This is the time to splurge on a verandah. We chose a mini suite that had a verandah large enough for two chairs and a table. It served us well throughout the trip and was definately worth the added expense.
The Ryndam is a Holland America Lines ship. Don''t be fooled by brochure pictures. This is an older ship and although the cabins are comfortable they also show age.
The cabin contained a queen size bed and a fold-out sofa. Plenty of pillows were provided but I''d recommend requesting an extra blanket.
There was more than adequate closet space including a full length mirror and pull curtain between the main cabin and closet/bathroom area that added a little privacy.
The cabin also contained a stocked mini bar and refrigerator and a personal safe. The bathroom contained a mini-jacuzzi tub but after the first uncomfortable attempt to use it we stuck to the shower with a meager spray. Of course this is a ship so the commode and sink were what you''d expect onboard. Instructions on using the shower would have been helpful since it took lots of experimentation to figure out the different knobs.
A cruise is never intended to be spent in a cabin but with cold temperatures it was nice to be able to come in from the verandah and warm up for a little while and the additional space was welcome to get away from the crowds for a little quiet time.
The room steward and room service were prompt and attentive. Since we started out early each morning we ordered room service for breakfast which made a nice start to the day.
We encountered rough seas but I was truly surprised with the roll of the ship. Many people were seasick and the stablizers just weren''t adequate. We were awakened constantly one night between the rolling of the ship and the sounds of crashes from falling items.
More on the ship itself in another entry.