Shaky Execution
Zuiderdam Cruise Review
Contributor Level:
Second Mate
Cruises: 7+ cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 11
Review summary
This was not a good spend of $25,000 this year as the weather was mostly so hot and humid you couldn’t breath of it was overcast and raining.Embarkation
Embarkation was a little confusing. As this was a long cruise, we were under Covid restrictions snd the app for reporting your vaccination status only worked partially, so there was a bit of a kerfuffle to get that straightened out.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
We are 34 days into a 45 day itinerary and it appears that Holland is watching our weight, especially our beef consumption. Whether it is brisket, pot roast or tenderloin, you likely will have 3-2.5” x 1” x 1/8” slices of meat on your plate. Occasionally it will be a petite tenderloin. One night we actually had a lovely prime rib. Service in the main dining room is dodgy and slow, one night we heard out dinners hit the deck in the kitchen and we had to wait quite a while for the replacements. Caprice salad without basil, little cheese on the French onion soup, tacos being served when the menu advertised enchiladas and the every night alternate choice of a steak has disappeared from the nightly menu. We have taken to calling the sandwiches in the Lido “thin meat” sandwiches. However, the wait staff are so nice you can’t complain.
Onboard Activities
We are sailing 75% full and it has obviously taken a toll on the cruise directors budget. Acts are being recycled 2 or three nights. The production shows look unfinished and unpolished. We are now getting a lot of old B and C grade movies - really! Mama Mia! The library is bereft of novels, we paid for the high speed internet but then received a note asking us not to stream anything. The scheduling has the events all on top of one another. The port talks are good, but the enrichment speaker on language, not so much. The spa lobby is a hallway to the pool deck making it less than peaceful, but the service was good. I question the sanitation of the pool water. Something is not right with the movie popcorn. It appears it may be made up and bagged a day ahead of time. It has plenty of butter and salt, but either the oil it is popped in or the butter on pre-made popcorn has gone bad as there is a slight taste of ranciicity.
Entertainment
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
The cabins are ok and thoughtfully arranged. I was concerned about stepping into a tub on a moving ship but a bath mat is provided an there are ample and helpful grab bars. Closet space is good, but the placement of the safe is low and dark making access to it more difficult than necessary. I appreciate the curtains around the bed for privacy. My biggest pet peeve is that there is no way to turn on the announcements in the stateroom, so you have to get up and open the stateroom door to hear most of them. The beds are a little too firm for me, but ok. Cabin stewards are great. The desk could have a drawer to stow make up and other items. The mini fridge would do better if not enclosed in cabinetry where all the heat is trapped.
Ship tip
If you like to read, bring your own books.
Thumbs up
0
Ports of call
Disembarkation
Traveler Photos
9 Comments
MinneapolisMary 1 year ago
Here’s the conclusion of this trip. I agree, nothing can be done about the weather. This was simply bad luck but it resulted in having to abandon stops at some ports and most excursions. There was a lot of Covid on the ship despite. Vaccination and testing pre-cruise and mandatory testing one week into the cruise. Despite having every available vaccine, I got a very mild case and the ship provided Paxlovid for $700. I was quarantined for 6 days, escorted to the Covid ward by security. We were instructed to wear masks in common areas for most of the cruise, but of course, no masks were worn in the dining venues or bars. I should also mention that the tub in our stateroom didn’t drain well, so you stood in a few inches of water while showering, and the water was so hot in my quarantine stateroom that it was impossible to shower. We were unable to get the first fixed, but an officer fixed the overly hot water issue. I have been on a lot of cruises because I love cruising. However, had this been my first cruise, I would have been put off by the food (really? Liver?) and entertainment quality. I realize Holland is facing financial difficulties, but I was not alone in my disappointment. The Captain was obviously hearing complaints and he pleaded with passengers in his talks on several occasions to please come back. One couple disembarked early in the poring rain in Papeete to fly home several days early. It rained so hard the ship sprung leaks in the ceilings and there were buckets set out to catch the water all over the upper decks of the ship. The internet went down for several days and they had to fly a tech person in from the corporate office to fix it. The one thing I can compliment Holland on was the sunny dispositions of their dining venue staff. They kept a disappointing experience from being a traumatic one.