Introducing Holland America’s MS Koningsdam

On Sunday I was lucky enough to be hosted on board Holland America’s newest vessel the MS Koningsdam for a whirlwind tour and a spot of lunch.

This is the first time that I have been on board a Holland America ship and I was suitably impressed, I had been led to believe that the ships are quite traditional and dark in decor but she is a modern and glamorous ship. At 99,000 grt she is mid sized and looked an impressive sight docked at Amsterdam port.

This was continued as you embark and enter the ship at the bottom of the atrium which is impressively designed to resemble a harp. The music theme is continued throughout the ship with rooms and ceilings designed with an instrumental feel and artwork and music memorabilia throughout.

The staterooms range in size with  inside and outside cabins being from 170 square feet. It was good see that the larger ocean view cabins come with a sofa which I always think is a plus point and if you book in advance and select your cabin number there are some cabins that are much more favourable than others. For instance balcony cabin 5113 has a much larger balcony due to it’s corner position on the ship.

In terms of dining the buffet restaurant particularly impressed me. I was skeptical to start as from the outside the signage made it look a bit like a shopping mall food hall. However inside she was fresh and bright and housed the best buffet that I have seen on a cruise ship.

Food is an important part of my life but so is soaking up the sun so I was particularly impressed by the fresh, ready made baguettes and sandwiches which were wrapped up ready to just grab and go and enjoy in the sunshine by the pool. For those people that want to sit and savour their food (which let’s face it is most people) the Lido Market offers them a huge variety of dishes from full roasts through to a large sushi bar. Be warned though, portion sizes are large – the salad bar is served in mixing bowl size dishes. The Koningsdam is not a ship for dieters.

As we wandered around the ship had a great feeling of space, and their were plenty of areas to sit and relax. The pool deck is fantastic with a large cinema screen over looking the pool area and a two tier seating area. The upper layer is furnished with gorgeous sofas and cabana beds, all of which are free to all guests, although I imagine you may have to get up early to secure one as they can’t be reserved in advance.

From the pool area you can enter the Greenhouse Spa and Salon with thermal pools, ceramic hot beds and treatment rooms facing the sea. From just $40 a day you can sit and enjoy the tranquility.

The MS Koningsdam really impressed me, she was full of colour and full of light. She was also embarking passengers for a Baltics sailing and her average age was younger than I expected and there were a few children on board too. This article is meant to be just an introduction to the ship, so if you like what you’ve seen follow my blog as more photos and comments will follow soon.

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