Zuiderdam Review

4.0 / 5.0
1,028 reviews

Great itinerary, but uneven experience

Review for the Panama Canal & Central America Cruise on Zuiderdam
User Avatar
sunorclouds
10+ Cruises • Age 60s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service

Additional details

Sail Date: Mar 2019
Cabin: Signature Superior Verandah Suite

We chose this particular Panama Canal cruise for the itinerary. The ship stopped in Aruba, Curacao and Costa Rica, in addition to traveling through the canal, which were all new ports for us. After reading reviews, I did not expect a "new" ship, but since it had been in dry dock less than 2 years ago, I figured it would be okay. My husband and I have taken about 10 cruises over the years, and this was our first Holland America cruise.

The cruise before ours had a norovirus outbreak, and we received an email the day before embarkation alerting us to a late embarkation due to their need to sanitize the ship. A bit disconcerting to say the least, but we preserved. As a result, embarkation was a bit hectic due to the larger crowds boarding the ship at the same time. The embarkation agent forgot to give us the activities planner for embarkation day, which we did not realize until much later, when we did not find any information in our cabin. After asking our room steward for the activities information we kept hearing others speak of, it was only then that we realized we were missing information. That did not start us off on the right foot, but we let that go and had a nice evening.

The first stop was Half Moon Cay, the private island of HAL. There was another ship on the island that day as well, so it was extremely crowded. The ship arrived around 8:30, and after disembarking and being tendered over at 10:00, the clam shells we had signed up for (and paid for) were nearly gone. We had to walk a VERY long way down the beach, speak with a variety of (grumpy and inattentive) personnel at stations along the way to continue to direct us to some open clam shells. We stayed on the beach for a couple of hours -- which WAS beautiful -- then decided to head back to the ship. The thought of fighting for a meal with so many on the island was unappealing. Not the most auspicious start to our much anticipated cruise. Recommendation for Half Moon Cay - many of the loungers are under trees and are nicely shaded. Save your money and do not get a clam shell. We would not have had to walk so far if we wanted a free lounger in the shade.

Cabin Review

Signature Superior Verandah Suite

Cabin SS

Our cabin, which we upgraded to from a "regular" veranda cabin a few days before sailing, was nicely appointed. The balcony had 2 chaises, and a dining table with 2 chairs. The extra space in the cabin and balcony was very appreciated, especially since that was our home for 10 days. The only really annoying thing about the cabin was the lighting around the mirror in the stateroom (not the bathroom). I literally could not "see" myself very well in the mirror to get dressed and blow dry my hair. The lighting sort of bounced off the mirror. Our room stewards Ukiss and Waynan were wonderful, and kept our cabin in great shape. And ice was in the bucket every day!

8 Helpful Votes
previous reviewnext review

Find a Zuiderdam Cruise from $495

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.