My wife and I just returned from 7 nights on the Zuiderdam and I thought I might share a few of my impressions, particularly since there seem to be a lot of reviewers who love the Zuiderdam and many who hate it. Let me start by saying that we had a very nice, relaxing vacation in spite a few minor problems. Unless you're especially fussy (and plenty of our fellow passengers were) I doubt if anyone will have a bad time on this ship. Our overall impression is that the Zuiderdam isn't exactly firing on all cylinders, but there's nothing about the ship's problems that will ruin anyone's vacation. So, don't panic. If you have a bad time on this ship, it's probably not the ship's fault. It just means you're a petulant jerk.

With that being said...

By way of background, I'm 32 and my wife is 26. I'm a software developer and she's a high school teacher. We're from Kansas City and probably not as well off or as "mature" as the typical Holland America passenger. We've cruised previously on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. Read more