Questions about Ms Zaandam

[Babcie3]

We are sailing on Ms Zaandam in March 2006 (Caribbean and Panama Canal).

Haven't heard much about this cruise. Please fill me in your on your recent Zaandam experiences. Have the Signature of Excellence changes taken place? We have a B balcony cabin. Would love to hear what we can expect with this cabin. This is our first cruise with HAL. These message boards are addicting. I just can't stop reading all the different posts.

Thanks to all...;)

[luv2cruz4fun]

When are going in March? I will be going on March 25th also in B catagory cabin.

[Copper10-8]

Will be taking her on 29 DEC 05 on her New Years Eve cruise out of FLL looking forward to it!

[KalenaD]

we went on the Zaandam in april, and it was wonderful. We had a lower promanade room so I cannot comment on the balcony's, but we had the nice mattresses and sheets and so forth. The ship was great very clean and constantly being maintained, I'm sure you've already heard about the weird organ in the atrium, just a little strange. Wev'e cruised 5 times with all different lines and found this ship to be our favorite. Crew was great, friendly and always, at least tried, to accomadate our requests. Very laid back, be sure and take a good book to read on the chairs on the promanade deck. The only "complaints" we had were minor and most we just had to laugh about, like the window washing early in the morning a couple of days, and the poolside band that was SO BAD it became a ship joke. We spent most of our evenings in the casino so I can't comment too much on the crow's nest nightclub but during the day it was a great place to watch the sea, as it is on the top of the ship. They even have lazy boy type chairs there. The worst thing we saw was the demands that some of the passengers made, I actually heard one ask a crewmember what they were going to do about the rough seas we had one day. As we work with the public we know how it is and are not super demanding, we had no problems with service.

[Copper10-8]

The worst thing we saw was the demands that some of the passengers made, I actually heard one ask a crewmember what they were going to do about the rough seas we had one day. As we work with the public we know how it is and are not super demanding, we had no problems with service.

 

Thanks Kalena! That question should be on the top ten dumbest questions you can ask list. I work with the public too and it always amazes me how some people totally abuse crew members, especially the girls at the Front Office, with unreasable and outrageous demands and complaints that have to be taken care of on the spot. I've seen them bring those girls to tears and when they try to take care of their so called problems, it still doesn't make them happy

[KalenaD]

My husband, who is an "almost senior" at 64, told me if he ever becomes a rude, demanding, grumpy person, SHOOT ME. He had a women cut in front of him as he was waiting in line at the sandwich bar and say to him " I just want a quick sandwich, you don't mind do you?" DUH that's what he was there for too. Since we know what it's like, we always try and treat crewmembers as we would like to be treated on our jobs and we have RARELY ever had a problem. We got back in the afternoon from an excursion right at the in-between lunch and dinner time, when the lido is for crew only. We asked if we could get just a snack as we had not eaten all day, and the crewmember behind the counter said" no problem". Being nice and ASKING not DEMANDING goes a long way!!!

 

We have never repeated with a cruise line as they have all had thier good points and bad, but we are going on the Westerdam in december, since we were so impressed with the Zaandam.

[Copper10-8]

We have never repeated with a cruise line as they have all had thier good points and bad, but we are going on the Westerdam in december, since we were so impressed with the Zaandam.

 

Good for you! Enjoy it!

[JaniceB]

I sailed on the Zaandam for Easter Break last year. We had a balcony cabin on the Verandah deck. We loved the cabin and the location. We hardly ever rode an elevator. We only had to go up or down 1 or 2 flights of stairs to get where we wanted. It was very convenient to the casino. The cabin seemed very spacious to me. We had plenty of storage. The bed was wonderful. I also thought the balcony was large. I only wish we had room for a table and chairs. We had one chair and one lounger and a small round table. We ordered room service breakfast every morning and a table outside would have been nice. Our ordered was always ontime. One morning it was 15 minutes early. The ship had just undergone the signature of excellence enhancements. Our teens enjoyed the Oasis. They were disappointed with the internet connection in the Cafe. They could never get on. I think it finally started working on Friday and we would not let them use it since we were docking on Saturday. We ate at the Pinnacle the first night and it was wonderful. I have to agree with the poster who said the poolside band on the Zaandam last spring was terrible. We loved the Zaandam and would sail the ship again.

[shuttle-c]

Been on it twice, once before renovation and this Spring.

We love the ship - great, mattresses - The Times Library and Audio area (music stations) are great also.

We did miss the free coffee, latte etc. That they used to have. Now they charge for the different variations.

[SROYCE]

We went on the Zaandam in May 2005 to Alaska and this was our first cruise with HAL. We loved the ship and thought the crew was great. They were very pleasant and were always there to help. I could not believe how some people treated the staff in the Lido Restaurant. It was like they were there to be these peoples personal servant. We enjoyed the cruise very much and would sail it again.

 

Sue:)