RevNeal - LIVE from the Ryndam & Amsterdam

[Sage]

The photos are incredible. It makes me wish that I was in Alaska too.

[Coolcruise02]

What great photos, thanks for sharing!!!!

 

Hope there is still some snow there in June. :)

[Susie51]

Fantastic Pics, especially Skagway. They bring back so many lovely memories of our 2002 early June cruise. We also had lots of snow even in Seattle.

[ladychar]

Thanks for the update. The pictures are beautiful. How great that the weather is sunny. It was cloudy most of the time we were on the cruise last July, but we still had a wonderful time.

 

I am looking forward to each update.

[Himself]

Great Pictures Greg, and thanks for posting them!

[Yaya&Papu]

Hi Rev. Neal,

 

I always love to read your reports and never write to tell you how much I enjoy them. However, your photos are just beautiful. You are whetting my appetite as I am even more eagerly awaiting our upcoming cruise.

Hubby and I are travelling with my brother and SIL on the Statendam northbound in early June. Will spend a few days pre-cruise in Vancouver also and due to work constraints will fly directly back home from Anchorage. Again thanks so much for the reports and photos.

[judyf]

I'm enjoying your review, great pictures. A little more snow then I expected in May.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[vbmom87]

Thanks for your report. I have enjoyed reliving my own Alaska cruise. You have been so FORTUNATE to have all those sunny days!!! Most who cruise to Alaska are not so lucky.

[Atomica]

It's not the world's greatest photo, but I thought I'd pass along this shot I took of the Ryndam leaving on Friday, from the decks of the NCL Pearl.

 

[fsdj1097]

Although we've never met, I feel like I know you from your wonderful, descriptive posts and great photos that you so kindly share with all of us on CC.

 

I have a request for information regarding the two glaciers that you will be visiting while onboard the Ryndam and the Amsterdam these two weeks.

 

We have been sailing HAL to Alaska for the past 5 years and we are very blessed to be able to bring along our two grown children and their families this year. We are booked on the Amsterdam for the May 30th sailing.

 

Please post with information regarding how successful you were at being able to get close enough to the glaciers (especially Hubbard) to view some calving. I know it's hit or miss this time of year and we are praying that the Amsterdam will get close enough on our sailing to witnesss this awsome event on our visit to Hubbard Glacier.

 

Thanks in advance for your reply.

[Marion B]

Dear Rev. Greg,

I always look forward to your reports and photos; the ones you have posted on this trip are truly outstanding. Thank you for taking the time (and expense) to share.

Wishing you and your Mom a most fabulous cruise.

Marion

[suse]

Thank you. This is so great!!!

[Kween Karen]

I am enjoying this thread very much. I love seeing all the pictures.

Can you tell me about how long it takes (minutes) to upload one of your longer posts with several pictures?? I plan on doing a blog on the Grand South Pacific Australia New Zealand voyage this fall.

[Love Cruises]

Thanks for all your informative postings and your INCREDIBLY AWESOME photos!

[RevNeal]

NEWS FLASH!

 

This comes from the Ryndam's Hotel Manager, Cees Tesslaar, at the Mariner Luncheon today (Thursday). The major refits of the Ryndam, Statendam, and Maasdam, where the aft pool deck is to be raised and a wading pool installed, has been CANCELLED. The Rotterdam will receive the refit in November per-plan (although there is still some question as to the nature of the pool portion of the refit ...they may just be raising the deck and adding a few verandahs and some aft verandahs).

 

As for the rest of the refit ... plans are up in the air. Thay may still reconfigure the Upper Promenade midships recreational area into the new Mix area, but it looks like they will not be installing the Lani cabins on the Lower Promenade Deck on the other 3 S-class ships. And, as a result, the Ryndam's Dry Dock next Feb has been reduced from 5 weeks to 2 weeks.

 

So, we have a little "good" news ... perhaps the negative feedback with regard to the aft refit has been taken into account? Who knows? :)

 

Additionally, the rational behind the officer's uniform change was to reduce the number of uniforms to 1 style (plus a sweater for cold weather and a formal night outfit) for ship's officers so-as to make it easier on them in transferring around the fleet. This is due to -- ta-da! -- the airline restrictions on luggage!

 

Several other interesting pieces of information to impart, but I'll save those for when I'm posting from land and with an unlimited access (i.e., at the hotel in Seattle tomorrow night). At that time I will address many of the questions that I've not yet answered but which have been posted to this thread, and I'll also upload a few more photos of various kinds.

 

Next comes photos from Glacier Bay.

[senator6]

Thanks Rev Neal,

For all your reports and the good news on the aft pool.

[RevNeal]

It was a FANTASTIC day. Even the Captain was singing the praises of what a glorious day it was! The weather was perfect: the sun was shining, there was ever so slight of breeze but the waters were nearly like glass, the temperatures were in the mid-to-upper 40s, we had multiple calvings off the Glaciers ... some rather large. It was a fantastic day ... as a sample of my photos will attest. I promise to post more to this thread once I'm on land (in-between the Ryndam and Amsterdam cruises).

 

We've entered glacier bay and have cruised up toward the John's Hopkins Glacier.

 



 



 



 



Here's the John's Hopkins Glacier from our closest approach.

 

Continued....

[RevNeal]

After our distant sighting of the John's Hopkins Glacier we turned around and headed back to view the Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers.

 

 



 



 



 



 

 

We sat off this glorious glacier for about an hour and enjoyed it as ice kept falling off it!

[RevNeal]

 



The ice is incredible to behold ... and the glacier, itself, is loud as it pops and grinds it's way forward.

 



I was here last in September of 2003 and, comparing the photos from then until now, this glacier is advancing.

 



DJ Jazzy Jeff came along and we hammed it up together for the camera before enjoying some more of the amazing sights.

 



Then, with Mom out on the forward bow, we posed for a final photo as the Ryndam began to cruise out of Glacier Bay.

 

Truly, it was a PERFECT Day in Alaska.

[RuthC]

NEWS FLASH!

 

This comes from the Ryndam's Hotel Manager, Cees Tesslaar, at the Mariner Luncheon today (Thursday). The major refits of the Ryndam, Statendam, and Maasdam, where the aft pool deck is to be raised and a wading pool installed, has been CANCELLED. The Rotterdam will receive the refit in November per-plan (although there is still some question as to the nature of the pool portion of the refit ...they may just be raising the deck and adding a few verandahs and some aft verandahs).

My dear "son"---you have made your "mother" a happy woman tonight.

Bless you! :D

[judyf]

WOW is all I can say about the pictures.

 

Thanks so much for posting them.

[lettienets]

NEWS FLASH!

This comes from the Ryndam's Hotel Manager, Cees Tesslaar, at the Mariner Luncheon today (Thursday)...... .

 

Hi Greg, thanks for the news flash, my prayers have been answered!

Your pictures are wonderful and make me want to go to Alaska!

[ctsally]

Thanks so much for the news flash about HAL's decision to discontinue installing the wading pools on the aft decks of those beautiful ships. :)

 

Your phots of Alaska bring back so many happy memories of our cruises up there. I certainly wish I were there with you right now.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Great pictures Greg. That is great that Jazzy is on your cruise, tell him Hi from me if you see him again but this first week is coming to an end :( and you will be heading over to the Amsterdam.

I hope you have as good of weather at Hubbard and I hope we have as good of weather when we go to Glacier Bay on the 2nd of June :D

[Himself]

Greg:

 

Those pictures were great! I wish I had your photographic talent. The pictures made me "home sick" for Glacier Bay. I go to Alaska to go to Glacier Bay. It is so beautiful.