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Tkt2cruz
Guest
Which ship would you choose.....
Zuiderdam Penthouse Suite or Explorer of the Seas Royal Suite?
Zuiderdam Penthouse Suite or Explorer of the Seas Royal Suite?
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sail7seas
Guest
Zuiderdam....
But then again I'd choose any "dam" ship (except Noordam) over any RCI.....just my personal preference.
But then again I'd choose any "dam" ship (except Noordam) over any RCI.....just my personal preference.
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thulewx
Guest
I did 2 weeks in the Zuiderdam PH and it's a beautiful ship, beautiful cabin. The steward, Herudiante, is very low key and does his job superbly well. That said, the PH suite has some minor problems. The lighting system is separated by rooms but has only 2 settings, on bright, or off. And the tv/stereo system is a little difficult to master, with no available instructions. The TV system in the bedroom is set up incorrectly and does not work well at all.
On the plus side, the master bath is to die for. HUGE jacuzzi tub, big enough for 3!! (No, I don't know that from experience) It also takes a little playing-with to get the hang of the underwater lighting and the various spigots. All the plumbing is gold-plated and gorgeous.
LOADS of space, but no place to put luggage - the bed frame goes all the way to the floor. The electric drapery is fascinating.
The deck is sooo spacious. 2 chaise lounges, 2 deck chairs, 2 regular chairs at the dining table (still talking about the deck, now) which can seat 5. Jacuzzi has windows that look into the dining area, same style as bathroom but much smaller and shallower - room for only 1 1/2 people. Not too much privacy - can be seen from various other decks, especially the jacuzzi area.
Dining room seats 4 normally but has a leaf so can seat 6. Butler's pantry (no butler - just his pantry) has big refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, sink, tableware.
Neptune Lounge (concierge) was great and the people working there bent over backwards to be of help. Free laundry (no dry cleaning available) was nice, but they were slow returning things a couple times, and I had to track it down.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing for me. Since I was travelling single, I had to pay 200% of the P/P fare, so I won't be doing that again for a long time - if ever.
Hope this helps...
On the plus side, the master bath is to die for. HUGE jacuzzi tub, big enough for 3!! (No, I don't know that from experience) It also takes a little playing-with to get the hang of the underwater lighting and the various spigots. All the plumbing is gold-plated and gorgeous.
LOADS of space, but no place to put luggage - the bed frame goes all the way to the floor. The electric drapery is fascinating.
The deck is sooo spacious. 2 chaise lounges, 2 deck chairs, 2 regular chairs at the dining table (still talking about the deck, now) which can seat 5. Jacuzzi has windows that look into the dining area, same style as bathroom but much smaller and shallower - room for only 1 1/2 people. Not too much privacy - can be seen from various other decks, especially the jacuzzi area.
Dining room seats 4 normally but has a leaf so can seat 6. Butler's pantry (no butler - just his pantry) has big refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, sink, tableware.
Neptune Lounge (concierge) was great and the people working there bent over backwards to be of help. Free laundry (no dry cleaning available) was nice, but they were slow returning things a couple times, and I had to track it down.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing for me. Since I was travelling single, I had to pay 200% of the P/P fare, so I won't be doing that again for a long time - if ever.
Hope this helps...
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sail7seas
Guest
Thule....what do you mean no dry cleaning? We send out a number of things to be drycleaned during our two weeks aboard and everything came back great. Also, our steward had every laundry/dry cleaning order returned to us within 24 hours.
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thulewx
Guest
We were told there was no dry cleaning - maybe it was a temporary machinery malfunction or something. they didn't actually say never.
I had 3 separate occasions where my stuff sent out very early didn't come back until after 5pm the next day, even though their brochure promised same day delivery if put in before 9 a.m.
It didn't really do me any great upset, though.
I had 3 separate occasions where my stuff sent out very early didn't come back until after 5pm the next day, even though their brochure promised same day delivery if put in before 9 a.m.
It didn't really do me any great upset, though.
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wendyandbarry
Guest
Thulewx
You mean they have taken out the large walk in closet that is on the other HAL PS's, that is to bad, we enjoyed all that extra space. I knew that they made the dining room table smaller.
Did you have the round shower with jets everywhere in the main bath? Also I was wondering if they added a small shower in the 2nd bath, it would be nice if there was more then 2 of you staying in the cabin.
I am still not sure if I want to sail on this ship even next year, when there is so many HAL ships out there to pick from.
Tkt2cruz, I would pick HAL over most lines just because of the amount of people on board and there service.
Barry
You mean they have taken out the large walk in closet that is on the other HAL PS's, that is to bad, we enjoyed all that extra space. I knew that they made the dining room table smaller.
Did you have the round shower with jets everywhere in the main bath? Also I was wondering if they added a small shower in the 2nd bath, it would be nice if there was more then 2 of you staying in the cabin.
I am still not sure if I want to sail on this ship even next year, when there is so many HAL ships out there to pick from.
Tkt2cruz, I would pick HAL over most lines just because of the amount of people on board and there service.
Barry
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ShipMaven
Guest
Barry,
The Penthouse on Zuiderdam has a considerably different layout than the ones on the other ships. I haven't taken a tape measure (
), but I would guesstimate that the interior space might be a bit smaller. The square footage mentioned - 1300 sq. ft. + - is undoubtedly inclusive of the very large balcony. But unless they've already done modifications since I was on her in December and moved the outdoor hot tub, the Jacuzzi on the balcony has no privacy - it's visible from other balconies.
The Penthouse on Zuiderdam has a considerably different layout than the ones on the other ships. I haven't taken a tape measure (
), but I would guesstimate that the interior space might be a bit smaller. The square footage mentioned - 1300 sq. ft. + - is undoubtedly inclusive of the very large balcony. But unless they've already done modifications since I was on her in December and moved the outdoor hot tub, the Jacuzzi on the balcony has no privacy - it's visible from other balconies.
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ShipMaven
Guest
Thulewx - single supplement should "only" be 190%, not 200%.
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thulewx
Guest
The closet was very large, walk-in, with full length mirror. Lighting wasn't too hot, though, in the closet. Drawers and safe are in one closet with room for shirts, 2 full-length 6' wide main closets, but not good for storing luggage.
The one shower with the plexiglas door, with seat. It was round with jets EVERYWHERE - even where you don't want them! ;-) It was scary! Had some sort of pull-out foot sprayer/massager that was really frightening. No shower in the guest W/C.
The one shower with the plexiglas door, with seat. It was round with jets EVERYWHERE - even where you don't want them! ;-) It was scary! Had some sort of pull-out foot sprayer/massager that was really frightening. No shower in the guest W/C.
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ShipMaven
Guest
The shower is "standard issue" in the other penthouses, too. I've never tried all the gadgets in them. :dizzy
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sail7seas
Guest
The jacuzzi on the PS veranda is still visible to "peepers". BAD design flaw IMO
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ShipMaven
Guest
I can't believe they did that, Sail! If they had placed it on the balcony outside the bedroom, there would have been no problem.
If they had placed it on the balcony outside the bedroom, there would have been no problem.
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sail7seas
Guest
Yes, of course....wonder where their "heads were at" :?
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peaches
Guest
My husband likened he hsower to going through a car wash- he just kept waiting for the brushes to come out and scrub him. LOL.
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ashuma
Guest
We loved the Penthouse on the Amsterdam. The lights all dimmed -- everywhere -- so we could get just the lighting we wanted any time and anywhere in the cabin. Can't understand why they didn't do that on the Zuiderdam.
And they better do dry cleaning. I never heard of them not having dry cleaning included in the suites and available for a price for others.
And they better do dry cleaning. I never heard of them not having dry cleaning included in the suites and available for a price for others.
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sail7seas
Guest
Zuiderdam certainly does laundry and drycleaning. During our two weeks aboard Zuiderdam, we sent out the same amount as we always do on any of the "dam" ships. Perhaps on a given week, the dry cleaning machine was malfunctioning?? Don't know why Thulewx was unable to have cleaning done....but we most certainly had all of ours done.
