Zuiderdam-Holland America

[emmacairn]

Hi I am solo cruising on Zuiderdam for 12 days. It's been interesting. Rather quiet so for solo cruisers who like to have a cocktail in one of the bar areas, there are not any people there most of the time. I went to the dining room this evening, was seated at a table for 6 and no one else came or were seated with me so I walked out. The dining is usually fun as you are able to meet different people. At the spa I paid to use the steam and hydrotherapy pools (an add'l $199 for the cruise) and the steam room is broken. Not feeling very impressed and this is my fourth time on HAL.

 

Emma Cairn

[malony33]

This sounds awful...so sorry! Is the ship full?

 

I plan to cruise solo late in 2014, and I feel your pain.

 

Have you spoken to anyone about your $199 paid for nothing?

 

How's the condition of the ship? Is it due for a refurbishment, or has it had one recently?

 

How's the food? service? cabin?

 

Where are you in the world?

[visagrunt]

Not having table companions is a bit off putting--but HAL can't force your table mates to join you for dinner. Perhaps a work with the restaurant manager to get you onto a table with some space?

 

As for the thermal suite, if memory serves there are two (three?) steam rooms off the thermal suite--are all three broken? If so, a fee reduction would seem to be in order.

[durangoscots]

Being seated at a table for 6 and having no one join you would be certainly put anyone off. I have cruised as solo a number of times and while sometimes I had to wait a bit for company, most times someone was put at the table rather quickly. I would have had a chat with the person assigning the seats on my way out.

 

Susan

[MermaidWatcher]

I can understand you feeling left out at dinner. Did they ask if you wanted to share a table, if not be sure to make it known when you check in. Although it was two of us, we were always asked if we wanted to join others. Several times we were seated as the 2nd and 3rd persons at a table occupied by a single, and two times we joined a already seated couple, and were subsequently joined by a single traveler.

 

If the steam facilities were out of service, they should refund your money. Be persistent about a refund, they like to give OBC's, and discounts on future cruises, rather than refund to your credit card.

 

Hope things get better for you.

[Linda&Vern]

Oh my ... I don't like that the MDR Manager left you sitting there alone and didn't offer an alternative table. :( I hope your post didn't mean that you left without eating dinner. I agree with others ... speak with the MDR Manager and make different table arrangements for your dinners. And do speak with the Spa Manager about a refund of the services that are broken!

Edited December 16, 2013 by Linda&Vern

[whogo]

What a shame! Not a good start to a cruise. Do you have an assigned dinner time? It would be worth switching to anytime dining, where you should meet many fellow cruisers in the remaining days of your cruise. The main dining room provides an opportunity to meet more people at breakfast and dinner.

 

Have you tried any of the activities? We meet the nicest people at trivia and name that tune.

[fishywood]

Do you have an assigned dinner time? It would be worth switching to anytime dining, where you should meet many fellow cruisers in the remaining days of your cruise.

 

The way I read the original post, I believe she had as-you-wish dining and turned up at a time when no one else was willing to share a table. On my solo cruise on Maasdam in October I was able to switch to the 8 PM sitting on the third night (was told it was sold out and not taking waitlistings when I booked) which was the smartest move I could have made. There were definitely signs that HAL would turn out to be just like my experience with Celebrity Select Dining as a solo two years ago: virtually everyone asking for a table for two and the hostess viewing the need to open up a large table and keep track of those waiting who were willing to share it as a nuisance. Thankfully my tablemates turned out to be two couples each sailing with a single friend, and we all got along great. I certainly wish HAL and the other lines that have a mixture of fixed-seating and open-seating dinner would manage it the way Princess does: they go down the queue and have those willing to share come forward and those who will only take a table for two step aside.

[GeriatricNurse]

Hi I am solo cruising on Zuiderdam for 12 days. It's been interesting. Rather quiet so for solo cruisers who like to have a cocktail in one of the bar areas, there are not any people there most of the time. I went to the dining room this evening, was seated at a table for 6 and no one else came or were seated with me so I walked out. The dining is usually fun as you are able to meet different people. At the spa I paid to use the steam and hydrotherapy pools (an add'l $199 for the cruise) and the steam room is broken. Not feeling very impressed and this is my fourth time on HAL.

 

Emma Cairn

 

If that were me, (at I wouldn't be going to the MDR in the first place to dine), I would have requested either to have been seated at a table for two, unless you would prefer to dine with strangers), or confirmed with the DRM that I would be seated at a larger table only if there were diners already seated at the table! ;) And, not only is the hydrotherapy pool & steam room package highly overpriced at $199; (reminds me of the cabanas at HMC); but you should be given a refund for having been 'sold' this package with the steam room being broken! ;)

[solocanadian]

Hi I am solo cruising on Zuiderdam for 12 days. It's been interesting. Rather quiet so for solo cruisers who like to have a cocktail in one of the bar areas, there are not any people there most of the time. I went to the dining room this evening, was seated at a table for 6 and no one else came or were seated with me so I walked out. The dining is usually fun as you are able to meet different people. At the spa I paid to use the steam and hydrotherapy pools (an add'l $199 for the cruise) and the steam room is broken. Not feeling very impressed and this is my fourth time on HAL.

 

Emma Cairn

 

I would speak to the MDR Manager. The same thing happened to me as a solo cruiser on the Zuiderdam. Before I could ask to be moved the table next to me, filled with very friendly Australians, asked me to join which I did. I would speak to Greenhouse Spa Manager and ask for a reduction in the $199 fee since the saunas are broken. That is not right. Do try to enjoy the rest of your cruise & Happy Holidays to you.:)

[summersigh]

I feel like Specialty Restaurants leave "holes" at tables in the MDR fixed seatings. I read here how many of you eat in them numerous times on your sailings (no judgement :) just an observation)

 

We live in a resort area so we have tons of great restaurants at home for the same or better price as the PG. Thus, we enjoy the MDR every night for the variety it offers. This past trip we were at a table for 6 and had so much fun together and coupled with great service staff - nobody went elsewhere for dinner.

Sharing each others "daily happenings" and hearing stories about each other's "real life" added to the delightful trip we were having on the Westerdam.

[Watson's aunt]

HI

 

I also travel solo. I always do ;ate seating (fixed) On my cruise in 2011 I sat at a table for 6. A young couple came in and sat down. I introduce myself and got a chilly response. they never spoke to me the whole meal. I called waiter over and asked If I could be placed at another table. The manager came over I explained and got a new table. It was a great table. We even had officers join us for dinner.

 

I was on the Zuiderdam as a solo on November 8. I met a lady who had a bad roommate and asked her to join us for dinner. She was seated at a table for 6 and it was her and her roommate.

 

You have to go out and meet people.

 

 

Mary

[durangoscots]

You certainly do have to be proactive.

 

As a solo cruiser I have had both anytime and fixed dining, depending on the cruise. What sometimes happens on the anytime is if someone reserves the table for 6, say for 4 of them and then they decide not to come.... it leaves the table sort of "in limbo" for awhile. However, having sat there for a short time I would have marched myself over to the individual making seating assignments and asked to be moved.

 

There can be good and bad experiences with both fixed and anytime assignments. On one cruise (not HAL) the first night a friend and I went to our assigned seats on fixed dining the people at the table made it very clear we were not welcome - evidently no Americans allowed. We did not even seat down but went to see the dining room manager at once and got reassigned. Our new tablemates were great and I got a great pleasure out of being extremely pleasant to our former tablemates everytime I saw them around the ship. Drove them nuts.

 

If you had anytime and no one else was seated, I am guessing that someway your table sort of got off his radar, but you have to call it to their attention.

 

Susan

 

Susan

[Typhoon1]

The Lido is always another option. It's much easier to make friends in the casual atmosphere.