We booked this cruise with trepidation, as the reviews of the ship (and of Holland America in general) were, at best, mixed. But boy, were we pleasantly surprised!
Having sailed 30+ times, we are not novices when it comes to judging ships. We've been on so many types, to so many places, that we do tend to overlook certain things. But still, we hadn't heard great things about this ship, and that had us a little concerned about what we were getting ourselves into. However, the Zaandam far exceeded our expectations. The staff---especially the servers in all the restaurants---were wonderful. The food was better than most and reminded us of the kind of choices we used to get on all cruiselines.
Food: yes, food matters. And in recent years, it seems this is the one area you can most feel the cutbacks. We fondly recall the bygone cruising era, when surf and turf meant filet mignon and lobster. Nowadays, cruises offer their version, which includes a sirloin and a piece of fish (or, if you're lucky, a crableg or two). So imagine our surprise when, upon ordering surf and turf onboard the Zaandam, we actually got a genuine filet and a lobster tail? Want additional lobsters? Just ask. They brought us six. No kidding...six.
Inside large cabin, category M. Well-appointed and sized for the money.