Zuiderdam, drinks, and comments

[Iowa-Cruiser]

We recently ended a voyage on the Zuiderdam, and wanted to throw out a few comments on some observations. Some may have been discussed here and several may be well known to those who have an entire galaxy of stars over their Mariner symbol, but here they are anyway.

 

1) Even after the dry dock, you can still find some rust and peeling paint if you want to look. She is not a spiffy new ship, but the Zuiderdam is a "dam" fine ship (or is that a fine dam ship).

 

2) The kids working the ship work their butts off and should be treated kindly. During the lunch on embarkation day they had problems keeping up with silverware and several passengers were getting rather growly with the staff - hey lighten up, it wasn't their fault.

 

3) At least once during the cruise everyone needs to try a suncicle.

 

4) On smart casual nights they will turn people away from the dining room if they are wearing shorts. It happened to my teen sons.

 

5) The beverage package is not a separate card now, it is tied to the room/ID card - provided the computer system on the ship has been upgraded.

 

6) Living in close quarters with teen boys allows understanding as to why some creatures eat their young.

 

7) It is rather cool being on a HAL ship greeting another one in passing as you leave a port. I am sure we proved that our horn was bigger than the Niew Amsterdam's horn.

 

8) The aft pool can be quite chilly.

 

9) Being on one of these big boats when it does a pirouette in the middle of a port is always fascinating.

 

10) Having a night light is a good thing - the bathroom is rather dark at night.

 

11) The Neptune Suite veranda is approximately 6x16 ft.

 

12) Flowering plants a quarter of the way around the world from home can play havoc with your sinuses.

 

13) Semi-formal is now smart casual, and formal is now gala.

 

14) The retreat cabanas are on deck 11 above the area between the Crow's Nest and the Lido pool (yes I know the pool is on 9 and the Crows Nest is on 10 - work with me here). There are 8 of them, 6 smaller and 2 larger ones.

 

15) No one on a cruise has a right to complain about anything until after they have asked the appropriate folk to take care of it and it wasn't resolved.

[summer slope]

Thank you for your comments. #6 made me smile.

[Tampa Girl]

Enjoyed your report tremendously. Thank you!

[cruiseJMO]

3) suncicle?

[Lizzie68]

I enjoyed your report, and #6 especially made me smile. I remember those days, LOL.:)

[take us away]

A very refreshing synopsis - thanks so much!

Loved your last point but some people just like to complain!

[LUPY48]

Suncicle was our fav. cocktail!

[kftw]

Really enjoyed your review. Thanks so much.

[bdfred]

Enjoyed the upbeat review. Thanks.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for your comments.

Hope you enjoyed your cruise/ports.

[sail7seas]

I enjoyed your review.

Thanks for sharing with us. :)

[qsuzi]

What are the ingredients in a suncicle please?

[cruiseJMO]

Suncicle was our fav. cocktail!

 

What are the ingredients in a suncicle please?

Oh, it's a drink. I tried looking it up, only found suncycle, a sun-powered motor bicycle...lol

[qsuzi]

Oh, it's a drink. I tried looking it up, only found suncycle, a sun-powered motor bicycle...lol

I thought of vanilla and orange with rum when I saw the name :D

[cruiseJMO]

I thought of vanilla and orange with rum when I saw the name :D

Now I want an orange dreamcicle (vanilla, orange, vodka)

[cruz chic]

I thought of vanilla and orange with rum when I saw the name :D

 

I googled it and found this. It doesn't give the measurements. Seems to me I've tried this but it was too sweet for my taste:

 

Here ya go, straight from Holland's website ::

 

The Sunsicle delivers a taste of sunshine in a glass. The drink is made from vanilla rum with fresh orange, lemon and soda.

[POA1]

Thanks. Huge fan of #15.

[qsuzi]

I googled it and found this. It doesn't give the measurements. Seems to me I've tried this but it was too sweet for my taste:

 

Here ya go, straight from Holland's website ::

 

The Sunsicle delivers a taste of sunshine in a glass. The drink is made from vanilla rum with fresh orange, lemon and soda.

 

Hi cruz chic. Thanks so much. I was close huh. :) I'm more a red wine or margarita gal.

[cruz chic]

Hi cruz chic. Thanks so much. I was close huh. :) I'm more a red wine or margarita gal.

 

You were close. I'm more of a white wine, cosmo cabana, margarita and caesar girl:).

[cb at sea]

Lol...#6 is too true!