Zuiderdam Review

10 Days of Rest, Relaxation, Pampering, Reading & NO COOKING

Review for the Panama Canal & Central America Cruise on Zuiderdam
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kruzkween
First Time Cruiser • Age 70s

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Sail Date: Oct 2009
Cabin: Interior Stateroom

On Wed., Oct. 14 we flew from Houston, TX to Ft. Lauderdale, FL very early in the morning. Had a little "weight" problem with one bag and had to do some shuffling from one bag to another...they were real sticklers on weight! Took a taxi from the airport to the cruise terminal, but detoured by the Publix store to pick up a 10-day supply of Dr. Pepper. That cost quite a few extra dollars on the taxi meter!! There was a CVS right on the corner on 17th St. & Cordova which would have been much more convenient and cheaper in the long run. I'll remember this for next time! By the time we got to the cruise terminal, a two-mile $10 taxi ride cost us almost $30.

We arrived about noon, along with about ' of all the other passengers boarding the Zuiderdam. There was a very, very long line out the door at the terminal, all the way down the sidewalk and extending almost around the corner...out in the hot sun. The line didn't move very fast but once we were inside, the lines moved pretty quickly. The staff was very friendly & helpful.

Once on the ship we went directly to our cabin to drop off our carry-on things, then up to the Lido for a wonderful lunch. The Lido has different "stations" for various types of food selections...Asian, Pasta & Pizza, Bistro, Deli, Salads, Drinks, Ice Cream & Desserts. All of these food "stations" are on both sides of the ship, so it was never terribly crowded at any one place. At the Lido pool (inside/outside retractable roof) was the Terrace Grill which offered hamburgers & hot dogs, french fries & potato chips, as well as the taco bar. The whole time we found the food to be quite tasty, a good variety, and something was available almost any time of the day or night. Hand-dipped and soft-serve ice cream is available off and on throughout the day and evening, and they have lots of yummy toppings to choose from too. One of the very first things we learned after we boarded the ship is the correct pronunciation of the ship's name...Zider-dam. With that lesson learned, we were ready for the highlight of the cruise...the lifeboat drill! It was handled in a very efficient and expeditious way and we were free to go about our business in just a few minutes. Since we planned to eat around 6:00, we went back to the cabin to freshen up and get ready for dinner.

Cabin Review

Interior Stateroom

Cabin J

Plenty of closet space, comfortable bed & pillows, couldn't watch TV from bed, extremely convenient location, terrible hair dryer

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