Talking with the Capain of Zuiderdam; Afternoon Tea on Queen Mary 2

This week we have three new articles on Beyondships.




The first is an interview with Captain Christopher Turner and Hotel Director Edwin Blunik of Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam. When I booked my cruise on Zuiderdam, I wasn’t expecting anything special. My impression was that she was just another of the larger HAL ships. While I had enjoyed my cruises on HAL Vista and Signature class ships, I had no reason to think that this one would be special.



Yet when I had actually experienced Zuiderdam, I learned that she was special. Yes, she adheres to the basic HAL formula of a cultured environment with good food and service but she carries out that formula very nicely. Also, the atmosphere, perhaps reflecting the décor, seemed brighter than my previous HAL experiences.



Apparently, other cruisers have found the same thing. Based on guest comment cards, in 2010, Zuiderdam exceeded HAL’s target ratings in every area. in which a ship is rated. No other ship had similar results. Therefore, I asked Captain Turner and Mr. Blunick to explain why Zuiderdam receives such top ratings. The interview is posted at http://www.beyondships.com/HAL-Zuiderdam-Captain.html



If you are interested in food, you’ll probably want to check out The Pinnacle Grill on Zuiderdam. It is the ship’s top specialty restaurant. Once a cruise, the Pinnacle Grill is transformed into a seagoing version of New York’s famed Le Cirque. (See review at http://www.beyondships.com/HAL-LeCirque.html ). But most nights it is its own brand of relaxed elegance; combing a steakhouse menu with elements of fine dining. My review is at http://www.beyondships.com/HAL-Zuiderdam-Pinnacle.html



Changing ships, a unique experience at sea is afternoon tea on the Queen Mary 2. Several other lines have afternoon tea. These are usually done in one of the ship’s dining rooms or in one of the bars. In addition, the staff is often unfamiliar with how an afternoon tea works. On Queen Mary 2, one can have afternoon tea in the largest ballroom at sea. As one would expect from a very traditional British line, the staff understands afternoon tea. Consequently, afternoon tea on QM2 is more than just a culinary event. My review is at http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-review-tea.html