Ryndam, the New Pinnacle Class Ship???

[doone]

Does anyone know if the Ryndam will be sailing the Panama Canal in the future??????

[catl331]

There have been reports or rumors that the lifeboat mounting will be modified from what the other two Pinnacles have in order to allow it to use the Canal.  I think that implies that they intend to pass through the Canal sometime.  Now if you're asking if there will a regular itinerary to/through it, that is a different question!

Edited September 16, 2019 by catl331

[doone]

12 minutes ago, catl331 said:

There have been reports or rumors that the lifeboat mounting will be modified from what the other two Pinnacles have in order to allow it to use the Canal.  I think that implies that they intend to pass through the Canal sometime.  Now if you're asking if there will a regular itinerary to/through it, that is a different question!

That's what I have heard as well and your correct, I am asking if that ship will do a regular itinerary partial canal cruise similar to the Zuiderdam.  I love the new Pinnacle Class ships and would love to book another partial canal cruise, was hoping for the Ryndam, but would love the Zuiderdam as well..........just curious.

[Himself]

I kmow the plan is to modify life boat locations so it would be possible to go through the canal.  I would see the ship duing full canal to go to ALASKA for the summer season.

[doone]

8 minutes ago, Himself said:

I kmow the plan is to modify life boat locations so it would be possible to go through the canal.  I would see the ship duing full canal to go to ALASKA for the summer season.

Hmmm since I will be retired by the time the Ryndam may do this itinerary, I may just have to book it!!!!!!!

[St Pete Cruiser]

I see Koningsdam is going around South America this coming spring, and then staying on the Pacific Coast and returning to Alaska.  The Ryndam (so glad it is not "Nieuw") would be better if it can use the canal allowing more flexibility.

[CruiserBruce]

Might be getting a bit ahead of ourselves here. First, NO sailing schedule has been announced for Ryndam at all. I would expect as it is being launched in Europe, in May 2021, it will probably do Baltic or Med that summer.

 

Typically, cruise ships are introduced in the 7 or 10 day Caribbean routes, so would be surprised if it went right to Canal cruises. But stranger things have happened.

[doone]

7 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Might be getting a bit ahead of ourselves here. First, NO sailing schedule has been announced for Ryndam at all. I would expect as it is being launched in Europe, in May 2021, it will probably do Baltic or Med that summer.

 

Typically, cruise ships are introduced in the 7 or 10 day Caribbean routes, so would be surprised if it went right to Canal cruises. But stranger things have happened.

Just thinking, but was hoping the Ryndam may do a 10-day partial canal cruise, like the Zuiderdam now..............oh well, time will tell......thanks everyone for your thoughts.

[BillB48]

It really baffles me that HAL would build a class of ships that overall do not challenge in any way the dimensions of the new locks of the Canal except perhaps with overhang of the lifeboats.  I have tried to scale the lifeboat height of above the water with existing images I could find on the web, but all I can get is a ballpark figure and that may not just be good enough.  Overhangs are permitted at the Canal and the higher they are the more relaxed the figure.  Wonder if someone like Copper 10-8 could direct me in some way to actually determine what the height above water the lifeboats or just have some one go measure it!😉 

 

Ships like the Caribbean Princess have lifeboat overhang and are of similar size and are Canal customers.  Anyway inquiring minds...

[Skydrift]

On 9/16/2019 at 10:48 PM, CruiserBruce said:

Might be getting a bit ahead of ourselves here. First, NO sailing schedule has been announced for Ryndam at all. I would expect as it is being launched in Europe, in May 2021, it will probably do Baltic or Med that summer.

 

I think Baltic because the Ryndam is scheduled for Le Havre in june 2021 and Amsterdam in september 2021 so most likely going north in june and south in september. Perhaps doing some Med in september/october before going TA. 

[ski ww]

On the HAL web site there are no European cruises listed for 2021.

Edited September 18, 2019 by ski ww

[Krazy Kruizers]

I couldn't find any 2021 European cruises anywhere.

[rafinmd]

On 9/16/2019 at 8:06 PM, BillB48 said:

It really baffles me that HAL would build a class of ships that overall do not challenge in any way the dimensions of the new locks of the Canal except perhaps with overhang of the lifeboats.  I have tried to scale the lifeboat height of above the water with existing images I could find on the web, but all I can get is a ballpark figure and that may not just be good enough.  Overhangs are permitted at the Canal and the higher they are the more relaxed the figure.  Wonder if someone like Copper 10-8 could direct me in some way to actually determine what the height above water the lifeboats or just have some one go measure it!😉 

 

Ships like the Caribbean Princess have lifeboat overhang and are of similar size and are Canal customers.  Anyway inquiring minds...

My understanding is that the canal regs were published after the design of the first 2 Pinnacles had reached the point of no return.

 

Roy

[3rdGenCunarder]

I don't see a Pinnacle class ship doing a partial canal cruise. The new locks are a lot more expensive, so I wonder how many people would want to spend more money just for a quick in and out. Ship/tech geeks, maybe. People who want to brag they've been through the new locks? But is that enough to sustain a regular schedule the way Zuiderdam does? 

 

A full transit between seasons seems more likely to me.

 

[BillB48]

44 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

My understanding is that the canal regs were published after the design of the first 2 Pinnacles had reached the point of no return.

 

Roy

 

Thanks Roy, I came across the same thing somewhere when I first heard the Koningsdam would not be transiting the Canal.  Still from what I have come across, that reason just doesn't seem to ring all that true.  The new locks were scheduled originally to open in August 2014 to coincide with the Canal's 100th anniversary.  Of course missing an original deadline on a $5 billion dollar project that commenced in 2007 is certainly not that uncommon.  The Canal expansion opened to ship traffic June 2016.  The Koningsdam's keel was laid down in August 2014 as well, launched in Feb 2015 entering in service April 2016.

 

The Canal published the Official Notice to Shipping which contained requirements for ships using the new locks in Feb. 2014 six months before construction started on the Koningsdam.  Even though official guidance was not provided until Feb. 2014, I feel certain that any requirement would have been known prior to the official publication of the Notice to Shipping.  The Canal is routinely provided ship's plans for new construction from the owners for review to ensure the vessel will be in compliance with the Canal's limitations.   The find it hard to think someone would have dropped a ball this big.

 

There was a similar discussion about lifeboat overhang for Celebrity's Solstice class ships.  Now the latest I have heard on that matter is Celebrity is not satisfied with the fendering in the new locks as why they have not transited any of their Solstice class ships.  Just never sure if the answers you are given are really the correct answer or not.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

6 hours ago, ski ww said:

On the HAL web site there are no European cruises listed for 2021.

 

5 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

I couldn't find any 2021 European cruises anywhere.

 

HAL has not yet published any 2021 European itineraries, and most likely will not do so until at least Early November.  My guess is people are playing Inspector Clouseau and scouring port schedules for clues as to which HAL ships may deploy where.