I think this ship gets too much bad press. My partner and I LOVED this ship! We sailed on the Oosterdam in January and had a brunch/tour on the Westerdam in December, but we really enjoyed the Zuiderdam the best. We also thought this ship was the most beautiful of the three OVERALL. Sure there were a couple of rooms that we didn't find attractive, but the other rooms were spectacular. The Vista Show Lounge, Queen's Lounge, Sports Bar, Lido Restaurant, Vista Dining Room and The Pinnace Grill are the most beautiful on the Zuiderdam. The Crow's Nest, Ocean Bar and Explorer's Lounge are probably prettiest on the Westerdam, but they are still lovely on this ship.
The ships do use lots of color, but nothing like the over the top Carnival or the too subdued beiges and blues of Princess. Lots of jewel tones and primary colors on this ship which we really enjoy. I have sailed previously on Carnival which I didn't like at all and Princess which I loved. I think HAL provides the best experience for us overall, but I love the variety of entertainment choices on Princess.
My partner is a young baby boomer and I am Generation X and we think this ship is really successful at attracting a more diverse passenger profile. Every age group was well represented on this cruise. Very pleasant mix of people.