Zuiderdam Review
Rating by category
Additional details
We went with friends who chose the Baltic cruise, and we'd never been to any ports on the itinerary. We are 3-Star Mariners, and our friends are 4-Star, so we are predisposed to like HAL. Everything was handled very well and food was just fine, as usual. Entertainment was up a notch from some other HAL cruises we've been on.
We took HAL shore excursions in Tallin, Warnemunde and Kiel. Took a 2-day excursion with Alla Tours in St. Petersburg (highly recommended). We used the HAL bus shuttle (USD11) to the city center in Helsinki, and used a Hop-On, Hop-Off boat to see Old Town and the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. Spent 3 nights in Copenhagen before the tour and 2 more nights after the tour.
The cabin was the usual veranda on the starboard side, aft. It was just fine, although I would have liked to spring for the upgrade to Signature Suite, which was being offered at a very attractive price. But, we wanted to stay close to our accompanying travelers in 2 other cabins.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Ocean-View Verandah Stateroom
The usual.
Port Reviews
Helsinki
Took a $11 shuttle bus, arranged by the ship, to the city center. Walked to the market at the water front, where we did some shopping, and then to the palace square where we listened to a band. Then back to the water front where we went to a food hall for some nice food and gelato.
Stockholm
We took the hop-on, hop off boat to the Vasa Museum and then to Old Town. Weather was perfect and we had a great time.
Kiel
Booked through HAL. Highlight was the very good visit to Minitur Wunderland in Hamburg. Bus ride to and from Hamburg was ho-hum with the tour director serving as a ticket taker and head counter but nothing else.