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Zuiderdam Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern

karmemal

Contributor Level: Second Mate

14 Days Till Next Cruise

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Reviews: 4

Helpful Votes: 50

Overall rating:

4.7 out of 5

5 Night Eastern Caribbean Holiday (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)

Sail date: December 29, 2022

Ship: Zuiderdam

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 4044

Traveled as: Family (older children)

Reviewed: 1 year ago

Review summary

This was only my second cruise and my first time on Holland America. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience as did my husband and son. I chose Holland America because I wanted a more quiet and laid back atmosphere and that's exactly what it was. My 16-year-old loved it. He's not one who has to be entertained non-stop, so he was fine without pool slides and rock climbing walls that are offered on other cruise lines. He was happy relaxing and looking out at the ocean, going to the gym, hanging out in the pool, and playing games in the crow's nest. We booked an Alaskan cruise on HAL for July because we enjoyed our experience so much. Also, I didn't feel this was an "old person's" cruise. (Or maybe I'm older than I feel. LOL) I know that's what many people think about Holland America. Maybe because it was over New Year's, but I felt very much in place. My husband and I are in our late 40's. Most adults were in their 40's and older, though. I didn't see any young travelling groups (20 and 30 somethings). Those who were in that younger age category were with family groups. In all, my family and I had a great time and I highly recommend this ship as well as Holland America.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

Quick and well-organized.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

We ate in the main dining room for dinner and all meals were wonderful. We ate lunch in the buffet and the food was good, but a bit too crowded for me. We ordered room service each morning for breakfast and it was just ok.

Onboard Activities

4 out of 5

We enjoyed the gym and spending time by the pool. The casino was fun too. The Explorations Cafe on deck 10 was a great place to sit with a cup of coffee or a cocktail and read or play the many board games they offered. The trivia games were fun as well. We also liked the afternoon presentations in the Rolling Stones Lounge and World Stage.

Entertainment

3 out of 5

The live music was great. I was hoping for more performances on the world stage. They did not have BBC Earth in concert on this cruise and I was highly disappointed. I had heard great things about it and was looking forward to the experience. I was also disappointed that the Lincoln Center stage was not open, but I have since learned they are making changes to that venue.

Children's Programs

2 out of 5

We had our 16-year-old with us and the teen's club was not open. They said it "wasn't ready." They offered a few teen "meet-ups" each day but my son didn't care for them too much. He would have preferred a separate space to hang out which was what the teen's club was supposed to offer. It didn't take away from our experience, but it was something we were expecting to be open.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Every staff member was fabulous.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

I thought the ship looked great. I'm new to cruising so I don't have much to compare, but I was pleased with the ship. I loved the promenade on the third deck.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Our cabin was comfortable. The balcony was much larger than I was expecting. It was quite deep. There was plenty of space under the beds to store luggage and lots of hangers for clothing. The couch bed was really comfortable!