Ryndam Questions (instead!)

[iflyrc5]

I started reading some other threads about Santo Tomas, an no one mentions guns at all.

 

I'm sorry but I can't be blase about the idea of having armed people all around me out on an excursion. I'm not expecting the whole world to be like my town in Vermont. But guns, seriously?

 

Every Mexican port we have been to in the last several years they have armed military guarding the pier and often a small boat in the harbor with armed military - just normal procedure.

[innlady1]

So, we've worked out the budget and timing issues along with where we're really interested in visiting. Turns out the best trip for us is going to be the March 17, 2013 sailing of the Ryndam out of Tampa going to Cozumel, Roatan, Santo Tomas, and Costa Maya.

 

I've been reading some of the reviews of the Ryndam and I'm a bit nervous but have decided to approach it with the same level of expectation I have for a Super 8 motel when I stay at it. I don't expect it to wow me or be stunningly gorgeous but perfectly functional and clean enough for safety. Leaves room for the ship to surprise me without ensuring that I'll be disappointed by expecting too much. :) I prefer being pleasantly surprised.

 

So, questions...

 

Are there coolers in each room like on the Westerdam? We're looking at getting an inside room. We figure we can go out on deck or into a lounge with windows if we need to see the sun and sky and we're not expecting to spend all THAT much time in there anyway. Still, if there are coolers that'd be a help.

 

I read that non alcoholic/non soda beverages are free (water, coffee, tea) do any of you know if that includes juices and milk?

 

I'll be poking around on the boards looking for suggestions for shore excursions. Fortunately we have some local friends who have been to this part of the world on cruises and are a great font of information. We're interested in ruins, so that's something we'd like to do for sure, but I'm also interested in beaches and/or swimming. Is March too cold for swimming? Yeah, I know, I just don't know much about that part of the world. Please be kind. :)

 

I also need to read reviews of the culinary arts programs they have on board. Is there much difference between ships for that sort of thing? Like, if I read a review for a program on the Westerdam, would it not really apply very well to the Ryndam?

 

I guess I'd also like some reassurance that the ship isn't a horror. :) Thanks everyone for your time and thoughtful replies. You've all been wonderful so far. However, we're doing a Caribbean cruise...I've not been to the ports you're doing. :)

 

We'll be on the Ryndam end of Janaury for 14 days...and we're really looking forward to it...I don't expect she'll be a "horror" just have none of our other HAL cruises been a horror...all have been wonderful! However, we're doing very different ports on January 27...not the ports on your cruise. :D

[pam vessels]

Ooh is iced tea included in the "tea" designation? My husband can drink that. He prefers soda and juice. Neither of us drinks coffee, but I think I'll die without my morning hot cocoa. I can bring my own packets for that, if I have to, though. Do they have hot cocoa? Someone else had suggested drink mix powders, too. That's another decent solution. He can mix up some powdered lemonade to change things up. :)

 

You can bring your favorite soda on board. Just put a baggage tag on it and you will find it waiting in your cabin. No hassle. We brought 2 twelve packs on our last cruise.

[Desdemona01]

Of the several HAL ships we've sailed on the Ryndam is, by far, our favorite. After a few consecutive cruises on her we went back to the Westerdam, where we'd previously had good experiences. We did not enjoy the Westerdam nearly as much as we had previously, and nothing close to our experiences on the Ryndam. Yes, we prefer the smaller sized ships and I'm sure that factors in. Our *suite* experiences on the Ryndam were significantly better than on the Westerdam, as was the Pinnacle Grill. We'll be back on the Ryndam for our next cruise. Yes, the itinerary is lacking once you've done them both but we go for the cruise experience and to relax. And we much prefer the Tampa port over Port Everglades. Again, just MHO....

[TylerRose]

I have sailed on the Ryndam 7 cruises. Our most recent was very stressful and left me frustrated, so to speak. :( & I reviewed it as such.

We were plagued with plumbing problems, electrical outages, & a fire.

I came home very sad about her condition and promised to only sail on the newer ships...

Flash forward several months:

Any line, & any ship can have plumbing problems. Reality is, if it isn't yours- then it is not a concern.

Electrical... if elevator is not a must... then it is not a huge problem... unless a/c is... or it lasts more than a few hours...

Fire.... ours was a grease fire caused in the kitchen. I am told that happens... it happens on any ship and any line.

But,

After you are home and the disappointment passes it is easier to put it into perspective.

HAL has its own full time repair crews working round the clock to deal with any and all concerns. (Getting a plumber to deal with my septic system can take days!) Eventually our toilet was repaired... and reality was we have no idea who was there before us or its potential cause- But HAL did fix it.

Electrical, Repaired within hours both times.

Fire... they went into full disaster mode for a grease fire! I never felt in danger.

 

So,

After frustrations and promises to never book Ryndam again- guess what-

We have. She is a beautiful ship... aging better than I am... has the itinerary we want... and while I will miss the fancier thermal suite & Tamarind, I prefer her size...

Problems happen- any cruise- and to anyone. Most I overlook... This one was harder to initially... but if I had waited a few week to post it would have been less warnings perhaps...

Anyhows,

We'll be on number 8 soon enough... and I am not concerned at all... just eager to cruise ;)