Help with Zuiderdam Questions, Please

[elena7seas]

Friends of mine who are fairly new to cruising (and do not use the CC boards) are travelling with their adult children on the Zuiderdam on January 19th. They have three adjoining VA cabins on the Navigation deck and were wondering about the following:

• Do the partitions on the balconies open up so you can share the balconies, or at least cross between balconies without going through the cabins?
  
• What beverages are available at no extra charge in the main dining room for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
  
• Is there a transaction fee for taking cash out from the Casino?
  
• What are the "do-not-miss" items on the Zuiderdam that one may not know about if one doesn't frequent the HAL boards here at Cruise Critic. (My friends are limited to the documents they get from HAL. I don't think their TA is very helpful or knowledgable about HAL, and I cruise mainly with Celebrity, so can't help them out.)
  
• Are there any fabulous do-not-miss excursions on Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos or St. Thomas that you can recommend?

I appreciate any help that kind HAL cruisers can offer. :)

[jerseyjk]

• What beverages are available at no extra charge in the main dining room for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Coffee, Tea, Juice, Iced Tea, Lemonade are all at no charge. At dinner they did not offer these items, but you could ask for and receive them. After two nights asking for iced tea, our dining room steward brought it automatically.

• Is there a transaction fee for taking cash out from the Casino?

There is. I am not sure how much it is because frankly, we couldn't understand the teller through her accent.

[Steamboatin]

Balcony partitions should be able to be opened.

 

We travel by ourselves so have never tried.

 

Am told that the person responsible for each cabin has to go together down all together to the Purser's Office and request permission to have them opened. They open only a certain number per cruise so do so immediately upon boarding. At least this is what I have been told.

 

We will also be on that cruise in a balcony cabin. Lets hope for smooth sailing and quiet balconies.:D

[catl331]

I THINK THIS MAYBE THE SAME ITINERARY WE DID IN DEC. GRAND TURK: GOOD SNORKELING; OTHERWISE STAY NEAR PORT FOR SHOPPING AND BEACH; ST. THOMAS: I LIKED THE ST. JOHN'S TOUR-HUSBAND SAID SUBMARINE TOUR WAS JUST OKAY--FOR BEACHES--TAXI TO MAGEN'S BAY; TORTOLA: VIRGIN GORDA WAS BEAUTIFUL BUT TOOK UP THE WHOLE DAY AND WE NEVER DID SEE TORTOLA. (also walking at V. G. was a little strenuous.) Had a great cruise.:)

[catl331]

Sorry about all caps in previous post! :o

[MercedMike]

The "secret" we love most about the Zuiderdam is the Thermal Suite in the spa! You can book it by the day, but we always get a pass for the whole week.

 

Check out our review and pics at http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/thermal.html

 

You will love it!

[jtl513]

Is there a transaction fee for taking cash out from the Casino?

Yes - 3%, same as at the front desk.

 

Am told that the person responsible for each cabin has to go together down all together to the Purser's Office and request permission to have them opened. They open only a certain number per cruise so do so immediately upon boarding. At least this is what I have been told.

I have never heard either of these things!! Were you told this by a crew member? I can't imagine why there would be a limit on how many partitions could be opened. Just ask your cabin steward to open them.

 

Here are three balconies with two partitions opened:

[PT Cruisin]

Was on the Zuiderdam last week -- oh, how I miss the ship and everyone I met during the best vacation of my life!!!

 

As far as excursions...my picks are:

 

GRAND TURK - the newly set-up trapeze run by Josh and Dany of Acro-Adix Trapeze. You can find the set-up on the beach--if looking at the beach from the ship, it would be on the left side, where the chairs end, near the volleyball net. It's something I've always wanted to do and at age 53 I did!!!

 

Don't forget your video camera for this. Very professionally run and very safe with netting and safety harness.

 

Also consider renting either a motor scooter or golf cart to tour the island. Scooter/golf cart rentals can be found outside the cruise center. Go to the street and start walking to the left a very short distance. "Tony's" truck and trailer will be there for rentals. Normal time to go around the island would be 1 hour but it was wonderful to go down some side streets to the beach, to stop and take pictures of free roaming cattle/donkeys/horses and to visit the lighthouse. It was a 3 hour trip for myself and a friend and took some fabulous pictures in the process. Right before entering the light house area there is side street on the right where you can horse-ride and I believe also go into the surf with the horse (similiar to the excursion on Half Moon Cay).

 

ST. THOMAS - ship's shore excursion to Trunk Bay on St. John's. Beautiful beach, in a way a more beautiful "setting" than Half Moon Cay. Water was warm here, excellent snorkeling instructions, snorkeling wasn't all that great--there is an underwater trail with writing on cement? that tells you what you will/may be seeing and water was a little cloudy with stirred up sand but I could have stayed all day here. Just the setting was amazing and the water was so much warmer than Half Moon Cay.

 

HALF MOON CAY - the Aqua-Trex excursion i.e. jet skis. Had a blast on this first time adventure in a lagoon area of Half Moon Cay. My average speed was 35 mph and of course got more adventurous the longer we were out. Even made a quick trip into the ocean which was very choppy and fun! You mainly follow a lead person in single file (but not too close) It is so much fun to also go from side to side in the wake of the person in front of you.

 

Ship's secrets -- I had a balcony cabin. There are drawers for storage under the sofa bed, under the regular bed and the hassock at the desk area can be opened for storage.

 

Don't miss the show by Joel Mason (Elton John imitator) or the show with magician James Cielen (if they are still the entertainers on the ship).

 

The dance classes on the ship are actually fun!!!!

 

Your friends will have a great time. Could you ask them if I can come along???? :)

Donna

[asailingnowwego]

Friends of mine who are fairly new to cruising (and do not use the CC boards) are travelling with their adult children on the Zuiderdam on January 19th. They have three adjoining VA cabins on the Navigation deck and were wondering about the following:

• Do the partitions on the balconies open up so you can share the balconies, or at least cross between balconies without going through the cabins?

Just ask the cabin steward to open them. He'll have the special key required.

• What are the "do-not-miss" items on the Zuiderdam that one may not know about if one doesn't frequent the HAL boards here at Cruise Critic. (My friends are limited to the documents they get from HAL. I don't think their TA is very helpful or knowledgable about HAL, and I cruise mainly with Celebrity, so can't help them out.)

Sitting in the Crow's Nest to read and enjoy the view.

 

Dinner in the Pinnicle Grill.

 

The shows are fun and entertaining.

 

For a hoot, the "Zuiderdam Idol" passenger talent contest...

• Are there any fabulous do-not-miss excursions on Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos or St. Thomas that you can recommend?

We had hoped to go to the Inn mentioned in the following copied recommendation, but were not able to dock in the Turks due to high winds. From what I understand about GT & C if you're not a diver there's not much to do. I have not read many favorible reviews except the following:

"If beautiful beach is the most important thing, you might also want to check out the Grand Turk Inn. Sandy and her sister Katrina run a first rate B&B there with a private beach. We did a 1/2 day there for $20 pp which included the use of the private beach, a suite to change in, some floaties, soft drinks/water and a dessert buffet to die for. Sandy sat with us and told us great stories about Grand Turk and them coming there to set up. She's a very gracious host and it's very relaxed and welcoming. WAIT till you see that swing she has and hear the story about that one. She has an all day plan too that includes the above plus a lovely lunch for $40 pp. Cab ride there is about $5 pp. http://www.grandturk.inn

 

To us, it was a little bit of heaven and paradise for the afternoon. When we got off that ship and saw the rows upon rows of deck chairs on the beach at the cruise ship terminal, we were SO happy that we had booked this one. We were the only people on the private beach that day and it just felt like it was ours."

In San Juan we exited the ship and took a tour offered by a company just outside the terminal. The tour was 20.00 per person and included a city tour and a stop at El Morro. It ended in Old San Juan that is very charming. We walked back to the ship and had a great time.

In St Thomas, we took a cab to Sapphire Beach Resort. The fee for a lounge chair was $7.00 but was well worth it. The beach is BEAUTIFUL and not quite as crowded as the others we have tried. They have food available also. We didn't snorkel there but people that did said that the snorkeling was terrific, especially if you went out beyond the rocks.

I hope your friends have a wonderful cruise on the Zippy Zuiderdam!

[elena7seas]

Thank you all so much for taking the time to post all of the above information. I have accumulated it all and sent it to my friends who are flying to Fort Lauderdale on Friday.

 

They are thrilled that people would take the time to share this information.

 

Honestly, the kindness of strangers on the CC boards just affirms my faith in human nature.:)

 

Thanks again to all of you for sharing your knowledge, and I wish you all well in the upcoming year!

[jerseyjk]

the hassock at the desk area can be opened for storage.

 

I thought that little seat/hassock was supposed to open, but I tried and never did get it to open. Perhaps they don't all open :rolleyes: (at least that's what I'll claim so I don't feel inept).

[PT Cruisin]

I only knew about the hassock opening for storage because I had a similar one on the the Amsterdam. Mine on the "Z" did open but it was with a little effort. I didn't store anything in there because I knew it would be the one place I wouldn't have looked when repacking for the trip home. I would have been disappointed if my clothes remained there on the ship and I wasn't there to wear them!

 

Donna

[RuthC]

I didn't store anything in there because I knew it would be the one place I wouldn't have looked when repacking for the trip home.

Good point! :D What you can do, though, is use it for things the steward has stored in drawers (like extra linens), then use the newly freed-up drawer space.

[SmokinActuary]

Don't forget that you can get espresso and cappucino for no extra charge in the dining rooms after your dinner!!!

 

 

I just love espresso after a fine meal.