Ryndam Rules! (A completely unbiased report)

[cruisun]

And thanks for such a positive review, very refreshing:))

[1of4]

Stunningly beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing your pictures so I can dream some more!!

[innlady1]

Thank you for such gorgeous photos and such a nice review. The photos bring back a lot of memories of my trip to Sweden and Norway with my mom and sister.

This on my bucket list!

[phoebedog]

Lovely review.

I will be doing this cruise in 2015 with a group of 7, we will be booking as soon as it's available!!

 

I have taken 3 Ryndam cruises so far, they have all been fantastic and I have booked for the Fjords for next year (room number 004, can't wait!).

 

Love the Captain, especially when he lapses into his Yorkshire accent (I live where he is from originally).

:)

[dr.dawg]

oh, heavens, this was a lovely account and BEAUTIFUL pics. i called my friend today to see if he would be interested. you, ann, are an artist with the camera, for sure. i may take the cruise next year on june 7 regardless of whether i go alone or not. thanks soooooooooooo much.

[jaspersmycat]

Thanks for posting your review and pictures. I'll be doing this cruise June 14, 2014. Your pictures make me wish I didn't have to wait 10 months.

[ldog]

Thank you for your review and pictures. The Norwegian Fjords are on our bucket list too.

 

We'll be on the Ryndam in November for 21 days out of Tampa so it's great to know that she's in good shape.

[Duquesmom]

Thanks for the pics & travelogue! I'm on Ryndam in February. You have really whetted my appetite.

[Vict0riann]

Thanks for all the kind words. It's really fun doing this, because going through our photos and reading DH's diary, I'm living it all over again! I might become addicted!

[Vict0riann]

Honningsvag Day! Not much sleep - Captain Mark had us up before 8 a.m., to tell us we had made good time during the night, and were almost at the North Cape - this would be the furthest north we would go, as far as 71 deg. 12.42' N (and 025 deg. 04.34' E). Of course we were on the balcony for the first sightings, and as we were on the starboard side we had great views. However, there was enough time to do a 360 degree turn at the Cape so everyone would be able to see it. Very exciting! It was Saturday, so we had been on board one week - only one week to go. Makes me sad just thinking about it.

 

 

There was just time for the obligatory troll experience, and then it was time for our tour, organized by a member of our roll call. It included the North Cape, a Sami camp, and two colourful fishing villages. The whole day was amazing - shirtsleeve weather, sun shining and miles of visibility.

 

 

The North Cape monument.

 

[Vict0riann]

This is Skarsvag, one of the fishing villages. DD said it reminded her of Newfoundland, where she lives.

 

 

This is the other fishing village. It looks a bit dark, but it really wasn't. Beautiful day!

 

 

It really does look like Newfoundland, doesn't it?

 

[Vict0riann]

Actually, I think we went to the Sami camp before the fishing villages. Sorry. The first one is of our group and the van at the camp.

 

 

 

[Vict0riann]

We left Honningsvag at 11 p.m., and, of course, we stayed up for another midnight sun! At midnight, we were at 71 deg. 05.02'N and 026 deg. 16.06'E. It was 13 degrees celsius outside! Hard to believe.:)

 

 

[Vict0riann]

Honningsvag and Hammerfest both claim to be the northernmost city in the world - something to do with population, I think. H'fest seems to be larger and more industrial, with a huge LNG plant. Here's Ryndam in Hammerfest:

 

 

And here's the LNG plant:

 

 

We enjoyed a beautiful day in Hammerfest, joined the crew around the City Hall using the free wifi, walked up to the church and cemetery; I tried to take a picture of the "zikk-zakk" road up the hill (it didn't work out) - how cute! Some people walked to the top, and I think there was one shore excursion that took people up to a lookout at the summit - they would have got great photographs of the town.

 

[hennypenny69]

We were on the same cruise as you and enjoyed it as much as you did! We also enjoyed meeting and chatting with you. Your photos are fantastic - we wish we were still on the Ryndam rather than being in wet, grey England!!

 

We hope you had a good journey home.

 

Hennypenny (and husband and kids!)

[Vict0riann]

Hi, Hennypenny, we enjoyed meeting you and your family, too. Did you eventually go on the bird safari? We are also having strange weather here since we've been home - the foghorns were going this morning, reminding me of that foggy night on the ship! Doing this report has been a great way for me to remember all the fun we had on ms. Ryndam!

[Vict0riann]

We were lucky that Hammerfest had been a relaxing day, because we had a busy evening - first a delicious dinner in the Pinnace Grill, then an exhausting and energetic late show, and then the Indonesian crew show, which was the best we have seen. I think everyone, even the "stars" had a great time. While we were at dinner, the fog had rolled in, so unfortunately, our third and last "midnight sun" was a dud! However, we knew it was out there somewhere, and we did have wonderful views of it the previous nights, so we felt very fortunate.

 

The next day was a sea day, and we went to the Mariners' lunch in the dining room. They had quite a good menu - different from others we had had in the past, and our table for eight all said they enjoyed their choices. Now, I can't even remember what I ate, but it was all very jolly. The fog had cleared up in the morning, but by evening there was a bit of a swell. Love it!

[Vict0riann]

Our next port was Trondheim. We took the HOHO bus around town, and got off at the huge gothic cathedral. We had to wait in line to buy tickets to enter. I think that's the only time I've had to do that. Then we walked around and went to an art gallery and museum. Then we got back on the bus and completed the tour. It all went very smoothly. Norway is amazingly organized, and very clean!

 

View from the ship - the green spire is the cathedral:

 

 

The front of the cathedral:

 

 

Housing along the canal - everyone has a boat-parking space, it seems!

 

[Vict0riann]

After a busy day, we were welcomed "home", and prepared to leave. We didn't see any little white trucks (to untie the lines) in Norway, but plenty of bicycles

even the occasional white one!

 

 

 

Our route to our next port, Molde, would be through fjords and islands, no open sea. The scenery was pastoral.

 

[JamesEM]

Thanks for sharing.

[Topsham]

Am I allowed to include pictures of the art? It was amazing. I think I'm a little bit psychic - this next just seemed to me to have been painted by someone from Bermuda! It was greatly admired, especially as the Beautiful Ryndam seemed to be in the fjords (or could it be Alaska?)

 

 

 

Many thanks your kind complements! Yes, it was painted in Bermuda... 1994.... Heavens! Almost twenty yeaars ago... almost an antique!

 

The scene is Alaska with the old NOORDAM in the background.

 

Stephen

[Vict0riann]

Stephen, that's amazing. Thanks so much. We went to Alaska on the old Noordam in 1994, so I definitely will treasure the photo of the two of them together. I did feel a bit guilty photographing the painting, though. Do I have your approval? We also saw your painting of the older Ryndam one deck below this one, and admired that also.

[summersigh]

The pics were fabulous - thank you for posting them!

 

Our first cruise was on the Ryndam -Seward to Vancouver - we loved it and were hooked on cruising from then on!:)

[Topsham]

Stephen, that's amazing. Thanks so much. We went to Alaska on the old Noordam in 1994, so I definitely will treasure the photo of the two of them together. I did feel a bit guilty photographing the painting, though. Do I have your approval? We also saw your painting of the older Ryndam one deck below this one, and admired that also.

 

 

Ann,

 

Nae problem. You take good photos!!! :-)

 

Please post a photo of the earlier RYNDAM and I'll tell a story about that one!

 

Please e-mail me at prinsendam @ hotmail.com I have a little surprise for you!

 

Great review BTW.

 

Stephen

[Vict0riann]

Ann,

 

Nae problem. You take good photos!!! :-)

 

Please post a photo of the earlier RYNDAM and I'll tell a story about that one!

 

Please e-mail me at prinsendam @ hotmail.com I have a little surprise for you!

 

Great review BTW.

 

Stephen

 

I'm afraid I didn't take a picture of that painting! I didn't mind snapping the china displays or prints in the hallways, but the painting of the present Ryndam was the only one I took. But you could tell the story anyway. :) BTW - even your posts sound Scottish! Will email!