ms Zuiderdam

The 2002-built MS Zuiderdam cruise ship is the first Vista-class Holland America liner, with sisterships ms Oosterdam, ms Noordam and ms Westerdam.

The vessel (IMO number 9221279) is Netherlands-flagged (MMSI 245304000) and registered in Rotterdam.

History – construction and ownership

Holland America Line (HAL) is a Seattle-based cruise company owned by Carnival Corporation. Between 1873-1989, HAL operated as a Dutch cargo and passenger shipping company offering regular Transatlantic crossings between Holland and the Americas. The company was founded in 1873 as the “Dutch-American Steamship Company,” headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

In 1989, HAL was acquired by Carnival Corporation for approximately EUR 530 million. Among HAL’s assets are the Westmark hotel chain (Alaska–Yukon), Worldwide Shore Services (warehousing and logistics), and Half Moon Cay (a private Caribbean island).

The 2000-passenger Zuiderdam was designed to be more vibrant and contemporary than her predecessors in order to appeal to younger travelers. The ship features a bold color scheme—from vivid red elevators and corridors to magenta, orange and yellow seating in bars and lounges. Interestingly, later Vista-class vessels returned to a more traditional palette. Many of Zuiderdam’s lighter design elements remained intact during HAL’s multi-million-dollar “Signature of Excellence” refurbishment program. Whether the décor feels “flashy” or “modern” depends on personal taste, but as cruise-ship design trends evolved, styles that seemed bold in 2002 became more commonplace in subsequent years.

Decks and Cabins

MS Zuiderdam staterooms (985 total across 30 categories) include 162 Suites, 499 Balconies, 163 Oceanviews and 163 Inside cabins. Most staterooms range between 170-205 ft² (16-19 m²). Nearly 70% of all accommodations feature private step-out balconies. A total of 27 cabins are wheelchair-accessible. The largest accommodations are the Pinnacle Suites (830 ft² / 77 m²), each with a 320 ft² / 30 m² terrace.

The ship has 11 passenger decks, of which 7 are dedicated to cabins.

Implemented fleetwide in 2019, the “Club Orange” program provides exclusive amenities to Suite passengers booked in Neptune and Pinnacle categories. Benefits include:

• priority services (check-in, disembarkation, tendering, dining reservations)
• 24-hour concierge service (assistance, information, reservations)
• access to an exclusive dining venue (complimentary Pinnacle Grill breakfast, Dining Room dinner, and exclusive dishes)
• dedicated Concierge Desk (Guest Services and Tours)
• enhanced room service (à la carte breakfast menu featuring complimentary gourmet dishes such as smoked salmon and steak and eggs)
• sparkling wine on embarkation day, Club Orange tote bag, premium bathrobes (available for monogramming and purchase)
• the Club Orange Restaurant is a designated VIP section within the Main Dining Room.

Shipboard dining options – Food and Drinks

Zuiderdam’s Main Dining Room features large windows on both its upper and lower levels. The two-level space is separated by a ceiling, which helps improve acoustics by preventing sound from carrying between floors. The venue is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night snacks. The Lido Buffet—decorated in bright, energetic colors—offers seating in the main pool area under the magrodome (retractable glass roof) as well as on the adjacent aft deck. Food is arranged in themed stations, serving made-to-order sandwiches, salads, pizza, sushi, stir-fries and classic hot dishes. This layout reduces waiting times by allowing guests to move directly to the stations they prefer.

Follows the complete list of ms Zuiderdam’s restaurants and food bars:

• Pinnacle Grill (130-seat, reservations-only steak and seafood venue with premium wine selection; complimentary for children under 12. Once per cruise transforms into “An Evening at Le Cirque” through a partnership with NYC’s Le Cirque restaurant)
• Vista Restaurant (1058-seat aft Dining Room; open seating for Breakfast and Lunch; for Dinner offers either two fixed-seating options or flexible “Any Time” dining between 5:15–9:00 pm)
• Terrace Grill (fast-food poolside venue; complimentary)
• Lido Restaurant (446-seat buffet; self-service Breakfast 6:00–11:00 am, Lunch 11:30–2:00 pm, Afternoon Tea, Dinner 5:30–8:00 pm)
• Canaletto Restaurant (Lido annex; Italian dinner venue, reservations required)

Shipboard entertainment options – Fun and Sport

The Culinary Arts Center is equipped with permanent demonstration kitchens for cooking shows and guest instruction. Operated in partnership with Food & Wine magazine, the program includes wine tastings (USD 15), cocktail tastings, mixology classes, and instruction in cooking, cake decorating, garnishing and flower arranging.

The Queen’s Lounge hosts live musical performances, including the B.B. King’s Blues Club experience five nights per week.

The Digital Workshop, powered by Microsoft, is a dedicated computing-education venue with rows of computers and a large demonstration monitor for instructor-led classes.

Additional amenities include complimentary 24-hour room service, supervised youth programs (Club HAL), Internet/WiFi access, laundry and self-serve launderettes, and cruise ship weddings.

Follows the list of ms Zuiderdam’s lounges, clubs and entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults:

• Atrium (three-deck-high midship open-floor space with live performances)
• Vista Lounge (867-seat theatre/show lounge; also hosts HAL’s enrichment program in partnership with BBC Earth)
• Piano Bar; Sports Bar; Pinnacle Bar (28-seat wine bar); Ocean Bar (Atrium venue with dance floor and live music)
• Northern Lights Disco & Nightclub
• Queen’s Lounge & Culinary Arts Center (live band performances, cooking shows, culinary classes; operated with Food & Wine Magazine)
• Explorer’s Lounge & Bar (classical music performances)
• Meeting Rooms (Hudson, Half Moon, Stuyvesant)
• Photo Gallery & Shop; Art Gallery
• Casino (with Casino Bar and adjacent Sports Bar)
• Screening Room (38-seat cinema); Erasmus Room (24-seat library)
• Atrium Shops (duty-free boutiques for tobacco, liquor, perfume, watches, clothing, HAL logo merchandise, souvenirs); Marabella Luxury Shop
• Explorations Café (specialty coffee bar and patisserie; also serves as the ship’s Library and Internet/Online Centre)
• Neptune Lounge (exclusive Suite guest venue for Deluxe and Pinnacle Suites)
• Fitness Center (gym with dedicated Aerobics Room)
• Greenhouse Spa & Salon (with Hydro Pool); Lido Pool with Lido Bar and Terrace Grill; Sea View Pool with Sea View Bar; The Retreat (adults-only); 5 jacuzzis
• Crow’s Nest (observation lounge with bar and dance floor; doubles as a nightclub at night)
• Sport Court (basketball, volleyball, soccer); Promenade Deck Walking Track
• Club HAL (kids lounge offering complimentary youth programs)
• The Loft (teen club with video arcade, computers, PlayStations and teen disco)

Since 2023, all HAL ships feature pickleball courts (installed on the top deck) operated through an exclusive partnership with the Professional Pickleball Association. HAL offers complimentary beginner lessons led by onboard instructors, sells branded pickleball starter kits in retail shops and includes instructional “Play Pickleball” videos in cabin TV programming.

Itineraries

MS Zuiderdam’s itinerary program is based on Alaska cruises from Seattle, WA during the summer season. In winter, the ship operates “10-Day Panama Canal Sunfarer” voyages from Fort Lauderdale, featuring full Panama Canal transits on repositioning.

Zuiderdam is the first of Holland America Line’s four “compass ships” (VISTA-class vessels), with sisterships Noordam, Oosterdam and Westerdam.

“Zuider” means “South” in Dutch. The class name “Vista” refers to the extensive use of glass throughout the ships’ superstructures.

The vessel (Fincantieri Marghera yard / hull number 6075) has a volume of 82,820 GT, deadweight tonnage 10,965 tons, and a maximum draught of 8 m. Her powerplant consists of five Wärtsilä-Sulzer marine diesel engines (three 16ZAV40S and two 12ZAV40S) with a combined output of 75.14 MW (100,764 hp). The diesel-electric propulsion system drives two ABB Azipod thrusters with a combined output of 35.24 MW (47,260 hp). The registered shipowner is HAL ANTILLEN NV, and the registered manager is Holland America Line NV.

Zuiderdam’s Inaugural Cruise/Maiden Voyage was on December 14, 2002.

The ship’s Godmother is Joan Lunden (born 1950 – US journalist, author and television host).

The ship features a Venetian theme throughout, including numerous sculptures, statues and paintings of famous Dutch ships. In the Atrium, she displays an impressively large crystal Seahorse sculpture. Other notable artworks include a portrait of Queen Beatrix by Andy Warhol, medallions by F.L. Wright, a floral painting by Charles Ben, and a substantial collection of centuries-old antiques and paintings. Zuiderdam offers 85% oceanview cabins and 67% balconies. She was the first cruise ship to feature data sockets (USB ports) in every cabin for Internet access.

Zuiderdam is Holland America’s third vessel to carry this name. The first “Zuider” ship was in service between 1912-1922 (a 5,200-ton Transatlantic cargo vessel operating between Rotterdam and Savannah GA, USA). The second Zuiderdam (passenger ship) was scheduled for launch in 1941, but she was severely damaged by British air attacks while docked in Rotterdam. In 1942, German authorities raised and re-floated the hull to use her as a blockship in 1944. After WWII, the hull was raised again but never completed.

Holland America Zuiderdam Refurbishments Review

During a major drydock refit/reconstruction in 2007, Zuiderdam was stretched by adding a 130 ft / 40 m midsection.

Drydock 2025

Zuiderdam’s most recent drydock refurbishment took place from November 22 to December 6, 2025, at Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport.

The 2-week project included the following upgrades:

The Crow’s Nest Lounge received a new small bandstand for live performances and special events, along with upgraded lighting and audio systems.

Stateroom renovations included 11 new oceanview cabins (added on Decks 1 and 7) and general updates such as new carpeting in all balcony cabins on Decks 5 through 10 and in all Neptune, Signature and Pinnacle Suites. All Deck 8 Verandah cabin bathrooms were fully refurbished (floors, walls, vanities, mirrors, bathtubs).

More than 300 staterooms received new bathroom flooring and wallpaper.

New carpeting was installed in the Atrium, Main Dining Room, Lido Market/Buffet Restaurant, Canaletto (Lido annex), Greenhouse Spa & Salon, hallways/corridors on all passenger decks, stairwells and elevator lobbies. Upholstery for dining chairs and banquettes in Canaletto and Lido Market was also refreshed.

The Photo Gallery and Retail shops received redesigned sales counters.

The sundeck and hydro pool area were upgraded with new outdoor furniture.

Drydock 2019

From December 1-9, 2019, the ship underwent a USD 16 million drydock in Freeport.

The project included extensive stateroom upgrades: new carpeting and furniture, updated wall coverings, quartz desktops, installation of USB outlets, updated vanity fixtures, and the addition of Nespresso coffee makers and LCD TVs.

Routine maintenance covered machinery checks, safety inspections and hull servicing (cleaning and repainting).

Drydock 2015

During the April 2015 drydock, new staterooms were added on Observation Deck 10.

The project also introduced The Retreat (adults-only sundeck) on Sports Deck 11, replacing the former Canvas Cover areas.

Grand Voyage 2025 (Australia – Africa – Europe)

In April 2023, HAL announced Zuiderdam’s “Grand World Voyage 2025,” departing roundtrip from Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale on January 4, 2025.

Uniquely, the voyage runs simultaneously with MS Volendam’s “Pole-to-Pole World Voyage 2025” (133 days / HAL’s first ever). Both are roundtrip departures from Florida (Port Everglades) in January 2025.

Zuiderdam’s original 124-day “Grand World Voyage 2025” included 46 ports (32 countries across 6 continents). The east-to-west route featured a Panama Canal transit, a Transpacific crossing via Easter Island to Australia, followed by sailing north along the Great Barrier Reef to Asia (Indonesia, Sri Lanka). The itinerary continued south to South Africa, then north to Seychelles and along Africa’s east coast, followed by a Suez Canal transit into Europe/Mediterranean before returning across the Atlantic to the USA.

However, due to the Red Sea crisis in 2024, the voyage was modified to avoid the Suez Canal. As a result, scheduled calls in South Africa (Richards Bay), Mayotte (Mamoudzou), Tanzania (Zanzibar), Kenya (Mombasa), Egypt (Safaga, Alexandria), Jordan (Aqaba), France (Ajaccio, Corsica), Spain (Cartagena, Cadiz) and Portugal (Funchal, Madeira) were cancelled.

Bookings opened through HAL’s World Cruise Reservations Desk or via travel agents starting April 20, 2023. Guests with deposited Future Cruise Requests received priority confirmation before the voyages officially opened to the public on May 24, 2023.

In April 2024, HAL released a revised itinerary affecting the final 43 days of the voyage (March 29 to May 9 / Cape Town to Fort Lauderdale). The updated routing encompassed 49 ports across 34 countries and territories.

Cruise-only fares started at US$25,000 per person with double occupancy (excluding taxes/fees/port charges).

Shorter itinerary segments included: 42-day (Sydney to Cape Town), 49-day (Singapore to Athens), 45-day (Cape Town to Fort Lauderdale) and 20-day Transatlantic crossing (Athens to Fort Lauderdale).

Grand Voyage 2024 (South America-Asia-Europe)

In April 2023, HAL announced Zuiderdam's Grand Voyage 2024.

Departing on January 3, 2024, the 128-night/130-day itinerary (roundtrip from Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale, Florida USA) visited a total of 40 call ports (including 10 overnight port stays) and featured a full Panama Canal transit and navigation on the Amazon River.

Zuiderdam's Grand Voyage 2024 was also offered for booking in smaller itinerary segments:

• (Jan 3) 36 days from Fort Lauderdale to Honolulu Hawaii ($6600 pp)
• (Jan 3) 56 days from Fort Lauderdale to Tokyo Japan (($10700 pp)
• (Jan 3) 80 days from Fort Lauderdale to Singapore ($15400 pp)
• (Feb 8) 44 days from Honolulu to Singapore ($8700 pp)
• (Feb 28) 24 days from Tokyo to Singapore ($4900 pp)
• (Feb 28) 37 days from Tokyo to Dubai UAE (($7500 pp)
• (Mar 23) 49 days from Singapore to Fort Lauderdale ($9900 pp)
• (Apr 5) 36 days from Dubai to Fort Lauderdale ($7000)

Prices for the full World Voyage started at USD 23600 per person with double occupancy (~US$182 pp per day).