The
ms Ryndam underwent a significant upgrade in recent years, with her Signature of Excellence enhancements focusing on accommodations, service, dining, itinerary development and enrichment programs and activities. Examples include As You Wish dining for open seating, a new Culinary Arts Center program for kids, and the expansion of shore activities to include private touring options in port
Holland America's ms Ryndam debuted in 1994 as the younger sister of the Maasdam and Statendam, and the two-year-older sibling of the identical Veendam.
Carrying 1,260 passengers, this 720-ft, 55,451-ton ship with 10 passenger decks has a beam of 101 ft and a draft of 24.6 ft. She is registered in the Netherlands and cruises at a maximum speed of 21 knots. The professional staff is composed of Dutch officers and a 557-member English-speaking Indonesian and Filipino crew.
Her summer home port is Vancouver for Alaska; then she is based in San Diego for 7- to 10-day Mexican Riviera cruises.
Promenade Deck consists entirely of public rooms where museum-quality Dutch and Flemish antiques strike classic notes, recalling the glory seafaring days of Holland. Indeed, the ship is something of a floating art museum, alternating from conservative to contemporary. The Vermeer Loungeis art nouveau in style, with lacy mahogany woodwork and silver columns amid dozens of luminescent tulips. On Lower Promenade Deck, the three-story atrium spotlights a boat-shape fountain of entwined marble fish, the five tons of marble dedicated to sea legends. Forward, the modern 600-seat lounge has a living-room ambience. The tulip-shape leaded-glass light fixtures above the gracious hardwood cocktail tables change color from white to red and blue—the colors of the Dutch flag.
The multiwindowed Crow's Nestserves as observation lounge by day, disco by night. Upper Promenade Deck harbors the upper levels of most of these public rooms as well as boutiques, a casino, library, card room, coffee house, pizzeria, photo gallery and five lounges. A show room with improving Broadway- and Las Vegas-style shows tries to shake off HAL's somewhat stodgy image. A large bronze sculpture of five leaping dolphins dominates the lido pool and its twin whirlpools and wading pool. A second pool, also with whirlpools and a wading pool, has a retractable glass roof for use in cool weather. A third pool tempts swimmers aft on Navigation Deck. A gym with a juice bar, jogging track and shuffleboard court caters to the sports-minded as well.
The 403-seat lido restaurant serves breakfast and luncheon buffets indoors and on a terrace, and, in a bow to passengers' requests for more casual dining alternatives, now serves as a venue for alternative dining in the evening. The ceiling of the lower section of the bi-level Rotterdam Dining Room features hand-blown Murano glass in the shape of overgrown tulips. An impressive curved staircase connects the two levels, windows on three sides provide striking views, and a string quartet entertains. Alas, the food is somewhat bland and service is slipping a bit as HAL expands, although the trappings are as fashionably upscale as ever, from the white Rosenthal china to the silver tableware. A new alternative restaurant, the Pinnacle Grill, serves steaks, fish and chicken for an extra charge.
Of the 633 cabins, 485 are outsides and 149 of these have verandas. All provide phones, radios, TVs, and twin beds convertible to queens. Standard dimensions are 186 sq ft for inside cabins, 196 sq ft for outsides—deluxe cabins and suites are larger. Six cabins are wheelchair-accessible.
