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

[RetiredMustang]

Sheila,

 

I'm not sure what you mean by the "Wine Package". I posted the flyer about the Signature Beverage package, the one with up to 15 drinks a day under $7 each, but I haven't seen one limited only to wine. I will look.

 

Dave

 

Are you thinking of the Navigator and Admiral's packages? I think there may be a booklet out now instead of just the list. I'll try to get a copy.

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 19, at sea (cont.)

 

I've been taking photos of public spaces and of info sheets, and will post them now and then. Since I was just posting about wine, I'll start with the wine bar/area outside the Wajang Theater:

 

 

 

While I was there, I got a copy of the Pinnacle wine list:

 

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 19, at sea (cont.)

 

Here are some photos of the Crows Nest:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Dave,

Do they offer this Sommelier Dinner at PG only on 14-night voyages. Would love to try this on our 7-night march 2nd if offered. Are you planning on attending it?

 

I'm sorry, but I don't know which cruises they offer it, but I suspect you may be right that it is only on the longer cruises. We have discussed going, but have not decided yet, but we will probably not do so.

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Hi Dave! I just noticed we are neighbors -- we live in Loudoun Co. I know you were dreaming of the Ryndam when the Nor'Easterner came through last week!

 

If you run into Ken and Marianne from Denver, please tell them that Sheila and Mike said hello. They were our table mates last week, and they were lovely people. I miss them, and Dwepa, and Happy Harry! I wanna go back!

 

Hi, neighbor! If we see them, I will pass on your greetings, but even the S-class ships have a lot of people and we may not run across them. I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise -- how was Mahogany Bay?

 

Dave

[WhansaMi]

Hi, neighbor! If we see them, I will pass on your greetings, but even the S-class ships have a lot of people and we may not run across them. I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise -- how was Mahogany Bay?

 

Dave

 

It was nice. We went with Joanie, from Victor Bodden, and she was wonderful. We had a tour of the island, and then she took us to Infinity Bay. It was less crowded than most of the other hotels that had day passes, and the reef was *right there*. She walked us down to the beach, got us settled, put us in the very capable hands of one of the hotel's people, and came back to check on us periodically. After snorkeling, we went to a local roadside restaurant, off the main road, a little east of the terminal, for lunch. Very good!

Edited February 19, 2014 by WhansaMi

[jaspersmycat]

Dave:

 

I am loving your posts. I'll be on the Ryndam for 21 days in June and this is helping me get excited. I look forward, also, to meeting you on the 14-day Alaskan cruise in August. I'm hoping you'll have "cruising with Dave" posts then so my relatives can follow along.

[1of4]

Thank you, thank you! You showed me the first sunshine sine we disembarked the Ryndam on January 5! :)

[innlady1]

Sheila,

 

I'm not sure what you mean by the "Wine Package". I posted the flyer about the Signature Beverage package, the one with up to 15 drinks a day under $7 each, but I haven't seen one limited only to wine. I will look.

 

Dave

 

Somewhere...in my luggage...I have a copy of the new wine menu. It lists the wines included in the Navigator & Admiral packages. Probably printed on card stock 8 1/2" x 11" and folded in the middle. It was distributed at the Wine Tasting and again in the dining room.

[erewhon]

Thanks for your reports.

 

The Quail looks delicious.

[rajkr74]

Dave,

Boy we are a little slow in finding your blog, which is always excellent. I am caught up now! One year ago we were with you on the Noordam in the Caribbean...darn, wish we were there doing this cruise with you this year. I have to figure out how to retire????:rolleyes:

 

Joyce says make sure you have your morning coffee in the Explorations Cafe. :p

 

We have fellow CC's friends on your cruise, Bonnie and Lorin from Seattle on this leg of your cruise. We sailed with them on our 2011 Panama Canal cruise. They are staying on board and doing the 2nd leg of the B2B for a total of 21 days. Say hi to them if you see them. They might have been at the Meet and Great.

 

Darn good pictures of the food....makes me hungry!

 

Rick

[RetiredMustang]

Somewhere...in my luggage...I have a copy of the new wine menu. It lists the wines included in the Navigator & Admiral packages. Probably printed on card stock 8 1/2" x 11" and folded in the middle. It was distributed at the Wine Tasting and again in the dining room.

 

Sheila,

 

I get it now. Here are photos of the brochure:

 

 

 

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 19, at sea (cont.)

 

We just lazed about for the afternoon, got a bit of sun, watched the waves, etc. Then we found it was time for dinner.

 

Here are the dinner menus:

 

 

 

Both DW and I had the carrot soup. It was a delicious concoction, with garlic, ginger and nutmeg:

 

 

 

For the main dish, we again both selected the same thing, the lasagna. We both agreed the meaty filling was great ... but it could have used some more cheese :D! Yes, there was cheese on top, but we love lots of stringy mozzarella and creamy ricotta in our lasagna. This was very good, though.

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

Edited February 20, 2014 by RetiredMustang

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 19, at sea (cont.)

 

I think I can only do about five photos per post, so I split the dessert part out from the previous post.

 

Here is the dessert menu:

 

 

 

DW had the warm chocolate pudding, but I went with something a bit colder, although still chocolate -- rocky road ice cream:

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Just got off on the 16th after a great 3-week sail on the Ryndam…hope you see tonight's show, "Heat"….all the shows were fantastic…

Also David Anthony in the Piano Bar, and Terry (guitarist)all around the ship.

Happy Harry in the Lido (as well as Allan) will make your morning…(Hi to them from Jan and Chris)

Delightful captain with good tidbits of info…

Have a great time…and enjoy the view of the Pitons in St. Lucia…we had a gorgeous day.

 

Thanks for joining us on the cruise! We missed Heat, but we have listened to Terry in the Mix a couple of times. I haven't noticed Happy Harry or Allan by name in the Lido, but everyone there is very helpful as usual. And, we look forward to visiting St. Lucia again, with the Pitons -- usually viewed from deck with a glass of wine in hand....

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Dave,

Boy we are a little slow in finding your blog, which is always excellent. I am caught up now! One year ago we were with you on the Noordam in the Caribbean...darn, wish we were there doing this cruise with you this year. I have to figure out how to retire????:rolleyes:

 

Joyce says make sure you have your morning coffee in the Explorations Cafe. :p

 

We have fellow CC's friends on your cruise, Bonnie and Lorin from Seattle on this leg of your cruise. We sailed with them on our 2011 Panama Canal cruise. They are staying on board and doing the 2nd leg of the B2B for a total of 21 days. Say hi to them if you see them. They might have been at the Meet and Great.

 

Darn good pictures of the food....makes me hungry!

 

Rick

 

Rick,

 

Yes, indeed, DW and I have had our morning lattes from the Explorations Café every morning -- she says "hi" to you and Joyce, and to all others she has met.

 

I believe I did meet Bonnie and Lorin at the M&G. If I run across them again, I will pass on your greetings.

 

And, yes, we have been far from starving with the food. :)

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Thursday, Feb. 20, San Juan, Puerto Rico

 

We were just finishing our lattes in the Explorations Café when the Captain came on the announcing system to tell us that a passenger needed medical attention. A helicopter evacuation yesterday was not possible because of winds, so the captain sped up the ship overnight so as to get the person ashore as soon as possible. The result is that we will be picking up the pilot in about 15 minutes, and should be docking in San Juan at about 10 a.m., two hours ahead of schedule.

 

We will be going ashore sooner than expected, then. We are just planning to walk about old San Juan. I will report when we get back.

 

Here are photos of today's programs:

 

 

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[Mtn2Sea]

Have a great day in San Juan. Hopefully, your fellow passenger will be okay. Medical emergencies are always a little scary.

[Skipper's Mom]

Feb. 19, at sea (cont.)

 

I think I can only do about five photos per post, so I split the dessert part out from the previous post.

 

Here is the dessert menu:

 

 

 

DW had the warm chocolate pudding, but I went with something a bit colder, although still chocolate -- rocky road ice cream:

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

 

Love those cookies! Yummmmm! :D

[WhansaMi]

Thanks for joining us on the cruise! We missed Heat, but we have listened to Terry in the Mix a couple of times. I haven't noticed Happy Harry or Allan by name in the Lido, but everyone there is very helpful as usual. And, we look forward to visiting St. Lucia again, with the Pitons -- usually viewed from deck with a glass of wine in hand....

 

Dave

 

Happy Harry serves coffee on the side opposite of Canneletto in the morning. He will be singing "Coffee from heaven! Coffee make you happy!" He also has a small sign that a previous guest made him that says "Coffee from heaven" too.

 

I hope you get to meet him!

[WhansaMi]

Have a great day in San Juan. Hopefully, your fellow passenger will be okay. Medical emergencies are always a little scary.

 

We had two or three medical evacuations last week! Two were the first day in Key West (at least one was a broken leg) and in Costa Maya we saw an ambulance speeding toward the ship.

[cruz chic]

It seems like pretty much every cruise I do with Hal has at least one medical emergency. Hope the pax is ok. Enjoy your day. Thx for the update.

[Lovely other]

Took a break from decorating my living room to read your Blog. Vicarious cruising in the caribbean is so much better than decorating to the sound of howling winds and lashing rain, that seems to have been going on for months now ... many thanks from sunny old England :rolleyes:

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 20, San Juan (cont.)

We pulled into pier 1 of old San Juan a bit after 10 Puerto Rico time (one hour ahead of EST). As we pulled in, I got a couple of shots of El Morro fort:

An ambulance was waiting on the pier. We did not see the patient leave – I hope they are OK.

We prepared to go ashore, and went a few minutes after we were cleared, which happened about 10:30. Here are the info sheets on San Juan from the Explorer booklet:

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Feb. 20, San Juan (cont.)

We had been in San Juan several times before, and had toured the city, visited El Yunque rain forest, etc., but had never just gone ashore and wandered around the old city. So, we just went ashore and started walking about. Here are some scenes from the old town:

And a shot of a statue of Columbus:

More later,

Dave

Edited February 20, 2014 by RetiredMustang