Wonderful itinerary, lovely small ship
Zaandam Cruise Review to Canada, New England, New York
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 7+ cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 36
Review summary
This was a lovely cruise. Janice at was VERY helpful!Embarkation
Embarkation was easy and quick. We did not use the Verifly app because I can never get it to work.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
The food was very good, but slightly below HAL's other cruises, in my opinion.
Onboard Activities
The fitness center was clean and had a good assortment of activities. The pools were clean and the Lido pool was heated to a good temperature.
Service and Staff
Our room stewards were extremely efficient and kind, as is usual for HAL staff.
Ship Quality
The Zaandam is one of HAL's older and smaller ships, which we like. It was easy to get around. It was very clean and well maintained.
Cabin / Stateroom
Our Neptune Suite was perfect. This class of ship has huge windows, which is wonderful! Also, the door to the verandah was double-wide, and could be propped open for fresh air. The Neptune verandas on the Zaandam are extra deep. We loved the suite!
Ship tip
Check out the library!
Thumbs up
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Ports of call
Quebec City is lovely. We rented bicycles and rode out to the falls. The bike path is well marked and quite flat. It was a blast!
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Charlottetown is a very pretty city with lots to see and do. We walked around and visited the historic Catholic Church. Shopping was fun.
We rented a car in Sydney from Budget. I don't think I would do that again. Sydney is an old mining town that is being revitalized. It's a mix of old and new.
We rented a car using the Turo app and drove to the Titanic cemetery and the Halifax Citadel. Lots of fun!
Disembarkation
We had an early flight so we disembarked early with our own luggage. It took us about half an hour from leaving the ship to getting to our gate at the airport.