MS RYNDAM
Long after a cruise has ended, the memories of languid days and moonlit nights linger. And, although individual images become somewhat fuzzy, there are three elements of a cruise we tend to remember most vividly, even years later: (1) the service; (2) the cuisine; and (3) the ports-of-call. The order, of course, may vary depending on the number of cruises we've taken. First-time cruisers generally go for the "ports" as their number one cruise highlight. Later on, when 'days-at-sea' are preferred over days-in-port, 'service' takes on greater importance.
Recently, I sailed on HAL's Ryndam on a 17-day cruise from Fort Lauderdale, through the Panama Canal and down the West Coast of South America to Valparaiso, Chile. And for me, as a veteran cruiser, 'service' was the dominant factor in my choosing HAL. I've cruised with the line six times, so I knew what to expect. But my experience aboard the Ryndam exceeded my expectations. New to this itinerary, but not new to service with a capital "S," the Ryndam has a crew and staff - officers, cabin and dining room stewards, casino personnel, everyone on the ship it seems, who go out of their way to make guests feel good. Nice to hear "good morning, good evening, how're you doing?" all over the ship. Kudos to whoever's doing the training.
The cuisine aboard the Ryndam, under the fine hand of Executive Chef, John Mulvaney, was, for the most part, excellent. There were a few off nights, but with so many items to choose from, finding a suitable substitute was an easy matter. You just have to ask. Breakfast and luncheon on the Lido Deck were outstanding. More smoked salmon than in your favorite deli back home. Crab legs. Roast beef. Home made soups. Sandwiches and omelets to order (even cholesterol-free egg substitutes), pizza. A Mexican taco stand. A pasta station. Particularly liked the fact that you could order espresso and cappuccino in the dining room at lunch and dinner without charge (many ships consider this a bar item and charge you accordingly). Also if you need a cappuccino fix during the day, the "Java Bar" on Deck 7, dispenses it freely (with biscotti, of course). The desserts and pastries, not exactly what your doctor would recommend, but hey - you only live once. There are low fat/sugar dessert items on the menu for the diet conscious. Even fresh strawberries on demand (with or without whipped cream). Note: The Rotterdam Dining Room boasts a very extensive wine list with some very affordable wines. However, alcoholic drinks throughout the ship seem to be over the top price wise. Suggest that the food and beverage manager rethink some of the bar prices in effect. $5.50 for a martini seems to be excessive. The late night buffets looked great, but with dinner ending around 10:00 p.m. (late seating), had no appetite. Except during the "chocoholic" buffet when this writer absolutely couldn't say "no." What harm could a chocolate covered strawberry do? Nice of them to roll around a cart with premium liqueurs - on the house. Same with their Coffee Dansant one afternoon - every kind of elegant coffee, with liqueurs as well. HAL does not stint. A nice touch: free bags of popcorn as you enter the cinema. Also an ice cream bar with all the fixings at scheduled times during the day.
Other nice things to remember about the Ryndam: for the most part, the P.A. system is blessedly silent. The roving bartenders do not push drinks every minute of the day. The ship's photographers retreat with a simple "no." And even though it wasn't Christmas, the Ryndam plied us with gifts throughout this "Explorer Cruise," mementos like binoculars, Delft tiles, a wrist watch with the map of South America on its face. Very caring indeed. The ship's layout is so passenger-friendly, you get the hang of the ship the very first day. Most of the action centers around a three-story atrium (Decks Six, Seven and Eight). Deck Seven, The Promenade Deck, includes the front desk and the shore excursion office, the Wajang Theater, Internet Café, the Java Coffee Bar, and the lower levels of both the Vermeer Lounge and Rotterdam Dining room. On Deck 8 (Upper Promenade), there's the balcony of the Vermeer Lounge, second level of the Rotterdam dining Room, several boutiques, the Ocean Bar, Casino, Casino Bar, Piano bar, the Explorer's Lounge, the library, and card room.
The entertainment aboard the Ryndam was a mix of 'very good,' and 'so-so.' By so-so, I refer to revues staged several times during the cruise. By far, the individual solo entertainers were the best of all. But since there was nowhere else to go, all of the entertainment, even the aforementioned revues, were enjoyable ways to spend an evening. The ship's casino was excellently outfitted, with a varied assortment of slots and table games to tempt every class of gambler. Even so, there didn't seem to be much action , except maybe during sea days when guests were looking for something 'daring' to while away the afternoon. The very elusive 'Lady Luck' was there all right, but there didn't seem to be many takers. Since the sip was completely full, it was impossible to see a whole lot of different staterooms. But those I saw were fairly spacious, comfortable, with color TV (thank heavens for CNN), a wall safe, removable hangers and adequate closet space. My cabin (375) on the lower promenade deck was perfect in many ways. First of all, the cabin (category FF), although it was "outside," was actually classified as "inside." That was because there was an obstruction which cut off my view. No matter, I was still able to get some light and see what the weather was like outside. There are only 8 such cabins aboard and they do go fast. The cabin has two single lower beds, but your cabin steward will gladly put them together to make it into a queen size bed. Closet space in my cabin was somewhat limited, but sufficient unless you bring a hefty wardrobe with you (there's a self-service laundromat down the hall, so you can launder as you cruise). The bathroom was nice, particularly the tub - a real luxury. There was no medicine cabinet which made it difficult to store toiletries. The cabin is equipped with a wall safe (you set the combination with a credit card) and color TV. Thank heaven for CNN, which helps if you're a news junkie.
Overall, on a scale of one-to-ten, the Ryndam gets very close to an 'eleven.' ms Ryndam Fact Sheet
· Gross weight: 55,451 gross tons
· Beam:101 feet
· Maximum Speed:22 knots
· Ship's Registry: The Netherlands
· Entered service: October 20, 1994 (the third Ryndam in HAL's history)
· Length: 720 feet.
· Number of passengers: 1,266; crew - 602.
· Artwork: The Ryndam features a $2 million collection of art and artifacts
· Number of decks: 10 passenger decks
· Dining Room: The Rotterdam Dining Room seats 657 on two levels connected by a pair of grand curved staircases each
· Show Room: The two-level, 600-seat Vermeer Show Lounge
· Theater: The 249-seat Wajang Theater, located on Promenade Deck, is used
for lectures, meetings and religious services, as well as current films.
· Private rooms: The Half Moon and Hudson Rooms seat a total of 150 and may be used for meetings, private parties and other scheduled activities
· The Lido: The 403-seat Lido Restaurant, which features an extensive buffet for casual dining at breakfast and lunch, is adjacent to the Lido. Also used as alternative dining venue for dinner.
· Bars and Lounges: the 37-seat Java Café; Ocean Bar; Piano Bar; Casino Bar; the Explorers Lounge; the Crow's Nest
· Swimming Pools: two swimming pools, one on the Lido Deck, under a retractable glass dome; one on the deck below (Navigation Deck)
· Fitness facilities: the ocean-view Ocean Spa includes a beauty salon/barber shop, massage, sauna and steam rooms; and juice bar. There are also two deck tennis courts.
· Casino: 116 slot machines, one Sega 5-player blackjack machine; one 6-player Mega-Cash; six blackjack tables; one Caribbean stud poker table; one roulette table; one dice table
· Staterooms: 336 outside; 148 inside, all equipped with sofas, hairdryers, individually controlled air conditioning, telephone with computerized wakeup service, multi-channel music system and closed circuit television. In each room the beds are convertible from one queen size to two singles. 52 staterooms have connecting doors. Six staterooms are equipped to accommodate the physically challenged
· Suites: One penthouse suite (Suite11,126 sq. ft.) and 28 other suites and deluxe staterooms (total 149), each with a private verandah, a VCR, whirlpool bath and minibar