Completed in 2000, this cruise liner from Holland America line measures 60,906 tons and can carry 1,440 passengers and a crew of 647. Her officers are Dutch, and the hotel staff is Filipino and Indonesian. While very similar in design to the 1999-built Volendam, these two are slightly larger than the earlier Statendam-class ships.
Holland America Line traces its history back over 135 years to the 1870s when the firm developed into a major North Atlantic carrier. Once the transatlantic route was suspended in 1971, the line turned to year-round cruising. Carnival bought the company in 1989 and has kept it a distinctly separate brand headquartered in Seattle. The fleet now numbers 14 ships.
Her longer Hawaiian cruises attract Holland America's traditionally older clientele while the age drops for the weekly Alaska trips, with some children also aboard during the school holidays.
The Zaandam is a West Coast ship, where in winter she makes mostly 15-day cruises between San Diego, California and four Hawaiian Islands with lots of sea days. In the summer (May to September) she moves north to cruise from Vancouver on standard one-week round trips up the Inside Passage through Glacier Bay.
Public areas show stylish furnishings designed with rich woods, fine fabrics in bold colors, and creative lighting. A musical theme is in evidence throughout, with a collection of guitars and saxophones on display, musical notes etched in glass doors, and sheet-music panels decorating the rather pallid corridors. Every Holland America ship now features an atrium sculpture. The Zaandam's is a big, bulky hunk inspired by a pipe organ. Well-executed reproductions of Ancient Egyptian pectorals, pendants and collars are also on display. The 557-seat bi-level show room offers a stylish setting for elaborate productions. In response to popular demand, the line removed some of the orchestra seating for dancing. There are plenty of places to gather to socialize onboard, including the Ocean Bar, Explorer's Lounge, Piano Bar, and Atrium Terrace. The open plan allows a free flow of traffic fore and aft and a way for passengers to see what's going on before settling down. Particularly successful is the Crow's Nest, an observation lounge that triples as a bar with a great view, dance venue and quiet reading lounge. The 217-seat Wajang Theater screens films and hosts enrichment lectures including the Culinary Arts.
For breakfast, lunch and dinner, there are multiple choices. The two-level Rotterdam dining room has a double staircase that flanks a platform on which musicians play during dinner. Diners enjoy a wide-ranging Continental menu under a ceiling of twinkling lights and have the choice of traditional reserved seating or open seating at dinner time. Two side sections can be reserved for special family gatherings or small groups. As an alternative, the Pinnacle Grill seating 88 offers fine steaks and fresh seafood, and an extra charge and reservations are required. An informal dinner is also available in the Lido Restaurant, where passengers choose appetizers, soups and salads from the buffet and waiters serve a choice of main courses, desserts and beverages. The breakfast and lunch buffets offer exceptional selections.
The Ocean Spa has an over-the-bow view and is attached to the beauty salon. The Club HAL program divides children aged 5 to 17 into three groups, though outside of summer holidays, most of the passengers are middle-aged adults. Teenagers have a privately sited Oasis with a dip pool high up and aft on Sky Deck. Attractive deck space includes an outdoor bar and a pool with a deep end that is truly over one's head. The covered promenade deck offers wooden steamer chairs, perfect for a morning read or afternoon nap when the ship is at sea, and a wide wraparound route for serious walkers.
Zaandam's cabins number 720, of which 28 are 563-sq-ft private veranda suites with spacious sitting areas, dressing rooms, showers and whirlpool tubs. The 168 deluxe mini-suites also have whirlpools (though not full-size), good stowage, TVs with VCRs, minibars and refrigerators, curtained-off sitting areas, and thinly partitioned verandas. Only 139 are insides. Room service is available for all meals, 24 hours a day and at no cost. Deluxe Verandah Suites and Penthouse Verandah Suites have access to the Navigation's Deck's Neptune Lounge with concierge service and periodicals.
The Zaandam is a good, reliable choice for mainstream cruising in attractive surroundings to Alaska and longer ocean voyages to and from Hawaii. At this premium level, HAL competes with the likes of Celebrity and Oceania Cruises.
