From Onboard Ryndam 11/10/07 Cruise

[garydm]

Part 1 of Periodic Reports-Pre-Embarkation

 

We have done this cruise a number of times and were on Ryndam a few years ago when it was reportedly the first cruise ship to stop at Loreto. This is a ten day Sea or Cortes trip with stops in the other regular places.

 

Because we almost missed a cruise out of San Diego a couple years ago, due to problems with no less than 4 flights, we come in a day early. So, because of this our flight in was early, with no problems at all. Southwest is using their new boarding procedure and there are still a few kinks to be worked out, but they do a great job for a small price. I felt sorry for people departing San Diego airport (our situation in ten days) because there were probably 500 people in the security line with no order whatsoever. I hope that is not the routine. Took a cab to the hotel ($15 with tip).

 

Pre-cruise we stayed at the Marriot Gas Lamp Quarter. We had booked this thru Priceline at $95, which is a real bargain for San Diego. The hotel looks ordinary from the outside but is very nice. The rooms and halls have apparently all been redone recently and it is first class. I had faxed a request for the type of room I wanted to the front desk earlier in the day and they confirmed by phone receipt of the fax and when we arrived we got exactly what we requested-high floor, quiet, and a view of the Bay. Check in was quick and easy by nice people. We went to dinner at the Tin Fish about a block from the hotel. It was ok. After dinner we visited the Wine Bank and World Market to check out wines to buy for the trip.

 

On embarkation day, I was up early as usual. Osterdam was already at the pier around 6 am, and Ryndam pulled in on time at 7 am. We can see parts of each from the hotel. Hotel has Starbucks coffee in the room and also in the lobby, so I am currently enjoying a cup and looking out from the 19th floor to a beautiful day in San Diego. We plan to lay in our provisions of wine and head over to the ship around 11:30.

 

Part II-Embarkation

 

Arrived at the pier around 11:45 and were in the Lido by 12:15. It is quicker it turns out if you have not filled out your immigration forms online as most people had. For some reason there was no wait for the non online people, but about 20 in line for those who had done it online. No biggie, as the wait was not long. Had a light lunch and cabins were ready at 1:30. Signed up for the 250 minute internet program and got the free 20 minutes. Asked about the mysterious “Mariner bonus minutes” and the manager gave me a blank stare. We have excellent wireless connection from our cabin on Deck 9.

 

Made reservations for Pinnacle this evening, so will swing by the dining room to let them know we will not be there tonight.

 

As we await delivery of our bags….. They just arrived so signing off.

 

Gary

[lavigne101]

Hope you have a wonderful vacation.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Yay, another "Live From" thread! Thank you, Gary! Are any of your roll call going to attempt a "wave" at the San Diego webcam? Have a fantastic cruise!:)

[kakalina]

We recently returned from the same cruise. She is a great ship and I know you will have a wonderful time.

I look forward to your posts.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Can't believe you have only 4 flights from Sacramento to San Diego. Try flying from PIT to San Diego -- no direct flights any more. Southwest -- you are lucky to have them. They have a few flights out of PIT to NY and Washington DC.

 

But that is beside the point.

 

Please keep up the live reports!!!

 

[nchank]

We will be on that cruise in March flying in th day before from Sacramento. Won't need a hotel, our daughters home is very nice and the price is right!:D

[Spinner2]

Keep these posts coming! I love onboard diaries/blogs too! Thanks for taking the time to do it.

[RuthC]

Goodie, goodie! (RuthC claps her hands in glee). I love "Live from..." threads.

I'll be interested in reading this one because I love the S-ships best and had the best cruise of my life on the Ryndam. Plus this is an itinerary I could get interested in some day.

Keep in touch. :)

[garydm]

Dined at the Pinnacle tonight. The service was great, although I don't understand why with two tables occupied they put you right up against one another. Seems we always attract one loud guy at a table near us!

 

I had the Porterhouse and while the taste was great, it was a bit tough. My wife had the filet and found it outstanding. We brought a cab we had purchased ashore and the four of us made quick work of it, so ordered a Washington state merlot, and it was very good.

 

We have been non-plussed by recent Pinnacle visits but they really seem to have it together here. We will be back.

 

Having wireless in the cabin is very cool, addictive and costly. More later.

 

Gary

[Spinner2]

Having wireless in the cabin is cool indeed. Having just done a cruise-blog here, I know that I would have enjoyed not needing to wander down to a hot spot whenever I had something ready to upload. Eventually, when your cruise is over, perhaps you'll share your cabin number with us so that all of us laptop-types can squabble over getting it.:D

[garydm]

Part III-At Sea

 

Some demographics to put this in perspective. My wife and I are in our early sixties and have cruised HAL, Silversea, Residensea, Crystal, RCCL, and Princess. We are traveling with SIL and BIL. Today we are enroute to Cabo

 

The ship is in beautiful condition and our stateroom was spotless. Appears they may have retiled the bathroom floor perhaps while in dry dock last month. Our cabin steward introduced himself yesterday and I have not a clue what his name is. I wish they would still put the notes on the dresser with the steward’s name. Will find out, but he is very good and immediately responded to a couple of requests we had.

 

We had breakfast and lunch in the Lido and it was excellent both in terms of variety and quality of food, as well as service. Only thing a bit lacking is the bread, which looks much better than it is-but it is probably a good thing.

 

I am still very impressed with the wifi service in our cabin, so much so that I phoned home from my notebook a bit ago using Yahoo Messenger Voice. I had first used this earlier this year on a land vacation to New Zealand and it only costs about a penny a minute plus the cost of your internet connection. I had some concerns whether our speed was adequate on the ship to handle it and it was fine. There was a slight “satellite delay” but much less expensive than onboard phones or cell at sea. So, for about 41 cents a minute I was able to call home with a great connection.

 

Tonight is the first formal night and tomorrow we are set to anchor off Cabo. The weather has been outstanding, sunny and warm. Seas are calm and the world is good.

 

Gary

[RuthC]

Our cabin steward introduced himself yesterday and I have not a clue what his name is. I wish they would still put the notes on the dresser with the steward’s name.

I agree with you there. Sometimes they give you a business card with their name and the extension # to call if you need anything.

This works well, too.

You keep typing and we'll keep reading!

[nchank]

Part III-At Sea

 

Some demographics to put this in perspective. My wife and I are in our early sixties and have cruised HAL, Silversea, Residensea, Crystal, RCCL, and Princess. We are traveling with SIL and BIL. Today we are enroute to Cabo

 

The ship is in beautiful condition and our stateroom was spotless. Appears they may have retiled the bathroom floor perhaps while in dry dock last month. Our cabin steward introduced himself yesterday and I have not a clue what his name is. I wish they would still put the notes on the dresser with the steward’s name. Will find out, but he is very good and immediately responded to a couple of requests we had.

 

We had breakfast and lunch in the Lido and it was excellent both in terms of variety and quality of food, as well as service. Only thing a bit lacking is the bread, which looks much better than it is-but it is probably a good thing.

 

I am still very impressed with the wifi service in our cabin, so much so that I phoned home from my notebook a bit ago using Yahoo Messenger Voice. I had first used this earlier this year on a land vacation to New Zealand and it only costs about a penny a minute plus the cost of your internet connection. I had some concerns whether our speed was adequate on the ship to handle it and it was fine. There was a slight “satellite delay” but much less expensive than onboard phones or cell at sea. So, for about 41 cents a minute I was able to call home with a great connection.

 

Tonight is the first formal night and tomorrow we are set to anchor off Cabo. The weather has been outstanding, sunny and warm. Seas are calm and the world is good.

 

Gary

 

Thank you for your posts. We will be taking that tri[ in March. Are you using traditional dining or anytime? How is the dining room service? Other threads have expressed concern over very slow dining room service.

 

Thanks, Hank

[garydm]

Just finished our first dinner in the dining room. Service and food were great. Probably the quickest service we have ever had but did not feel rushed at all.

 

Gary

[garydm]

Part IV-Cabo, Loreto, Topolobampo, etc.

 

It is Wednesday and the masses headed off the ship 4 am or so for the Copper Canyon tour. We of lesser stamina stayed behind.

 

We have had beautiful weather. Cabo was in the 80s and we wandered around town and then went to The Office, a bar and restaurant on the beach. We first went there 8 years ago and it does not have the simple charm or simple prices it once had. Gone is their wonderful nacho platter with fresh vegetables (mostly peppers) and inexpensive dishes. Instead we got a small bowl of guacamole and chips for $23 US. It was so little, we ordered tacos and they were good. There has got to be someplace in Cabo that is not a rip-off.

 

Loreto was nice as always, and especially the people. They had a show (lots of people) in the town square. School kids all decked out in costume doing dances, etc. Really cute. Walked along the malecon and headed back to the Ryndam for some pool time and reading.

 

The locals here in Topolobampo provided a free shuttle to the beach so we did that this morning. It was only about 10 minutes away and it was a typical “rustic beach” as they characterized it. There were some restaurants and cantinas and the water seemed fine but none too warm. My wife has gone into town to do some shopping. Los Mochis, the town, is about 30 minutes and there is a free shuttle or tour (cannot figure that out from what the ship has given out) available leaving every 30 minutes.

 

Assessment of Ryndam thus far: Excellent. I tend to be critical by nature and I can’t find much of anything to complain about on this cruise. The ship is in beautiful condition; our stewards both in the cabin and at dinner are exceptional. Every dish ordered in the dining room has come exactly as ordered and timely. The food has been very good. Last night was “Dutch Night” (they don’t call it that anymore, but we know), so I ordered from the always available menu with onion soup, caesar salad, and a NY steak. It was all very good and the steak done exactly right and better than what I had in the Pinnacle. And, the staff in the Lido has been great-helpful, refilling coffees, iced tea, etc. and just being pleasant. Wine stewards are unusually knowledgeable and nice guys. So, for those of you with upcoming cruises on Ryndam or thinking of booking, you should have great trips.

 

We head to La Paz late tonight. I may just stay on the ship as we have been there a number of times.

[RuthC]

I'm becoming intrigued by this itinerary, and your posts are adding to that. You have made it sound like a pleasant experience.

Glad you're having a nice time. :)

[starysacz]

Thanks for the report. Glad the Ryndam is in excellent condition. We were fortunate to cruise on the Ryndam several years ago. Enjoy.:)

[cruisinjudy]

Thanks for the live from thread! We are on Ryndam in February so I am glad to hear everything is ship shape!

 

The breads were pretty good this summer on Ryndam, I wonder what happened! As you say, that could be a good thing. Breads are my weakness, well that and chocolate!

 

Keep up the reporting, we are enjoying it!

[Travelbug 2]

Thanks for the info' "live" from the Ryndam. We are booked on a similar 12 day itinerary from San Diego in April next year and will be "sailing home" to Vancouver. :) ( ship is repositioning for Alaska).

I am following your reports with interest.

 

Enjoy your cruise and take care of the Ryndam for us.;)

[O2B@C]

I'm becoming intrigued by this itinerary, and your posts are adding to that. You have made it sound like a pleasant experience. Glad you're having a nice time. :)

 

Ditto. Glad to hear the Ryndam is in such good shape and the service is as good as expected.

 

Ruth, if and when you decide to do this one, it would be great if you would post the date you're planning to go. I'd like to do this one too, and it would be so much fun to meet you!

[RuthC]

Ruth, if and when you decide to do this one, it would be great if you would post the date you're planning to go. I'd like to do this one too, and it would be so much fun to meet you!

What a nice thing to read as I first sign on! :) Thank you!

This itinerary is still in the "toying with the idea" stage, but should I ever book it I'll be sure to post.

[RevNeal]

Ruth, this is the same itinerary, un-shortened by Noro, that Scotty, Christopher, and I took this past March. It IS a very nice cruise, and I want to do it again someday because our cruise in March was cut so unfortunately short by Noro.

[Chivalrygirl]

:) What another holiday this year ? :D Nice to read your thread and think about meeting you last year. Never did find out how did you enjoy your time down-under? We had a wonderful time on the east coast this year. But your note about security lines made we want to tell you how we found Terminal 2 in LA. Arrived late from DC and at 8.15 pm joined a two mile long unruly line of masses for our flight to NZ departing at 9.30. How is that for a choker, our second really bad experience. Had a dreadful time making our connection in Montreal after our cruise for our flight to Reagan, that was also a nightmare. Fortunately a very nice woman let us through but my husband was appalled when he realised they were just shoving things through the scanner and were not even looking at the screen! I hope you have allowed enough time before your flight departs, its the very worse way to finish a lovely relaxing cruise and/or holiday.

 

We now plan to spend more time here in NZ revisiting some of our own beauty spots and taking in some of our wonderful sights.

 

My regards to you both and hope the rest of your cruise is really good.

 

______________

Val

[katzoe]

Thank you so much for your informative posts garydm. The Ryndam sounds in excellent condition. I am now very much looking forward to the Panama Canal Cruise on November 20th. We commence our holiday late tonight when we fly from Melbourne to Los Angeles via Bangkok.

Lorraine

[garydm]

Val-good to hear from you. We had a great time in NZ earlier in the year. I am in a very hot internet cafe in Puerto Vallarta (but the price is right)-$1 per hour.

 

Master Chef`s dinner last night. They need to rethink that. Food was disappointing and most of the crew seemed not to like the silly dance things they had to do. Otherwise things continue to be fine on the Ryndam. More later. Looking forward to two cool days at sea enroute San Diego.

 

Gary