The latest vessel for Holland America Line (HAL), MS Koningsdam will debut in April 2016. The first of the Pinnacle Class of ships, she will be the biggest in the HAL fleet and feature a number of firsts for the line, together with the return of a number of the lines favourite venues and facilities.
Staterooms
A variety of contemporary-styled staterooms will be available to guests including interior, oceanview and verandahs, together with a number of upgraded spa verandah staterooms. In addition to these for the first time the line will feature 12 staterooms for solo travellers. There will also be a variety of suites on board, including the Pinnacle Suite, the Neptune Suites, Signature Suites and Vista Suites.
Amenities and food
The ships public spaces are to be inspired around themes of music, drawing upon the various forms of music and instruments.
The ship will feature a main restaurant, The Dining Room, with a two storey sculpture inspired by music, together with a number of line-favourites returning such as the Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind. In addition to this the ship will also feature a number of new venues, including:
Sel de Mer – A new for-fee restaurant specialising in French seafood in a traditional brasserie setting.
Culinary Arts centre – As with the rest of the fleet during the day the Culinary Art’s Centre will feature cooking classes and demonstrations, but on Koningsdam the venue will become a dining venue at night where chefs will cook in front of passengers using fresh ingredients.
Lido Market – Another venue which is being transformed is the Lido Market, an evolution of the Lido Restaurant found on the rest of the fleet. On Koningsdam passengers will be able to order food on the go, or to take-away via a number of themed stations.
BLEND by Chateau St. Michelle – An intimate purpose built wine tasting venue focussing on wine-blending. Guests will be able to create their own wines and drink them at dinner or in their staterooms.
The ship’s primary pool area will be a two-tier expansive and comfortable environment featuring whirlpools, an outdoor movie screen and a retractable all-weather roof. There will also be a second pool area to the aft of the ship. Koningsdam will also feature a state-of-the-art gym and spa, together with a sports court and jogging track.
Entertainment
Koningsdam will debut a number of new features, both for the line and for the industry. Firstly there is World Stage. In the place of the traditional theatre will be a modular stage environment which features 270-degree LED screens across the venue.
Furthermore, the ship will debut Music Walk, featuring three stages that aims to appeal to a variety of music tastes, whilst the Billboard Onboard venue will take the sing-along experience to the next level. Finally, Lincoln Center Stage will showcase performances by the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts. In addition to this again a number of line favourites will be featured on board including the two-tiered Queen’s Lounge.
Itineraries and further information
Koningsdam will debut in April 2016 with a series of Mediterranean, Baltic, Northern Europe and British Isles cruises. She will be named in Rotterdam in May. From November 2016 she will reposition to Florida sailing to the Caribbean and the Bahamas for the Winter 2016/17 season.
For more information on MS Koningsdam please go here.
Deck Plans for MS Koningsdam can be found here.
Images © 2016 Holland America Line