Photo Review - Ryndam New Years Cruise

[1of4]

I have always loved looking at the ever changing canvas of the sky and the Ryndam's departure from Costa Maya provided some of nature's best:

 

 

 

 

 

Shutterfly tends to mess up my sequence so a few of the above pictures are out of order, but you get the picture...those were storm clouds!

 

I started to get ready for the vow renewal while DH went to collect DS from Club Hal. We needed to be ready so we could take the children to the Lido to eat as they were not coming to the PG with us.

 

What a show...a little different and the wonderful staff loved it. So very friendly. Even the other Lido clients made positive comments:

 

[1of4]

We loved the Lido coffee man....each day we were greeted with "Coffee from Heaven makes you happy, Good morning" except for New Year's Day when we heard "Coffee from Heaven makes you happy, Happy New Year". Sorry I can not recall his name right now and everyone else is still asleep but he really was a joy:

 

 

He loved DD and DS and just couldn't get over DS's kilt...

 

 

He tried to refuse an extra tip the next day and said "for what? I am just doing my job". DH explained how much his love for his job set a perfect tone for us and he handed over our appreciation.

 

After DD and DS had some food in their stomachs and DS didn't have any on his nice white shirt, we headed for the Crow's Nest where our vow reneal was scheduled for 7:00.

 

I didn't know what to expect but I can tell you I could not imagine what we found:

 

Half of the crow's nest was shut for a private function....assuming it was us we still went through the other side. We saw that the section away from the windows could be closed off with sheer curtains:

 

The curtains completely closed off this center area except for about 6 feet which was the door. Our first view was of a lovely flower arrangement and a wedding cake!

 

 

 

 

[1of4]

I couldn't believe the fuss everyone was making...or I should say I am just not used to it. Their were 5 or 6 people there just making sure everything was perfect (it was). There was champagne (juice for the children).

 

 

We settled in and waited for our two guests from our roll call and Captain Mark Rowden. Turns out the captain was very busy dealing with the ever changing weather which was whipping around outside the ship.

 

 

Not a great photo of DS, but just to show you DD and DS were both there:

 

 

 

 

Rob and I were given rose corsages and the HD's assistant was starting to fuss over time as the Captain had not arrived yet.

 

 

There is more to come...I promise...but family is up and I have to get on with the day (so sorry).

Edited February 8, 2014 by 1of4

[sapper1]

Thank you so much for your Mayan ruins pictures. We will be in Costa Maya on the NA in December and I think we just might take a shorex. We generally don't bother much with excursions in the Caribbean but this one looks very worthwhile.

[RuthC]

Now we're at the good part! (ok, all is good, but this is really good!) I am loving this start to the vows renewal. You all looked so nice that night.

Edited February 8, 2014 by RuthC

[Krazy Kruizers]

You are keeping us in suspense.

Love it so far.

[ZSandy25]

I am enjoying your photos, what a happy occasion and to have your children with you..what a gift. As Ruth said on to the best part. I am looking forward to your next installment.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[sapper1]

1of4, do you remember if there were seat belts on the bus that took you to the Mayan ruins?

I never used to think too much about it but on our recent trip to the Baltic, the mini bus made a sudden stop to avoid a collision and the only person not buckled in went flying out of her seat and into the aisle. She was quite bruised and sore the following day. I was amazed at how violently she was tossed while we were travelling at a low speed.

Most of the busses we used on this trip had seat belts.

[1of4]

1of4, do you remember if there were seat belts on the bus that took you to the Mayan ruins?

 

Both DH and I don't think so Sapper1. But I can tell you that we used the large coach touring buses with the washroom in the back and the road was very straight with one turn (the guide made fun of this fact and told us to get ready the one turn was coming up). It is also in a new area with very little around it and very little traffic.

 

We enjoyed the tour very much as it was our first exposure to Mayan culture but we wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

[1of4]

I am enjoying your photos, what a happy occasion and to have your children with you..what a gift. As Ruth said on to the best part. I am looking forward to your next installment.

 

Thanks. DD and DS were the ones that instigated this whole thing! They were both very excited.

 

I don't mean to keep people hanging but I have to edit the other photos down in size for posting to shutterfly and then onto CC. I have a deadline for a quilt that I am working on so it won't be until tomorrow that I can get back to the review.

 

I am really, really sorry everyone. I don't like keeping you all hanging like this but time is working against me right now with the never ending snow and a quilt that has to be done in less than 6 weeks.

 

I hope to get the rest of the photos done tonight.:o

[1of4]

I slept in a bit....so now we continue:

 

 

The captain did show up a bit late (nobody was looking at a watch except the officers hanging around) and when he did arrive I was surprised that he sat right down for a nice long chat. We talked about the weather and how it was not predicted (the next day, after a night of over 50 foot waves and pulling zero g's in our beds) he admitted that he was on the bridge all night). He talked about Holland America and how all the smaller ships like the Ryndam and Volendam are up for sale but have contracts through 2016 (he did not mention anything about the Prisendam). He told us how they are starting contruction on one new ship and have a contract for one more and both will be larger than the largest ship in the HAL fleet currently. When I expressed my desire for the smaller size he just said it was the way of the future and HAL has to keep up with the other lines and those ships are popular. He then said how he loved being Captain of the Ryndam and we would see many unhappy officers the next day and most had family on board for the last two weeks and they were all disembarking with us on Sunday morning to fly home. We knew his family was on board as his son was in Club Hal.

 

Anyway he was reminded of the time so it was time to get the show on the road.

 

It was kind of John and Rose to attend and John took the photos wit my camera.

 

 

 

 

 

As 15 years ago...I don't remember a thing!

 

[1of4]

Everyone was just so nice. We really enjoyed ourselves.

 

 

 

Thank Goodness the side-view photos are done! I am trying hard, but really, the side view just isn't kind:eek:.

 

We then seperated as DH and I and our guests were overdue for the PG so DH went to take both DD and DS to the cabin to change as DS was teased on New Year's Eve and although he would do anything for me, he didn't want to get teased again. So I headed to the PG with John and Rose and DH joined us shortly.

 

But we stopped for one more family portrait....

 

 

We had been told that for the first time, the Photo Gallery was having a sale for 1 hour on the last night of the cruise. Buy 2 get 1 free. Now you know why we have so many portraits. They said they had never done it before so we took advantage and bought 6 on top of the $99 package of "action" photos we had purchased earlier that included the sail away and the children on New Year's Eve. They are a nice reminder now.

[startwin]

Wonderful! You all look absolutely smashing.:)

[RuthC]

Thank you for getting to posting the Vow Renewal pics. Everyone looked so happy; I'm sure it will be a thrilling memory for the rest of your lives.

Someday, your grown kids will show their kids those pics, and keep the joy alive.

[sapper1]

I wouldn't tease your son. He was a fine looking young gentleman in his kilt. Because of my Scottish heritage I'm more than a little prejudiced. :)

[AlohaPride]

Yay!! Thank you! What a lovely intimate event. Thank you for letting us "behind the curtain" for your beautiful vow renewal.

[1of4]

Sorry sorry, sorry. I will get back to this and finish it up very soon. Please stop snowing!!! :rolleyes::)

[kazu]

Oh my - at long last :D:D Thanks for sharing these moments with the rest of us. You all look stunning and very happy:D

 

As always, your camera gets wonderful pictures. Your photographer did a nice job:D

[1of4]

Well lets wrap this up. Sorry, this winter and having two busy children is really curtailing what I can actually do (my thoughts of getting everything done have long been left in the dust).

 

We had a 3 day ice storm just before Christmas and most of Toronto was left without power for days and even weeks. We live north of the city so had power but we had an appointment in Toronto on December 23 to pick up the kilt rentals and then get, what is usually a 30 minutes drive, to the photographer's studio. Well the hardy Scots had no power for 2 days but they were open and DS tried on his whole kilt ensamble in the dark...really funny. The drive took us nearly 2 hours, which turned out to be a good thing, as the photographers studio had their power restored only 15 minutes before we arrived....can you spell C-O-L-D. It was 7 degrees inside. DH and DS were just fine...but DD and I froze.

 

No matter, the photos turned out and I told DD they would suffer being too hot while on the Ryndam in their wool while we were dressed for the climate.

 

In the shop with no power....

 

 

2 hours later at the photographers:

 

 

 

Hard to believe that DD is 3 years older than DS!

 

 

We had the family portrait framed so I had to take a picture of it:

 

 

The last day of the "today ON LOCATION" has been posted on HalFacts as it can be read and for some reason I couldn't get it large enough to be legible here...or not by me anyway.

 

The last day was spent in Club Hal by 2of4 and packing by 1of4 and I can not speak to what DH got up to...okay I didn't pack all day, but it took time as we were going on the Disney Magic and I wanted only one of our suitcases to be opened for that trip. I LOVE the HAL "stuff the bag" laundry!!

 

The photo studio had a sale on the last night for 1 hour...buy 2 get 3 sale so we took advantage and bought 4 and received 6 pictures.

 

Then it was on to Disney.....

 

 

I will answer any questions you may have...but you may just want me to be quiet for awhile!!

[kazu]

Gorgeous pictures - absolutely wonderful!!!! You are all stunning!

 

All of your pictures are always good but your photographer did a top notch job on these :D

[RuthC]

Lovely pictures. You will all cherish them forever.

Thank you for sharing them with us.

 

I particularly noticed the picture in the shop: even the carpet was a muted plaid! So appropriate.

[1of4]

Lovely pictures. You will all cherish them forever.

Thank you for sharing them with us.

 

I particularly noticed the picture in the shop: even the carpet was a muted plaid! So appropriate.

 

You are right Ruth. The shop is very Scottish from top to bottom.

 

You will see DS playing with the tassels on his sporran...the shope keeper reminded him that "if you play with your dangly bits they will fall off"...:eek::D

 

Quite a few laughs that day. We had to laugh or else we would cry at all the devestation and that many thousands spent Christmas without power and the elderly and mobility impared were essentially imprisoned in their cold homes not able to either get out or if they could, could not navigate the icy streets with downed tree limbs and electrical wires.

[1of4]

Gorgeous pictures - absolutely wonderful!!!! You are all stunning!

 

All of your pictures are always good but your photographer did a top notch job on these :D

 

Thanks Kazu. We have used this photographer since DS was 1 month old. Even though we moved away he is worth the drive as we know the product will be good. He even uses DD and DS from a 2007 outdoor photo in his advertising.