Zuiderdam sails New England and Canada itineraries for many of every 12 months, spending winter in Florida for journeys to the Caribbean.
Zuiderdam was launched in 2002 (Picture: Deb Stone)
Zuiderdam is one among Holland America Line’s older ships however that comes with some advantages. It has fewer passengers than the corporate’s newer vessels – 1,964 in contrast with 2,650 – and there’s an understated Artwork Deco-style to its public areas, with no brash water parks and loads of quiet areas.
I joined Zuiderdam on an autumn cruise from Quebec Metropolis to Boston – each off-the-scale locations for his or her tradition and vibrant neighbourhoods. We sailed to Canada’s maritime provinces and down New England’s Atlantic coast, stopping at out-of-the-way Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island earlier than reaching Portland in Maine, USA – a full of life lobster-focused celebration city – and completed our cruise in stunning Boston.
That is an itinerary Zuiderdam returns to from April to October 2026 whereas from spring 2027 the ship will sail Northern Europe cruises from Amsterdam to Scandinavia and the British Isles.
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What’s it like onboard?
My autumn leaf-peeping cruise attracted primarily over-60s North Individuals, some barely youthful Australasians and a handful of Brits, so it was fairly pleasant and buzzy though by no means noisy. Zuiderdam has fewer amenities than Holland America Line’s newer ships however through the two-day sail up the Lawrence River from Quebec Metropolis to the Atlantic there was all the time loads to do.
Many simply loved the mellow autumn sunshine whereas sitting across the two swimming pools, studying or chatting, having drinks and snacks – though the swimming pools have been not often used and the one individuals in swimming costumes have been preserving heat within the scorching tubs. There’s a free gymnasium with sea views, a free sauna close to the spa, a free pickleball court docket on the highest deck that was continuously in use and a few ping pong tables.
You can additionally study salsa or line dancing, participate in tai chi classes or take part much less vigorous actions together with watercolour courses within the Artwork Studio, knitting and needlework meet-ups, scavenger hunts, quizzes and even origami folding. Undecided if anyone actually wanted to learn to create elephants or monkeys by folding towels, however there was a category when you needed it.
Total, it was very relaxed with a barely buzzier vibe within the evenings when there was stay music in bars and reveals within the theatre.
Zuiderdam is one among Holland America Line’s older ships however that comes with some advantages (Picture: Deb Stone)
Staterooms
My Verandah stateroom had every thing you want for a snug week or two, together with a balcony that supplied a peaceable escape from different passengers. All cabins have HAL’s signature queen-size Mariner’s Dream mattress, which will be reconfigured into twin beds if most well-liked, and a wall-mounted TV for information and sports activities channels, movies and details about the cruise. My cabin additionally had a small couch, espresso desk and fridge with a paid-for mini-bar.
The lavatory was affordable with loads of space for storing and though there was no tub the bathe cubicle was dimension and refillable toiletries have been supplied. In all there are 5 foremost kinds of cabin: Inside Staterooms haven’t any home windows however nearly every thing that Ocean View (cabins with home windows) and Verandah (cabins with balconies) staterooms have.
Signature Suites are twice the dimensions of Verandah Staterooms, with a queen-size double and single pull-out mattress plus greater bogs that embody tub tubs, whereas Neptune Suites are greater nonetheless with extras resembling espresso espresso machines, free laundry and use of the Neptune Lounge.
Absolutely accessible staterooms are additionally obtainable with roll-in showers for wheelchair customers however there are not any purpose-designed solo cabins.
Eating
The meals on Zuiderdam is exceptionally good, from the complimentary Eating Room restaurant and Lido Market buffet, to the paid-for speciality eating places Pinnacle Grill and Canaletto. The Eating Room has a warmly refined décor and is open for waiter-served breakfast and dinner on daily basis, plus lunch on sea days. Its New York strip steak is nearly as huge because the paid-for Pinnacle Grill steak and it’s not even on the specials record.
One foremost course is highlighted on daily basis and these included tenderloin with grilled shrimps, calf’s liver with apples and pancetta and on Orange Get together evening there was a particular dish from Holland America Line’s homeland – Hodge Podge Klapstuk, which is braised beef brisket with greens and butter gravy. Gown code for The Eating Room was extra informal than it is likely to be on a European cruise, though when you actually don’t wish to change out of daytime shorts the Lido Market buffet has an excellent selection of meals that you would be able to take exterior to the again of the ship if it’s heat sufficient.
Most nights the Lido Market provided a paid-for New England Seafood Boil together with Dungeness crab, mussels, shrimp, salmon and lobster with lobster chowder to begin and blueberry pie to complete, though not many selected to spend $35 simply to eat within the buffet. Regardless of this, there have been loads who paid to eat at Canaletto, the Italian speciality restaurant serving fresh-made pasta each evening in a tucked away part of the Lido Market.
It’s definitely good worth at $25 for antipasti or small plates to begin, a selection of foremost programs resembling ossobucco and Italian sausage paccheri, plus dessert and low all included. Like Canaletto, speciality restaurant Pinnacle Grill is on each Holland America Line ship and whereas the Italian restaurant’s décor was not as engaging on Zuiderdam as on newer ships, Pinnacle Grill has a very fashionable room of its personal.
Zuiderdam has fewer amenities than Holland America Line’s newer ships (Picture: Deb Stone)
Consuming there felt like an evening out at a significant metropolis’s high restaurant and no surprise, with a menu by world-renowned American chef David Burke – a pioneer of contemporary US cooking. Dishes included regionally sourced recent seafood resembling snow crab and Prince Edward Island mussels for starters and Atlantic turbot for mains – though the lobster and large steaks are all the time standard.
We additionally tried David Burke’s speciality, Clothesline Candied Bacon – a string of bacon dripping in maple syrup – which have been scrumptious and price $25 at his New Jersey restaurant in comparison with paying $52 for 3 programs and low on Zuiderdam. As soon as every week there’s a Morimoto by Sea Pop-Up on the Pinnacle Grill, when a menu devised by Michelin star Japanese superstar chef Masaharu Morimoto is on the market.
Morimoto is Holland America Line’s International Contemporary Fish Ambassador and there’s loads of sushi on the menu with crispy fried complete fish and Indignant Lobster Pad Thai among the many foremost dishes. Three-course dinners price $55. Zuiderdam’s fifth restaurant is the burgers and scorching canines stall Dive-In, which is free and subsequent to the principle swimming pool, however there are additionally snacks obtainable on the Crow’s Nest Café, which sells speciality tea and low.
Leisure
Holland America Line’s leisure is basically music-based so when you’re a fan of stay music it’s the cruise line for you. This summer season it launched an “leisure evolution”, introducing regional bands and solo musicians to its World Stage theatres and lounges such because the Crow’s Nest – deck 10’s statement lounge – and the very engaging Ocean Bar, which on Zuiderdam surrounds the atrium on deck 3.
Throughout my cruise the regional band was Nova Scotia-based Breton Thunder, who had a flamboyant theatre set that mirrored their Celtic roots and primarily Scottish and Irish playlist. There was jazz from the Dam Band – the ship’s wonderful musicians that present stay music for theatre reveals – and a classical music duo within the Explorers Lounge, a fleet-wide venue that has changed Lincoln Middle Stage following the 2024 demise of HAL’s partnership with New York’s Lincoln Centre Performing Arts advanced.
There have been three units of stay music most nights on the Rolling Stone Lounge from a band belting out cowl songs and one other three units most nights from a pianist at Billboard Onboard. However Zuiderdam doesn’t have a BB King’s Blues Membership, which options on bigger HAL ships, and sadly the Explorers Lounge was very small and lacked environment.
Some HAL ships have duelling pianists in Billboard Onboard, which is extra entertaining than only one, and though the Rolling Stone Lounge band labored actually laborious the unique rock band idea seems to have been misplaced. On a brighter observe, Zuiderdam’s World Stage productions are a lot improved now that dance-only reveals by Step One Dance Firm have been changed with music and dance performances resembling Class Act, which featured songs from main feminine performers.
Additionally, American comic Dave Konig – an Emmy award-winner who appeared on TV’s Marvelous Mrs Maisel – was very humorous. And that doesn’t all the time occur.
All about Holland America Line
Holland America Line has 11 ships, with the oldest – Volendam – launched in 1999 and latest – Rotterdam – in 2021. Zuiderdam was launched in 2002 and has had a number of refits since then, with the newest happening earlier than its winter 2025 season within the Caribbean to improve public areas such because the Crow’s Nest, spa, Rolling Stone Lounge, Lido Market and Canaletto restaurant, in addition to increasing the on line casino. The swimming pools and scorching tubs have been additionally refreshed.
An improved Arts Studio and Video games Room was being put in in The Crow’s Nest, geared toward bettering household facilities as the road continues to focus on household and multi-generation teams. Holland America Line began taking European immigrants from Rotterdam to America again in 1873 and celebrated its a hundred and fiftieth anniversary in 2023. It now gives cruises to 98 nations and territories and sails to Antarctica, Australasia, Asia and South America however its hottest locations are the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Canada & New England, the Panama Canal and Europe.
With its ships registered in Rotterdam, Holland America Line retains sturdy hyperlinks with the Netherlands and operates charity initiatives resembling fund-raising walks across the ship’s train observe in assist of causes resembling Most cancers Analysis UK.
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Zuiderdam is spending winter 2025/ 2026 crusing from Florida to the Caribbean, however returns to Canada and New England in spring 2026.
* A 7-day Canada & New England: Unesco Websites & Quebecois Nights cruise from Boston to Quebec Metropolis departing Could 9, 2026, calling at Portland, Halifax, Sydney and Charlottetown, prices from £799 per particular person, two sharing, cruise solely (0344 338 8607; hollandamerica.com)
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