Holland America ms Ryndam
 

Has anyone sail on Holland America`s ms Ryndam?
Is the ship as nice as they say? I`m planning a cruise from Seaward to Vancouver in September.What is the weather like at that time of year? Could someone recommend a hotel in Anchorage!
Thanks!

We are also looking at the same tour. We are looking for recommendations also but planning to go next June. We are also interested in staying in Denali for a couple of days and are looking for ideas and good things to do or see.
Thanks.

Took a standard Caribbean cruise on the Ryndam last January. The ship and accommodations are very nice. Our only complaint was mediocre service in the dining room - Indonesian waiter was poorly trained and not responsive to our requirements. The food was not quite up to what you expect on a cruise.

We did Alaska to Vancouver on the Ryndam year before last. It was superb, in every detail. Much better than our first cruise (Norwegian), which wasn't bad. We're planning a Caribbean cruise next year, and almost certainly going with Holland America. <BR>

We've been on two Statendam cruises, a sister ship of the Ryndam. I thought, when looking through their Alaskan cruises, that Statendam was the only one that had verandas, if you are interested in one. For that reason, I would go on Statendam, but you cannot go wrong with Holland America...superb in every way.

Everyone says the Alaska trip is the trip of a lifetime and I agree - this is a long response but may help with your plans. The Ryndam was gorgeous, with tasteful decor and a collection of Dutch & English antiques and artwork. We had a "large outside stateroom" with nice window (not porthole); our friends traveling with us preferred this room over a verandah room they’d had on Sun Princess (Ryndam = larger room, better-designed bathroom with nice tub). The Ryndam’s verandah rooms looked beautiful but I wouldn’t pay the extra for an Alaskan cruise - too chilly to sit out there plus one really should be on any of the foredecks or the "Crowsnest Lounge" for Hubbard Glacier or College Fjord! They offered a tour of the ship right away - before sailing - only 12 people took advantage of it and it was a great way to seek out "our" spots before everyone else. Dining room food was OK; our friends preferred the Sun Princess’ (but not the Dawn Princess’ - so it really depends on the ship and the chef) but agreed that the appetizers and desserts were outstanding and that all fish entrees were cooked excellently. We were surprised to find ourselves at a really awful table location, despite booking 9 months earlier; the manager fixed that before the 2nd evening and we sat at a beautiful window table (the 2-level dining room has windows that wrap around the stern). The ship never felt crowded except for one flaw: when everyone needed to get up very early for shore excursions, many lined up at the Lido buffet and there is nowhere to do so, as the elevators open up into the only place to wait. The Dutch take lifeboat drills seriously; we also attended the Captain’s q&a session about the technical running of the ship. Cabin steward and, especially, the waitstaff in "our" two lounges (Crowsnest and Explorer’s) were terrific. Most bizarre behaviour observed: (1) people who stayed in the casino or got their nails done while the ship was up close to the Hubbard or College Fjord glaciers - what do they come to Alaska for? (2) people who, we are convinced, didn’t know they were still in the U.S. when we were on land - they thought it was Canada, and (3) while close to the aforementioned scenery we overheard a passenger ask, "Is this a whale watch?" Finally, a bit about the land tour - it was fine but you might want to investigate a Princess land tour as well (from the little we saw) - we ate at Denali Princess lodge and toured their hotel - older people, especially, would have an easier time than in the sprawling McKinley Chalet Resort. Finally, don’t ever squawk at getting up at 4:30 AM for the wildlife tour in Denali - we were rewarded with fine views of Mt. McKinley and every animal you can name!! Make sure your land tour includes the 7-hour "Wildlife Tour" rather than the 3-hour "Natural History Tour" - the short one barely gets very far into the park. Any specific questions - happy to answer.