Review of Zuiderdam *after* drydock?

[ncmomof2]

We're booked on the Zuiderdam 2/27/2009 (MUCH too far away! :() and I'm very curious to hear what she's like after she goes into drydock next month. So, who's booked soon after she's back on the seas and can we count on you for in depth info afterwards? And any idea when CC may have an official review of Zuiderdam after her makeover?

 

Thanks for all info past and present!

[EastCoast]

I would be interested as well as I am booked to sail on the 17 day TA this fall. :)

[ilovethecooks]

We are also interested as we are on the 17 day TA in October 2008

[RuthC]

I've got a couple of suggestions for you:

First, check out the weekly update list of cruisers that gets posted. Take note of those on the Zuiderdam after the dry dock, then look for posts by them.

Second, keep watching the boards for either "Live from..."-type threads, or reviews of cruises after the poster returns. You can tell by the title of the thread that it's a review.

[cruiser ron]

I'm booked in a suite on June 13th 2008 on a med cruise. I'll be happy to

check when I return and will provide my comments. Hopefully someone on an earlier cruise will respond first as I am also very interested.

[ILoveScotland]

I'll be looking out for reviews as well since DH and I are booked for late January, 2009.

[BCEagle78]

We are also booked on Zuiderdam for the Oct 23 Transatlantic. Thanks Ruth for the helpful suggestions.

 

Paul & Debbi

[ncmomof2]

Thanks cruiser Ron for volunteering to give us info and RuthC for other sources of info!

 

I hope somebody gives us some info before June or I may just burst from curiosity! :eek:

[Susie51]

I was on Zuiderdam in Nov. I love the ship, especially the dining room and the forward observation lounge. I'm interested to see what changes have been made. Looking forward to your posts.

[SeaMatesNYC]

Does everyone know that you can look at pre- and post- deck plans on the HAL website? Of course, these may not be 100% accurate for the post-. One large change I can see is cutting Crow's Nest in half and putting Explorations Cafe up top (and eliminating the Oak Room cigar lounge), just like the Eurodam.

[ncmomof2]

Does everyone know that you can look at pre- and post- deck plans on the HAL website?

 

 

Yes, I'd found those, too. I'm curious as to how they're going to manage to add cabins aft in less than a month?! The deck plans indicate that they're going to add ~4 cabins on each side in the aft section of several decks... Since the cabins are prefab, do they just disconnect the old ones and slot new one in??

[ILoveScotland]

Someone on another thread told me that the refurbished Zuiderdam will have the same layout as the Westerdam. Since I was on the Westerdam I've been going on that experience for our cruise next January.

 

Since we'll be all the way forward in a SY Handicapped Accessible cabin I haven't been looking at changes to the aft.

[jtl513]

Yes, I'd found those, too. I'm curious as to how they're going to manage to add cabins aft in less than a month?

The same way they did it on the Westerdam last year!

[ILoveScotland]

The same way they did it on the Westerdam last year!

 

 

Aren't they all more or less pre-fab "boxes" that simply have to be moved into place and then have the inside finished? With lots and lots and lots of people working it shouldn't take more than a month even with the deconstruction necessary.

[NHBob]

In addition to new cabins, there appear to be some substantial changes in public rooms. If the before and after deck plans are accurate, the Crow's Nest will lose about half of its area to the Explorations Cafe.

 

I suspect this won't go over very well with dance entheusiests, the existing limited dance floor area being one of the few things generating some unfavorable comments. So, I also will be interested in any after-dry dock reviews. Having experienced one big band cruise on Noordam a couple of years ago, I can't imagine how Zuiderdam could handle one once the Crow's Nest shrinks. Wonder if HAL is moving away from big band cruises as they did in 2007.

[rich_cathybrock]

We are booked on the Zuiderdam in October, along with friends, in 6166 and 6177. These aft corner cabins are effectively getting rebuilt. I am keeping my fingers crossed that someone posts cabin photos after April. I have found a but on the Westerdam, but you never really know whether they will make changes to that plan based on feedback and lessons learned. I know the massive balconies are being reduced in depth, but are still effectively massive (ater all, how much square footage do you require if you can sleep a max of three people in a cabin, even if you make a ton of friends, and we usually do!):eek: ?

 

Guess we'll just have to keep waiting, and surfing for those pix...

[miamicruzer]

We're booked for Sept 5 on the Zuiderdam in one of the "new" aft cabins on the Verandah deck, so we are holding our breath on this one. Figured by then, the "bugs" will get worked out! LOL

 

And yes, having worked at the Port of Miami for awhile, most cabins and decks are in fact "pre-fabbed" and are "easily" changed out.

[Oslo Dutch]

I was on the Zuiderdam two weeks ago.

 

From the maps I can figured the main thing being done is the addition of aft cabins and and a larger aft sun deck.

The underused computer will be turned into you another shop ( that's what you get with very slow very expensive internet) and there are changes to the Crow's Nest.

 

Apart for polishing up some very minor wear and tear and I assume mechanical upgrades this whole operation is simply an investment to increase on board revenue. Nothing more.

[Rebecca33]

We are booked on the July 2008 Med Cruise (DVS) and I will definately be posting pictures and remarks...;-)

 

R:D

[Keith Rita]

We are considering this ship for our annual New Years cruise. Cutting the Crows Nest in half does not sound like a good thing for us!