Zuiderdam Review
Rating by category
Additional details
Embarkation was a breeze! Arrived at the port at 11am, got checked in and was on the ship by 12pm. Our rooms were ready so we were able to drop off our carry on bags before hitting the Lido deck for lunch. Luggage showed up late afternoon in time to change for our 5:30 dinner. Lido deck was crowded, but seats were plenty and the food was great. Spent some time exploring the ship, swung by the spa and gym and won a $250 spa credit in a raffle.
The ship was older, but well maintained. We didn't notice any obvious spots of disrepair that other guests have commented on. Crew were always out cleaning and polishing the public areas. Ship was well laid out and easy to navigate. Our favorite spot was the large library and Crow's Nest. It was fun to grab a drink and snack and veg out with a book.
Activities were a bit lacking, although I was one of the youngest passengers (I'm in my 20's). I was not interested in knitting groups or learning how to use my digital camera. Sea days were particularly void of interesting activities. Some of the best activities were ones that the staff or entertainers took initiative and offered themselves. The magician did a behind the scenes talk about his tricks and performed some close up magic. He mentioned he did it because he wanted to, not because HAL asked him to. Simon, the cruise director also lined up 4 different presentations/lectures because he wanted to. Our captain was great, and did a funny and informative question and answer session. A highlight of the cruise was all the behind the scenes tours and Q&A sessions they did with engineers, entertainment staff, captain and galley staff.
Cabin Review
Large Outside Stateroom (fully obstructed views)
Cabin was a fully obstructed view, although we lucked out and the lifeboat only covered 40% of the window. Cabin was comfortable and had tons of storage. Bathroom was small, but had a full tub/shower which was nice. Fold out couch was uncomfortable, but manageable.
Port Reviews
Half Moon Cay
Loved this private island! Pathways were paved around the island and easy to walk on. There was also a tram taking you from the tender to the food area. Beaches were beautiful and food was good. There was also a stingray cove were you could wade with the rays.
Aruba
Aruba was a bit disappointing. We had to dock in the shipping section away from town.They did provide a bus to the main terminal area. Not much to do if you didn't book an excursion. Lots of pricey clothing/jewelry shops, cheap souvenir places, and casinos. We walked around a bit and thought it compared to the Bahamas, run down and not much to see.
Curacao
Favorite port ever! Free wifi every where (seriously, the town had some sort of wifi coverage over most of it), lots of historical places to visit (postal museum, fort, 1700's church, and the oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere), easily walkable and friendly locals.
Cartagena (Colombia)
Not much unless you take a taxi into town. There was a small terminal were there was a cafe with wifi ($3/hr or $5 for 3 hour), a shop, and small zoo with an aviary, monkeys, peacocks, flamingos and other tropical animals. You had to pay for a taxi to go into town which we elected not to do since we were only there for 4 hours.
Colon (Cristobal)
Not the best port. Lots of police presence and you got the sense you shouldn't wander too far. There was a small strip of stores, cafes and a casino that looked like it also sold used appliances. We stopped in enough to get some wifi and buy a soda.
Puerto Limon
This was a fun port to wander around in. We walked a large church, some gardens and did some shopping. The shopping seemed like the best and cheapest. It was mostly handcrafted instead of imported Chinese junk. We also hit up a coffee shop which sold you a drink and wifi for $5.