Ryndam Helpful Hints, Please!

[Vict0riann]

We will be on the Ryndam in July/August for 2 weeks. We have never sailed on her before, nor have we ever been in a Neptune suite before. Any advice/secrets you have to offer would be gratefully noted! (Such as, will breakfast be in the Pinnacle?) Thanks, Ann

[dvcmember]

I'm interested too. Not staying in a suite, but any tips would be helpful for my December Collector's cruise.

[jer_l]

Not really a tip, but an observation: We sailed on the Ryndam a few years ago and still think the Pinnacle Grill there was the best of any HAL ship we've sailed. (I guess the only tip I could give is to plan to eat there more than once!)

[dvcmember]

Dining there twice! One night is Le Cirque Dinner.

[Vict0riann]

Not really a tip, but an observation: We sailed on the Ryndam a few years ago and still think the Pinnacle Grill there was the best of any HAL ship we've sailed. (I guess the only tip I could give is to plan to eat there more than once!)

 

Good to know, thanks!:) Actually, I had thought we wouldn't bother - ate in the Pinnacle twice in April on the Eurodam, and were not terribly impressed. The food was as good as usual, but the service was a bit offhand. So we'll make at least one reservation before we board, and go from there! Cheers, Ann

[sail7seas]

Neptune Suites (Category "S") and Pinnacle Suite (Category "PS") on Ryndam have the choice for breakfast in Pinnacle Grill. It's a lovely way to start the day. :)

[Vict0riann]

Neptune Suites (Category "S") and Pinnacle Suite (Category "PS") on Ryndam have the choice for breakfast in Pinnacle Grill. It's a lovely way to start the day. :)

 

Thanks, Sail. We will certainly enjoy that! I was going to ask if the Pinnacle had windows, but i went on the HAL site and looked, and it does. I was wondering what it reminded me of, and I realized it was ms Statendam, which we enjoyed very much (4 weeks to NZ), so I am getting more and more excited. I wish we were going to be on for more than a measly 2 weeks! It's getting more and more that I'm cruising for the ship and not the ports! :) Ann

[sail7seas]

All the "S" ships have Pinnacle in same place, same size and there are windows all the way along the side. We love the "S" ship Pinnacle Restaurants..... they're small and intimate and lovely.

 

I hope you enjoy. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

On the S class ships -- the Crow's Nest is not shared with anything else. (Some ships have the Explorations Cafe, library and Internet Cafe up there.)

[BumperII]

We have sailed the Ryndam several times. The Pinnacle Grill staff and management are always changing, so the service level changes too. Don't let that stop you. Figure out what night or nights you want to dine there and get your reservations in as soon as you board ship. The worst night I ever had in the Pinnacle Grill was still terrific!!:D

 

The Main Dining Rooms on the S class ships are the best in the fleet. The size of the dining room is well suited to the passenger capacity.

 

The quality of the entertainment also varies from time to time. Make it a point to get around to hear them all. At least one of the groups is always pretty good.

 

Treat the staff with a little courtesy and they will literally give you the whole dam ship.:)

[innlady1]

We loved the Ryndam...were on her for 21 days this winter. Ate at the Pinnacle Grill three or four times (lunch & dinner) and loved it. I'm another fan of the Pinnacle on the S class ships.

We enjoyed our 21 days on her very much.

[Vict0riann]

We do like the Pinnacle for lunch - crab cakes, yum! Maybe even more than for dinner, but we'll book one night before we leave home, and then organize more when we get on board. Also Canaletto, which we really enjoyed on the Eurodam in April.

 

Talking about entertainment, does any other ship but the Eurodam have BBKing? We enjoyed them so much (in the Queen's Lounge), we went there almost every night after dinner for an hour or so before the late show. They were very popular, but no one seems to have mentioned them on CC. I would love DD to see/hear them on the Ryndam, although she'd probably say their music is not her thing! These young people! Even the bar staff in the room had a good time and wore jeans and BBKing tees. It was fun!

 

Another question - has anyone slept on the sofabed in a Neptune suite on Ryndam? It's my turn, and I'm a little worried. I just love HAL beds, but no one has anything good to say about the regular sofabeds. DD slept on one on the Prinsendam 2 years ago, and DH slept in the upper bunk on Quark when we went to Antarctica, so I am definitely next to suffer! Oh, well. As we make DD pay a third of the full cost, it's only fair. :)

[BumperII]

Just my opinion, but for the privilege of sailing on a HAL ship, I'll sleep on the sofa any time. Let me point out that I am slightly over 21 and possessed of significant girth. (Built for accuracy rather than speed).:D I have always found the sofa far more comfortable to sleep on than the "sofa bed".

[Vict0riann]

Just my opinion, but for the privilege of sailing on a HAL ship, I'll sleep on the sofa any time. Let me point out that I am slightly over 21 and possessed of significant girth. (Built for accuracy rather than speed).:D I have always found the sofa far more comfortable to sleep on than the "sofa bed".

 

Bumper, good idea, I certainly would prefer to sleep on the sofa, as long as the back cushions come off! Like you - accuracy over speed!:D