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Login Designed to carry fewer guests while offering greater space, Zaandam is elegant and comfortable. Her décor is inspired by music and features musical instruments including signed guitars from Queen, Iggy Pop, Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones and a Baroque-style pipe organ. While on-board, enjoy regional cooking demonstrations and food and wine tastings with Port to Table. Rejuvenate at the Greenhouse Spa & Salon. Indulge at any of our fine dining venues.
Although the Zaandam would be considered a relatively small cruise ship by today's standards, it offers a wide variety of bars and lounges throughout the ship. I never had any trouble finding a comfortable place to relax and enjoy the voyage. 【Activities&Entertainment】: There were not a large number of onboard activities, but that was not an issue for my wife and me since our main goal was to enjoy the scenery. However, guests who are looking for a wide range of activities and entertainment options may find the selection somewhat limited. 【Service & Cabin】: The crew members in every department were consistently friendly, smiling, and efficient. Whether it was our room stewards, bar staff, dining room servers, or buffet staff, everyone provided excellent service throughout the cruise. Our stateroom was also serviced twice daily without fail, including regular turndown service. On Zaandam, some Ocean View cabins have been updated with shower-only bathrooms, while others retain their original bathroom layout. Our stateroom had the older-style bathroom with a bathtub. While it was clearly not one of the renovated bathrooms, it was kept impeccably clean throughout the voyage, so it did not detract from our overall experience. Storage space was one of the cabin's strengths. There was an abundance of closet and storage space, and even after unpacking all of our cold-weather clothing, we still had plenty of room left over. 【Dining】: The Main Dining Room delivered the high-quality dining experience I would expect from a premium cruise line. The food, presentation, and overall atmosphere consistently met our expectations throughout the voyage. CANALETTO, the specialty restaurant, exceeded our expectations by a considerable margin and turned out to be one of the culinary highlights of the cruise. On the other hand, while PINNACLE GRILL offered an impressive presentation and upscale ambiance, I felt that the actual food quality was not significantly better than what was already available in the Main Dining Room. That was somewhat disappointing. Fortunately, since we had a dining package, this did not feel like a poor value proposition from a financial standpoint. 【Drinks & Cocktails】: At first glance, the bar menus seemed somewhat limited, as only a relatively small selection of drinks was listed. However, I soon realized that the menus primarily highlighted signature and featured beverages rather than the full range of available options. In practice, most standard spirits and classic cocktails were readily available even if they did not appear on the menu. Popular brands such as Jack Daniel's and Maker's Mark could be ordered without issue, as could classic cocktails like Mimosas and Salty Dogs. I personally ordered Bloody Marys almost every day of the cruise, despite them not being listed on the menu, and the bartenders were always happy to make them. 【One Area for Improvement】: Zaandam generally felt uncrowded throughout the voyage, but the Lido Market buffet during peak breakfast hours was a notable exception. Long lines would often form for freshly prepared items such as made-to-order pancakes, omelets, and Eggs Benedict. These queues frequently blocked access to nearby food stations, making it difficult to move around and collect other items efficiently. Another issue was that a single crew member was often responsible for serving several different food items at the same station. As a result, passengers sometimes had to wait quite a while before reaching the front of the line, even if they only wanted one particular item. I felt the buffet experience could have been improved by allowing guests to serve themselves from a wider selection of items, which would have helped reduce congestion and shorten wait times. 【Final Thoughts】: We chose the Endicott Arm Fjord shore excursion, and it turned out to be one of the highlights of the entire trip. Lasting approximately six hours, the experience was both breathtaking and unforgettable. In addition to the spectacular glaciers, we were fortunate enough to see whales breaching and even wild bears along the shoreline. The scenery was truly awe-inspiring, and the excursion became one of those rare travel experiences that will stay with us for a lifetime. Whether in Alaska or on a different itinerary, if I ever have the opportunity to sail on Zaandam again, I would gladly do so. This cruise left such a positive impression that I would not hesitate to book the ship again.
With refined amenities and Holland America Line signature Mariner’s Dream bed gracing each elegant stateroom, the ship offers five grades of staterooms. Most are ocean-facing, many featuring teak-lined verandas for dining alfresco or private sunbathing.
Holland America Line invites you to dine "As You Wish". To savour Italian cuisine one night and a perfectly grilled porterhouse steak the next. To take your place in the Dining Room at a specific seating time or be spontaneous, following your desires. Onboard, there are restaurants to suit every mood, along with the flexibility to choose the dining style you prefer.
Every day aboard a Holland America cruise ship brings a wealth of cruise activities and indulgences, along with the freedom to partake in as many-or as few- as you please. It's an opportunity to try something new that surprises you, every day.
Dabble, discover, daydream- do everything, or do nothing at all.
Whether you want to workout in the Fitness Centre, learn yoga, pamper yourself with a massage and spa treatment, or enjoy a game of basketball, there's a perfect onboard activity for everyone.
Holland America Line's youth activities program, Kids Club, offers an array of entertaining events for kids and teens ages 3-17, supervised by a full-time, professionally trained staff. They'll have an opportunity to join other kids their age for arts and crafts, sports, video game competitions, scavenger hunts, challenging team games and themed parties.
Note: Kids Club is not offered on cruises of 25-days or longer, including all Legendary and Grand Voyages. We will offer a selection of children’s activities throughout these longer voyages for any children who may be onboard.
Safety Comes First
Safety is our primary concern and strict policies are in place for effective supervision. Adult guests are not permitted to remain in Kids Club unless attending to a special-needs child.
Please note: During voyages with a high number of families onboard, we will make all efforts to accommodate interested parties. However, participation in our program cannot be guaranteed. Hours of operation may change to better serve our guests.
