MS ZUIDERDAM ROCKS THE BOAT!
Jan 2nd, 2008 | 07:45 PM
#1
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Joined: Jun 2007
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MS ZUIDERDAM ROCKS THE BOAT!
For those of you who when you hear Holland America Cruise Line immediately think of a more sedate and older crowd let me dispel those thoughts immediately. I must tell you that things are changing on HAL. At present The Savvy Old Lady and The Crabby Old Guy are sailing aboard Holland America’s Zuiderdam (Dec 29-Jan 5) celebrating their 2008 New Year’s Cruise and it is an absolute blast. The passenger demographics range from singles to young families with small children to teenagers to middle aged couples and of course the senior set. Thanks to the hard working efforts of the crew and staff onboard each and every passenger had a very exciting, memorable and thoroughly enjoyable New Year’s experience.
The onboard celebration officially began with the Captain’s Champaign Toast in the lounge. This traditional, if not brief, event was followed by a wonderfully nostalgic stage show of 1950’s vintage rock and roll hits and was preformed by two veterans of the rock and roll era. Now I will admit, some of the passengers began their celebrating a bit ahead of the rest of us – but what the heck, it is New Years. The good news is that all behaved responsibly if not a bit boisterous.
Our New Year’s Eve dinner - which was totally sumptuous – was next on Crabby and my itinerary. Dinner started off with an appetizer of Gooseliver pate, Sevruga caviar, smoked salmon and shrimp. The soup was a Corn and Crab Chowder with hearty chunks of crabmeat definitely not the usual fare that you find on many ships where you need a magnifying glass to identify the crabmeat. Their New Year’s Celebration Salad was winter greens with mozzarella, cucumber, tomatoes, walnuts and dried cherries drizzled with a balsamic reduction. Am I making you drool yet? Wait the best is yet to come, the entrée was surf and turf, yes lobster tail and filet mignon (cooked to perfection) nestled on truffled mashed potatoes with a Perigourdine sauce and vegetable medley. For dessert we were served a decadent Chocolate cake with mascarpone and crème de cacao topped with fresh berries and fruit coulis. Was it as good as it sounds? And, of course there were other equally delightful options on the varied and well presented menu. In one word, YES. Kudos go out to Executive Chef Robert Steel and his 90 cooks and staff. It is no small wonder that the Zuiderdam has been chosen by the fleet for the past three years as number one in fine dining.
As if that dinner were not enough, on New Year’s Eve there were 10 different after dinner mini-buffets all over the ship each featuring foods from different countries to help quell your munchies. It was amazing to watch Chef Steel magically appear at each and every one of them to oversee the perfection of his staff’s work. It would not be difficult to see a fan club for Chef Steel and a following that would keep track of whatever ship he serves on. I know Crabby and I will be following his future closely. This is a chef who does not believe in boring food and makes sure that passengers don’t see recycled meals on his watch. His greatest talent is his ability to blend different seasonings and sauces and create dishes that are exciting even to the gourmet palate.
After dinner we moved on to the Ocean Bar where Christina, Ramon, Aaron, Ronald and John swiftly took orders and prepared one of the special signature HAL drinks to the delight of the passengers. Crabby and I tried the “Cosmic Sensation” which was a medley of juices (Mango, Orange, Apple and Grapefruit) mixed with Amaretto and vanilla vodka and lots of ice. The mixture blended very well and was definitely a refreshing drink; the kind that sneaks up on you and says “Hellooooo”. Even more refreshing than the drink were the staff who worked in the bar. They treated all the passengers as if they were guests in their homes and were very gracious and friendly hosts.
At 11:15 PM Crabby and I went to the Vista Lounge where more celebratory New Year’s Eve festivities were underway with glasses of free champagne being handed to all of the passengers over 18. Okay, it was not exactly Dom Perignon but nice enough, particularly since it was all you cared to drink when ringing in the New Year. The scene in the three-tiered and wonderfully decorated Vista Lounge was amazing. It was like a mini-Times Square Celebration with people of so many nationalities and cultures from seven to well over seventy coming together to joyously celebrate and wish each other a happy 2008. All I could think about as I saw this fabulous party unfold was the last scene from the movie Dirty Dancing. Passengers and crew were dancing on the stage, on the dance floor, in the aisles and in front of their seats. There wasn’t a sedentary person any where to be found. As we all joined in singing Auld Lang Syne you quickly realized that the spontaneity and joy was infectious. A few minutes before midnight the Captain appeared on crowded stage to ring in the New Year with the Zuiderdam’s ship bell. At the stroke of midnight, bells were ringing, the passengers and crew were screaming “Happy New Year”, hugging, shaking hands and kissing. Balloons, streamers and confetti were released from the ceiling.
In the midst of all of this delightful chaos, one of the staff appeared dressed as “Baby” New Year resplendent in a diaper, with a large safety pin, pacifier and rattle much to the laughter and enjoyment of all. Well the party went on until the wee hours of the morning with all of us realizing we had to be up early to greet the US Immigration Department in Saint Thomas, with our passports in hand at around 8 AM. I’m not going to tell you that we were all wide eyed and bushy tailed at this command performance but the folks from Immigration did seem to get a chuckle out of seeing all of us stagger through in various degrees of lucidity. Oh well, thank heavens New Years comes just once a year.
This wonderful celebration could not have been the success it was without the efforts of all those who work on the Zuiderdam. It would be remiss not to thank personally the Captain Jeroen Van Donselaar, the Hotel Manager, Simon de Boer, the Guest Relations Manager, Jig Macatangay, the Executive Chef Robert Steel and all the staff and crew for a job well done. We should also remember that the officers, staff and crew on these floating cities, for the most part, celebrate these holiday occasions, and holidays of their own nationalities and religions, apart from their families and loved ones; I hope that they know that many of us understand this and appreciate their hospitality even more because of it.
New Years Day was spent touring St. Thomas, not one of our favorite ports of call, but it sure beat the cold-wet-and-snow up north. We all relaxed and recuperated. Ah, yes, sports fans were not over looked by HAL. On New Years Day there were even areas on the ship where the diehard sports fans were able to watch the different “bowl” games and HAL provided comfort foods and beer for all of these enthusiasts.
So for all of you who ask “So, Savvy Old Lady, is it worth booking a New Years Eve cruise?” The answer is a resounding…YES! Great food, unbelievable scenery, a fantastic and enthusiastic staff, a safe environment and a slice of sharing with the Global Community we are a part of…how can you beat that! Sure, there is a bit of a premium to be paid for these cruises, but for Crabby and my money this will not be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But even if you can only do it once I highly recommend trying it. Now some of you may say that this review is a bit more positive than usual for me and that is true…but honestly, dear cruise addicts, this part of the cruise experience was just that good.
A full review of my 7 day New Year’s Holiday Zuiderdam cruise, with lots of photos, will be published on my return home and you won’t believe the other exciting adventures we experienced with HAL. Happy New Year All!
Hugs,
The Savvy Old Lady©
www.thesavvyoldlady.com
The onboard celebration officially began with the Captain’s Champaign Toast in the lounge. This traditional, if not brief, event was followed by a wonderfully nostalgic stage show of 1950’s vintage rock and roll hits and was preformed by two veterans of the rock and roll era. Now I will admit, some of the passengers began their celebrating a bit ahead of the rest of us – but what the heck, it is New Years. The good news is that all behaved responsibly if not a bit boisterous.
Our New Year’s Eve dinner - which was totally sumptuous – was next on Crabby and my itinerary. Dinner started off with an appetizer of Gooseliver pate, Sevruga caviar, smoked salmon and shrimp. The soup was a Corn and Crab Chowder with hearty chunks of crabmeat definitely not the usual fare that you find on many ships where you need a magnifying glass to identify the crabmeat. Their New Year’s Celebration Salad was winter greens with mozzarella, cucumber, tomatoes, walnuts and dried cherries drizzled with a balsamic reduction. Am I making you drool yet? Wait the best is yet to come, the entrée was surf and turf, yes lobster tail and filet mignon (cooked to perfection) nestled on truffled mashed potatoes with a Perigourdine sauce and vegetable medley. For dessert we were served a decadent Chocolate cake with mascarpone and crème de cacao topped with fresh berries and fruit coulis. Was it as good as it sounds? And, of course there were other equally delightful options on the varied and well presented menu. In one word, YES. Kudos go out to Executive Chef Robert Steel and his 90 cooks and staff. It is no small wonder that the Zuiderdam has been chosen by the fleet for the past three years as number one in fine dining.
As if that dinner were not enough, on New Year’s Eve there were 10 different after dinner mini-buffets all over the ship each featuring foods from different countries to help quell your munchies. It was amazing to watch Chef Steel magically appear at each and every one of them to oversee the perfection of his staff’s work. It would not be difficult to see a fan club for Chef Steel and a following that would keep track of whatever ship he serves on. I know Crabby and I will be following his future closely. This is a chef who does not believe in boring food and makes sure that passengers don’t see recycled meals on his watch. His greatest talent is his ability to blend different seasonings and sauces and create dishes that are exciting even to the gourmet palate.
After dinner we moved on to the Ocean Bar where Christina, Ramon, Aaron, Ronald and John swiftly took orders and prepared one of the special signature HAL drinks to the delight of the passengers. Crabby and I tried the “Cosmic Sensation” which was a medley of juices (Mango, Orange, Apple and Grapefruit) mixed with Amaretto and vanilla vodka and lots of ice. The mixture blended very well and was definitely a refreshing drink; the kind that sneaks up on you and says “Hellooooo”. Even more refreshing than the drink were the staff who worked in the bar. They treated all the passengers as if they were guests in their homes and were very gracious and friendly hosts.
At 11:15 PM Crabby and I went to the Vista Lounge where more celebratory New Year’s Eve festivities were underway with glasses of free champagne being handed to all of the passengers over 18. Okay, it was not exactly Dom Perignon but nice enough, particularly since it was all you cared to drink when ringing in the New Year. The scene in the three-tiered and wonderfully decorated Vista Lounge was amazing. It was like a mini-Times Square Celebration with people of so many nationalities and cultures from seven to well over seventy coming together to joyously celebrate and wish each other a happy 2008. All I could think about as I saw this fabulous party unfold was the last scene from the movie Dirty Dancing. Passengers and crew were dancing on the stage, on the dance floor, in the aisles and in front of their seats. There wasn’t a sedentary person any where to be found. As we all joined in singing Auld Lang Syne you quickly realized that the spontaneity and joy was infectious. A few minutes before midnight the Captain appeared on crowded stage to ring in the New Year with the Zuiderdam’s ship bell. At the stroke of midnight, bells were ringing, the passengers and crew were screaming “Happy New Year”, hugging, shaking hands and kissing. Balloons, streamers and confetti were released from the ceiling.
In the midst of all of this delightful chaos, one of the staff appeared dressed as “Baby” New Year resplendent in a diaper, with a large safety pin, pacifier and rattle much to the laughter and enjoyment of all. Well the party went on until the wee hours of the morning with all of us realizing we had to be up early to greet the US Immigration Department in Saint Thomas, with our passports in hand at around 8 AM. I’m not going to tell you that we were all wide eyed and bushy tailed at this command performance but the folks from Immigration did seem to get a chuckle out of seeing all of us stagger through in various degrees of lucidity. Oh well, thank heavens New Years comes just once a year.
This wonderful celebration could not have been the success it was without the efforts of all those who work on the Zuiderdam. It would be remiss not to thank personally the Captain Jeroen Van Donselaar, the Hotel Manager, Simon de Boer, the Guest Relations Manager, Jig Macatangay, the Executive Chef Robert Steel and all the staff and crew for a job well done. We should also remember that the officers, staff and crew on these floating cities, for the most part, celebrate these holiday occasions, and holidays of their own nationalities and religions, apart from their families and loved ones; I hope that they know that many of us understand this and appreciate their hospitality even more because of it.
New Years Day was spent touring St. Thomas, not one of our favorite ports of call, but it sure beat the cold-wet-and-snow up north. We all relaxed and recuperated. Ah, yes, sports fans were not over looked by HAL. On New Years Day there were even areas on the ship where the diehard sports fans were able to watch the different “bowl” games and HAL provided comfort foods and beer for all of these enthusiasts.
So for all of you who ask “So, Savvy Old Lady, is it worth booking a New Years Eve cruise?” The answer is a resounding…YES! Great food, unbelievable scenery, a fantastic and enthusiastic staff, a safe environment and a slice of sharing with the Global Community we are a part of…how can you beat that! Sure, there is a bit of a premium to be paid for these cruises, but for Crabby and my money this will not be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But even if you can only do it once I highly recommend trying it. Now some of you may say that this review is a bit more positive than usual for me and that is true…but honestly, dear cruise addicts, this part of the cruise experience was just that good.
A full review of my 7 day New Year’s Holiday Zuiderdam cruise, with lots of photos, will be published on my return home and you won’t believe the other exciting adventures we experienced with HAL. Happy New Year All!
Hugs,
The Savvy Old Lady©
www.thesavvyoldlady.com
Jan 3rd, 2008 | 03:56 AM
#2
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 757
Likes: 0
Thanks, 'Old Lady', You sure didn't sound like an Old Lady in the review.
What a great time you described. We travel Holland America alot and the age groups are changing on their ships. It's kind of a well-kept secret but that's changing.
What a great time you described. We travel Holland America alot and the age groups are changing on their ships. It's kind of a well-kept secret but that's changing.
