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.