BEEN THERE, DONE THAT -- NOT QUITE!

When people ask John why he doesn't want to go on Mega Cruise ship, he always says, "Been there, Done that," with 3,000+ men on an aircraft carrier. It's the same when he’s asked about our long 124-day World Cruise. That's nothing compared to his 9-month deployment during the Vietnam War. Comparing The USS Oriskany CVA-34 and the Zuiderdam is interesting. They are not too different in many ways. Zuiderdam is a Mid-sized Cruise ship. Today, Mega Cruise ships are much larger than the aircraft carriers of WWII vintage. Amazing! The accommodations on the Zuiderdam are certainly better this time around! Although the chart shows the number of passengers on the Zuiderdam as 1,900+, the actual count for the World Cruise should be about 1,200, with some passengers just for segments and getting on and off along the way. John has compiled a comparison of the two ships, plus he has additional pictures from the Zuiderdam.

The Zuiderdam is the same ship we took to the Panama Canal last Christmas, so we should feel at home. When John was in the Navy, as Officer of the Deck, he “conned,” (directed) the USS Marias AO-57 through the Panama Canal. But when he asked the Captain of the Zuiderdam if he could stand a bridge watch, the Captain was very gracious but said, “No, that could not be allowed by company policy.” John served on six ships in his Navy Career, and the Zuiderdam beats them all for amenities!

We tried to get the same cabin, but it was already taken, so we are two doors down, mid-ship, on the 7th deck. It's a very convenient location.

One of the pictures is of the gym. We'd better visit there frequently to avoid weighing too much at the end of the cruise.