RetiredMustang Posted February 15, 2014 #1 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Hello CC’ers, I’m back with a blog of the Ryndam’s Southern Caribbean cruise. We sail from Tampa at 4 p.m. tomorrow, Feb 16. Here is our itinerary: - Key West 1-5 p.m. Feb. 17; - Two days at sea (Feb. 18 and 19); - San Juan, Puerto Rico noon-11 p.m. Feb. 20; - St. Thomas from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Feb. 21; - St. Johns, Antigua 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Feb. 22; - Castries, St. Lucia 8a.m. – 3 p.m. Feb. 23 – after we leave Castries, we sail to Soufriere to pick up shore excursion passengers 5-6 p.m. - A day at sea Feb. 24; - Willemsted, Curacao 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. Feb 25; - Oranjestad, Aruba 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. Feb. 26. - It’s another sea day Feb. 27; - Georgetown, Grand Cayman 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Feb. 28, - A final sea Day March 1; - Return to Tampa at 7 a.m. March 2. Here is a map of our itinerary: Trip to Tampa We drove from the Washington, D.C. area. A snowstorm hit D.C (and most of the rest of the East Coast) Feb. 12-13. We were able to get out and drive south on Valentine’s Day, spending the night in Savannah, GA. Today, Saturday, Feb. 15, we drove to Tampa, arriving early afternoon. In Tampa We are staying at the Marriott Waterside in Tampa, near the cruise port. This is a comfortable and convenient place to stay prior to the cruise. Here are a few photos of the hotel public areas: The lobby (two views): And the outside patio of the lobby bar: It was a nice sunny day in Tampa, and we enjoyed the warmth and sun after what has been a cold and dreary winter (although I admit that our CC colleagues in such places as Winnepeg, St. John and New England have had it worse.) In any case, it is great to get somewhere warm and sunny, and look forward to embarking Ryndam tomorrow on a great itinerary. More later, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtn2Sea Posted February 15, 2014 #2 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Looking forward to your review. You do such a great job! Enjoy the warm weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredMustang Posted February 15, 2014 Author #3 Share Posted February 15, 2014 (edited) Looking forward to your review. You do such a great job! Enjoy the warm weather. Thank you! You did a great job with the report of this exact cruise a couple of months ago, but I figured we do different excursions and have different (not better, just not the same) experiences on board the ship, so I thought I would complement your thread with another viewpoint of the same cruise. BTW, your thread really kept us going during the dreary months of winter until our turn! Dave Edited February 15, 2014 by RetiredMustang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sppunk Posted February 16, 2014 #4 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Love your reports - looking forward to tagging along for the virtual ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredMustang Posted February 16, 2014 Author #5 Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) Love your reports - looking forward to tagging along for the virtual ride. Chris, Thanks much! Please take this as permission for you/Rich/Jacqui to grab anything you want from this thread for the HALfacts site. I was a frequent contributor to Joanie's site, and am willing to have my stuff potentially help other cruisers. I will email files after I get home (probably converting menu/program/etc. photos to .pdf), but if you want to snatch ship cabin/public room/whatever photos, please do so. Dave Edited February 16, 2014 by RetiredMustang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtn2Sea Posted February 16, 2014 #6 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Thank you! You did a great job with the report of this exact cruise a couple of months ago, but I figured we do different excursions and have different (not better, just not the same) experiences on board the ship, so I thought I would complement your thread with another viewpoint of the same cruise. BTW, your thread really kept us going during the dreary months of winter until our turn! Dave Dave, don't be modest. I followed your live review several months ago, which gave me the courage to try one myself. Now I get to see the teacher at work again. I'll be reading and enjoying your review every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted February 16, 2014 #7 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Ooo. This is nice. I like reading your reports. Even open some of your images, as they are pretty good! Nice itinerary. It's snowing outside. Again. :rolleyes: I could do this cruise right about now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 1of4 Posted February 16, 2014 #8 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Fantastic. I loved your review of your TA and it is on our radar. You y photos will pull me through the next fortnight. I can feel the thaw starting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruz chic Posted February 16, 2014 #9 Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) Love your live from threads:). I'm going to miss part of it because I'll be on my own cruise. Could you plan that better next time :D;):D? Hope you and Mrs. Dave have a wonderful time. Eat some bitterballen for me. Cruz chic formerly lorekauf. Edited February 16, 2014 by cruz chic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sapper1 Posted February 16, 2014 #10 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Yea!! Another Dave and Mrs Dave live report. I am looking forward to reading about your travels and enjoying your marvellous pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sppunk Posted February 16, 2014 #11 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Chris, Thanks much! Please take this as permission for you/Rich/Jacqui to grab anything you want from this thread for the HALfacts site. I was a frequent contributor to Joanie's site, and am willing to have my stuff potentially help other cruisers. I will email files after I get home (probably converting menu/program/etc. photos to .pdf), but if you want to snatch ship cabin/public room/whatever photos, please do so. Dave Thanks so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare erewhon Posted February 16, 2014 #12 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I always enjoy your "live' from cruises. Thank you for allowing us to travel with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
startwin Posted February 16, 2014 #13 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Great! I always enjoy your "live from..." reports. It will cheer up a dreary February.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Copper10-8 Posted February 16, 2014 #14 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Nice Dave; enjoy! :) if you two have dinner at the PG please tell the manager, Colin, I said hi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catl331 Posted February 16, 2014 #15 Share Posted February 16, 2014 What! Leaving D.C. Just a little snow on the ground. This is sure working out for you. Definitely smart to go south where it is warmer. Right now it looks good to us here also! We enjoy reading your reports. Still enjoy your Viking cruise reports. Hoping! Have a great cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredMustang Posted February 16, 2014 Author #16 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Sunday, Feb. 16, Tampa - embarkation day Thanks everybody for the supportive posts. John, we don't have Pinnacle booked, but I will try to see Colin and say hi. L (cruz chic) enjoy your cruise! Ruth, we are looking forward to meeting you on Amsterdam in August. But before that cruise, we are now coming to the start of our Ryndam cruise. We went for a walk along the water to watch the sun rise this morning, and saw another sight as well -- Ryndam backing down the channel past the aquarium parking lot, toward her berth at terminal 6: After breakfast, we came back to our room on one of the top floors of the hotel and took a look out the window, which faces north. We were able to see a good bit of downtown, and a little to the right (east) we could see the Tampa Bay Times Forum. DW said to look further beyond that roof. Here is what she/we saw: Yes! Ryndam is in port; and we are just down the street. It's always a good feeling to know that you and the ship are at the same place at the time you are supposed to be. Now comes the longest morning of a cruise -- waiting to board. I will check in after boarding and setting up the internet account. More later, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare rafinmd Posted February 16, 2014 #17 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Wow! Looks like you could almost walk to the ship. Bon Voyage. Just wish Lou and Dave had a camera there. Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ger_77 Posted February 16, 2014 #18 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Oh goody, another "live from" thread - something to keep me going during this hideously cold winter on the "frozen tundra". Can't wait to sail away with you! Smooth Sailing !:) :) :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0bnxshs Posted February 16, 2014 #19 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Tampa really is a great port to cruise from. Enjoy your cruise and thanks for the considerable effort, Dave! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted February 16, 2014 #20 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Chris, Thanks much! Please take this as permission for you/Rich/Jacqui to grab anything you want from this thread for the HALfacts site. I was a frequent contributor to Joanie's site, and am willing to have my stuff potentially help other cruisers. I will email files after I get home (probably converting menu/program/etc. photos to .pdf), but if you want to snatch ship cabin/public room/whatever photos, please do so. Dave how kind of you Dave - we really appreciate your support. Your pics and info are so wonderful!!! Thanks so much! ditto Really looking forward to following along. Your reports are always so good. Have a wonderful time!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruz chic Posted February 16, 2014 #21 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Can't wait for more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredMustang Posted February 16, 2014 Author #22 Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) Feb. 16, Tampa - embarkation day (cont.) Well, we are aboard and I have opened the internet account. Ryndam is still using MTN, but the internet manager said they were shifting to Harris soon. I will post a few things before boat drill, which is set for 3:15. I will catch up more later. Here are some photos of the cabin, in two posts. First, the cabin and balcony: More in the next post. Dave Edited February 16, 2014 by RetiredMustang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredMustang Posted February 16, 2014 Author #23 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Feb. 16, Tampa - embarkation day (cont.) Here are some photos of the bath: More later, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredMustang Posted February 16, 2014 Author #24 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Nice Dave; enjoy! :) if you two have dinner at the PG please tell the manager, Colin, I said hi John, mission accomplished. Colin was in the PG as I was rambling about the ship, and I popped in and passed on your greeting. He was pleased that you remembered him. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredMustang Posted February 16, 2014 Author #25 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Feb. 16, Tampa - embarkation day (cont.) One more before boat drill. Here are photos of today's program.: More later, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now