Whenever I go on a cruise, I strive to try something new.  I am always looking for something new to eat,  new entertainment, and a new activity.  We rarely miss an evening show and one aspect of cruising we enjoy is all the different types of live entertainment.  Consequently, seeing new shows will normally take care of itself. 

When we visit a port, one of our favorite activities is a cooking class or food tour.  These help us achieve our goal of trying something new in the food department. 

Longer cruises will offer more activities than shorter cruises, and there are many activities that I have seen on the daily programs that I have never experienced.  It’s easy to get into a routine so I try to make it a habit to read the daily program each evening and look for some new activity that looks interesting the next day. 

There is one activity that has been gaining in popularity over the years everywhere and especially on Holland America Cruise Ships:  Pickleball. 

Before the cruise started, I picked up an inexpensive pickleball paddle.  The ship has a supply of paddles, but getting my own didn’t cost much, and I figured that the quality of one I brought might be better or at least I would get used to using the same paddle if that were to make a difference.  I also bought some balls for the same reason. 

Holland America has a new position (at least in my experience) on the Activity team – Sports Director.  Spencer is the Sports Director on Zuiderdam, and he teaches and leads all sports-related activities, which include:  Tai Chi, Pickleball, Putting Tournaments, Aerobic classes, etc. 

There are three levels of Pickleball organized on the Zuiderdam:  Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.  The Daily Program announces times for gameplay as well as instruction by Spencer. 

I skipped the 10 am Texas Hold’em game and headed to the Pickleball Court on the Sports Deck for the Beginner Pickleball Class.  There were about 10 of us, equally divided between men and women.  Spencer handed us a couple of sheets of paper with the rules and the basics and then explained the lines on the court and the general gameplay.  He showed us how to hold the paddle and how to serve. 

Groups of four took turns hitting the ball back and forth, and we switched off every 5-10 minutes with the other students who were watching.  The court is quite windy, so I don’t know how much fun playing an actual game might be, but the conditions were OK for our purposes today.  After everyone had a chance to get some practice – a few of us hung around and played a game.  It was fun, and I plan to return and work on improving as the cruise progresses. 

Vocalist Rebecca Kelly was the featured entertainer on the Mainstage this evening.  She has a powerful voice and puts on a great show.