Ryndam & Statendam Farewell Cruises Create Lifelong Travel Memories
Cruise guests and crew aboard Ryndam and Rotterdam enjoyed a momentous bow-to-bow event Aug. 18 at Alesund, Norway, as Rotterdam bid a fond farewell to Ryndam. The unusual sail-away was orchestrated by Rotterdam’s and Ryndam’s officers during a joint port call that was the last time the two vessels will be together as sister ships because Ryndam will soon depart the Holland America Line fleet to join P&O Cruises Australia.
Guests and crew experienced a once-in-a-lifetime good-bye amidst champagne toasts, farewell music and whistles blowing. Rotterdam then played “Time to Say Good-bye” as Ryndam sailed away. It was an emotional farewell for everyone.
Rotterdam (foreground) and Ryndam docked bow-to-bow at Alesund, Norway.
Guests had a great time at the farewell celebration.
During the day, the ships celebrated Indonesian Independence Day with the traditional flag raising and a tug-o-war competition. But this time the tug-o-war was not only between departments, but between ships with a dramatic “across the bow” competition! Ryndam emerged victorious!
Crew members from both ships celebrated Indonesian Independence Day with tug-o-war.
Time to Say Goodbye
Both Ryndam’s & Rotterdam’s ship officers and crew lined up under the bridge wings as Ryndam departed.
Ryndam’s farewell sail-away at Alesund, Norway, photographed from sister ship Rotterdam.
Ryndam officers say farewell to Rotterdam.
Ryndam’s last sail from Alesund. Farewell…
It’s Not Too Late to Cruise on Ryndam
Ryndam says goodbye to Holland America Line with a 28-day Far East Explorer voyage departing Venice, Italy, Oct. 3, 2015, en route to Singapore. This special sailing includes calls in seven countries and a daylight transit of the Suez Canal.
Visits to Split and Dubrovnik, Croatia; and Corfu, Greece, mark the final calls in the Mediterranean, followed by a call at Aqaba, Jordan, that enables guests to explore the famed city of Petra. The ship makes two stops in Oman and then calls at Marmagao (Goa), Mangalore and Cochin, India; before visiting Colombo, Sri Lanka. The farewell journey concludes with calls at Penang and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and ends at Singapore.
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Statendam Bids Adieu to Holland America Line
Come fall, Statendam also will leave the Holland America Line fleet to join P&O Australia. The ship’s farewell voyage is a grand 30-day Transpacific Crossing from Seattle, Washington, to Singapore departing Sept. 21, 2015. After a call at Vancouver, British Columbia, guests will explore three ports in Hawaii before crossing to the Marshall Islands and Micronesia. The ship calls at Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands; and Guam before landing at the Philippines. Two final calls at Malaysia wrap up the voyage before the ship says farewell to Holland America Line at Singapore.
Now is the perfect time to book this voyage because it’s featured in the Fall Finale savings program. Under “Fall Finale” guests can save up to $1,000 per stateroom on at least 60 sailings over the next 60 days secured with a $60 deposit. Bookings must be made by Sept. 10, 2015 (60 days from the program’s launch date).
Wow – – so sad and yet so beautiful! I’m in tears just looking at the wonderful photos. And such perfect weather, too!
Having sailed on both ms Ryndam and ms Rotterdam [and soon to sail on the Rotterdam again] I know well how special — and how emotional — the day would have been for everyone on board both ships.
Farewell and smooth sailing, ms Ryndam!
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So sad to Hear the news that RYNDAM Will leave HAL. I remember when we join to Sail With her from Monfalcone Italy to fort laudardale USA. Lots of memories.
I was worked on Ryndam 2012…
We were there to celebrate this moving tribute on the Ryndam as we left Alesund.
“Mixed Emotions” Amazingly upbeat, celebratory, and sad at same time. It was a fitting and memorable tribute.
Went to see her yesterday as she left her homeport Rotterdam. Sailed on the Ryndam last year. Sad to see her leave.
Having sailed on both ships many times in the last years it is sad to see the Ryndam go but am looking forward to cruising on the new ship Kiningsdam when she reaches on shores.
really sad,…. because she was my first ship i sail with HAL….. bye bye beautiful…
Farewell Ryndam, she is indeed a beautiful ship. I was there during the last Tampa-Tampa Voyages in 2015 just before the ship sails to Europe. So many good memories on that elegant ms Ryndam.
We sailed last year on its last west bound transAtlantic voyage, and we are now on the Statendam about to go ashore in Saipan. It’s been a memorable voyage and the send off in Seattle was very special.
Being a passenger on ms Statendam farewell voyage has been less than delightful. We’ve played tag with several bouts of bad weather. Then one of the engines experienced difficulty, so we had to miss our stop in Micronesia and limp on to Guam The skeleton crew was unable to manage the passengers awaiting customs in Guam, making for many disgruntled passengers and there’s not a book in the library to read up on our final 4 ports of call. I say it’s well time she retired. I’m a 3 star Mariner, not sure we’ll travel again with HAL.
She was our first cruise! ‘94 or ‘95 10 days on the Caribbean from Ft Lauderdale all the way to Columbia, but can’t find our Mariner numbers now that we are back?! Help!
While scrolling through some old HAL voyages we noted the farewell write-ups of the Statendam. We both are 3star mariners and warm memories came back. Skirting a major storm and having a little engine trouble made everything just a little more exciting. The hula dance, dancing to and singing with the Harry James Orchestra in the Crows Nest are unforgettable times and will always be with us. How said it was when we saw the ship depart Singapore while we were way above it in a gondola ride. She just faded away, but the memories will stay for ever!
I was sad to see the ms Statendam go in 2015. We took our very first cruise in 2010 on the Statendam and sailed on her again in May of 2015 on the 14 day Alaska cruise. She will be missed. Glad P&O Lines are continuing to sail her.
I fondly remember July 9 1964 as I left Rotterdam as a passenger on Ryndam on a wonderful voyage to Montreal Canada. Passengers were taken on in LeHavre and Southampton.Voyage took about 6 days and included a gale for a day that reduced the dinigroom guests by half. We even saw a nice iceberg
Today,in the Autumn of life I spend my days remembering a good live built in Canada and a wonderful Family I am blessed with.
I had a great cruise with the Ryndam in 1964 from Holland to Montreal. I t was my first ocean voyage and we were 6 or 7 days at sea. I have vivid memories and played shuffleboard with fellow passengers. There were about 800 passengers and a great number of crew. Dining was a pleasure. At this time July 9 1964 the Ryndam belonged to Holland America Line. I think she has since been sold.
After some searching i found sad news that ms Ryndam built in 1950 had sunk near Dominican Republic on the way to Indian ship breakers i believe a short time after my beautiful sail from Rotterdam to Montreal. To me i remember her always as an elegant glittering floating palast.
Honored to have been aboard Ryndam for the entire 49-day Farewell Cruise, London (Harwich) to Singapore. It was but the first leg of my journey around the world: Twenty-five countries. Five continents. Roughly 34,000 miles. A once-in-a-lifetime experience, aboard a once-in-a-lifetime ship.