This was my 3rd time on Zuiderdam, and 6th on HAL. I usually try to find cruise itineraries that stop in places I haven't been to, but in this case, none of the stops were new. However, it had been 10 years since my last and only other visit to the Panama Canal and Costa Rica, so it felt like something fresh. It was quite funny to find myself in SS cabin 8070 AGAIN, as I was in the very same cabin in 2005 on the Zuiderdam!
Embarkation was fine in Port Everglades, despite their complete disorganization...the port facilities are under construction and renovation, which means ships are being almost randomly assigned to various piers, and the port signage often doesn't match. Our ship was parked where the Princess ships normally park, and the signs at the western port entrance had no mention of it. None-the-less, once we found the right pier, we entered, checked in, and boarded in under 20 minutes from car door to ship elevators.
Zuiderdam is scheduled for refurb very soon - we were the 2nd-to-last cruise before she undergoes wet-dock in Freeport. I've never been the particularly picky type who considers a cruise a complete failure because a carpet had a stain, or a chair was worn, so this was not something I worried about. The ship's condition was actually pretty decent and clean, with the typical and expected signs of wear and tear on cushions of deck chairs, weathering of wood decking, etc. Anyone reading this review should have nothing to worry about, since those should all be taken care of by the time of your next cruise.
Navigation deck 8, port side, midship - 2nd door aft of the central elevators. Lido was just above - noise not a problem as you are underneath the very beginning of the Lido seating area. The balcony overhang is larger on this deck, providing good weather protection but not providing lots of direct sun unless facing the rising or setting sun (I prefer the overhang, which allows the balcony to be usable 24-hours, even in rain or heavy spray days). Cabin has lots of storage room - two desks, two chairs, drawers in both desks, both bedside dressers. Storage shelves beside the couch, above the minifridge, and in the closets. 3 separate closet sections all which have convertible shelves or hanging space. Large couch suitable for seating 3, also convertible to a bed. Large bathroom with two sinks, two medicine cabinets, lots of space around the toilet, a jetted tub with shower and a separate standup shower. Excellent location!