Dave’s Live from Ryndam Southern Caribbean Feb 16 – March 2, 2014

[Copper10-8]

Have a great time in Grand Cayman manana, Dave

[POA1]

Thanks again, Dave! Your posts have been supremely helpful.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Looks as though you have had great weather every day.

[RetiredMustang]

Have a great time in Grand Cayman manana, Dave

 

Thanks, John! We've booked the Reef and Rays excursion again -- first a chance to snorkel the reef with the bunches of fish and fan corals, and then we move a few hundred yards to the sand bar and play with the sting rays. It's always fun!

 

Dave

Edited February 27, 2014 by RetiredMustang

[RetiredMustang]

Looks as though you have had great weather every day.

 

Yes, we have been very lucky, with mostly sun and warm but not too hot temperatures. The occasional shower has been quick, and generally hold off until we are under cover, which makes it fun to watch instead of dashing through.

 

This morning, we picked up a paper for the first time and checked out the temps in the Northeast ... and then we felt great! Looks like another cold spell has settled in. We hope it lifts before we have to go back.

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Thanks again, Dave! Your posts have been supremely helpful.

 

Thanks for the encouragement. Is there anything you are missing? Only a couple more days to get the photos or info if so. :D

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 27, at sea (cont.)

 

This has been a relaxing day, but we are thinking of taking in a couple of events this afternoon. At least the beer tasting at 3 has my interest. Before then, I'll post some photos from around the ship.

 

Here are a couple from the Explorations café/library/internet area:

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

Edited February 27, 2014 by RetiredMustang

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 27, at sea (cont.)

 

Here are a couple of photos of the Ocean Bar:

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[innlady1]

Nice! We really enjoyed the Ryndam and those photos are wonderful....

[AlohaPride]

Thank you for taking us along!

 

Sent from my SGH-T779 using Tapatalk

[POA1]

Thanks for the encouragement. Is there anything you are missing? Only a couple more days to get the photos or info if so. :D

 

Dave

 

Nope. We're all packed and ready to board the Noordam tomorrow. We're at the airport to pick up our table mates. (We know who they are. It's not just some random pick up thing. :D)

[Linden Lea]

Feb. 27, at sea (cont.)

 

Here are a couple of photos of the Ocean Bar:

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

 

Thanks again Dave for the great info on MS Ryndam...we are boarding her for 27 days April 6th. She does seem to be very much like the Statendam which we are very familiar with. I noticed on one of your posts that HAL is now charging for decent after dinner coffee :(

Hilary

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 27, at sea

The beer tasting did not draw enough participants to do the full program, but they gave the five of us a small glass of Bass ale each anyway, and discussed beer – ales and lagers, top-fermenting and bottom-fermenting, etc. I bought a glass of Boddington’s ale and shared it round, and someone else bought a Warsteiner lager to do the same. So, we did taste some beer after all. I had told DW I wanted to go, because after all these years of drinking beer around the world, maybe I should finally taste some.

In any case, we stayed in the Mix and shared some wine before dinner. Here are the dinner menus:

I had the bouillabaisse, which was very good. There is no right or wrong way to make the fish and saffron soup, and it is different each time I try. HAL’s version was a keeper:

And then, for entrée, I passed on the third iteration this cruise of prime rib (sorry, Carol), and had the pork buco with risotto. This was the classic osso buco technique, but with pork shanks instead of veal. It was a substantial but tasty dish:

Here is the dessert menu:

Both DW and I both had the avalanche cake, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream:

More later,

Dave

Edited February 28, 2014 by RetiredMustang

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 28, Georgetown, Grand Cayman

 

It is:

 

 

We are looking forward to our morning snorkel and sting rays excursion, and hoping the weather stays fine. Here are the photos of today’s program:

 

 

 

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 28, Georgetown, Grand Cayman (cont.)

Here are and the info sheets from the Explorer:

More later,

Dave

[catl331]

Well, I thought Roast Beef but I would've taken the buso so I think I will take a half point on this one. As Bob Barker would say on Truth or Consequences, "enjoy using your points, Carol!" So many points and nothing to do with them.

 

Actually getting tired of this imaginary dining! Have to return to the yogurt diet in anticipation of our Aug 26 cruise. Getting ready for herring!!:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Great Dave.

Looks as though the Ocean Bar has new carpeting.

Yes -- we are in another Polar Vortex. When we got up at 4:30 this morning is was Zero degrees. Right now it is 3.

Another massive snow/ice storm is to move in on Sunday.

[tjcox9]

Dave,

 

Thanks for taking us along on your cruise. As we'll be boarding the Ryndam on April 6 for 27 days, your posts have been particularly enjoyable. Although we've been on most of the HAL ships, this will be our first on Ryndam, but she looks quite familiar! :)

 

So, we know we are being brave boarding right when she comes out of drydock as we are well aware of the issues that sometimes plague the cruise following a drydock. We're just wondering if you've heard anything from any member of the staff as to what is going to be done during this upcoming one.

 

Thanks in advance for any information you may have picked up from staff. And enjoy the rest of your cruise!

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 28, Georgetown, Grand Cayman (cont.)

We were anchored and cleared about on time. We went to the Wajang Theater to get stickered and wait for a tender. Shortly, it was our turn and we tendered ashore, where we were met by tour organizers. We walked a short way from the landing to the back side of the shopping center to board a bus.

The bus took us across the neck of the island to a pier on a canal that fed into the northern bay. We sailed about 40 minutes or so to the sandbar of Stingray City. This is always fun, watching, touching and stroking the creatures. The boat crew would coax one to the surface now and then and let people touch and hold them (with photos, available for purchase).

It was a glorious sunny day with blue skies and crystal-clear blue water, and we spent a lot of time with the rays:

We then re-boarded the boat and sailed a couple of hundred yards to a great snorkeling spot along the reef. I saw coral, sponges, sea fans, and lots of fish, including a huge school of lavender-colored parrotfish. Then it was a sail back, bus and tender back to the ship.

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 28, Georgetown, Grand Cayman (cont.)

We sat on our balcony and watched the tenders, snorkel boats, Atlantic submarine, etc. until sailaway, which was just before 3. Here are a shot of part of Georgetown harbor, and a shot of the famous 7-mile beach as seen from the ship:

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 28, Georgetown, Grand Cayman (cont.)

Tonight was the last formal night. Here are the dinner menus:

I went traditional tonight, starting with the shrimp cocktail:

And choosing the steak and lobster for the entrée, asking for a baked potato instead of the rice (photo was taken after the lobster tail had been removed from the shell):

Here is the dessert menu:

I chose the flourless chocolate cake:

More later,

Dave

[kazu]

Looks like everyone is having a great time Dave!

 

Been following along and enjoying your live from (as I always do).

 

Thanks so much for taking the time and the effort. It's a brilliant live thread :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

The pictures have been great.

Wonderful review.

Can't believe that the 2 weeks are nearly done.

I wonder who got our cabin -- 004.

[RetiredMustang]

March 1, at sea

Today is:

It is our last full day before leaving the ship in Tampa tomorrow. Here are photos of today’s program:

More later,

Dave

[innlady1]

Ahhhh...the best dinner at sea! Jumbo shrimp cocktail, escargot and a lobster tail.

 

Have a wonderful last day at sea...and enjoy the Dancing with the Stars.