Our First Cruise - Ryndam Oct. 21 Sea of Cortez

[DCB9]

Last week my wife and I finished the Sea of Cortez cruise on the Ryndam which was our very first cruise. We loved it and can't wait to take another one. We booked our cruise almost a year ago and I have been avidly reading this forum since. I would like to thank everyone who posts here for the wealth of information they provide. My wife was constantly amazed at the things I knew about the cruise and the Ryndam. I missed the CC Meet because my wife had made a spa appointment right off and it ran longer than expected so maybe next time.

 

We probably saw things through rose colored glasses since it was our first cruise, but we could find little to criticize and enjoyed everything. We are both 59 and I felt that we were probably about in the average age group for this trip. This cruise was for our 25th anniversary so we booked a suite and it was wonderful. The Neptune Lounge and the amenities were great, but what we really liked was the size of the room and veranda. As suggested by others, breakfast on our veranda every morning was a great way to start the day. The only problem is, as others have mentioned, now that we have tasted the "suite life", it will be hard to take anything less.:)

 

A few comments on the cruise. The food as mentioned elsewhere, was a bit of a disappointment. Not really bad, but not very exciting either. I enjoyed the meals, but I guess I was expecting more. Personally, I didn't care much for the Lido mainly because it seemed that the air conditioner couldn't keep up and it was a bit warm and humid in the dining area. Also, I'm not really a buffet person so I really didn't go there much anyway.

 

Internet access - I don't know whether this is all cabins now or not, but in the suites, there was wireless access with a good signal. The connection speed was better than expected and was definitely better than the 56K that some have mentioned.

 

We had intended on switching to the anytime dining, but we found that our requested table at the early seating was one of only two tables for two that were next to a window so we decided to stay with the fixed dining and we didn't regret it. I prefer casual dress for the most part so had intended on only going to one formal night, but ended up at all three and enjoyed the atmosphere. We stayed in our formal wear most of the evening, but many others did not. I don't think it detracted from anyone's enjoyment of the evening and I can understand where others might want to dress more casually.

 

Our main reason for booking this particular cruise was the Copper Canyon excursion. To us, it was well worth it. We really enjoyed the trip as did most people that I talked to on the trip. It was a very long day (up at 3 AM, back on board at 11 PM), but it wasn't terrible. I thought HAL had this extremely well organized and everything seemed to go like clockwork. The train was not exactly luxurious, but clean and comfortable with HAL cleaning people keeping the bathrooms and other area clean the entire trip. Even the box lunches weren't bad. The train ride was through beautiful country and while our time at Copper Canyon itself was short, we got a taste of what it was like. I have read some reviews where people complained about this trip, but there was an orientation before the trip where everything was laid out and not sugar coated at all. You were given every opportunity to drop out if you wanted to so I think everyone knew what they were getting into. There was a waiting list of 90 so it is a pretty popular excursion.

 

I could go on, but this is getting a little long winded so I'd better quit. One last comment, my wife and I are non-drinkers and found the non-alcoholic drinks very good, particularly the "Unleaded Magaritas". Oh, and one other comment, we thought the service throughout the ship was excellent. We particularly loved our room steward and the Neptune Lounge concierge. All and all a wonderful experience for both of us. Thanks again for all the information that this board provides.

Dave

[cdkempton]

DCB9... So glad your first cruise was so wonderful for you. Hopefully, you'll be enjoying another one soon. Thank you for sharing. :)

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Dave, congratulations to you and your wife on your 25th wedding anniversary!:) I'm glad you had a wonderful time. Thanks for the review, especially the info about the Copper Canyon tour. So, when is your next cruise, and where are you going?:)

[kakalina]

Dave we missed you at the CC meet and greet but you had an excellent excuse. Perhaps next time. Glad you both had a great 25th and a wonderful cruise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome Home.

 

Glad you had a great first cruise!!

[gizmo]

Thanks for posting about your cruise. I enjoyed reading it.

[Gsel]

Thanks for the review, looks like we have another one hooked!

[DCB9]

Dave, congratulations to you and your wife on your 25th wedding anniversary!:) I'm glad you had a wonderful time. Thanks for the review, especially the info about the Copper Canyon tour. So, when is your next cruise, and where are you going?:)

 

Thank you. I wish I could tell you when our next cruise is because I am definitely looking forward to another, but due to limitations in vacation time and other commitments, it looks like it will be at least a year before we can do another. I did go home last night and tell my wife we should start thinking about which one we will do next.

Dave

[theodoron]

Dave, congratulations on your 25th anniversary. The Ryndam is a beautiful ship. We celebrated our 15th on the ship in 1995. Blessings to you and your wife for many more enjoyable years together.:)