RYNDAM Christmas Cruise Dec 19 2010 - Any Teens?

[harmonysrq]

hi - My 15 year old son and I are going to be first time Holland America cruisers during Christmas break. 2010 We figured it will be a younger crowd and would like to know if any teens will be on this cruise Dec 19 - 26 out of Tampa. The playstation Teen room looks cool for "at sea" days. I would also love any tips that any single moms or dads can suggest to help me meet people. If you have sailed on the Ryndam to Western Carribean and have excursion suggestions, that would be great as I am starting to look. Have any of you booked HAL inside cabins and been upgraded? How are the inside vs oceanview cabins. Can we bring our own soda and wine? thanks for your expertise...on excursion suggestion for these ports:

SUN 19DEC10 Sail from Tampa 5:00pm

MON 20DEC10 Key West 1:00pm 6:00pm - we have never been here

TUE 21DEC10 Sea Day

WED 22DEC10 Belize City, Belize1 8:00am 5:00pm

THU 23DEC10 Mahogany Bay, Honduras 7:00am 5:00pm

FRI 24DEC10 Cozumel, Mexico 10:00am 8:00pm (been to mayan ruins already)

SAT 25DEC10 Sea Day

SUN 26DEC10 Debark Ship Tampa 7:00am

[Krazy Kruizers]

I answered your question on another thread.

Check out this Roll Call link:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1191637

[E-500]

hi - My 15 year old son and I are going to be first time Holland America cruisers during Christmas break. 2010 We figured it will be a younger crowd and would like to know if any teens will be on this cruise Dec 19 - 26 out of Tampa. The playstation Teen room looks cool for "at sea" days. I would also love any tips that any single moms or dads can suggest to help me meet people. If you have sailed on the Ryndam to Western Carribean and have excursion suggestions, that would be great as I am starting to look. Have any of you booked HAL inside cabins and been upgraded? How are the inside vs oceanview cabins. Can we bring our own soda and wine? thanks for your expertise...on excursion suggestion for these ports:

SUN 19DEC10 Sail from Tampa 5:00pm

MON 20DEC10 Key West 1:00pm 6:00pm - we have never been here

TUE 21DEC10 Sea Day

WED 22DEC10 Belize City, Belize1 8:00am 5:00pm

THU 23DEC10 Mahogany Bay, Honduras 7:00am 5:00pm

FRI 24DEC10 Cozumel, Mexico 10:00am 8:00pm (been to mayan ruins already)

SAT 25DEC10 Sea Day

SUN 26DEC10 Debark Ship Tampa 7:00am

 

I'll try to answer some of your questions. 1. Teens onboard, surely some over Christmas, from past experience with our son when he was 15 and 16, he had a ball. The kids hook up early in the cruise, form posses and hang out together all over the ship. At that age they regard Club HAL as 'lame' and rarely go there, they make their own fun. 2. Can't help with the adult singles angle (married 35 years so don't get out much). 3. Go to the ports of call board for excursion ideas. 4. Upgrades are always possible, get the best cabin you can afford, OVs are nicer than insides, but all HAL cabins are fine. Do you want natural light or is saving money more important? Your call. 5. Yes on soda and wine, as much as you would like to bring on board.

 

Go for it, both you and your son will have a great time.

[harmonysrq]

thanks for the info. Any idea why hardly anyone is posting roll call for this Dec 19 - 26 xmas cruise out of tampa?

[E-500]

thanks for the info. Any idea why hardly anyone is posting roll call for this Dec 19 - 26 xmas cruise out of tampa?

 

Three main reasons. 1. Shorter cruises (ie, 7-10 days) draw fewer posters because not as much information is needed regarding ports of call and intense details. 2. Passengers are working folks on the shorter cruises and have less time to spend on the boards than retirees. 3. Holiday cruises are more family centric and they don't look for engagement with outsiders.

 

These are my ideas, other may have an entirely different take. Sometimes it is just the luck of the draw, few CCers on the cruise. By contrast our up-coming 20 day Trans-Atlantic cruise has 1,000+ posts, 20,000+ views, a sail-away, 2 meet and greets and a 'live from' post already started and we don't sail for 12 days.

[jmps]

You can also look at the roll calls before and after your date to get excursion ideas.

 

We are on the Jan 2nd sailing with much of the same itinerary. Here are our plans for a few ideas:

 

Key West - Treasure Museum and self guided Key Lime Pie walking tour :-)

 

Roatan - booking a taxi for the day and go ziplining for the teens then on to West End to see the shops then to West Bay for beach snorkeling

 

Belize - We did cave tubing last time so we are going to Altun Ha with HAL

 

Cozumel - We are going to Costa Maya but I would recommend diving in Cozumel if you dive or visiting one of the beach clubs or Chankanaab Park via taxi.

The square is a fun place to hang out and grab a bite to eat or a drink. The silver shops off the main street are fun. Casa Denis just off the square would be great for a seafood lunch (try the lime snapper). There are also some small ruins in the center of the island. Don't rent scooters if you value your life.

 

Have a GREAT cruise.

[harmonysrq]

 

Belize - We did cave tubing last time so we are going to Altun Ha with HAL

 

 

CAVE TUBING?

We've only gone tubing once in TN down a cold rocky windy river/stream, How is cave tubing? how far from Ryndam port and how much if I may ask as I am starting to explore what to do while in Belize with my 15 yr old son and caves sound intriguing thanks. any photos? oh i guess that would be difficult to take pix while tubing. i will google it. thanks

[jmps]

In short, cave tubing is where you get driven out into the country. They give you an inner tube and light and you hike a mile or so up a river. You then float back down the river and into a cave system that the river flows into. It is very dark in places and very unique. There are tours off the ship and indepent tours available. We used Major Tom (his son now appears to running the business) and had a great time.

 

There are many posting about cave tubing here so I recommend doing some searching for more info.