Zuiderdam Review
Rating by category
Additional details
We chose this cruise mainly because of the itinerary. We have been to Oslo before and have always wanted to re-visit this area and this ship has the best itinerary for us. Although a cruise port visit can never be as in depth as a land visit, we feel this is a great way to sample the different countries and culture in the area. We did not do any shore excursion through the ship since they tend to be overpriced from our experience, and there are many other options. For St Petersburg we opted to use a local tour company and DIY for all other ports.
I am happy with what the ship had to offer on sea days and the time we were on board. The food was always fresh and tasty, although it did feel a bit repetitive after the first week. We had a mix of the dining room and buffet and I don't have any complaints with either. Service is excellent. I have cruised with other lines and I would say the HAL service is the best in my opinion.
This is not a brand new ship, so the cabin did show some wear and tear, but overall, we had a great balcony stateroom with lovely views especially at sunrise and sunset. It was also a good size. The cabin stewards offered excellent service, like all the other HAL stewards we met in the past.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Ocean-View Verandah Stateroom
This is not a brand new ship, so the cabin did show some wear and tear, but overall, we had a great balcony stateroom with lovely views especially at sunrise and sunset. It was also a good size. The cabin stewards offered excellent service, like all the other HAL stewards we met in the past.
Port Reviews
Copenhagen
We arrived three days prior to the cruise and used the Copenhagen Card to see Copenhagen on our own.
Rostock (Warnemunde)
Since it was a long day in port, we took a train first to Schwerin, then to Rostock before coming back to see the lovely old harbour of Warnemunde. The German train system is super easy to use and staff were friendly and helpful. We had a most enjoyable DIY day.
Tallinn
We did a walking tour of the Old Town. It was fairly close to the port and easy to do on your own armed with a local map and some prior research on what you want to see.
St. Petersburg
We did a two-day tour with Alla Tours and saved at least 100USD per person, and got to try local cuisine (included in the tour). Our tour group had a maximum of 16, much smaller than what the ship offered. The Hermitage Museum visit did feel a bit rushed, but with all the visitors, that's really hard to avoid. Other than that, the tour ran very smoothly and both the guide and the driver did a great job.
Helsinki
We used HOHO for this port and got to visit all the places we wanted to, including the farther-out Sibelius Park and Monument, Finlandia Hall and the Rock Church. Most of the day we spent near Senate Square.
Gothenburg
The city of Gothenburg offered a free shuttle from the cruise port to downtown, and that is a nice touch. The downtown area is very walkable and the area near the Opera House is picturesque. There is also the Volvo Museum next to the cruise port. If you like cars, it's worth a visit, plus there's free wi-fi in the museum.