I was fortunate enough to cruise many times with my late husband but never got the opportunity to cruise to the Panama Canal. After much discussion, my cousin from Sarasota and my cousins from New Jersey decided on Holland America's Zuiderdam to fulfill that bucket list wish! We were all very pleased with the smaller size of the ship. Easy to navigate with no long lines of passengers waiting for elevators or in the Lido buffet line. Thought the food served in the MDR, Lido and specialty restaurants to be very good with lots of choices daily. I must comment on the excellent service by all staff and crew members. They work hard to keep the ship clean and tidy. We even got our chipped bathtub replaced early in the week while we were on a tour. Enjoyed the entertainment in the Main Show Room by the ship's talented singers and dancers, but for me the main attraction was the nightly performances in the Billboard Onboard Piano Bar by Danny and Ian. They played 3 shows a night, the last one being an all request show, and I never missed one! Very talented pair!

Took one independent tour in Aruba with Fantasy Tours and was taken to all the island's highlights for a reasonable price. Ship tours included Curacao, Cartagena, the New Canal Locks and the Hacienda tour in Costa Rica. Enjoyed them very much. Would definitely recommend this ship and itinerary.