Page 37 - ATA

While my grandmother found little to do or buy, I have my pick of 14 excursions offered by the ship
and opt to visit an aloe vera plantation and the 120-year-old Curacao Liqueur Distillery before
exploring the capital independently. It as a Sunday and many of the shops have opened specially for
Zuiderdam’s 1900 passengers. It is a far cry from 1936 when, if the ship put into a port on an early-

closing day, souvenir shopping was simply off the agenda. I even have a comprehensive guide to the
stores, courtesy of the ship’s port shopping ambassador, whose running commentary on the best
shoreside deals is available 24/7 on my in-cabin TV.

Holland America Line brings the port experience on board at every opportunity; we sail away from
Curacao sipping local cocktails, serenaded by a steel-pan player. Port-inspired entertainment and

activities are laid on throughout the cruise, such as tropical poolside parties, steel-pan drumming
lessons, Caribbean cookery classes, destination talks and films, visits to local markets.

In modern cruising terms, the medium-sized Zuiderdam offers a classic experience with impeccable
service, elegant dining and top-class entertainment, without the bells and whistles of some of the
behemoths plying the seas today but still a world away from cruising in the 30s.

My grandmother’s days were spent strolling the promenade deck, chatting with shipboard
neighbours in their designated deckchairs, taking tea, playing games and writing letters home. There
were occasional films, gala dinners with paper hats, and some exhibition dancing, but by today’s
standards it sounds pretty dull.

“At 9.30 this evening there was a cinema show,” she wrote. “A skiing sketch and [a screening of] Blue
Danube Nights with Jessie Matthews. A very poor film indeed. However it passed the time. There is