Holland America Line
This ship features Dutch-style decor for cruisers of a certain age
The Ship. Zaandam’s hull is dark blue, in keeping with all HAL ships, with a single funnel.
It has three principal passenger stairways, which is better than two stairways from the viewpoints of safety, accessibility, and passenger flow. A glass-covered pool is located on the Lido Deck between the mast and the funnel.
The interior decor is restrained, with traditional ocean liner detailing and wood accenting. The design theme is music. Most of the memorabilia on show was acquired from the ‘Pop and Guitars’ auction at Christie’s in London in 1997. It includes a Fender Squier Telecaster guitar signed by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ronnie Wood, and Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones; a Conn saxophone signed on the mouthpiece by former US president Bill Clinton; an Ariana acoustic guitar signed by David Bowie and Iggy Pop; a Fender Stratocaster guitar signed in silver ink by the members of the rock band Queen; a Bently Les Paul-style guitar signed by artists including Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Robert Cray, Keith Richards, and Les Paul. Perhaps the ship should be named Rockerdam.
The Oasis outdoor relaxation areas aft of the funnel include a waterfall and family-gathering areas. Explorations is an excellent combination of café, Internet connection center, and library. There are children’s and teens’ play areas. Popcorn is provided at the Wajang Theater for moviegoers, and this location incorporates a kitchen for HAL’s Culinary Arts program, for interactive cooking and tasting demonstrations. The casino has gaming tables and slot machines. Adjacent is a sports bar.
The ship’s focal point is a three-deck-high atrium, with the reception desk, shore-excursions desk, photo shop, and photo gallery grouped around it. It also houses a real showpiece – a fancy 22-ft- (6.7-m-) high pipe organ with puppets that move with the music. One of the largest such Dutch band organs ever built, it was custom-made for the ship in Hilversum in the Netherlands.
As on Volendam, the Lido Deck swimming pool is located one deck higher than on the Statendam-class ships, so that you can have direct access between the aft and midships pools (not so aboard the S-class ships). This has created more space for extra cabins on the Navigation Deck below.
With one whole deck of suites and a private concierge lounge for them, the company has in effect created a two-class ship.
Niggles include that the charge to use the washing machines and dryers in the self-service launderette is petty and irritating, particularly for the occupants of suites, who pay high prices for their cruises. Communication in English with many of the staff, particularly in the dining room and buffet areas, can be frustrating. Room service is poor. Standing in line for embarkation, disembarkation, shore tenders, and for self-serve buffet meals is inevitable aboard large ships.
Accommodation. The range is comparable to that found aboard the similarly sized Rotterdam, and there are many different price categories. There is one Penthouse Suite, 28 suites, and 168 mini-suites, with the rest of the accommodation a mixture of outside-view and interior cabins. All passenger hallways now include pleasing artwork.
All standard interior and outside cabins are tastefully furnished, with twin beds that convert to a queen-size bed, though space is tight for walking between beds and vanity unit. There is a decent amount of closet and drawer space, but this will be tight for longer voyages. The tiled bathrooms are disappointingly small, particularly for long cruises, and have small shower tubs, utilitarian toiletries cupboards, and exposed under-sink plumbing. Occupants of the Verandah Suites and the Penthouse Suite – with a separate steward’s entrance – share a private concierge lounge (Neptune Lounge, accessible by private key card). Each suite has a separate bedroom, dressing, and living area. Strangely, there are no butlers.
Other facilities include an audio-visual center, wet bar with refrigerator, large bathroom with Jacuzzi tub, separate toilet with bidet, and a guest bathroom with toilet and washbasin.
Except in the Penthouse Suite (forward on the starboard side), the bathrooms in the other suites and mini-suites are disappointingly small and not as opulent as one might expect. All outside-view suites and cabin bathrooms have a tub/shower, while interior cabins have only a shower. Some 23 cabins for the mobility-limited are, however, very spacious and have a large roll-in shower enclosure for wheelchair users (some also have a bathtub), and ramped access to the balcony.
Dining. The Rotterdam Dining Room, a grand, traditional room, spans two aft decks, with ocean views on three sides and an imposing staircase connecting the upper and lower levels. Both open seating and assigned seating are available, while breakfast and lunch are open seating. You’ll be taken to a table by restaurant staff when you enter. Tables are for two to eight.
With a few exceptions, the cuisine is unmemorable, missing passion and taste, because it’s mass catering. There’s a distinct lack of variety of green vegetables, too heavy a use of rice, canned fruit, and already sliced and diced cheese. Still, you get friendly service from the Indonesian and Filipino stewards, and the Rosenthal plates are nice. Lighter-option meals are available for the nutrition- and weight-conscious, as are Kosher (pre-prepared) meals.
Pinnacle Grill features Pacific Northwest cuisine and seats 88. There’s a cover charge, and reservations are required (suite-grade occupants qualify for priority reservations).
The Lido Buffet is a casual, self-serve café for casual breakfasts and luncheons. A poolside grill, Terrace Café, has hamburgers, hot dogs, and other fast-food items. Canaletto is open in the evening in a section of the Lido Buffet and features popular Italian dishes. Waiter service is provided, and reservations are required.
Also, a Lido Deck poolside ‘Dive-In at the Terrace Grill’ features signature burgers, hot dogs, and fries, and, on certain days, barbecues and other culinary treats may be featured.
Entertainment. The Mondriaan Show Lounge, located forward, spans two decks and has banquette seating on both the main and upper levels. It is basically a well-designed room, but the ceiling is low, and the sight lines from the balcony level are quite poor.
Spa/Fitness. The Greenhouse Spa facilities are quite extensive and include a gymnasium with good muscle-toning equipment, separate saunas and steam rooms for men and women, and several treatment rooms, each with a shower and toilet. Outdoor facilities include basketball and shuffleboard courts, a jogging track, and a full walk-around teakwood promenade deck for strolling.