Zaandam ??

[Banditswife]

We booked a longish cruise (27 days) on the Zaandam for 2025, cabin 2613- but we might request a cabin change.  Have a few questions:

1)  I am just wondering what shape the ship is in & what refurbishments have been done recently.  I did read the refurb thread, but it says it is closed to further posts. 

2)I have looked at a few cabin pics from another web pg, & only see the smaller TVs.  Have those been/will they be updated?  Just wondering what we can expect in our inside cabin as far as updated carpet, bedding, etc. In those pics, the cabins seem a bit larger than what we had on NS last week.  Our inside on NS was very small w/ just a stool at the dressing table, we would have liked a different type of chair, rather than the heavy stool.  In pics of Zaandam, it appears there is a loveseat & a chair- wondering if this is true of all insides.

3) Wondering about public spaces. I understand the ship is much smaller than the NS & will not have the same amenities.  That might be a good thing, just wondering if Zaandam will meet my expectations or be disappointing.  I have only sailed 2 HAL ships previously-N Amsterdam (40 days total) & N Statendam.(28 days total)

4) Smoking areas- N Amsterdam & NS have a very limited smoking area.  HAL's website says Zaandam has smoking area outside the crows nest & Sea view pool- is this accurate?

5) Our booking includes HIA w/ "Elite" bev pkg & crew appreciation.  Is the higher priced drink allowance the only difference?  One of HAL's pages said unlimited non alcoholic beverages, but I couldn't find that wording under the details for the Elite pkg.

6) When an itinerary states overnighting in a port, what does that mean exactly?  Are we free to come & go off the ship the whole time we are docked there?  Or are there limited times we are allowed off the ship?

 

Thanks in advance.  You Cruise Critic members have given me so much information in the past, I do appreciate your opinions.

Edited April 9, 2023 by Banditswife
adding to

[CruiserBruce]

The ship will do another dry dock before you are on it, so a lot of those answers to questions may be different before you board.

 

If you are docked overnight, you can come and go as you please. If tendering,  it can vary a little by port.

 

Zaandam only has smoking at the Seaview Bar.

[Banditswife]

1 minute ago, CruiserBruce said:

The ship will do another dry dock before you are on it, so a lot of those answers to questions may be different before you board.

 

If you are docked overnight, you can come and go as you please. If tendering,  it can vary a little by port.

 

Zaandam only has smoking at the Seaview Bar.

Thank you- that helps

[Navybikermom]

Zaandam was getting the new TV’s when I was aboard in January. 
 

I enjoy the layout of this class of ship much better. Most venues aren’t hugely crowded. The only long line I saw during the cruise was the people waiting to eat “Anytime Dining”  at about 5:30pm. I always eat fixed dining so I get to go right to my table. The cabins are bigger than in the larger ships, so you shouldn’t be disappointed, but the ocean view and inside cabins do not have refrigerators. You can rent them, though. 
 

The beds seemed to be new when I was on her last year in September, and I found them to be rather firm. You can ask your room steward for a mattress pad (the foam eggcrate ones). 
 

I was always busy on the 16-day Panama Canal cruise, but what keeps me busy might not work for you. I did bingo, trivia, cruise director chats, listening to the awesome Ocean Bar band, and the classical duo. I had the regular HIA so I’m not sure what is extra in the elite package. 
 

If you have never seen the huge pipe organ play in the Atrium, it’s definitely worth seeing. You can watch from a couple different decks, and there’s a staircase that curves around it partway. That always irked me about the Nieuw Amsterdam- no Atrium staircase!

 

Also - there was smoking in the casino. It didn’t seem very heavy, but was definitely there (mostly slot players). 

Edited April 9, 2023 by Navybikermom

[lissie]

10 minutes ago, Navybikermom said:

 

Also - there was smoking in the casino. It didn’t seem very heavy, but was definitely there (mostly slot players). 

That must be itinerary dependent surely - I can't imagine a ship allowing indoor smoking in Australia or NZ waters for example. 

[Banditswife]

Navybikermom- thanks, very helpful.  We have a few sea days on our itinerary & we enjoy watching movies in our cabin if nothing else interests us.  The pipe organ will be interesting.  I think we will enjoy the smaller ship, we had 2900 passengers on NS last week & every venue was crowded. 1450 will be a welcome change.  Since we have the bev pkg, a refrigerator is not a big deal, but thanks for the info.

[CruiserBruce]

20 minutes ago, lissie said:

That must be itinerary dependent surely - I can't imagine a ship allowing indoor smoking in Australia or NZ waters for example. 

Have not heard of such a restriction. I don't think the ships have to abide by local laws like that.

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, Banditswife said:

Our inside on NS was very small w/ just a stool at the dressing table, we would have liked a different type of chair, rather than the heavy stool.  In pics of Zaandam, it appears there is a loveseat & a chair- wondering if this is true of all insides.

Your cabin is a 'large inside'. All those cabins should still have a stool at the desk (it opens for storage, if you like), a chair (which can be switched for the stool), and a love seat. 
I have never stayed in one of the 'insides' not deemed 'large', so can't speak to how those are. 

I understand the new TVs are located across from the love seat, so you can sit comfortably, and not have to sit in bed to watch, like on the newer ships. 

[Dobby36]

RE: your have it all question, sounds as if you got it as the “ have it all plus” that is a benefit of early booking and includes crew appreciation.  That Elite designation means your drinks can each be of a higher dollar amount, and can total 15 of the alcoholic variety per day.  The nonalcoholic beverages are unlimited in the elite (not capped to 15) and don’t affect alcoholic drink limit.  The HIA you got also should include “premium” internet….time will tell what that means with Starlink in 2025.  

[OlsSalt]

Where are you going - you may enjoy the very nice 360 decks on the Zaandam which still has loungers for public use.  If there is lots to see from the outside decks you may enjoy having them so close by - only one deck up.

 

Plus there are very nice aft decks on the lower decks of these ships for public use, also with loungers. Most don't even know they are there so they are almost the secret back deck for the lower deck cabins.  You will hear the roar of the ocean back there, but we spent many an hour there when we did a lower deck cabin on her sister ship, the former Rotterdam.

 

That was a 51 day cruise and we loved every minute on these smaller, more accessible ships. She will feel pretty much like home in very short order, as you find your daily routine that works best for you.  No hikes to get anywhere. Nothing ever felt crowded. 

 

We also spent many days on the Zaandam herself - she was our last big cruise to Antarctica before everything shut down. ,She now  is now our favorite HAL ship, since two of her sisters have left the fleet. Lovely public rooms - still more traditional in layout and design. A very comfortable ship. 

[oakridger]

3 hours ago, Dobby36 said:

can total 15 of the alcoholic variety per day.  The nonalcoholic beverages are unlimited in the elite (not capped to 15) and don’t affect alcoholic drink limit.

 

Unfortunately, this policy is in question as some people have reported that their ship used the same 15 drinks per day total (with and without alcohol) policy as the Signature Beverage Package so it's not consistent from ship to ship.  

 

HAL Website -> FAQ -> Shipboard Life says both Quench and Signature are included so this: (today)

Frequently Asked Questions | Holland America

ELITE PACKAGE

Only $59.95 per guest/per day*

Enjoy all the benefits from our Quench and Signature Packages and more! With the Elite Beverage Package you can enjoy all drinks menu priced $15 and under including Dale DeGroff’s Original Cocktails!

 

QUENCH PACKAGE   (NON-ALCOHOLIC)

Only $17.95 per guest/per day*

Quench your thirst with our nonalcoholic package which includes an unlimited variety of premium coffees such as espresso and cappuccino, juices, Coca-Cola™ products, our signature mocktails, Red Bull, and bottled waters 500ml and under.

 

BUT.......in my booked cruise, "purchase beverages", it states this:

 

"Our premium, Elite Beverage Package allows you to select from a variety of wine, beer, spirits, cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, sodas, bottled water (sparkling or still, 400ml or less) & coffee. Only on the ms Koningsdam & ms Nieuw Statendam, the package includes Freestyle Coca-Cola which provides 100+ refreshing Coca-Cola flavors to choose from. Includes any beverage priced at $15.00 or lower (up to 15 beverages per day)."

 

If anyone has any current on-board info about the Elite Package policy, please let us know!!

 

Thanks,

~Nancy

 

 

Edited April 10, 2023 by oakridger

[Dobby36]

Thanks Nancy.  That 15 counting “alcohol only” was the way it was explained to me on the Oosterdam last month, but I can’t say I kept an accurate tally (I was throwing them back trying!) so I really can’t say with confidence.  But nothing ever showed up on my bill and I feel like I was north of 15 if they had factored in all the waters, coffees etc…

[oakridger]

@Dobby36 the unlimited soft drinks was the way it was pre-shutdown but as I mentioned, different people seem to have different experiences lately.  I'm happy you were able to drink whatever you wanted and didn't have to worry about counting!  For me, counting drinks defeats the purpose of having a package.  Thanks for explaining.

 

~Nancy

[shack]

2 hours ago, Dobby36 said:

Thanks Nancy.  That 15 counting “alcohol only” was the way it was explained to me on the Oosterdam last month, but I can’t say I kept an accurate tally (I was throwing them back trying!) so I really can’t say with confidence.  But nothing ever showed up on my bill and I feel like I was north of 15 if they had factored in all the waters, coffees etc…

 

The way it was presented to me was 15 beverages of any kind $11 or less, including  specialty coffees, fresh juices, soft drinks, waters, and of course beer/wine/cocktails $11 and under.  I wouldn't dream of 15 alcoholic beverages a day, but with the the non-alcoholic bevs and tips included it seemed a decent value, especially if you use the HIA specialty restaurant, shorex, and vanilla WiFi internet included.. And, as I understand it, if you decided to spring for a more expensive cocktail or wine, you just pay the difference above $11 + 18% grat.

Edited April 10, 2023 by shack

[CruiserBruce]

4 hours ago, shack said:

 

The way it was presented to me was 15 beverages of any kind $11 or less, including  specialty coffees, fresh juices, soft drinks, waters, and of course beer/wine/cocktails $11 and under.  I wouldn't dream of 15 alcoholic beverages a day, but with the the non-alcoholic bevs and tips included it seemed a decent value, especially if you use the HIA specialty restaurant, shorex, and vanilla WiFi internet included.. And, as I understand it, if you decided to spring for a more expensive cocktail or wine, you just pay the difference above $11 + 18% grat.

This description is of the Signature Beverage Package. The OP is asking about the Elite Beverage Package.

[Banditswife]

13 hours ago, RuthC said:

Your cabin is a 'large inside'. All those cabins should still have a stool at the desk (it opens for storage, if you like), a chair (which can be switched for the stool), and a love seat. 
I have never stayed in one of the 'insides' not deemed 'large', so can't speak to how those are. 

I understand the new TVs are located across from the love seat, so you can sit comfortably, and not have to sit in bed to watch, like on the newer ships. 

Thank you RuthC.  We have sailed NS in an OV on deck 1 & an inside on deck 6- both these cabins were pretty small, but the OV had a loveseat which was nice.  It will be nice to have a bit of room & the newer TV.  We found closet/drawer space adequate on NS, but could have used more.  So please tell me about the closet space.

[Banditswife]

13 hours ago, Dobby36 said:

RE: your have it all question, sounds as if you got it as the “ have it all plus” that is a benefit of early booking and includes crew appreciation.  That Elite designation means your drinks can each be of a higher dollar amount, and can total 15 of the alcoholic variety per day.  The nonalcoholic beverages are unlimited in the elite (not capped to 15) and don’t affect alcoholic drink limit.  The HIA you got also should include “premium” internet….time will tell what that means with Starlink in 2025.  

Just the info I was looking for, thanks.  We are not big alcohol drinkers but do enjoy specialty coffee & sodas.  Now if we could get HAL to offer more variety in the soda pops...

[RuthC]

7 hours ago, Banditswife said:

Thank you RuthC.  We have sailed NS in an OV on deck 1 & an inside on deck 6- both these cabins were pretty small, but the OV had a loveseat which was nice.  It will be nice to have a bit of room & the newer TV.  We found closet/drawer space adequate on NS, but could have used more.  So please tell me about the closet space.

Oh, the insides on the Nieuw Statendam are so small there isn't even room to change your mind! And what good is the love seat when you can't even see the TV from it? I visited in an outside on Deck 1 on the Nieuw Statendam. 
I have always preferred inside cabins, but would never book one on the Pinnacle class ships. Even the tiny insides on the Prinsendam were preferable to those on the Pinnacle class ships! 

The Zaandam inside should have two full closets (convertible to shelving), plus the lower half closet with shelves and safe above. There will also be two nightstands with two drawers, three drawers in the desk, and an end table next to the love seat with shelves. 
The shower will be in the footprint of the sink/vanity area of outside cabins; the sink/vanity will be in the tub footprint. That gives a lot of counter space around the sink, and a long shelf underneath. There should be three small shelves on the wall for some toiletries or meds. 

[510picker]

Are there refrigerators in the cabins on the Zaandam?

Edited April 10, 2023 by 510picker

[RuthC]

If the cabin has a balcony, then it has a fridge. 
Inside ad outside cabins can rent one for (I believe this is still the price) $2/day. The question if you rent is where are you going to put the darned thing. 

[idalia]

The mini-fridge would also take up the only outlet available in the room.

 

Cruise Critic - Zaandam - Cabin Review

Notably, inside and outside cabins do not have mini-fridges, though all other cabins do; ask for ice if you need anything chilled. You can rent a mini-fridge for $2 per day, but it will be stored under the desk, take up the lone outlet and might not be as cold as you'd need for medication or baby's milk.

 

 

[Banditswife]

outlets in the cabins.  I am spoiled by NS's multiple outlets.  I must remember to bring a multi plug w/o surge protector.

[Sherry H]

We rented a fridge.  Put it under the desk. A little awkward but not bad.  It came with an extension cord which gave us additional outlets to plug into.

[trixiee]

On 4/10/2023 at 7:36 PM, RuthC said:

If the cabin has a balcony, then it has a fridge. 
Inside ad outside cabins can rent one for (I believe this is still the price) $2/day. The question if you rent is where are you going to put the darned thing. 

@RuthC  Do you have a favourite "Larger" outside cabin on the Zaandam that you would recommend?  Taking my sister for her first ever cruise, and it's on the longer side ~ 11 days...

TIA!!

[Banditswife]

Thank you to everyone for your replies. I have a better understanding of the elite vs signature beverage pkg & am more comfortable about cabin size.& updates. No mini fridge is not a problem for us as we have the bev pkg & do not need it for medication.  Our cabin steward filled our ice bucket on NS & I am sure our cabin steward on Zaandam will do the same.  Electrical outlets might be a bit of a challenge, but we will deal with that.