Photo Review - Ryndam New Years Cruise

[Typhoon1]

Thanks for sharing the photos.

 

I'm in need of a cruise right now.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Loving your pictures with explanations.

[sail7seas]

One of the best photo presentations we've seen lately.

Thanks so much for sharing. :) I'm really enjoying being 'back aboard' the pretty Ryndam. We've had some wonderful cruises on her.

[kazu]

Oh my - what a fantastic presentation.

 

Your pics are wonderful. Your children are beautiful and you are and your DH just look happy. What a wonderful, wonderful gift to give us.

 

Thank you. I hope there is more?

[1of4]

Monday December 30. Cruise Day 2

 

We were to arrive in Key West at 1:00 but the Captain warned us that he had to leave right on time due to tide conditions so he motored and got us to port 1.5 hours early. We were doing our thing (and I can't remember what that meant) so we were not ready to go ashore until after lunch so we missed everything on the gangway...the shopping map (we use it for the map), the photographers, etc.

 

We had no plans so we were just relaxed:

 

 

There was a RC ship and a Carnival ship in port before us so the port was hopping:

 

Even though we were last to the party, we got the best table, in my opinion. We were right at the entry to the port:

 

[1of4]

today ON LOCATION for Monday, December 30, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1of4]

So we go off and set out no knowing where we were going....and it didn't matter either...we just knew when we had to be back.

 

 

The first thing we came across was a shop, of course which triggered in DS that he had to go to the bathroom. Geez, what is it about 9 year olds and public bathrooms. It is enough to make a mother squirm. So off set DH and DS to accomplish the request. DD and I were reading the signs until they got back

 

 

 

There were these photo ops right outside the door of the shop so you know I "made" DD and DS do it...I heard "awww mum" and "do we have to" to which I said "yes" so they did.

 

DS has 4 hands though. His way of getting back at me:

 

 

DD, even on her tip toes, didn't have the height to pull it off.

 

 

A nice older gentleman offered to take our photo by the "90 miles to Cuba" sign...but then didn't get the sign in the photo. Oh well, it was the thought that counts!

 

[1of4]

Don't ask me why this gate took my fancy. I guess it was the folliage behind and the colour. By this time in the year I have been seeing white and grey for weeks so a little colour has me excited:

 

 

One of the first things we see is this area of busts (is that how you spell it?) of all the famous people attracted to Key West:

 

 

Like Truman:

 

 

and Hemmingway.

 

 

 

DH being a history buff, we spent more time here than the other 3of4 would have chosen....

 

As we pried DH away from the area we passed this display:

 

 

We started walking....

 

[superoma]

so great. You are helping me relive my cruise, the week before yours!!! Looking forward to more.

[kitkat343]

Thank you so much for this. We are sailing on the Ryndam in two days with our three year old son, and it is an enormous relief to hear that your children enjoyed the kids club program.

[erewhon]

Enjoying your fantastic review, thanks for sharing your photos.

[startwin]

Well, these photos were certainly worth waiting for. Thank you so much for sharing. :)

[1of4]

Thank you so much for this. We are sailing on the Ryndam in two days with our three year old son, and it is an enormous relief to hear that your children enjoyed the kids club program.

 

My son was 7 on our first HAL cruise and he loved it then too. Our dd likes the Club Hal program more than the programs on the Disney ships because the staff are more interactive with the children. But ds was happy being parked in front of a computer all day on Disney (his choice).

 

Club Hall is open from 9 to 11:30, then from 1:00 to 4:30 and again from 7:00 to 10:00. When we showed up the first time at 9:45 PM we were told we were too early and to come back later! :eek::p This was way past their bed time at home but they were having so much fun.

 

The first night on the Ryndam I was so tired I went to bed and was asleep before dh went to sign out the children.

 

Enjoy your cruise. I think Club Hall is fantastic.

[1of4]

Well, these photos were certainly worth waiting for. Thank you so much for sharing. :)

 

Sorry for the gaps. Work always gets in the way:eek:

 

Glad you are enjoying them

[1of4]

Enjoying your fantastic review, thanks for sharing your photos.

 

Thanks for letting me know you are enjoying our photos. It is getting me through the next Arctic freeze.

[1of4]

so great. You are helping me relive my cruise, the week before yours!!! Looking forward to more.

 

Wow. Christmas on board. That must have been special.

 

I will make some time tomorrow to continue.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Too bad that HAL's Ryndam doesn't spend much time in Key West. The 4 hours -- really shorter than that because of having to be on board 1/2 hour before departure time, really doesn't give you chance to see Heminway's home, or the little White House, the furthest point south for the USA, etc.

[1of4]

Too bad that HAL's Ryndam doesn't spend much time in Key West. The 4 hours -- really shorter than that because of having to be on board 1/2 hour before departure time, really doesn't give you chance to see Heminway's home, or the little White House, the furthest point south for the USA, etc.

 

This is very true KK. We goofed. Since the captain kept coming on and telling us that he had gifted us extra time we didn't rush off the ship like we should have. We didn't appreciate just how little time we had in such a special port.

DH was really looking forward to this port...his history background kicked in and we just didn't have time. We set out to walk to the southern most marker until DD said she didn't want to....we should have taken the tram I guess. Next time....

We also learned to get off in time to pick up a shopping map to know which direction to head. Instead we bumped into things, happily, like the little white house, and the historical Naval Station.

We had an hour when we got back to port and DH wanted to head out on his own....but after 3 warnings of "don't miss the ship" he decided it was better for my blood pressure to return with us. Wise man since the next day was our anniversary. I felt bad as he really did want to see more but I also know he gets so wrapped up in history and loses track of time and I didn't want to be watching him running for the ship as we left him behind.

Edited January 18, 2014 by 1of4

[kazu]

This is very true KK. We goofed. Since the captain kept coming on and telling us that he had gifted us extra time we didn't rush off the ship like we should have. We didn't appreciate just how little time we had in such a special port.

DH was really looking forward to this port...his history background kicked in and we just didn't have time. We set out to walk to the southern most marker until DD said she didn't want to....we should have taken the tram I guess. Next time....

We also learned to get off in time to pick up a shopping map to know which direction to head. Instead we bumped into things, happily, like the little white house, and the historical Naval Station.

We had an hour when we got back to port and DH wanted to head out on his own....but after 3 warnings of "don't miss the ship" he decided it was better for my blood pressure to return with us. Wise man since the next day was our anniversary. I felt bad as he really did want to see more but I also know he get so wrapped up in history and loses track of time and I didn't want to be watching him running for the ship as we left him behind.

 

 

 

You didn't good - now you have an excuse to go back. Loved Hemingway's house :) Loving that you are continuing with the pics and reviews. Thank you:D

[1of4]

Our errands took longer today than we thought so I am just getting back to this thread now, sorry.

Continuing our walk through Key West:

We loved the architecture, the colours, and the feel of Key West.

 

 

 

 

[1of4]

 

Humm....where is my picture of the Little White House itself....I goofed and haven't edited down to size yet. Sorry. I will do it tomorrow morning while everyone else is asleep in our house.

 

 

[1of4]

 

 

There was a lovely fountain outside the historical Naval Station but the flower beds were full of chickens and roosters. Anyone know what that is about??

 

Heading back to the ship we stopped at the Key West Historical Military Memorial to pay our respects.

 

 

[1of4]

We stopped for the photo opportunity that we missed on the way off the ship...only the photographer was me:

 

 

I loved the colour of the water against the hull of the ship:

 

 

 

Here is part of the huge gingerbread display at the first level of the attrium:

 

There was also a train that ran around the base of the atrium statue but it had been disabled by the time we boarded on Dec. 29th.

 

This was the first of a few evenings that DH and I enjoyed the piano bar with entertainer Jamm:

 

 

Going by to see if we could find a place to sit became a nightly event. Sometimes we were lucky, sometimes we were not. When not, we would stand for awhile and then carry on, usually back to the puzzles but occaisionaly up to the Crow's Nest.

 

Our next day was our first at sea and New Year's Eve. This was the first formal night of the cruise too so we had a lot on our plates as we planned on wearing our highland gear to dinner too.

 

 

Here is a tease to hold you while I edit some for pictures....

 

[erewhon]

Thanks for continuing your review.

 

The Gingerbread display is gorgeous.

[innlady1]

Wonderful photos of Key West, Gail. What kind of camera do you have...super quality!

 

The Renoir statue outside that red building was done by a sculptor who summered in Nantucket (where we had our inn ) - Seward Johnson. He has some incredible statues all around the country.