How to lose weight while cruising

Lido restaurant

1. Eat little bits of everything
When we first went up to the Lido deck for a coffee there was a big spread of desserts. I've learned that the bread pudding on these ships is usually really good so there is a scoop of that on my plate (lower left photo). At breakfast this place is packed and it's hard to find a seat. I was glad to see my favourite sliced watermelon always available. Made-to-order omelettes were good too. At the breakfast and lunch buffets there are so many choices, we just have little bits and really don't eat very much.

Main dining room

2. Get seasick
This was the first time we tried the 'open seating' dining option. This happens on the main floor while the traditional fixed time dining is on the upper level. On the first night we were seated at a table for 6 by the big window at the back. We happened to get stuck with some duds so we opted to eat in the Lido restaurant the next night and then back in the dining room on the third night but at a table for two.

(Glenn here....I need to enlarge on Kate's comments re the "duds" at our table. You'd think that people heading out on a cruise would feel quite happy and be smiling a fair bit. Whooeee, not this bunch. The couple across from us included a woman who looked ready to kill if you said a wrong word. I had tried to get a conversation going by asking what people did to "earn their daily bread" and it fell flat. Who needs that? We saw this ogre a couple of times around the ship, always with the same tight lipped look. But, in fairness I wondered if she had been the victim of a concentration camp or some similar horror story. Who knows? But, as Kate said, eating elsewhere was the best solution.)

The first night was when I apparently got seasick. The ship was pitching front and back and from side to side, which might explain why the dining room wasn't very busy. At our table Glenn and I had just eaten some nice bread and an appetizer of pineapple slices rolled in coconut. I'd ordered salmon and after one bite I knew I'd better not eat any more. We really didn't mind abandoning our dreary dining companions. I stayed horizontal for the rest of the evening and was fine the next day when the sea was not as rough anyway.

I'm not prone to motion sickness, so that was a new experience.

3. Walk around the outer deck a lot
4 laps = 1 mile, I think.

Holland America's Ryndam

Saturday September 26, 2009

This was a repositioning cruise from Alaska through the Panama Canal. We were taking it only from Vancouver to San Diego. However, it made one stop in Victoria and we were able to board here. Apparently this is something that some companies have been allowing just recently.

I didn't take a lot of pictures of the ship. We've done enough cruises that one is similar to another - this is my third with Holland America - and to me they've become just a way of getting from point A to B.

This was the easiest boarding on a cruise ship I've ever experienced, and so convenient to hop on board in Victoria rather than in Vancouver a day earlier. We walked through to the ramp, boarded the ship, had our our carry-on luggage scanned, went to the front desk and got our room key cards. That was it! We were told that customs / immigration was handled at the San Diego end.

The Ryndam is due for a refit next year. The interior certainly needs refreshing as it is looking rather worn and tired but our room was comfortable enough. It had a couch, small table and a balcony. Our cabin attendant, "Gus" presented us with a cloth Holland America bag and a little vase of flowers. Nice touch.

Standard issue atrium sculpture. I've always liked those little wind faces (centre photo).

I couldn't figure out what the theme of this ship was supposed to be. Apparently it was 'worldwide exploration' with artifacts from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

After a coffee break on the Lido deck, we toured outside. This is a small outdoor pool. I didn't take any photos of the indoor one because they all look the same.

This is an unusual view of the point, breakwater and Dallas Road for us. We've never been on a cruise ship here before.

Off we go, leaving the Celebrity Mercury behind. It was on its way to Nanaimo. (Nanaimo?)