Zuiderdam Review
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Arrived at the pier 12:00 noon. Waited on line outside the building for ten minutes, then entered to stand on another line for 20 minutes to get past security check. Waited another 15 minutes to check in and obtain the cruise cards, and then waited another 30 minutes in another room before our "number" was called, to allow us to enter the ship. We have taken over 25 cruises and Holland has the worst embarkation system. Our last cruise with Celebrity, also from Port everglades, was a 30 minute affair from beginning to end.
The cabin was ready for us when we boarded and everything appeared to be in working order. Went o lunch at the Lido on deck 9. Very crowded the first day, which is the norm. An outbreak of Noro virus on the previous cruise prompted the line to institute their "code orange", which means that crew members must serve you everything from the buffet. This slows the process down, but I can appreciate the added protection for passenger health. This lasted for the first 4 days, after which you were allowed to serve yourself.
The last time we sailed with HAL, on the Noordam, there was a sandwich station that allowed one to custom build your own sandwich. Now, that has been replaced by 5 or six pre-made sandwiches. No other choice. The selections and quality of the hot choices at the lunch buffet also seem to have decreased since our last sailing. There is an asian bar, which was good, and the pizza and pasta bar, which had good pasta but some of the worst pizza I have tasted at sea. The Mexican bar near the mid-ship pool was excellent, as was the dive in burger and hot dog bar.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Ocean-View Verandah Stateroom
Much has been written on Cruise Critic about the condition of this ship due to its age. The cabin was in fairly good condition. The walls were clean and undamaged, unlike some of the reviews I have read. The bed was comfortable and the bathroom was exceptionally clean, with the best shower I have ever had at sea. I especially like the full tub and handheld shower that HAL provides in this type of cabin, as opposed to small stand up showers on most other lines. Most of the furniture was fine, but the small table and the chair that sits next to the desk were in desperate need of replacement, showing their age. The carpeting appeared to be brand new, as opposed to many previous reviews which noted worn and stained carpeting. What was really disappointing, however, was the general condition of the balcony. There was rust on the metal fittings and walls and the balcony furniture was very dirty and stained. When we complained to our room attendants, they said that the furniture was fairly new, but had been stained by the soot emitting from the smoke stacks. Holland America should be ashamed of themselves for not correcting this. They used pool towels to cover the chairs, which helped somewhat. Our two cabin attendants, Sigi and Rudy, were both excellent, going out of their way to please us. Also, unlike previous reviews, our air conditioning and toilet functioned quite well and there was no unpleasant oder emitted from the toilet. I asked for ice and extra towels all day, which were always there.
Port Reviews
Curacao
The town is picturesque and very cosmopolitan for the caribbean. Exploring the streets and local markets were a good way to spend the day