Crusan with Susan
Friday, September 26, 2025
Sunday, December 22, 2019
2019 Dec Zuiderdam Cruise: ABC islands
2019-Dec. 10-20 : Zuiderdam 10 nt. sunfarer (Bonaire; Curacao; Aruba; Amber Cove; Half Moon Cay)
So I booked us an inside handicapped accessible room for $750/person with gratuities included. At that point, we weren't sure if he'd still be in his wheel chair full time or in a boot when the cruise date came. Turns out, both. So when prices for a verandah cabin dropped to $799/person shortly after final payment, I called to grab one of them. But they said we'd loose our gratuities, unless we wanted to upsell to a signature suite for $999/person---then, somehow, we would be able to keep the paid gratuities. Sounded a bit fishie, but I liked the idea of a suite, so I took it. Only thing that was a bit annoying was they wouldn't increase the OBC for booking a suite with our FCC. They said it stays at the level of your original booking. At least it was only a loss of $50 OBC. And we still had the OBC for owning CCL stock.
Then came the months of waiting to see what cabin we'd be assigned---and hopes for an offer to upsell to a Neptune Suite. Almost a month before our cruise, we got an offer. At $399/person, it really wasn't a bad deal, but I noticed there were a lot of cabins available so I declined it and hoped for better offer. 2 weeks after the upsell offer, we got an offer to buy into their new Club Orange. Still not interested. The benefits of priority boarding, special area in the restaurant for breakfast, tote bag, upgrade within booking category, designated concierge, and whatever didn't seem worth an extra $500. But they did say they'd put me on a waitlist for a Neptune Suite offer (whatever that means!).
The itinerary is one I love for the snorkeling opportunities. Turned out Ken didn't leave the ship in ports, but I did.
My links to each day:
Dec. 8, 2019 drive day---Atlanta - S. Florida
Dec. 9, 2019 Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Dec. 10, 2019 Embarkation Day:
Neptune Suite 7082:
We had never been on the Zuiderdam before, so I'm including a bunch of random pictures from around the Zuiderdam:
Around the Zuiderdam:
Dec. 11 & 12 Sea Days:
Dec. 13, 2019 Bonaire (and a great Friday the 13th)
Dec. 14, 2019 Curacao
Dec. 15, 2019 Aruba:
Dec. 16, 2019 Sea day:
Dec. 17, 2019 Amber Cove, DR:
Dec. 18, 2019 Sea Day:
Dec. 19, 2019 Half Moon Cay:
Dec. 20, 2019 Debarkation:
I dreaded the drive from NW Atlanta (which I did all of since Ken's driving ankle is in a boot), but the overall experience made it well worth it. I had a great time. I think Ken did, too. Since this was the first real vacation he's had since his ankle collapsed 1.5 years ago, I'm sure he needed this trip, too.
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Around the Zuiderdam: 10-Day Southern Caribbean Sunfarer
Dec. 10, 2019-Dec. 20, 2019
Captain: Wouter Van Hougdalem
Cruise and Travel Director: Thomas Weber
Environmental Officer: James Griffiths
Chief Engineer: Wilco Otten
Hotel Director: Ron Bontenbal
Cruise Stats:
Officers and Crew---798
Nationalities of Crew---41
Average Speed: 15.70 Knots
Miles Traveled: 2625.6 Nautical Miles
Fuel Used: 223,753 Gallons
Eggs Consumed: 29,300
Now just some random photos I took around the ship. I found it to be a pretty ship. Nice decor. Nice neutral colors. I would sail on her again.
This one in one of the hallways near an elevator.
the photo shop. No longer do they put tons of pictures up. Now you can look at them in your room, I think. Or here on one of the photo shop computers.
LOVED the patterns on the carpet throughout the ship. This was by one of the elevators.
forget where this was, but liked it, too.
Even the hardwood floors were pretty.
the main dining room
table set in main dining room.
More interesting carpet.
in the Pinnacle Grill
Pinnacle Grill. Being in a Neptune Suite we had most of our breakfasts here.
jelly tower at our Pinnacle Grill breakfast.
Neptune lounge.
Neptune Lounge
Neptune Lounge
Neptune Lounge
Neptune Lounge
Neptune Lounge
Gallery lounge
gallery bar
gallery bar
gallery lounge to gallery bar.
dessert
more desserts
Pinnacle grill ?
hallway by elevator---people actually use those chairs
stairway art
Microsoft Workshop
Hudson room
Stuyvesant Room
Deck 10, observation deck
deck 10 observation deck---great deck for sunsets
elevator area
Pinnacle Grill again
random statue
love the carpet.
atrium
sculpture
more carpet
bar
microsoft workshop (was the screening room until the dry dock right before our cruise)
one of the fresh flower arrangements (we've noticed they've really cut down on the flowers in recent years)
the mainstage---where the movies are shown now at 3:30 in the afternoon. Complete with popcorn.
carpet in the Mainstage.
lights on the side tables in the Main stage.
Main stage
Lido restaurant
atrium
statue by the Main stage
Around Dec. 16 they started putting up the Christmas decoration.
another elevator chair and carpeting.
Christmas garland on the Atrium stairwell
garland by the Pinnacle Grill
more carpeting
Pinnacle Grill
Pinnacle Grill plates for sale
Atrium
Lido resaurant---I think this was the Caneletto area but it was open for anyone at breakfast and lunch.
Hallway art.
more hallway art.
Christmas decorations
Christmas decorations in Lido
Atrium
Huge ginger bread house Christmas decor in Atrium
little Christmas tree decor
another carpet and elevator.
Club Hal
Observation deck
Lido back pool at sunset---smoking area to the left
taco bar and Dive In cafe
flowers in Neptune Lounge.
Zuiderdam at Half Moon Cay with tender.
Dec. 10, 2019-Dec. 20, 2019
Captain: Wouter Van Hougdalem
Cruise and Travel Director: Thomas Weber
Environmental Officer: James Griffiths
Chief Engineer: Wilco Otten
Hotel Director: Ron Bontenbal
Cruise Stats:
Officers and Crew---798
Nationalities of Crew---41
Average Speed: 15.70 Knots
Miles Traveled: 2625.6 Nautical Miles
Fuel Used: 223,753 Gallons
Eggs Consumed: 29,300
Now just some random photos I took around the ship. I found it to be a pretty ship. Nice decor. Nice neutral colors. I would sail on her again.
This one in one of the hallways near an elevator.
the photo shop. No longer do they put tons of pictures up. Now you can look at them in your room, I think. Or here on one of the photo shop computers.
LOVED the patterns on the carpet throughout the ship. This was by one of the elevators.
forget where this was, but liked it, too.
Even the hardwood floors were pretty.
the main dining room
table set in main dining room.
More interesting carpet.
in the Pinnacle Grill
Pinnacle Grill. Being in a Neptune Suite we had most of our breakfasts here.
jelly tower at our Pinnacle Grill breakfast.
Neptune lounge.
Neptune Lounge
Neptune Lounge
Neptune Lounge
Neptune Lounge
Neptune Lounge
Gallery lounge
gallery bar
gallery bar
gallery lounge to gallery bar.
dessert
more desserts
Pinnacle grill ?
hallway by elevator---people actually use those chairs
stairway art
Microsoft Workshop
Hudson room
Stuyvesant Room
Deck 10, observation deck
deck 10 observation deck---great deck for sunsets
elevator area
Pinnacle Grill again
random statue
love the carpet.
atrium
sculpture
more carpet
bar
microsoft workshop (was the screening room until the dry dock right before our cruise)
one of the fresh flower arrangements (we've noticed they've really cut down on the flowers in recent years)
the mainstage---where the movies are shown now at 3:30 in the afternoon. Complete with popcorn.
carpet in the Mainstage.
lights on the side tables in the Main stage.
Main stage
Lido restaurant
atrium
statue by the Main stage
Around Dec. 16 they started putting up the Christmas decoration.
another elevator chair and carpeting.
Christmas garland on the Atrium stairwell
garland by the Pinnacle Grill
more carpeting
Pinnacle Grill
Pinnacle Grill plates for sale
Atrium
Lido resaurant---I think this was the Caneletto area but it was open for anyone at breakfast and lunch.
Hallway art.
more hallway art.
Christmas decorations
Christmas decorations in Lido
Atrium
Huge ginger bread house Christmas decor in Atrium
little Christmas tree decor
another carpet and elevator.
Club Hal
Observation deck
Lido back pool at sunset---smoking area to the left
taco bar and Dive In cafe
flowers in Neptune Lounge.
Zuiderdam at Half Moon Cay with tender.
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