Zuiderdam Thanksgiving Report - part 1 - long

[winemistress45]

Just returned from the Thanksgiving Eastern Caribbean Cruise -- this was only our second cruise ever and our first with HAL.

 

We took the redeye from California to FLL -- arrived at 5:30 am and took a taxi ($35) to the lovely Hotel Atlantic right on the beach -- we checked our bags with the bell captain and changed our clothes -- then went into the ocean view dining room for breakfast at 6 am.

 

We had a fantastic leisurely breakfast then took our hired car service (cadillac escalade) to the closest Starbucks then to the cruise ship terminal.

 

Checking in was a breeze, no problems at all and the red coat employees outside the cruise ship terminal were really great.

 

We sat in the conditioned terminal for about an hour then boarded after having our photo taken by the ship photographers.

 

We were directed to the Lido deck, but I headed straight for the front desk where only one other passenger was standing (I was surprised to see no line). I made arrangements for the culinary arts center private guest chef cooking class (12 people only).

 

Then headed to the spa where my teens were getting the dog and pony show tour from one of the spa staff. They tried to sell the girls $500 in treatments each -- overkill and overpriced. They were pushy.

 

I went to sign them up and found a spa special listed for $99 each, which included a full facial, a head,neck, scalp, foot massage and the unlimited day use of the thermal suite and mineral pool -- so that is what I booked for them.

 

I went into the gym to sign up for yoga and spin classes and found that they were only sold in packages of 3. You pay for them in advance.

 

A couple of the times for yoga overlapped my cooking class so I opted for the spin classes -- what troubled me is that you had to sign up for all three when you don't even know if you like the class. So I negotiated them down to two classes and paid $11 each upfront for the classes.

 

I then went to Pinnacle Grill to double check our pre arranged dining time and it was confirmed. It was a very crowded cruise, so the less expensive lunch time was all sold out. I booked a second night at the PG which I could cancel if I didn't like the first dining experience.

 

Headed to the Lido deck and noticed a lot of folding tables and padded folding chairs. I was talking to a repeat passenger and they said they'd never seen that before. It looked tacky to them and they asked the bar tender about it. He said they were overbooked --- there were 2300 passengers instead of about 1800 passengers on board and they needed extra seats.

 

The lido deck was full that day and there were some delays getting into our cabin, so I ordered a bottle of french champagne with one glass and made friends with the bartender BONG. Fantastic guy. They don't stock that quality of champagne at the Lido bar so he went to PG to get it.

 

They then made the announcement that cabins were ready around 3:45 pm but there was no luggage for us until about 4:30 pm. My daughters luggage didn't arrive til 5 pm.

 

BONG offered to and brought my champagne from Lido to my room in the bucket on ice. Nice!

 

I had prearranged for bon voyage balloons to be in the room and they were there but attached to the door.

 

We got the drink cards I ordered and the chocolate covered strawberries.

 

I had also ordered happy birthday flowers and those did not arrive.

 

I checked on them several times over the next day or so and I think what they ended up doing was delivering flowers from one of the tables in the dining room. It was not what I ordered and it had a card that said bon voyage -- not the personalized message I had ordered for the birthday celebrations. A little disappointing.

 

Our cabin was 5122 -- verandah -- it was small and had a dated interior. 3 outlets, two at the vanity and one that had no juice at all in the bathroom.

 

We used the one in the bathroom for our room freshener I brought from home.

 

Our patio furniture appeared to be new -- unlike other threads I've read where they said patio furniture needed replacing.

 

We went up top for the sail away and used poppers that I brought from home -- fun!

 

We were hungry and our dinner seating was at 8 pm so we ordered the cheese plate from room service. The presentation was great but the cheese was of poor quality and the pistachio's they served on the plate were soft and wet.

 

We ordered the unlimited pressing and sent it out right away. We got back three items before 7 pm the rest the next day around 1 pm. It was only $30 for this service and worth every penny.

 

We dressed for dinner, which with three women trying to use one blowdryer at the vanity -- takes a while. Before I forget to mention it -- I suggest you bring your own blowdryer as the one they provide is weak and you'd be better off standing on your balcony to dry your hair.

 

We walked around the ship to get acquainted with the layout and then headed to the upper dining room 8 pm seating and met our table mates.

 

We had requested a table for 8 but the ship was so crowded the squeezed in 10 people. Our table mates were great and we all got along fantastically. My girls have made a new friend for life in a girl their age who was dining with us.

 

Dinner the first night was typical cruise food -- nothing special. Our service was good with the exception of the wine steward who suggested a house chardonnay to go with prime rib. She was rushed and unhelpful --

 

We dressed up a bit for dinner each night and then ofcourse on formal nights dressed up a lot more. The first night we saw many, many people in jeans and t shirts -- I thought I would see that more in the lido than in the main dining room.

 

My kids went to the evening show and I caught up with them after going back to the cabin to get birthday decorations out. My cabin steward was making the beds and insisted on helping me -- he saw that I brought an entire suitcase of fun props and he was more than excited about it.

 

Each day thereafter he'd find me in the hallway and ask if he could help with the theme of the day -- his name is DIN and he was good to us -- the first two days he always had ice in the ice bucket and in my champagne bucket but after that we had to remind him each day.

 

He made towel figures almost everyday and left them on the beds or hanging around the room each evening at turndown -- cute.

 

The first night the kids wanted to check out Northern Lights -- they are under 18 but look a little older -- so we went -- it was 70's night and we partied til 4 am -- no kidding. They said they have never had anyone on any cruise in northern lights past 1 am but we had the DJ use our ipods for music and everytime he used our music the floor was packed with young people. Only one night there were older people in the club ---

 

There was a lot of underaged drinking on this cruise -- so much that I found a few young girls in very compromising situations with older men -- so I caution parents on this -- please stick close by to your kids and not let them run loose at all hours of the morning on a cruise ship.

 

Went to bed at 4 am and slept til 11 am the next day -- after not sleeping for 36 hours before our cruise then staying up so late -- we were beat -- but it was a sea day so we just relaxed on the pool decks and I had my first spin class that afternoon.

 

Although the Spin class was full, it was not worth going to for someone with any previous spinning experience -- the rest of the gym was packed solid.

 

Dinner the second day was more of the same, eventhough it was a "formal night" --- similar to the first night but I stopped for an after dinner drink in the Pinnacle Grill Bar where lo and behold my favorite bartender BONG works in the evenings.

 

I made sure after that we always had drinks before and after dinner with BONG in PG. Oh and get this, he is married to the girl who is my wine steward in the main dining room -- Rebecca ---- after the first night she came by and apologized for her poor service the night before which I thought was very kind of her.

 

I asked the staff in the dining room present little Tiffany boxes to my girls for their birthday -- and they also had individual cakes. They made little foil swans and put each box in the swan and presented them on silver trays -- it was cute. They staff got a big kick out of watching the girls open their gifts.

 

Teens went to the show and then we met in the Northern Lights -- partied til 4 am -- again.

 

Arrival in Grand Turk arrival in just a few hours --- ugh -- I was dreading having to get two teenagers out of bed in the morning.....:rolleyes:

 

More to follow.

[maxout]

Enjoying your report, you have a great eye for detail. So far it sounds as though you had a great time. (as I hoped you would) post on! :)

 

Spencer