Dave’s Live from Ryndam Southern Caribbean Feb 16 – March 2, 2014

[RetiredMustang]

Hello CC’ers,

 

I’m back with a blog of the Ryndam’s Southern Caribbean cruise. We sail from Tampa at 4 p.m. tomorrow, Feb 16.

 

Here is our itinerary:

- Key West 1-5 p.m. Feb. 17;

- Two days at sea (Feb. 18 and 19);

- San Juan, Puerto Rico noon-11 p.m. Feb. 20;

- St. Thomas from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Feb. 21;

- St. Johns, Antigua 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Feb. 22;

- Castries, St. Lucia 8a.m. – 3 p.m. Feb. 23 – after we leave Castries, we sail to Soufriere to pick up shore excursion passengers 5-6 p.m.

- A day at sea Feb. 24;

- Willemsted, Curacao 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. Feb 25;

- Oranjestad, Aruba 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. Feb. 26.

- It’s another sea day Feb. 27;

- Georgetown, Grand Cayman 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Feb. 28,

- A final sea Day March 1;

- Return to Tampa at 7 a.m. March 2.

 

Here is a map of our itinerary:

 

 

Trip to Tampa

 

We drove from the Washington, D.C. area. A snowstorm hit D.C (and most of the rest of the East Coast) Feb. 12-13. We were able to get out and drive south on Valentine’s Day, spending the night in Savannah, GA. Today, Saturday, Feb. 15, we drove to Tampa, arriving early afternoon.

 

In Tampa

 

We are staying at the Marriott Waterside in Tampa, near the cruise port. This is a comfortable and convenient place to stay prior to the cruise. Here are a few photos of the hotel public areas:

 

The lobby (two views):

 

 

 

 

And the outside patio of the lobby bar:

 

 

It was a nice sunny day in Tampa, and we enjoyed the warmth and sun after what has been a cold and dreary winter (although I admit that our CC colleagues in such places as Winnepeg, St. John and New England have had it worse.) In any case, it is great to get somewhere warm and sunny, and look forward to embarking Ryndam tomorrow on a great itinerary.

 

More later,

Dave

[Mtn2Sea]

Looking forward to your review. You do such a great job! Enjoy the warm weather.

[RetiredMustang]

Looking forward to your review. You do such a great job! Enjoy the warm weather.

 

Thank you! You did a great job with the report of this exact cruise a couple of months ago, but I figured we do different excursions and have different (not better, just not the same) experiences on board the ship, so I thought I would complement your thread with another viewpoint of the same cruise.

 

BTW, your thread really kept us going during the dreary months of winter until our turn!

 

Dave

Edited February 15, 2014 by RetiredMustang

[sppunk]

Love your reports - looking forward to tagging along for the virtual ride.

[RetiredMustang]

Love your reports - looking forward to tagging along for the virtual ride.

 

Chris,

 

Thanks much! Please take this as permission for you/Rich/Jacqui to grab anything you want from this thread for the HALfacts site. I was a frequent contributor to Joanie's site, and am willing to have my stuff potentially help other cruisers. I will email files after I get home (probably converting menu/program/etc. photos to .pdf), but if you want to snatch ship cabin/public room/whatever photos, please do so.

 

Dave

Edited February 16, 2014 by RetiredMustang

[Mtn2Sea]

Thank you! You did a great job with the report of this exact cruise a couple of months ago, but I figured we do different excursions and have different (not better, just not the same) experiences on board the ship, so I thought I would complement your thread with another viewpoint of the same cruise.

 

BTW, your thread really kept us going during the dreary months of winter until our turn!

 

Dave

 

Dave, don't be modest. I followed your live review several months ago, which gave me the courage to try one myself. Now I get to see the teacher at work again. I'll be reading and enjoying your review every day.

[RuthC]

Ooo. This is nice. I like reading your reports. Even open some of your images, as they are pretty good!

 

Nice itinerary. It's snowing outside. Again. :rolleyes: I could do this cruise right about now.

[1of4]

Fantastic. I loved your review of your TA and it is on our radar. You y photos will pull me through the next fortnight. I can feel the thaw starting

[cruz chic]

Love your live from threads:). I'm going to miss part of it because I'll be on my own cruise. Could you plan that better next time :D;):D? Hope you and Mrs. Dave have a wonderful time. Eat some bitterballen for me.

 

Cruz chic formerly lorekauf.

Edited February 16, 2014 by cruz chic

[sapper1]

Yea!! Another Dave and Mrs Dave live report. I am looking forward to reading about your travels and enjoying your marvellous pictures.

[sppunk]

Chris,

 

Thanks much! Please take this as permission for you/Rich/Jacqui to grab anything you want from this thread for the HALfacts site. I was a frequent contributor to Joanie's site, and am willing to have my stuff potentially help other cruisers. I will email files after I get home (probably converting menu/program/etc. photos to .pdf), but if you want to snatch ship cabin/public room/whatever photos, please do so.

 

Dave

 

Thanks so much!

[erewhon]

I always enjoy your "live' from cruises.

Thank you for allowing us to travel with you.

[startwin]

Great! I always enjoy your "live from..." reports. It will cheer up a dreary February.:)

[Copper10-8]

Nice Dave; enjoy! :) if you two have dinner at the PG please tell the manager, Colin, I said hi

[catl331]

What! Leaving D.C. Just a little snow on the ground. This is sure working out for you. Definitely smart to go south where it is warmer. Right now it looks good to us here also! We enjoy reading your reports. Still enjoy your Viking cruise reports. Hoping!

 

Have a great cruise.

[RetiredMustang]

Sunday, Feb. 16, Tampa - embarkation day

 

Thanks everybody for the supportive posts. John, we don't have Pinnacle booked, but I will try to see Colin and say hi. L (cruz chic) enjoy your cruise! Ruth, we are looking forward to meeting you on Amsterdam in August.

 

But before that cruise, we are now coming to the start of our Ryndam cruise. We went for a walk along the water to watch the sun rise this morning, and saw another sight as well -- Ryndam backing down the channel past the aquarium parking lot, toward her berth at terminal 6:

 

 

After breakfast, we came back to our room on one of the top floors of the hotel and took a look out the window, which faces north. We were able to see a good bit of downtown, and a little to the right (east) we could see the Tampa Bay Times Forum. DW said to look further beyond that roof. Here is what she/we saw:

 

 

Yes! Ryndam is in port; and we are just down the street. It's always a good feeling to know that you and the ship are at the same place at the time you are supposed to be. Now comes the longest morning of a cruise -- waiting to board.

 

I will check in after boarding and setting up the internet account.

 

More later,

Dave

[rafinmd]

Wow! Looks like you could almost walk to the ship. Bon Voyage. Just wish Lou and Dave had a camera there.

 

Roy

[ger_77]

Oh goody, another "live from" thread - something to keep me going during this hideously cold winter on the "frozen tundra". Can't wait to sail away with you!

 

Smooth Sailing !:) :) :)

[0bnxshs]

Tampa really is a great port to cruise from. Enjoy your cruise and thanks for the considerable effort, Dave! :)

[kazu]

Chris,

 

Thanks much! Please take this as permission for you/Rich/Jacqui to grab anything you want from this thread for the HALfacts site. I was a frequent contributor to Joanie's site, and am willing to have my stuff potentially help other cruisers. I will email files after I get home (probably converting menu/program/etc. photos to .pdf), but if you want to snatch ship cabin/public room/whatever photos, please do so.

 

Dave

 

how kind of you Dave - we really appreciate your support. Your pics and info are so wonderful!!!

 

Thanks so much!

 

ditto

 

 

Really looking forward to following along. Your reports are always so good. Have a wonderful time!!!

[cruz chic]

Can't wait for more!

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 16, Tampa - embarkation day (cont.)

 

Well, we are aboard and I have opened the internet account. Ryndam is still using MTN, but the internet manager said they were shifting to Harris soon.

 

I will post a few things before boat drill, which is set for 3:15. I will catch up more later.

 

Here are some photos of the cabin, in two posts. First, the cabin and balcony:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More in the next post.

 

Dave

Edited February 16, 2014 by RetiredMustang

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 16, Tampa - embarkation day (cont.)

 

Here are some photos of the bath:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Nice Dave; enjoy! :) if you two have dinner at the PG please tell the manager, Colin, I said hi

 

John, mission accomplished. Colin was in the PG as I was rambling about the ship, and I popped in and passed on your greeting. He was pleased that you remembered him.

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 16, Tampa - embarkation day (cont.)

 

One more before boat drill. Here are photos of today's program.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

More later,

Dave