Great ports to visit on this Holland America cruise

Zaandam Cruise Review to Canada, New England, New York

Cruises: 7+ cruises
Reviews: 2
Helpful Votes: 39

Overall rating:

4.3 out of 5
Verified Review
Zaandam

7 Night Canada & New England Discovery (Boston To Montreal)

Sail date: June 10, 2023

Ship: Zaandam

Cabin type: Suite

Cabin number: 6212

Traveled as: Family (older children)

Reviewed: 11 months ago

Review summary

This was the smallest ship we have sailed on. We missed some of the amenities of a larger ship. The choice of ports to visit overcame this problem.

Embarkation

3 out of 5
Had to work hard to ascertain location for shuttle pickup from airport to ship; once we knew where to go the experience was fine

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5
The Pinnacle Grill was excellent, although pricey. The restaurant food was quite good although the menu was limited. The buffet food was uneven. The pool-grill food was above average.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5
Small ship - not many options; the pools were adequate and so was the fitness center.

Entertainment

4 out of 5
Small room entertainers were quite good except for the singer who accompanied herself on guitar for her rock and roll sessions and used prerecorded music to sing Broadway numbers. Her stage presence and vocal production for the Broadway numbers left a lot to be desired. The dancers were adequate.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5
All of the ship's personnel were very helpful and made you feel welcome.

Ship Quality

4 out of 5
Room serviced only once per day. Some parts of the ship showed her age

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5
The size and configuration of the cabin worked for us. There was a lot of storage space. The cabin was kept clean, however, there was a slight musty smell - maybe the room needed an overhaul.

Ports of call

Bar Harbor, Maine

5 out of 5
Tender port - really nice downtown including good restaurants try the West Street Cafe. Good local transport (in season only)

Halifax, Nova Scotia

5 out of 5
Lots to do in the area right around the port, but if you want an excursion, one to Peggy's Cove and/or Lunenburg are worthwhile.

Sydney, Nova Scotia

3 out of 5
Not much to see in town. For an excursion, the historic Fort Louisburg (in season) shows the early French presence in Canada.

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

5 out of 5
P E I is wonderful

Cruise Gulf Of St. Lawrence

2 out of 5

Quebec City, Quebec

5 out of 5
Try for lunch or just a tour of the Chateau Frontenac

Disembarkation

5 out of 5
Very smooth all the way to the airport; guest services were very helpful getting us on the right bus so there was no problem at the airport.
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