Koningsdam

Koningsdam has 1331 staterooms, of which 277 are interior (143-225 square feet), 748 are verandah (228-420 square feet), and 12 are single with ocean view (127-172 square feet). There are a total of 164 suites of different categories, ranging from 104 Vista Suites (260-356 square feet) up to the sole pinnacle suite (1,357 square feet).

The rooms are what you would expect of a newer ship: a neutral palette, clutter-free functional layout, modern finishings, and a less is more approach. It is not a complete transformation from Holland America’s style, but it is a step in the right direction. On Koningsdam, the staterooms feel like a hotel room, and less like a prototypical ship cabin. Each stateroom features a desk/vanity, a generously sized closet, mini-bar, bedside USB and electrical outlet, wall-mounted TV, and a sleek bathroom with a shower stall and Elemis toiletries. Inside cabins suffer from dim lighting; on the upside, they still have big closets.

Balconies are accessed by a regular glass door. Curiously, they have still opted to use a key lock for this door, which is a nuisance. Off-white walls, beige furniture, and white furniture keeps the cabins light and calm. Color is restrained to the curtain, throw pillows, and carpet. The artwork generally ties in with the ship’s themes of music and art.

Each room category has a few designated as Spa. These rooms, located near Greenhouse Spa, have extra amenities such as a Bose speaker, massage shower head, and yoga mats, (though you’d be hard pressed to find a place to unroll the mat in the lower category rooms). Staying in a Spa stateroom does not include free access to the Thermal Suite or spa discounts.

Koningsdam has 27 wheelchair accessible staterooms.

On this relatively new ship, public areas have either automatic doors or doors with handicap push buttons. The World Stage theater has ADA seating at the front or back.

For special requirements and assistance, Holland America recommends contacting the Guest Accessibility Department and submitting the Special Requirements Forms a minimum of 45 days prior to departure. Learn more on the website.

Holland America generally attracts an older demographic. Crew are experienced and attentive in serving the mobility needs and age-related challenges of the passengers.

Koningsdam has seven complimentary food options: Lido Market buffet; one main dining restaurant; poolside burgers, hot dogs, and fries at Dive-In; pizza, salads, and deli sandwiches at New York Deli & Pizza; ice cream and milkshakes at Gelato; snacks at Grand Dutch Cafe; and 24-hour room service.

One of the niftiest features of the Lido Market buffet has nothing to do with food. High-tech automatic hand wash stations encourage guests to place their hands in the cylinders to be soaped and rinsed in 12 seconds. DRYING TK

If eating with the eyes first is important, then your eyes will feast on the well lit, beautifully presented buffet. Colors pop in the spotless display, where you’ll see bowls of fresh fruit, perfectly diced tomatoes, and leafy greens peeking from sandwiches dotted with black sesames. Every station goes above and beyond the standard. For example, there are 19 different teas, the roast station has three kinds of gravy, and the salad bar has 10 dressings and over 20 ingredients to choose from, including four kinds of protein. A taco station would have four fillings options, three salsas, and an array of fresh toppings.

Meals at Lido Market are as healthy or indulgent as you desire. In addition to the salad bar, the buffet has breads, two soups, four kinds of sandwiches, baked pastas and pasta a la minute, roasted or grilled meat and seafood, sides, and popular comfort food such as spiced fried chicken, loaded baked potato, and mac and cheese. The Asian station has sushi rolls, stir fry, rice, noodles, and curries. Dessert is a delectable selection of at least six kinds of sweets, soft-serve and regular ice cream, cookies, and pastries.

Specials highlight the current destination. Each station has vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options. As a hygiene measure, most of the buffet is not self serve. Food is protected by glass and staff will plate your order.

Those who have sailed with Holland America before will be familiar with the two floor layout of the complimentary restaurant, The Dining Room. The outlet has received a huge upgrade from Signature Class and is surprisingly restrained for Holland America’s style. The space is brighter, airier, and fresher thanks to a palette of cool white and beige. It’s not without some personality — it wouldn’t be Holland America if there weren’t vivid colors. Red carpeting and golden lighting add pizazz. Curved vertical beams in the central atrium draw the eye up to a glamorous light fixture made of glass balls. The beams are meant to echo the curves of a string instrument, though the ribs of a whale come to mind.

The decor of The Dining Room is more with the times but the formula is the same. Downstairs on deck 2 is for open seating, by reservation or walk-in, while upstairs is traditional dining, the same table and waiter at either 5:15 pm or 8 pm. In contrast to older Signature and Vista Class ships, ocean vistas are maximized with floor to ceiling windows and better seating configuration. The tables on deck 3 overlooking the downstairs dining floor also provide an interesting view.

The breakfast menu has a well-balanced mix of hot or cold, sweet or savory, light or indulgent. On at sea days, the static lunch menu has cafe/bistro fare such as fried calamari, croque madame, quinoa bowls, and cobb salad. Indulgent items like lobster roll, New York strip loin, and crab salad incur an extra charge. The dinner menu changes daily and delivers a finer gastronomy experience. A “port to table” starter and main highlight the current country, plus there are six starters and 10 mains, of which there is always a vegetarian, pasta, poultry, fish, and red meat.

Another improvement on Pinnacle Class is that Club Orange members have a private breakfast and dinner restaurant instead of just a designated section within The Dining Room. Club Orange enjoys the same menu plus the addition of breakfast mimosas, one additional entree option, and a daily special.

Pinnacle Grill is the anchor of Holland America’s specialty dining. The classic steakhouse ($39 per person) is the most popular and is unsurprisingly always fully booked, so make a reservation as soon as possible on the first day. The restaurant of just 30 tables is glammed up with different textures and geometric patterns, while a glass wall wine cellar adds some prestige. The dinner menu is a familiar assortment of surf and turf. Settle in with a martini before snacking on stuffed mushroom caps or shrimp cocktail. Order a filet mignon, New York strip, tenderloin, or boneless rib eye with a sauce and sides. Or seafood lovers can opt for Alaskan king salmon, seared jumbo scallops, or baked halibut. Maine lobster tail has a $15 supplement.

A new addition to Pinnacle Class is Rudi’s Sel de Mer, HAL finally adding a fine dining French restaurant, which is a common feature in other premium cruise ships. The $49 per person menu is “an intimate brasserie featuring classic French dishes reimagined with contemporary flair.” Celebrate a special occasion with French classics like foie gras on crusty brioche, bouillabaisse seafood stew, coq au vin, and duck l’orange. The menu also emphasizes seafood and it’s the place to splurge on seafood platters ($25 supplement), sole meuniere, and whole lobster. The wine by the bottle menu is select and impressive. Though there are no windows with outside views, Rudi’s is an intimate, inviting space of 12 tables. A Renoir mural sets the scene, while the playful carpet and plates add whimsy.

Rounding out the specialty dining are pan-Asian restaurant Tamarind ($19 per person), which shares the dining room with Nami Sushi (a la carte). Try an array of Thai, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Japanese, and Chinese dishes. In the evening, a section within Lido Market becomes Canaletto ($19 per person), Italian food served family style.

As a Pinnacle Class ship, Koningsdam has a few added twists to Holland America’s signature bars and lounges. New to the roster are BLEND by Chateau Ste. Michelle, a wine tasting table, and NOTES, an enclave for whiskey tasting.

Another Pinnacle addition is Grand Dutch Cafe. The outlet at the atrium on deck 3 is a bustling spot for a specialty coffee pick-me-up or something stronger. Opulent navy and white seats line both the sunny windows and the atrium facing Harps, a 7.5 ton steel sculpture spanning three decks.

When it comes to outdoor watering holes, there are three bars, all of which are casual: Sun Bar, Sea View, and Panorama. For something more upscale, you’ll have to head inside. Ocean Bar and Pinnacle Bar are ideal places for a pre-dinner tipple.

The casino bar has been designated as the spot to have a drink and watch the game. Unfortunately the screen is a small one, and the bar only has seven seats.

Music is key, pun intended, to Holland America’s entertainment line up. Koningsdam has the cruise line’s trademark venues, but amped up.

The big change with Pinnacle Class is that the Lincoln Center Stage is an actual stage. On Vista and Signature Class ships, the venue is a small space and a platform, which makes for an intimate experience but affords poor sightlines. Now a big stage and dazzling star burst chandeliers befit the musicians brought in partnership with the world-class New York performing arts center. There is seating on the ground floor and casual gallery seating above on deck 3. There’s also a giant dance floor since the venue doubles as B.B. King’s Blues Club. Get your groove on as a band jams soul tunes, blues, and classic rock. It’s the place for game shows, comedy night, ballroom dancing, and the Orange Party, a fun night in honor of Holland America’s Dutch heritage once every cruise. Be sure to pack wacky accessories and something orange to wear.

The 630-seat World Stage has been brought up to modern times. Gone is the narrow one-dimensional layout, and no more squeezing down rows bumping knees. Wide, easy to navigate rows of padded seats almost wrap around the circular stage. There isn’t a bad seat in the house, as the surrounding LED walls become part of the show experience. However, all that extra space to comfortably sit and move around does mean less capacity. As a comparison, the theaters on Zuiderdam and Nieuw Amsterdam accommodate 856.

World Stage usually has four shows on rotation showcasing dance and musicians. Plus there is BBC Earth in Concert, which screens the beloved nature documentary accompanied by Lincoln Center Stage musicians. ADA seating is available on both the floor close to the stage and at the back.

At Billboard Onboard lounge, two pianists on Steinway grand pianos play chart toppers based on a theme before opening it up to all requests. The Rolling Stone Rock Room is a Koningsdam favorite, appealing to the young and young at heart as the band plays rock, funk, country, and R&B.

Day time entertainment has a leisurely approach. The program usually has bridge play, mahjong, arts and craft classes, ballroom and line dancing, trivia, game shows, destination talks, and movies by the pool. The ship delivers a galleria shopping experience as there are several attractive stores to browse for handbags, jewelry, watches, Holland America Line branded merchandise, casual wear, resort wear, alcohol, and cosmetics.

Holland America’s Pinnacle Class evolution is evident in the fitness center. The gym looks top notch and is stocked with Precor equipment and Expresso stationary exercise bikes. It boasts a cycling studio, plus a large aerobics studio for free and paid classes. There are at least two free classes a day, though the variety is limited to abs, stretch, and total body conditioning. Yoga, Pilates, TRX, bodysculpt bootcamp, and RYDE indoor cycling are $25 per class, $99 for three.

The Thermal Suite has also been greatly improved for Pinnacle Class. It is significantly larger and a good deal. For a $49 day pass or $149 for a seven-day cruise, you can unwind with the help of a horizontal shower, 11 heated ceramic loungers, cold bucket splash shower, an infrared dry sauna, a small wet sauna, and a large wet sauna with outside windows. Slip into the hydropool where jets further massage out the stress; starry ceiling lights add atmosphere at night. The Thermal Suite is open from 8 am to 10 pm and the pass grants you in/out privileges.

The Greenhouse Spa has 17 treatment rooms for facials, massages, acupuncture, and Medi-Spa services DYSPORT, Thermage, and Restylane dermal fillers. One of their signature treatments is the Aroma Spa Seaweed massage followed by time in a dry float bed. The salon has three hair dressers, two nail technicians, and a barber shop. GO SMILE teeth whitening is also available. A 15 percent service charge is added to all spa services.