Zuiderdam was our first HAL experience. It was our worst overall ship and cruise experience ever.

We were greeted in our cabin bath by a gush of brown water from the cold tap, which lasted two days.  There were leaking pipes around the ship, faulty A/C systems, and some of the worst shipboard food. When spaghetti and meatballs were the highlight...but don't expect any Parmesan to top your meal.  “Filet mignon” that was ordinary sliced tenderloin (tough as a three-dollar steak). There was no ice from dispensers for two days – how about iced tea with no ice? The just-installed Lido drink dispensers were never allowed to be used.  Tinned condensed milk with various dilutions for "half-and-half" or "milk", with a very apparent tin favor was put out in pitchers.  The Lido coffee was simply vile, hardly better in the dining room. No ice cream after day two because the chiller failed.  The Navigator app worked for some, not for others - no known solution or reason.  There were "computer glitches" that placed specialty dining reservations not made, creating statement surprises. 

The work systems in the Lido and dining room are clearly inefficient. Tables are left unbussed when there is peak demand at breakfast. The dining room service was a crapshoot. Ask for something and you may eventually get it, or an apology for forgetting your request. I'm also not a fan of standing in line for 10-15 minutes for a table, then another ten minutes waiting for a waiter...followed by an average 15 minute wait for your first course. I suspect this is bean counting at work. Read more