This is our 15th cruise, and second on HAL. Holland America's service is outstanding as is the food. Yes, the Zuiderdam is an older ship, but, a well maintained and clean vessel. This ship is for the older crowd, as it doesn't have climbing walls or ice skating rings. What is does have is almost daily Culinary classes, which I rate a 3, and too many daily Trivia Pursuit games in the Crow's Nest. An Art Gallery with magnificent paintings with magnificent prices and a super B.B. King's lounge, with 6 outstanding musicians and 2 terrific vocalists. The Piano Bar is a fun, sign along lounge. The entertainment in the Vista Lounge was hit and miss, mostly, miss. The 2 comedians were good, as was the magician, but, we sat in the back and left early for the majority of the stage shows. A few of them were high school quality or less. My husband participated in the ring toss, and the golf chipping, and the Texas Hold Them tournaments. Several Cruise Critic members brought their Mah Jonng cards, so we usually had 3 - 4 tables of M.J. on cruise days. The Zuiderdam has 10 sets. The ship's staff gave us no help in securing tables for our daily at sea games. It was a daily scavenger hunt. This didn't seem quite right, since the Bridge and other card games had their own room or designated tables.

My husband and I used the Gym on an every other day basics. Zuiderdam's management needs to pay attention to the equipment in it's gym. A large number of the treadmills were out of order, along with the sound on the equipment.

We enjoyed our port excursions, which were booked on tours through Cruise Critic members/ We didn't take any of HAL's excursions, because of prices, but, enjoyed KK's daily excursion talks. Read more