The main Zaandam cabins to avoid are ocean-view rooms on Deck 3 (Lower Promenade), where the window looks onto a public walkway; the obstructed-view H and HH categories; cabins directly below the Lido Deck on Navigation Deck 7; and anything right next to elevators or crew doors. The best choices are usually midship Vista Suites on Verandah Deck 6, or ocean-view rooms on Deck 2 (Main) if you don’t need a balcony. On Zaandam there is no ordinary balcony category, so a verandah means booking a suite.
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Zaandam is one of Holland America Line’s two R-class ships. She entered service in 2000, carries about 1,432 guests and has 716 staterooms. She is small by modern standards, and her schedule is very different from her sister Volendam’s. That is why cabin choice on Zaandam often comes down to two questions: how many weeks you’ll spend in the room, and how rough the water will be.
Where Zaandam Is Sailing in 2026-27 (and Why It Matters for Your Cabin)
Zaandam is still sailing for Holland America. The line has not announced a sale or transfer, and her last drydock was a two-week stay in Freeport, Bahamas, in early 2025. That refit updated public areas such as the library, the Greenhouse Spa thermal suite, the Neptune Lounge and a new art studio. The cabins themselves were not redesigned. The last big stateroom update came in 2018, when the line added USB outlets at the bed, LED reading lights and new TVs.
Her current schedule leans heavily toward long voyages:
- Autumn 2026: She ended her Alaska season with an 18-night Great Bear Rainforest and Alaska Explorer cruise from Vancouver. She then repositioned to San Diego for a 35-night Hawaii, Tahiti and Marquesas voyage and a Sea of Cortez cruise.
- Early 2027: A 70-night roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale circles South America. It includes scenic cruising along the Antarctic Peninsula, Cape Horn, a call at Belém and three days in Buenos Aires. Shorter segments can also be booked.
- Summer 2027: She returns to Vancouver for 7-night Inside Passage cruises and 18-night Great Bear Rainforest and Alaska Explorer voyages.
Put simply, many Zaandam guests are aboard for three weeks or longer, often crossing the Drake Passage or the open Pacific. A small annoyance that you’d shrug off on a week in Alaska, like a trolley rumbling overhead at 5am or a window people can see into, gets wearing after 40 or 70 nights. On long voyages it is usually worth paying a little more for a quiet, midship cabin on a low deck.
Zaandam Cabin Types at a Glance
These are Holland America’s cabin categories for Zaandam. Sizes are approximate and vary from room to room.
| Cabin type | Categories | Approx. size | Decks | Quick verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interior | I, J, K, L, M, MM, N | 160-180 sq ft | 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 | Good value on short Alaska trips. On long voyages, choose decks 1-2 midship. |
| Ocean-View | C, D, DA, DD, E, EE, F, FF | about 200-255 sq ft | 1, 2, 3, 6 | Often the best value on board. Deck 2 is the pick. |
| Porthole Ocean-View | G | similar to ocean-view | 1, 2 | Portholes instead of a picture window, low on the ship. |
| Obstructed Ocean-View | H (partial), HH (full) | similar to ocean-view | 3 | Cheap. Treat it as an interior with daylight. |
| Vista Suite (balcony) | A, AA, B, BB, BC | about 230 sq ft + 60 sq ft verandah | 6, 7 | Zaandam’s version of a standard balcony room. Deck 6 is quieter. |
| Neptune Suite | SA, SB | about 390 sq ft + 190 sq ft verandah | 7 | Includes Neptune Lounge access. Check what sits above you. |
| Pinnacle Suite | PS | about 1,290 sq ft total (HAL figure) | 7 | The only one on board. Very roomy for a long Grand Voyage. |
There are about 197 suites, 383 ocean-view rooms and 136 interiors. Unlike Volendam, Zaandam has no lanai cabins opening onto the promenade.
Zaandam Cabins to Avoid
1. Lower Promenade (Deck 3) ocean-view rooms, if privacy matters
Zaandam’s outdoor walkway wraps around Deck 3. The ocean-view rooms on this deck look out onto that walkway rather than straight at the sea, so walkers, joggers and deck chairs pass just outside your glass. The windows are coated, but at night with your lights on, people outside can see in, so you’ll keep the curtains closed after dark. Guests also mention that the heavy promenade doors can bang in strong wind, and the Deck 3 rooms are often a little smaller than the Deck 2 ones. Some people like having the deck just outside their door. If you want to watch icebergs or glaciers from bed, though, book Deck 2 or a Vista Suite.
2. Obstructed-view categories H and HH
These rooms are also on Deck 3. Category H has a partial view, and HH has a fully obstructed view, mostly blocked by lifeboats and equipment. They are fine for guests on a budget who just want some daylight. Antarctic and Chilean fjord scenery is the reason most people book these voyages, though, and an HH cabin won’t show you any of it.
3. Cabins under the Lido Deck on Navigation Deck 7
Deck 8 holds the Lido Market buffet and its galley, the Lido pool with its sliding glass roof, the Sea View pool, the Dive-In and the spa. Directly below it, Deck 7 has most of the Neptune Suites, the Pinnacle Suite and many Vista Suites. Guests have reported scraping chairs, rolling trolleys and early-morning prep noise in some Deck 7 suites under the buffet and galley. Before you pay suite prices, check HAL’s deck plan for what is directly above your cabin. A suite with crew-free, quiet space overhead is usually the better choice.
4. Rooms under or beside public venues
Most of the entertainment is on Decks 4 and 5: the World Stage forward, the casino and bars midship, and the Dining Room aft. These sit between the passenger decks, so ceiling noise from them mostly reaches the top of Deck 3. Some Deck 3 cabins aft, below the galley areas, have a long reputation for late-night cleaning and cart noise. The Crow’s Nest is high up and forward on Deck 9, above the bridge, so it seldom affects cabins.
5. Next to elevators, stair landings and crew doors
On every cabin deck, rooms right next to elevator banks, laundry rooms and service doors pick up hallway chatter and door noise. On deck plans, look for cabins one or two doors away from these points instead.
6. Far forward and far aft, high up, for anyone prone to seasickness
Zaandam is a 61,000-ton ship, and she will move in the Drake Passage, around Cape Horn and in the Gulf of Alaska. Forward cabins feel the most pitching, and cabins high up and aft can feel more movement and some vibration. If motion bothers you, low and midship is the rule. The irregular, oddly shaped cabins in the bow of Decks 1 and 2 are best avoided for the same reason.
Best Cabins on Zaandam
- Midship Vista Suites on Verandah Deck 6. This is the best all-round choice. Deck 7 suites are above you rather than a pool or buffet, and you get a private verandah for glacier days. Ask for one near the middle of the ship for the steadiest ride.
- Ocean-view rooms on Main Deck 2, midship. They have a proper picture window, nobody walking past it, and less motion than higher decks. On a 70-night South America voyage this is the value pick, and you can watch scenery from the promenade one deck up.
- Aft-facing Vista Suites. They have views over the wake and can be more sheltered from wind than side-facing balconies. Check the plan for possible noise from the decks above, and expect more motion at the stern.
- Neptune Suites with quiet space overhead. Neptune Lounge access is worth a lot on a long Grand Voyage. Pick a suite away from the buffet and galley above.
- Low, midship interiors on Decks 1-2. If budget comes first, these are the steadiest and quietest interiors on board.
If you’re torn between a Vista Suite and a cheaper window room, our guide to whether a balcony is worth it sets out the trade-offs.
Accessible Cabins and Connecting Rooms
Zaandam has about 22 wheelchair-accessible staterooms. They are spread across the Neptune Suite, Vista Suite, ocean-view, obstructed-view and interior categories, so you don’t have to book a suite to get an accessible room. Some accessible rooms are classed as “modified” rather than fully accessible, with changes such as a shower without a full roll-in layout. Ask HAL’s accessibility team for the exact features of a specific cabin before you book. There are also about 108 connecting staterooms, which helps families and groups. Just remember that on Deck 6 the balcony dividers usually don’t open unless the rooms connect.
Zaandam vs Volendam: What’s Different for Cabin Choice
The two R-class sisters have the same hull and a very similar layout, but they aren’t exactly alike. Volendam still has lanai cabins that open onto the promenade, and Zaandam does not. Their schedules differ too: in the 2026-27 season, Zaandam does a long Pacific voyage and a 70-night circuit of South America, while Volendam focuses on the Amazon. If you’re comparing the two, our Volendam cabins to avoid guide covers her specific layout. To see how both compare with the rest of the fleet, see our ranking of every Holland America ship from best to worst.
Prefer something newer and bigger with standard verandah cabins? The Vista-class Noordam cabins guide is a useful comparison. HAL’s fleet is also changing, as covered in our story on Holland America growing to 12 ships with Arcadia, so smaller ships like Zaandam remain valuable for long voyages to unusual ports.
Quick Booking Tips for Zaandam
- Check the decks above and below on the official Holland America Zaandam page before you pay a deposit. This matters most on Deck 7.
- Take a power splitter (non-surge) if you use a CPAP or charge several devices. Older cabins have few outlets.
- For Antarctica, consider which side of the ship you’ll be on, but don’t overpay for it. Captains often turn the ship so both sides get a look at key scenery, and the open decks are always available.
- Guarantee fares can be cheaper, but on Zaandam they may put you on Deck 3 or under a busy area. Choose your own cabin for long voyages.
FAQs
Does Holland America Zaandam have balcony cabins?
Only in its suites. Zaandam has no standard balcony category. Every verandah cabin is a Vista Suite, Neptune Suite or the Pinnacle Suite, and the Vista Suites are the closest thing to an ordinary balcony room.
What is the best deck on Zaandam?
For most guests, Verandah Deck 6 midship is best if you want a balcony, and Main Deck 2 midship is best for an ocean-view room. Both keep you away from the Lido noise above Deck 7 and the promenade walkway on Deck 3.
Are Lower Promenade cabins on Zaandam worth booking?
They can be, for walkers who like quick deck access, but the windows face the public promenade, so you’ll keep curtains closed at night. If privacy and views matter, choose Deck 2 instead.
Which Zaandam cabins are best for seasickness?
Low, midship cabins on Decks 1 and 2 move the least. Avoid far-forward cabins and high aft cabins, especially on Drake Passage, Cape Horn or Gulf of Alaska sailings.
Is Zaandam being retired or sold?
No sale or retirement has been announced. As of late 2026 she is sailing Alaska, Pacific and South America voyages for Holland America, with 2027 Alaska cruises already scheduled from Vancouver.
