7 Nights America's 250 Th Celebration Cruise

A wonderful cruise from start to finish!

Just spent a magical week on the Zuiderdam. This was the smallest ship we've sailed on, and it made it easy to get from place to place while onboard. Public areas never felt crowded, and aside from one night, we never had much of a wait to be seated in the dining room although we didn't have reservations. We never had trouble finding a spot to sit for World Stage presentations. The only times we found large lines were for coffee at the Explorer's Cafe and for the arts / crafts sessions, which were super popular and limited in capacity. The smaller size also meant that we were more likely to run into people we'd met onboard, which was nice. This was the first cruise we had taken as a twosome rather than a larger group, and so we opted to share tables in the MDR. We met so many interesting people from all over the world that way and those meals were very enjoyable. The wait staff in the MDR made sure to inquire about allergies at each meal, which isn't an issue for us, but I know would be a relief to those who do have allergies. That was indicative of the care we felt onboard--the crew genuinely wanted us to have a pleasant, safe trip. We also ate in the Lido sometimes, which was decent, ate burgers at the Dive In, and took advantage of the free room service for breakfasts when we had early shore excursions. My only quibble with dining was that there was no walk-up option for late night snacks. After the 9 pm show in the World Stage one evening, we wanted to get a snack and ended up ordering room service because the food venues were all closed by that point. One of the reasons we sail on Holland America is for the relaxed, mellow vibe it has, so there were no roller coasters or belly flop contests and that was perfect for us. We played a round of bingo, took advantage of the puzzle / game area, used the hot tub, attended Q & A sessions to get to know entertainers on board and also learn about upcoming ports of call, watched presentations on the symbols of Canada and commercial fishing on the Atlantic Coast, enjoyed music by a Celtic drummer, and enjoyed the nightly entertainment on board, which included music, dancers, a comedian, and a magician. Breton Thunder, the Celtic band, was a highlight of our cruise! They performed two different shows, and both were absolutely outstanding. We also spent a lot of time in the Crows Nest, playing cards and enjoying the views. Loved walking around the promenade deck to appreciate the sea air and get great views of each port. The onboard library was fantastic, with multiple copies of popular new titles as well as a space to exchange personal books with other cruisers. Our cabin was mid-ship on deck 4, which made it easy to get to the dining room and the World Stage. We had an obstructed ocean view, meaning there was a lifeboat in front of our window, but also meant it was spacious, with floor to ceiling windows and less expensive. There was tons of storage space for clothing & our large suitcases still fit easily under the bed. The bathroom was a little dated, with a shower curtain rather than a glass door, but it also had plenty of storage space. Our housekeeping attendants, Tina and Riston, were the most attentive and thoughtful of any cruise we have been on. They tidied the room twice a day, immediately helped us when we needed something, and were always available but never intrusive. We really enjoyed getting to know them over the course of the cruise. Bernie, the cruise director, was enthusiastic and genuine--his port talks were full of helpful information for each stop and his positive attitude established a friendly vibe for the sailing. We just disembarked yesterday, and I already miss his sign off for announcements, "Ciao Ciao for now!" Both embarkation and debarkation were a breeze, and made this a wonderfully relaxing cruise from start to finish!

Great Cruise

We had a great time on our repositioning cruise on the Zuiderdam. The crew was the friendliest we have met in our 30+ cruises. Iwan and Ruben kept our room spotless with all our needs met. We enjoyed the free room service and would often have a late night snack delivered. We used the buffet for most meals. The food was great and Rusty made some great pasta for us each day. The evening music was great each time we stopped by to listen. If there are any downsides it would a lack of variety in the buffet. THe ports of call were fun and the ship had a very relaxing vibe. Definitely and older crowd on board. The embarkation and debarkation were well organized. The crew made this trip an amazing adeventure. The price we paid was very reasonable. We would love to sail the Zuiderdam in the furture..

Great world cruise segment

Loved doing the Sydney to Cape Town segment of this grand world voyage. I addition to HAL’s usual excellent food and guest services, the wine events were outstanding. I was lucky to be on to enjoy both the events developed and delivered by Cellar Master Jacques Louw and those provided by The World Wine Guys, Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen. This was my first cruise of this length. Good mix of sea days and port days (close to 50/50), and a really nice itinerary. I especially enjoyed the ports in Australia (Sydney, Moreton Island, Airlie Beach, Cairns and Darwin) as well as Komodo Island, Bali, Singapore, Phuket, the Maldives and Seychelles, Durban and Cape Town. In terms of entertainment, the Grand World Voyage Band was outstanding, particularly their Santana tribute show. I also took advantage of the Morimoto and Tamarind pop-ups, guest chef dinners, and Chef’s Club. Everything was beautifully executed — food quality, wine pairings and service.