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Classic nautical finishes, modern amenities and a spectacular art collection make Zuiderdam a continued favourite. Numerous enrichment and entertainment activities keep guests going from the moment they wake on this cruise ship. BBC Earth In Concert features a live concert played to a massive backdrop of wildlife footage. Explorations Central makes every journey more meaningful with local insights. Music Walk® venues, such as Billboard Onboard, brings the best tunes to the sea. When it comes to dining, there are options for everyone, from steak at the Pinnacle Grill to burgers and fries at the Dive-In to exquisite Italian cuisine at Canaletto.
Despite the fact that Hurricane Milton was threatening our area in Florida, we have great neighbors who closed out shutters and had a great time on our first Holland America Cruise! Zuiderdam was a lovely ship with public areas that appeared to have been somewhat recently renovated. The staterooms - in need of some updating - seemed a bit smaller than other ships we have been on, but were comfortable. The bathroom had a tub which was a first for us! This time we opted for an aft stateroom that sadly, due to windy, rainy + cold weather, we were unable to enjoy. Had a bit of a mosquito issue the first night (leaving Boston) that was taken care of swiftly by the engineers. In my opinion the food on Zuiderdam was superior to any Celebrity sailing we have been on - better quality and more varied menu choices (our last Celebrity sailing was November 2023). After the first night, we did my time dining and surprisingly, we never had to wait for a table (we were 4 people). Canaletto, (the Italian specialty restaurant) was a pleasant surprise - food excellent and outstanding service. I will just say that it deserves a better location on the ship. The Lido buffet was fine. Breakfast in the main dining room was nice. The entertainment was definitely geared towards older passengers - that was 95% of the passengers. We are early 60's and felt young. Despite the older crows, the entertainment director was very good (we love the trivia) and the young band in the Rolling Stone lounge was excellent. There was also a jazz band in one of the lounges (I can't recall the name) that was really good. Cocktails were excellent and consistent throughout the ship (try the Tuscan Lemon Drop Martini). We particularly enjoyed spending time in the "Gallery" and up in the "Crow's Nest" - great views, games and a bar. Although the ship was sailing at full capacity, somehow we never felt crowded which was a real pleasant surprise! Ports were good - the best were Bar Harbor (scenery for days!) and Quebec City (beautiful clean city). The other ports were just ok. As I mentioned, this was our first Holland America cruise, but not our last. We have mostly sailed on Royal Caribbean (great for families) and Celebrity (less families but the food isn't great), trying MSC in Dec (we'll see). We are scheduled for 2 more HAL Sailings: "Great Bear Rainforest" (Pacific Northwest) next October to get out of the Florida heat! and "British Isles + Norwegian Fjords" in August of 2026.
B2B Cruise to Quebec Canada rt from Boston. Food, service and facilities were very good. Entertainment was marginal at best. House band were all agent hired musicians that did not know each other prior to cruise. Played the lamest out of date music unenthusiastically we couldn’t even listen and walked out twice. Movies and show Breton Unleashed was ok as well as a jazz trio which only played 45 minutes per session. The Flynn cruise port did a good job processing us on and off during embarking and disembark. Ports were interesting. Beautiful scenery cruising Canada. Fitness room had issues with Fox News and placed MSNBC on several screens. Waiter mistakenly told me I couldn’t use my Prepaid HA Beverage card on HH but the bartenders accepted it. The Martini $7 Happy Hour wouldn’t serve me a plain martini for $7. Had to reach out to F&B Director, next day I return to order a plain martini for $7. It’s served in a small cordial glass!? Was told that’s the $7 martini. Applied my unused Beverage Card to my OB spending account and it was applied incorrectly as Ship Credit not cash. Had to wait 2 days to get that resolved. I won in the casino and applied (almost $2000) to my OBB assuming my cc would be credited similar to previous cruises. Still waiting, 3 weeks, with no answers and have had to open a dispute w my bank.
I loved the itinerary! Starting in Quebec City was perfect, got to spend an extra day there pre-cruise to explore this amazing city. Charlottetown was probably my least favorite port, although I was glad to finally visit PEI as I hadn’t been there before. Sydney & Halifax, NS were both a lot of fun. In St John, NB I did a really cool excursion to a maple sugar farm about an hour inland. It was well-worth the drive. Bar Harbor was a great port to walk around, shop in all the amazing shops and eat/drink in the plethora of restaurants and cafes. Final stop was Boston, a city I’ve visited many times and absolutely love! The ship was in good shape for its age. The food & entertainment were good. I especially enjoyed the local folk group ‘Breton Thunder’ that came aboard for 2 shows. The staff was friendly & efficient although no one really stood out as especially friendly or endearing as on just about all of my previous cruises (dozens of them!) all said and done, it was a great time and I will definitely do this (or very similar itinerary) again.
The Zuiderdam is a lovely ship. The size was just right for us, easy to navigate and plenty of spaces to sit. Entertainment was as expected on a HAL ship. The comedian in the main theater was hysterical, and the Musical group "Breton Thunder" was spectacular and should not be missed. We spent some time in the casino which was very disappointing compared to other cruise casino experiences. The best part of the journey was the staff-what a stellar experience all the way around! I felt that the food was better than in the past and every meal exceeded my expectations (except for the duck). The drinks were mostly great and all of the bartenders were cordial, friendly and hard workers. Things that I felt were not "up to par" were 1. Excursions -we took 3 and they were all sub-par. 2. Guest services and corporate communication created an unfavorable experience for me on my first 2 days, however, it was rectified by day 3. For a "Mainstream" cruise line, I appreciate the customer service and the product as delivered. HAL provides a "very nice" cruising experience for a fair price. I especially liked the fellow passenger vibe. People seemed to be a bit more "refined and caring of others" than on other cruise lines we have sailed. Everyone appeared to have a good time and I did not witness any Chair hogging on this cruise. We would sail out of Boston again.
With refined amenities and Holland America Line signature Mariner’s Dream bed gracing each elegant stateroom, the ship offers six grades of staterooms. Most are ocean-facing, many featuring teak-lined verandas for dining alfresco or private sunbathing.
Holland America Line invites you to dine "As You Wish". To savour Italian cuisine one night and a perfectly grilled porterhouse steak the next. To take your place in the Dining Room at a specific seating time or be spontaneous, following your desires. Onboard, there are restaurants to suit every mood, along with the flexibility to choose the dining style you prefer.
Boasting an expansive range of enrichment facilities and opportunity, Holland America Line's ships are bound to offer something you'll want to know more about. Why not have a go at the Digital Workshop powered by Windows and learn how to enhance your holiday picture or how to easily share them.
Every day aboard a Holland America cruise ship brings a wealth of cruise activities and indulgences, along with the freedom to partake in as many- or as few- as you please. It's an opportunity to try something new that surprises you, every day. Dabble, discover, daydream- do everything, or do nothing at all.
Whether you want to workout in the Fitness Centre, learn yoga, pamper yourself with a massage and spa treatment, or enjoy a game of basketball, there's a perfect onboard activity for everyone.
Holland America Line's youth activities program, Kids Club, offers an array of entertaining events for kids and teens ages 3-17, supervised by a full-time, professionally trained staff. They'll have an opportunity to join other kids their age for arts and crafts, sports, video game competitions, scavenger hunts, challenging team games and themed parties.
Note: Kids Club is not offered on cruises of 25-days or longer, including all Legendary and Grand Voyages. We will offer a selection of children’s activities throughout these longer voyages for any children who may be onboard.
Safety Comes First
Safety is our primary concern and strict policies are in place for effective supervision. Adult guests are not permitted to remain in Kids Club unless attending to a special-needs child.
Please note: During voyages with a high number of families onboard, we will make all efforts to accommodate interested parties. However, participation in our program cannot be guaranteed. Hours of operation may change to better serve our guests.
