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Zuiderdam Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern

Cruises: 7+ cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 46

Overall rating:

4 out of 5
Verified Review
Zuiderdam

7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)

Sail date: November 03, 2007

Ship: Zuiderdam

Cabin type: Suite

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 14 years ago

Review summary

Loved everything about this cruise and this ship. The ship was very clean, and our staterooms were beautiful. We had large balconies, and connecting rooms, so 4 of us were able to spend a lot of time together. We had bathrooms with both a tub and a separate shower and dual sinks. One thing to remember when you book connecting rooms is that the door between the rooms does take some closet space. However, there were more drawers than most other ships I've been on. And the large drawer under the bed is a great place for storage. The beds were high enough to store our large suitcases beneath them. HAL is known for food and service, and we had wonderful experiences with both. Our wine steward had our favorite drinks ready and delivered them within 30 seconds of us being seated. We chose "lobster night" to dine in the upscale restaurant, and the restaurant manager saved lobsters for us for the next night. The menus in the dining room were varied and interesting. I chose squash soup as an appetizer in the dining room one evening, and in the restaurant another. The two soups were very different and each was excellent. We did not have dinner in the buffet, but had several lunches and dinners. There was so much variety, and no long lines to get to your choices. We also had in-cabin service a number of times, as we had coffee delivered each morning, and cheese and fruit during one afternoon. I had lunch in the cabin when I had a massage during normal lunch hours and the steak sandwich was as good as any I've had anywhere.

Ports of call

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (Private Island)

5 out of 5
Loved this island. They have expanded a lot since I was there several years ago. They actually manage to serve a decent buffet - try the ribs and the chicken. The beach is beautiful. If you have the $$$, the private cabanas are a treat. They sell out very early, so if you are considering this, book early. We couldn't get one but we booked only 3 months prior to sailing.

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

3 out of 5
Unless you want to shop, just go to the beach. The beaches are beautiful, but the island is very poor. We took a tour of the island, and wouldn't do it again.
Don't Miss: Megan's Bay

Grand Turk Island

3 out of 5
This was a beautiful port. Shopping was available right off the dock, but we spent our time on a mini-boat and snorkel adventure. The snorkeling is not the most beautiful, but there were enough fish to make it fun. The sting ray swim was unbelievable!
Don't Miss: Swimming or snorkeling with the sting rays

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

5 out of 5
We swam with the dolphins at this port. While it was pretty much a photo opportunity so they could sell you the pictures, I was thrilled to be in the water with the dolphins, and "ride" one.

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

3 out of 5
Unless you want to shop, just go to the beach. The beaches are beautiful, but the island is very poor. We took a tour of the island, and wouldn't do it again.
Don't Miss: Megan's Bay

Grand Turk Island

3 out of 5
This was a beautiful port. Shopping was available right off the dock, but we spent our time on a mini-boat and snorkel adventure. The snorkeling is not the most beautiful, but there were enough fish to make it fun. The sting ray swim was unbelievable!
Don't Miss: Swimming or snorkeling with the sting rays

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

5 out of 5
We swam with the dolphins at this port. While it was pretty much a photo opportunity so they could sell you the pictures, I was thrilled to be in the water with the dolphins, and "ride" one.

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (Private Island)

5 out of 5
Loved this island. They have expanded a lot since I was there several years ago. They actually manage to serve a decent buffet - try the ribs and the chicken. The beach is beautiful. If you have the $$$, the private cabanas are a treat. They sell out very early, so if you are considering this, book early. We couldn't get one but we booked only 3 months prior to sailing.

Pros: Ship was easy to get around and the staff treated us like we were princesses

Cons: Eating dinner at 8:00. I guess I have a 7:00 stomach

Recommends Zuiderdam? Yes!

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