Living just 30 minutes north of Ft. Lauderdale has its perks for folks like me who like to cruise. During the winter months, the cruise lines base several ships in Port Everglades to take those who want to escape the cold to the warm climate in the Caribbean.
Having been to the eastern and western islands of the Caribbean far too many times, I wanted to do something different this time around, so I booked an 11-day Panama Canal cruise on Holland America Line’s ms Zuiderdam.
The Zuiderdam was launched in 2002 and is the oldest in her class. Having read some interesting comments about the ship on Cruise Critic, such as the gaudy décor, and inconsistent and persisting issues with air conditioning and toilet flushing, I thought it would be interesting to experience what Zuiderdam is like along with taking in destinations I never cruised to before.
I arrived at the port at 11am, dropped off my luggage, and went inside the terminal where I waited in line for security for less time that I would have waiting to check out at Target. Once through I headed to the special area for suite guests like me to check-in. Once again, lines were short and I was on the ship by 11:30am and in my suite.
The Neptune Suite on the Zuiderdam is around 500 sq ft and is laid out exactly the same as the ones on the Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam, where I also had the same accommodations. Staying in one of these suites gives you access to the concierge lounge, free laundry, and other perks.
My first stop was to the concierge to confirm my dining reservations and have some champagne. From there I did a quick tour around the ship to see what the fuss is all about concerning the décor. What’s interesting is that there are a lot of purple, yellow, orange, and red–holdovers from the late ’90s, but thankfully no teal! Some areas that were redone, are minus the flashback colors, but for the most part, I don’t find the décor all that frightening – just dated.The muster drill was long and while some say unorganized, it was like every other muster drill I attended, and thankfully we did not have to don our life jackets for this one. But standing out in the hot sun, shoulder to shoulder with others sweating just as much as you are, listening to the captain read instructions that were as lengthy as War and Peace, wore thin quickly.
We sailed out right on time, despite some people arriving… rather than running to the ship 15 minutes before departure luggage trailing behind them.
I happened to meet a guy who was in the Coast Guard for his entire career and flew down from Alaska to take this cruise. We shared cruise stories, learned about his very interesting career, and hung out on my balcony before heading to the LGBT gathering in the Ocean Bar.
Walking through the ship, we both noticed that the age of the passengers on this adventure is skewing to the older side. Much older. We also noted that the ship is not full and it doesn’t feel crowded at all, which is a great thing! But we’ll see how the pool area is and whether or not that observation holds up.
I ate dinner in the Pinnacle Grill, the ship’s (for-fee) steakhouse, where the shrimp and steak I ordered were great, as was every meal I’ve had in Holland America’s Pinnacle Grill on other ships. After dinner, and far too many cocktails, I attempted to walk the ship’s Promenade, but I wasn’t sure if it was the Manhattans or my lack of sea legs which made it far too difficult, so off to bed I went.
During the night I was woken up by drawers and closet doors opening and closing with the motion of the ship, but nothing to cause mal de mar.
As I’m writing this, I’m comfortably planted in bed awaiting delivery of bacon and eggs from room service as the ship prepares to drop anchor at the line’s private island in the Bahamas, Half Moon Cay. Normally I don’t get off the ship, but today I booked a private cabana on the beach and invited my new-found Coast Guard friend to join me.
The weather is beautiful so it should be a great day to work on my perpetual burn.
I just have to remember to bring a hat!
For those who followed my trip in April aboard the ms Eurodam, you will remember the love-hate relationship I had with the showerhead. Well, unfortunately, Holland America’s efforts at pissing off people in the name of water conservation succeed just as well on the Zuiderdam. I’m proud to say that my own urine stream is more powerful than what comes out of the shower head in both the shower and in the tub/shower in my suite.
While my urologist may be thrilled with that, I’m not. But hey, at least I have something to look forward to coming home to… a shower with good pressure!
Personal Day-By-Day Zuiderdam Cruise Review:
Photo Tour of the Zuiderdam:
Capturing memories through photography is an integral part of any vacation, and my voyage aboard the Holland America Zuiderdam was no different. Throughout my journey, I snapped countless photos, highlighting various aspects of the ship such as the stunning interior design, the inviting swimming pools, and my own cozy cabin. If you’re interested in viewing these snapshots, you can check out the Zuiderdam Photo Tour or browse the daily cruise review, both accessible through the links provided above.