Holland America's Zuiderdam, Profile and Photo Tour

This week, the focus is on Holland America’s Zuiderdam. I will confess at the outset that I quite like Zuiderdam. In fact, I would say that she is now my favorite of the Holland America ships.




To start at the beginning, Holland America Line provides a premium cruise experience. All of the ships have a magnificent art collection and there is a feeling of cultured sophistication. The crews strive to provide excellent service.



The HAL fleet can be broadly divided into two parts. There are the smaller ships - - the S-class, R-class and the unique Prinsendam - - and the larger ships - - the Vista and Signature classes. The smaller ships are somewhat older but more intimate. The larger ships are newer, have more features but are still relative to the rest of the industry only medium size.



Zuiderdam was the first of the larger HAL ships. She marked a new direction for the line when she entered service in December 2002. Accordingly, she was given a décor that is somewhat brighter and bolder than the prior HAL ships. The line subsequently retreated from this direction and so Zuiderdam is also different from the ships that followed. There is nothing outrageous about it but it does give the ship a noticeably livelier atmosphere.

At the same time, it is noteworthy that Zuiderdam was the first Vista class ship built for HAL by the Fincantieri, the Italian ship builder. This design was used for three subsequent Vista ships for HAL and the Signature class is really an expanded version of the design. Indeed, the design is also the basis for ships in the Costa, Cunard and P&O fleets. Clearly it is a successful design and it all began with Zuiderdam.



Holland America likes to roll back the successful features that it develops for new ships into the line’s existing fleet. As a result, Zuiderdam has the Screening Room movie theater, the Canaletto Italian specialty restaurant, the Digital Workshop, and the Explorations Café that debuted on subsequent Vistas or Signature class ships.



What makes Zuiderdam stand out, however, is not the features but how they are used. My impression was that the officers and crew on Zuiderdam enjoyed being there and when people like their work it translates into a better experience for the customer.



Beyondships profile page for Zuiderdam with copies of daily programs, menus and restaurant reviews is at http://www.beyondships.com/HAL-Zuiderdam.html The multi-page photo tour and commentary begins at http://www.beyondships.com/HAL-Zuiderdam-Tour1.html



Also, we have added a new photo essay on Queen Mary 2’s Fourth of July cruise roundtrip from Manhattan. QM2 normally does not dock in Manhattan. However, because another ship was at her usual berth in Brooklyn, the largest ocean liner ever built had to dock at the piers that were the New York home of the great ocean liners of the past. Because of the currents and the size and layout of the piers, this is not so easily done. But, it is magnificent to sail up or down the Hudson past the Manhattan skyline on a summer’s day. The photo essay is at http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-Manhattan-2.html