Zuiderdam or Coral Princess for Panama partial transit?

[Koshlong]

I posted this on the Princess page, and got somewhat predictable response. I'd like to hear what people here think.

 

I'd like to do a partial Panama Canal transit next year and have narrowed the choice to Coral Princess or Zuiderdam. I've been on the Z in Alaska.

 

Can anyone give me some comparisons between these two ships? They seem to be about the same size and only a few years different in age.

 

Thanks. I hope!

[PathfinderEss]

I think Hal has better food and friendlier crew, but other then that they are much the same.

[RMLincoln]

Itinerary first. If that's a wash I'd consider vantage point for viewing the canal, assuming that the reason you are going on this cruise is to see the canal ( I understand that not everybody cares as much as I do about seeing the canal). I was on the old Regal Princess for my first canal transit and open deck space was difficult to find - people were 5 deep for the first locks. Even if you have a balcony I'd recommend wandering around to see the goings-on as you transit the canal from different vantage points including the aft.

Rooms: In general I like the rooms on HAL better because you don't have to pay as much to get a couch in your room. If you always buy a suite then it probably doesn't matter.

I've been through the canal on HAL Amsterdam and Regal Princess..... At the time I think Princess did a better job of preparing people for the canal experience through movies, lectures and offering an excellent book for sale in the onboard shop. That may be very different now anyway though. Their commentary through the canal was unintelligible on the PA system... so I was glad to have the book.

 

So I guess it depends a lot on what you want out of the experience. Tell us more! m--

[superoma]

We did the partial transit on the Coral Princess (in 2008) and have cruised on several HAL ships since then, not the Zuiderdam but Amsterdam, Maasdam and Eurodam.

 

I agree, first is the itinerary. If the itineraries are the same or similar then I would say price should rule.

 

this is the only cruise on which we have had a balcony, not of our choosing. We normally book an inside. We got bumped from a full transit and the balcony plus other credits was our compensation. We did not watch the transit from the balcony, however. I was everywhere on the ship, front, back, up, down. Just fascinated.

 

We took a ship excursion through the rest of the canal and really enjoyed that. We went right out to the Pacific and took a bus back from Panama City.

 

While HAL does have a great crew and food, we enjoyed the Coral Princess if that helps in your decision. Both the crew and the food were good. It was our first time for open seating dining and it worked well for us.

[sp2]

As others have said, check the itinerary and compare. We are booked on Zuiderdam for the partial transit but we did consider Princess since we are Platinum and would have gotten a few more perks. However Princess did not stop at Curaçao or at the private island. We wanted the private island stop. Also they went to Ocho Rios which we don't care for. Plus we wanted an aft facing balcony which I don't think Coral has (I could be wrong on that though). Would have to check the deck plan again.

Happy choosing!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Check over the length of time you are in the various ports.

[Koshlong]

Thanks for all your help. I did a full transit on Veendam a few years ago and really enjoyed the open bow and the other forward facing areas. I also like HMC and Curacao. I've always liked the HAL product, but sort of feel that I should have something to compare it to.

 

I think I'll have to be doing more research.

 

And I really wish spellcheck would giving me error messages whenever I type in the name of a Dam ship!

[Homosassa]

We have done the partial Panama Canal cruise on the Coral Princess and the Zuiderdam.

 

We felt that HAL did a much better job on the transit than Princess. I know the following may sound like little details, but the devil is in the details.

 

We felt the naturalist giving the talk was better informed and easier to understand on HAL than the naturalist on Princess. Of course, this may vary from cruise to cruise.

 

HAL has wonderful sweetbread rolls that are only served the morning of the transit. HAL Stewards will carry trays of the sweetbreads, coffee, and hot chocolate (I think hot chocolate, not sure) around all the outer decks where people are viewing the transit. At 6AM in the morning, this is heaven.

 

HAL also put up a shade canopy all the way forward on the bow. This area was opened for the transit and the shade canopy was welcomed as the sun rose.

 

After the transit, the area where the Zuiderdam docked had a huge warehouse area that had many local indigenous people displaying and selling their crafts.

Princess docked at a commercial area that had your typical tickytacky gift shops. There was only one group of indigenous people with a small display of their crafts inside the cruise terminal.

 

Other than these points, the transit experience was much the same.

[Homosassa]

SP2,

The Coral Princess does not have aft facing balconies. Instead, the Coral Princess has these aft areas opened with lounge chairs for all to enjoy.

[BillB48]

We have done the partial Panama Canal cruise on the Coral Princess and the Zuiderdam.

 

 

 

After the transit, the area where the Zuiderdam docked had a huge warehouse area that had many local indigenous people displaying and selling their crafts.

Princess docked at a commercial area that had your typical tickytacky gift shops. There was only one group of indigenous people with a small display of their crafts inside the cruise terminal.

 

Other than these points, the transit experience was much the same.

 

These differences have been equalized since your last transit on the Z. That facility where the Z docked has been taken over completely by container operations and now all ships dock in Colon (probably the tickytacky area you are referring to) after exiting the Canal on the partial transit.

[Homosassa]

I am sorry to hear that the Zuiderdam no longer docks at the warehouse. When we were on the Coral Princess, we though we might dock at the same area and were very disappointed to go to the commercial area.

[fishin' musician]

I've done the Zuiderdam on the partial transit and the Coral Princess on a Northbound Alaska last year. As mentioned, the Coral Princess has several open decks aft that span the width of the vessel with entrances at both port and starboard hallways. There are also open decks forward. On the Zuiderdam, they did open a deck in front of the forward ocean view cabins as well as the main deck forward.

 

All things being equal, I'd choose Princess, but I'd say that about any mainstream comparison with Princess and besides, all things are never equal.

[dadroy]

Not a direct answer to your question, but years ago we debated Celebrity vs NCL through the canal. The itineraries were exactly the same. I did notice a difference though. The NCL ship would arrive in a port a few hours after us and leave about an hour earlier. Those passengers ended up with fewer hours in port. At Acapulco were were docked from about 9am to midnight. NCL was gone before sunset. We chose more time in port and Celebrity. Not sure the ship would have been our deciding point.

[bobpell]

Did partial Panama Canal with HAL last fall and purchased a green covered book in their book shop that described the canal very well and gave the history of the region.

Took the book onto the open deck aft of the Lido restaurant and due to the high humidity and temperature the glue along the book's spine let go and the pages fell apart. Took the book back with the bill and it was replaced

Moral of the story...read inside where the AC and temperature is controlled.

Be prepared for hot, hot hot!!

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

Now, the last time I sailed with Princess was in 2007, so I am not going to even attempt to start to compare the two lines service or food wise. What I have done, however, is sailed aboard the Oceana, the original Ocean Princess, which shares a very similar layout to the Coral Princess (although not direct sisters). Personally, I found the ship's design to be quite constricting, with everything located across only two decks, with nothing located up top and very little 'movement' within the ship's interior. I find HAL's ships to be more tastefully decorated (Princess tends to use glass everywhere), and a bit more upmarket/refined. This fits with the fact that HAL is a 'premium' as opposed to 'standard' cruise line. Nonetheless, if you were comparing HAL to one of Princess' post-panamax ships, I think I'd have a different answer.

[Lizzie68]

Now, the last time I sailed with Princess was in 2007, so I am not going to even attempt to start to compare the two lines service or food wise. What I have done, however, is sailed aboard the Oceana, the original Ocean Princess, which shares a very similar layout to the Coral Princess (although not direct sisters). Personally, I found the ship's design to be quite constricting, with everything located across only two decks, with nothing located up top and very little 'movement' within the ship's interior. I find HAL's ships to be more tastefully decorated (Princess tends to use glass everywhere), and a bit more upmarket/refined. This fits with the fact that HAL is a 'premium' as opposed to 'standard' cruise line. Nonetheless, if you were comparing HAL to one of Princess' post-panamax ships, I think I'd have a different answer.

 

Thanks for the info on Princess - I actually felt the same way about a Celebrity ship I was touring - felt closed in and not enough movement, as you put it. A couple of things I will challenge, however...

If you had every been on the Zuiderdam you definitely would not consider it "tastefully decorated".;)

And HAL is definitely no a longer a premium line. It's a shame, but true.

[redwinger]

Coral by far.

[Seafoam Green]

Koshlong -

 

As you can see by my signature, I made my decision. I will miss not getting to see Half Moon Cay (I hear it's the best) and Curacao, but I do believe there are many more voyages in my future....

 

Good luck with making your partial transit choice!

 

:D

[Infi]

We did a full transit on the Coral for Christmas/NYE in 2011, and also on the Amsterdam over this past Christmas/NYE. I have also been through the Canal 4 other times on other cruise lines (most of which no longer exist). I would say without a doubt, the HAL transit was the best I have been on. The small attention to detail made all the difference: the hot coffee and Panama rolls in the morning, and ice water during the heat of the day was much appreciated. Both cruise lines will do the Canal history lectures leading up to the transit, and both have wraparound promenade decks for viewing, so that's a wash. If you wish to travel around the ship during the transit for different viewing angles, HAL was superior in that aspect. The two little viewing decks at the front of the Coral/Island get crowded very early and pale in comparison to having that whole big bow of the ship open in front of you and feeling up close and personal with the action. Lastly, HAL brought on local crafts people while we were in Gatun lake if you wanted Panamanian souvenirs, and had a little Panama Canal "swim" activity in the pool at midday and gave out certificates to all those who participated. Just nice little touches like that made the experience a little more special.

 

We like the Coral/Island very much and they're our favorite Princess ships, but overall, the HAL transit was far better and I would book it again in a heartbeat. If I were you, I would look at itinerary and see which one you prefer. But, itineraries being equal, I would go with HAL.

Edited August 23, 2014 by Infi