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Ryndam

4.0 out of 5+ star rating 132 reviews

Home > Cruise Reviews > Holland America > Ryndam
Ryndam
Why Go?
red arrow Cooking demonstrations in the Culinary Arts Center's show kitchen
red arrow Moderately sized ship feels cozy and homey
red arrow Outstanding Pacific Northwest fare at Pinnacle Grill restaurant
red arrow Elegant afternoon tea with live music
red arrow Explorations Cafe offers Internet, library and music center
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red arrow CDC/FDA Score: 97
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Ryndam

Ryndam

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Ryndam Ratings

Overall Rating 4.0 out of 5+
Member Rating

Dining 4.0
Public Rooms 4.0
Cabins 3.0
Entertainment 4.0
Spa & Fitness 4.0
Family & Children 4.0
Shore Excursions 3.0
Enrichment 4.0
Service 4.0
Value-for-Money 4.0
Rates 4.0
Member Reviews

red arrow 132 Reviews of Ryndam Cruises

HAL-Big disappointment, but you can't beat Alaska! Stank513
My husband and I booked this cruise, our third Alaskan cruise, with HAL Ryndam for two specific reasons. First we wanted an ...

A cruise for cool people Oliveira
May 9-23, 2010: Alaska Cruise on the Ms Ryndam ...

Excellent food but to young for Entertainment frichboy
My husband and I booked this cruise for our one year anniversary. We decided to try a different cruise line as we have only trave ...

Good For The Bucks. But How Bad Can An Alaska Cruise Be? corbeck
A frugal traveler can still do an Alaska cruise with the family. ...

Itineraries and Ports of Call:   AlaskaBaltics & Northern EuropeCaribbean - WesternCruise to NowhereEurope - Eastern MediterraneanEurope - Western MediterraneanPanama Canal & Central AmericaTransatlantic
Ryndam Review

As cruise ships go, Holland America's 16-year-old Ryndam is approaching its "golden years." But instead of slowing down, the ship has just undergone the second of HAL's "Signature of Excellence" (SOE) makeovers, with even more upgrades (including the addition of a few dozen cabins and a makeover to the aft pool area) to come in 2012-13. The result: She's fresher and livelier -- and not just because of the new carpeting and drapes everywhere.

During the last SOE makeover, Ryndam gained the Explorations Cafe, which functions as a library, coffee shop and media space; the Culinary Arts Center, a demonstration kitchen that now shares a stage with the Wajang Theater's movie screen; a sleek (though small) wine-tasting nook; and the you've-got-to-see-it teens-only Oasis, where designers have actually added a level to the ship for a Gilligan's Island-style tropical club with a waterfall and hammocks.

Ultimately, what was most compelling about Ryndam's second transformation was that it gave a mid-sized, older ship some fresh new flash. And yet, the ship also retains its status as a marvelously intimate, moderately sized ship that offers a uniquely cozy ambience.

"Guests love this size ship," says Hotel Manager Simon de Boer, a 16-year veteran with Holland America, who oversees all the Signature of Excellence makeovers. "On bigger ships, by the end of a seven-day cruise, you have lost some of the new friends you made." The makeover team began with Ryndam's 924 cabins, installing new drapes, carpeting, lampshades and granite countertops and flooring in the bathrooms. Most of the public areas were also re-carpeted. While a lot of that is simple housekeeping, there are three major changes to the public areas, and two of them are smashing:

The main showroom, the Vermeer, received a dramatic new terraced first floor, which greatly enhances the sightlines for the audience.

A clever collection of three specialty bars, together called Mix, has been laid out side-by-side near the casino. It's the hippest area on the vessel.

A horizontal slice of the Lido Deck Buffet restaurant converts in the evenings to an Italian specialty area with its own waiters. It's an interesting idea, but diners in the Lido already had an Italian option from the buffet, and the venue was largely forgotten on my sailing.

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Holland America Ships:   Amsterdam Eurodam Maasdam Nieuw Amsterdam Noordam Oosterdam Prinsendam Rotterdam Ryndam Statendam Veendam Volendam Westerdam Zaandam Zuiderdam
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