close to the port so that is a plus.

Well, I am excited to see what HAL is all about. We've been on many other lines, but they all have their good and bad. We're actually booked into a sutie (Cat S) so we are going to try to take advantage of all those little extras that we can.

If you have other information that you can pass along, please do.

[dantobey]

hello, we are not on the sailoing but were on her last year over Laobr Day and we meet a large number of guy on these board and the other Cruise Sites exp. CruiseMates.

 

Anyway we had a wonderful time are planing a trip on the Millennium with most of the guys we met.

[flime2dc]

My partner and I are travelling on the Zuiderdam on the Sept 12th cruising - just missing you by a few weeks!

 

We have been on one HAL cruise before and found it to be very friendly. The gaydar started going off in the large waiting area at the terminal before we even got on board. We travelled with another gay couple who booked a Suite (we stuck with the a regular outside cabin and mooched off their private balcony:rolleyes: ) and a few nights had cocktail parties in their Suite with 12-14 other likeminded folks. In addition we did meet a few other couples who kept to themselves. I think we met only two single guys but then again we weren't up in the disco late at night either which was where many of the guys ended up in the evening.

 

We chatted most nights with the cast of the show up in the Crows Nest. They seem to be the only group of employees on board who are "allowed" to socialize in the public areas of the ship. Most of them were gay or (of course) very gay friendly.

 

Have a great time!

[colo-cruiser]

Thanks to everybody who has given their two cents. It's only about a week away before we are off to the land of intense sunburns. I am sure that we will have a great time.

[bkonner]

I hope you booked the para-sailing with HAL. Do not do it with local companies outside the US because of inusrance reasons. Perhapes we can hook up. My cabin number is 1056. I will be at the Hyatt for three nights before the cruise. I am really looking forward to going. I may take a baloon ride. I think this can be arranged with the Hyatt. It had a great price and the hotel looks pretty reasonable. I am so excited. Its my fourth or fifth trip in the last year (yes I do work!), but I feel like a kid!

 

bkonner

[colo-cruiser]

Hey there Bkonner,

We did book parasailing in Key West with a local company there, but it was not with the HAL excursions. I also thought that it would be a better idea to do the parasailing in the US rather than elsewhere. The company we used is called Sebago watersports and it is actually listed in a Gay guide, so I am hoping that there won't be too many problems. The only iffy thing is if HAL decides to change the port times and pull out of Key West earlier than scheduled. So far I have not heard or read any of these boards that indicates that the Key West times have changed.

You get to leave pretty soon. Lucky you. We still have a full week of getting all the work done and then getting the packing and vacation prep. But it will be soon enough.

We are also staying at the Hyatt, but only for Friday night. It's a perfectly adequate hotel and it is really near the pier.

We are in cabin 7078. We don't have many other excursions planned but are thinking about snuba in Cozumel. If we do that, we'll book with the ship. Other than that, I think it will be a lot of leisure and lounging around.

You can email me at

woowy1@msn.com if you want.

 

Just a few more days...