Am I on everyone's kill file except for Jean's? Not sure if I offended
y'all somehow or what. Anyway, TTT with the word review added to the
thread tile..
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RYNDAM and the Panama Canal
Group: rec.travel.cruises Date: Sun, Jun 11, 2006, 6:23pm From:
AltoSax@webtv.net
I'm back after a 14 day cruise from Tampa through the Panama Canal to
San Diego, 16-30 April..
Pre cruise. The Wyndham Harbor Island was just fine. Free shuttles from
the airport and to the terminal. Very close to Channelside and the
Aquarium - which I enjoyed visiting for half a day before the cruise.
(This Wyndham is now a Westin, I believe.)
Overall cruise experience as a repeat on the Ryndam from about 2 1/2
years ago, I would say the Signature of Excellence has been achieved.
Embarcation. Terminal 6 is a little smallish, however even with minimal
check-in stations (as compared to San Diego), I was on board within 45
minutes of arrival. Moving along the line was slow but steady.
Cabin. I had an outside cabin, cabin 820, typical HAL 185 or 187 square
feet. Plenty large enough for a single and I suspect ample room for a
couple as well. Nice layout in the bathroom and there was always plenty
of hot water in the morning and before dinner. The beds are great - very
comfortable. I slept better than I do at home. My cabin steward was very
attentive to my few special requirements and service was always timely.
Dining. I had the early late at 8pm. Service was low-key attentive and
very efficient at a table for eight. The food in both the dining room
and Lido has improved significantly over the years.
Public rooms. All of these have been completely redone.
The one I liked the best was the Explorations area. Very comfortable
chairs and sofas, New library. CD listening stations with a vast library
and plush, could-easily-sleep-in lounge chairs for listening. More and
faster connected computer terminals.
The Wajang Theatre is OK. In addition to the square pull down screen,
they have added three hanging wide screen monitors. However, as used for
the cooking demonstrations this is a great venue. The curtains open up
and there is a full working kitchen and the two chefs who demonstrate
had this wonderful comic rapport going on. Very entertaining.
The Sports Bar has two, or three, widescreen monitors but is a tad noisy
as is next to the Casino.
The card room is now a little larger and has hosted duplicate bridge
competition on sea days.
I don't use the pools or spa, so nothing to report here.
Entertainment. This was the best of five cruises (4HAL and 1Princess)
over the past 2 1/2 years. The ship's company was just the best with
very balanced talent throughout. All the headliners, singers, musicians,
juggler and comedians were better than any other cruise I've ever taken
including my experiences during the 1980s. Much improved and I was
greatly surprised.
Education. Kudos to HAL for providing a 3-lecture series on the history
and construction of the Panama Canal as preparation for the transit. If
you missed the live one hour lectures, you could catch them for the next
24hours on one of the cabin's TV stations. And then the entire day going
through the first set of locks, Gatun Lake, the Calabra Cut and then the
2nd and 3rd set of locks, there was a lady from the Canal on board with
a narrative though the PA system keeping you informed about what was
happening and what you were seeing. There were also other Canal
documentaries on the inhouse TV stations.
On the Pacific side of the cruise there were two lectures and a video
from Dave Anderson about the wild dolphin population along the coast.
Very interesting and also repeated on the inhouse TV station.
Ports of Call. Cayman was ok, I suppose. Just not my cuppa tea.
Cartegena was YUK. At Costa Rica, I took he Mangrove Forest River Cruise
and saw lots and lots of wild bird population, egrets, herons,
spoonbills, etc, also alligators, tropical raccoons and the BIGGEST
Iguana I've ever seen. I loved this excursion. The Mexican ports I
bypassed for personal reasons.
Fellow Passengers. The majority were American and Canadian but there
were many Europeans aboard, as well, mostly Dutch and German. I met many
wonderful and very interesting people.
Cruise Staff, Front Desk, Excursion Staff. Friendly, accessible,
knowledgeable and eager to be of service.
Weather. Very HUMID in the Canal zone and Costa Rica, but warm and
pleasant as you go north in the Pacific.
Disembarkation. San Diego is a snap for me. Get off the ship in an
orderly and timely fashion. Exit the terminal. Grab a guy with a bicycle
rickshaw and go a half mile to the train station. Trains are roughly
every hour to LA Union Station and then a $30 cab ride to Culver City
and I'm home.
Summary. I HAD A GREAT CRUISE!!!
Sorry it took me so long to get this written.
Next cruise. I'm booked on the Noordam, September 28 Rome to New York
Med/Trans Atlantic Big Band cruise. Time to dust off my mouthpiece just
in case one of the altos becomes indisposed. :-)
Cheers,
Daniel
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