Zuiderdam in general

[Oceanwench]

I was not serious about the lean; it's called bringing humour into the topic at hand.

 

I'm sorry. I went back and reread your post, and I can't determine what was supposed to be serious and what was supposed to be sarcastic.

So you did not mean that you actually found hotel floors that lean?

 

You wrote: Whirlpools breaking down, this is a common thing on cruise ships. Over use. I have yet to be on a cruiseship that did not have a hot tub break down.

 

Was that intended to be funny as well?

I took a lot of your post to be serious.

[Vic The Parrot]

There was a couple using that room for their wedding and she was distressed about the smell. (There were 4 weddings taking place on the ship on May 14th.)

 

 

 

So, was this according to your 'sniffs' , or the other young ladies 'sniffs'???

 

 

:confused: :D

[Vic The Parrot]

What is this nonesense about Towel Animals? Terrific. Just what we need! We have studiously avoided having the questionable pleasure of 'encountering' towel animals. Just a little too cutsey for our taste. I think I'll pass on them, if that is okay. :) Hopefully, we will learn this is only on Zuiderdam.

 

 

 

Define "cutesy".......

 

:rolleyes: :confused:

[L454S]

[she is right, we had a great time. The ship, the cabin, and the service were on a par and in some small ways better than other lines we have cruised. These would include lots of fresh flowers all over the ship, fresh squeezed OJ in the morning and hors'douvres in the bars before dinner.

We enjoyed the Pinnacle very much and took advantage of the 2 for 1 on the first night. The dining room food was good and on a par with other lines.

 

There were 2 areas where I found the Zui lacking compared to other ships we have sailed. The air conditioning was weak. From our cabin, to the bars, to the upper dining room. It's not that noticable in shorts and T's, but when I got into dinner attire, I sweat. To be fair with HAL, I sweat easily and I am sure some would not have noticed this. Also, it's hard to make comparisons because the last 2 cruises we have been on were in Alaska with RCI and Princess. And yes, we had the A/C on full cold in our cabin all week.

 

The second thing is the Lido buffet. While nobody will go hungry, it is very limited in content and spread out. I thought the food was good as well as the service, just lacking variety and choises of RCI and Princess.

I had read threads concerning the pressure selling on the ship of drinks, pictures, etc.. I found NO extra pressure compared to other cruises we have been on. This selling seems to me to be an industry norm and I just overlook it, it's not a problem.

 

Overall, this was a cruise that most would enjoy very much with a great ship, a cabin we liked very much, and very attentive service. For me however, I would not cruise again on the Zui unless the A/C overall was improved. This and the limited Lido selections didn't spoil my cruise by any means, we had a great time, but with the number of other choises available in cruise lines and ships, I would try another next time. ]

 

The above I posted a few days ago when we got back from the Zui 5/14 cruise. After reading Ray and Barbara's comments and KK's(and others), as well as having time to reflect a bit, these observations are accurate.

 

Folks, don't shoot the messanger. Remember he had back to back 2 weeks on Zui. We noticed the cracked glass and missing glass doors and a few other things he mentions, but didn't think it affected our cruise. We had a great vacation on the Zui, got to see new places and meet some great folks. I can still say, I have not had a bad cruise yet, just some we liked BETTER.

 

If you have a cruise booked on the Zui, don't cancel, go and have a good time, we did.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The dining room chairs on the last formal were not covered like on other ships. Some have commented that they didn't like looking at wrinkled chair covers - apparently HAL heard you all.

At the Mariner's Party you offered choices of champagne, Bloody Mary's, ornage juice or water. The first week there were only about 250 people there. The second week there about 400 there.

BBQ - we haven't gone to one in a long time so can't tell you anything about them.

No little hats given out on Dutch night.

Each day besides there being a special drink of the day, there was also a special martini of the day - and you don't have to get them just at the Atrium Bar as someone had mentioned before we left on our cruises. All the bars make them. And you can order them in the dining room as well.

[gizmo]

Can I request a towel animal? I would like an Otter.:D

[Sweetdreams]

[she is right, we had a great time. The ship, the cabin, and the service were on a par and in some small ways better than other lines we have cruised. These would include lots of fresh flowers all over the ship, fresh squeezed OJ in the morning and hors'douvres in the bars before dinner.

We enjoyed the Pinnacle very much and took advantage of the 2 for 1 on the first night. The dining room food was good and on a par with other lines.

 

There were 2 areas where I found the Zui lacking compared to other ships we have sailed. The air conditioning was weak. From our cabin, to the bars, to the upper dining room. It's not that noticable in shorts and T's, but when I got into dinner attire, I sweat. To be fair with HAL, I sweat easily and I am sure some would not have noticed this. Also, it's hard to make comparisons because the last 2 cruises we have been on were in Alaska with RCI and Princess. And yes, we had the A/C on full cold in our cabin all week.

 

The second thing is the Lido buffet. While nobody will go hungry, it is very limited in content and spread out. I thought the food was good as well as the service, just lacking variety and choises of RCI and Princess.

I had read threads concerning the pressure selling on the ship of drinks, pictures, etc.. I found NO extra pressure compared to other cruises we have been on. This selling seems to me to be an industry norm and I just overlook it, it's not a problem.

 

Overall, this was a cruise that most would enjoy very much with a great ship, a cabin we liked very much, and very attentive service. For me however, I would not cruise again on the Zui unless the A/C overall was improved. This and the limited Lido selections didn't spoil my cruise by any means, we had a great time, but with the number of other choises available in cruise lines and ships, I would try another next time. ]

 

The above I posted a few days ago when we got back from the Zui 5/14 cruise. After reading Ray and Barbara's comments and KK's(and others), as well as having time to reflect a bit, these observations are accurate.

 

Folks, don't shoot the messanger. Remember he had back to back 2 weeks on Zui. We noticed the cracked glass and missing glass doors and a few other things he mentions, but didn't think it affected our cruise. We had a great vacation on the Zui, got to see new places and meet some great folks. I can still say, I have not had a bad cruise yet, just some we liked BETTER.

 

If you have a cruise booked on the Zui, don't cancel, go and have a good time, we did.

 

 

Lenny,

What you said is so true! "Don't shoot the messanger....cracked glass....few other things..." . Initially, I was upset when I read negative reviews of the Maasdam prior to our recent cruise but then got to thinking about the "real overall" picture. Some people will always be dissatisfied. Since we returned I read all the reviews and really look for the objective information provided. Yes, broken AC, moldy bathrooms & plumbing problems are obviously objective information but the big picture of the overall experience is what counts. When you go to a party or picnic at someone's house-who cares if the garage door needs fresh paint or the table tops are a little dusty, as long as the company is good, the food is good and I'm having a good time-I'm not going to complain!

[heartofamerica]

My first cruise on the Zuiderdam was last year over Spring Break. About all I saw were negative reviews of this ship:

 

1. "Horrid" vibration in the dining room. If the vibration I experienced was "horrid", then the writer of that review must have been the subject of "The Princess and the Pea"...there was a very VERY slight vibration - but horrid??? Nope.

 

2. Awful Sewage smells on the main deck. I guess my nose wasn't working. I had an inside cabin on the main deck - no sewage smell. No sewage smell anywhere on the ship that I noticed

 

3. "Horrendous colors" - Bold - yes. Horrendous? No.

 

4. Terrible service from the dining room staff. Well...the waiter didn't remember our names like the wait staff on a Celebrity Cruise a year prior (but Hunky Dory remembered everybody's name), but my water glass was never empty, my food was served promptly, and special requests were met. But I suppose one persons 5 star dining experience is another persons MacDonalds experience.

 

Now I did notice some examples of vandalism...the suede walls in the elevators were a popular place to write in the fabric...but some folks decided to use a sharp object to etch their names into the wall. I don't blame the cruise line for that.

 

I guess the bottom line is this - if you go in looking for something wrong - you'll find it. If you go in expecting to have an enjoyable trip - you won't be disappointed, and you most likely won't notice the "details" cited in this thread. And even if you do - they won't ruin the cruise for you.

[RevNeal]

I suppose what bothers me the most are the signs of vandalism, and that some of it appears to be of an extreme nature. I would guess that some of the broken glass and missing glass doors are the result of vandalism/negligence on the part of passengers. WHY would ANYONE intentionally damage a ship?

[heartofamerica]

I suppose what bothers me the most are the signs of vandalism, and that some of it appears to be of an extreme nature. I would guess that some of the broken glass and missing glass doors are the result of vandalism/negligence on the part of passengers. WHY would ANYONE intentionally damage a ship?

 

Revneal - I guess it's just the sign of the times - why would someone "farm" a neighbors front lawn...why would someone egg a neighbors car....why would someone shoot paintballs at a neighbors house...why would someone casually toss a fast food cup out the window of a car while stopped at a light?

 

[ranton]Not to generalize about a group, but I think much of the vandalism is coming from the younger set...many of them don't respect the property of others, having not had to do much to EARN the things that they have...they don't understand the concept of "value".

 

[/rantoff]

[Tarkus]

i'm clearly out-of-touch... but am still curious: what exactly is "farming" a front lawn?

 

tia.

[heartofamerica]

i'm clearly out-of-touch... but am still curious: what exactly is "farming" a front lawn?

 

tia.

 

In the midwest, kids in a car will cut thru the yard of a person who lives on a corner lot...usually spinning the wheels thru the grass. The term for that here is "farming" - like a plow.

[Tarkus]

oh, gotcha... have just never heard it called that. happens elsewhere as well - my parent's house got hit almost every weekend until they were forced to erect a combination of landscaping that made it all but impossible (but also changed - in a detracting way imo - the look of the front lawn).

 

and i note it's happened a couple of times to the corner lot across the street from me. guess it's just some weird rite of passage that i somehow missed in my youth.

[Gregg20]

This ship is barely 3 years old and shows a lot of abuse by the passengers. For example: the door between the covered pool and the Lido Restaurant on the port side has 2 big cracks in it; Ocean Bar port side - one window in an alcove is shattered; there is a dining room door missing on the upper level; and as we walked around the ship we found several of the interior glass doors missing (the ones leading out onto the Promenade Deck); cracked glass in one of the display windows. The more we walked around the more doors we saw missing on other decks.

 

They're just signs of a well used cruise ship...nothing a little time in dry dock won't cure!

[sail7seas]

KK....thank you for all your informative posts.

 

I am appreciating reading your thorough comments and as always have gleaned a lot of information from them.

[RuthC]

KK, I realize that with your extensive cruise history these deficiencies must have jumped right out at you like a sore thumb. I do hope it isn't reflective of relaxed standards, but only that a few things will receive the attention they deserve.

 

I'm glad that you were able to see past these and enjoy your cruises anyway.

[Shallow Hal]

I have nothing to compare the zuiderdam to but i had a wonderful time. I was in great company. We were told that we couldn't have ice cream but they were not allowed to tell us why at that time. Now I am aware of the problem. It didn't ruin my trip although i was not impressed at all with Nassu Bahamas. I think someone tried to even pick pocket me there. I thought the food was horrible but I went to the buffet every night after dinner. The service was fantastic though, the crew on the ship were very friendly. Thanks for a great time:D

[Krazy Kruizers]

I can see where much of the damage may have come from - IMO. When we left Key West, there were quite a few people who had had far too much to drink and came back onto the ship barely able to stand up. We watched as a woman and a security guard helped a man onto the ship - he couldn't even stand on his own 2 feet and was waving his arms and yelling. The crw had to go around and clean a couple of the hallways and elevators from a few people getting sick.

As for the color scheme - a friend sent us pictures from when they were on the ship in 2003. The colors in some of the areas have been changed. Anther couple that we talked to also commented that the colors had been changed in some of the areas since they were on the ship last year. We didn't find them that bad.

The only thing we really didn't care for was the red and white "parachute" ceiling in the Vista Lounge - that is a little strange.

[Ray-Barbara]

Krazy Kruziers:

I have read your negative and positive reviews throughout the various threads the past few days concerning the 5/14 trip and a thought crossed my mind: why didn't you join up with our roll call and visit with us at our bon voyage party? It sounds like you were at the captain's party with the other CC's but you never introduced yourselves to us. You would have enjoyed our little CC group and saw how we "survived the refigerator problem" without being too negative? Sure, there were little problems throughout the ship, but they didn't stop up from having a great cruise. I objectively reviewed the trip, but didn't go around with a notebook and white gloves documenting every little window with a crack in it or a spot of a carpet. Vacations are to be enjoyed. We did.

Ray

[Krazy Kruizers]

Ray

When we were on the Westerdam in January we met a couple and found that we would be on the same ship on May 14th - we had already made plans to meet for cocktails after lifeboat drill being. When we ran into Jim Deering between the Mariner's Party and Suite buffet the first week, he asked if we were going to the CC'er party and I explained to him that we had already made other plans.

 

We didn't know exactly who you all were as I didn't pay any attention to all the names on the roll call board and being as there were around 70 people at the party, We weren't going to go around and ask people if they were cruise critic members. We did that once on another ship, and the people looked at us like we were crazy.

[Ray-Barbara]

KK:

Actually, David posted where the party was going to be several times on the list. Also, if you had been an active member of our group, you would have been aware where we were meeting and even the cabins we were staying in. At the captains party, Mr. Deering knew who we were and could have pointed us out to you. We really had an active group that week and would have enjoyed other seasoned cruisers. With as active as you have been on CC, you would have been welcomed to our group.

Ray

[HeatherInFlorida]

I have just read this thread from start to finish. As everyone knows, Krazy Kruizers has been a member of CC for a very long time and has given us so much valuable information. I cannot understand how so many leap to condemn her review of her experience on the Zuiderdam when so many gather to support new posters who speak of their "horrific" experience on HAL ships. Some scream "never again!" and "worst cruise ever!" and some jump to defend them when their credibility is questioned since we've never seen them before.

 

I have not posted much lately because time and time again I have been slammed and I will be now. After I post now, I'll retreat once again because I just don't need this in my life. But I have to step forward to defend KK because she has only reported what she saw. At no time has she said it "ruined" her cruise, or that she feels she deserves a "credit" or anything of the sort. She is just trying to tell us what she saw.

 

We continually ask everyone to to come on back and tell us about their cruise experience, but heaven forbid they say anything negative about HAL unless they've hardly ever posted and then they get the handholding treatment by a select few here. It's curious.

 

Krazy Kruizers, thank you for posting your experience. I did not find it that critical; merely a report. I'm glad that you had such a good time despite problems. You certainly owe no explanation for why you didn't join the Roll Call or meet up with other CCers. Reading some of these posts, I can't help wondering why I would.

I wish you many more happy cruises.

[Ray-Barbara]

My problems with KK's reviews was that he/she first started with dozens of negative posts about the cruise with everything that they could find wrong with the cruise. And then after other cruisers got on their case did they start putting on other posts with positive things. It would have been better if they had put everything right or wrong into one review and not include every minor detail they found wrong with the ship. They also posted on "Our Zuiderdam Cruise" as well.Ray

[Ray-Barbara]

This is not a flame; this is my view on the subject:

 

My problems with KK's reviews was that he/she first started with dozens of negative posts about the cruise with everything that they could find wrong with the cruise. And then after other cruisers got on their case did they start putting on other posts with positive things. It would have been better if they had put everything right or wrong into one review and not include every minor detail they found wrong with the ship. They also posted on "Our Zuiderdam Cruise" as well.Ray

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Heather, I agree with you 100%. I too have not jumped in here but do not understand why many are being critical of KK. First off they have done many, many cruises with HAL. After doing many cruises you tend to compare each ship and cruise. We did the same thing on the Westerdam. I believe she was only reporting what she saw. It is not that she was having a horrible time she is only reporting the facts. I am sure I would of done the same thing. I think it is great she is able to report all the things she does report. I know I would not be able to write down or remember everything. That is why on our last cruise it was just as easy to report daily using the internet rather than a report at the end. I respect what KK has to say and do not think they had a bad time or did these things ruined their cruise.