DESTINATIONS NEW SHIPS CRUISE LEFT:
Carnival Vista’s
Seafood Shack
RIGHT: Holland
America Line’s Koningsdam
and, below, its World Stage
TRIED & TESTED by Hollie-Rae Merrick
Koningsdam
Koningsdam is not only Holland America Line’s first new ship in six years but is also the start of something different. HAL has always been known
as a traditional line and while this new addition is definitely charming and features favourite elements from other ships, it’s a far cry from what past passengers will be used to. Koningsdam, the first of two planned Pinnacle Class ships (the second will be launched in 2018) is modern, light and airy, unlike the darker woods and dramatic decor used on sister ships. Previous features have been made bigger and better, but there are many new venues to attract new customers, which the line’s president, Orlando Ashford, has said is key to moving away from
“recultivating repeat guests”. New dining venues such as
seafood brasserie Sel De Mer, Grand Dutch Cafe and New York Deli & Pizza join HAL’s extensive list, as do Italian speciality restaurant Canaletto, meat lovers’ favourite Pinnacle Grill and Asian-themed Tamarind. Sel De Mer serves à la carte dishes such as oysters and bouillabaisse (at a fee, unlike the other two additions), while the Grand Dutch Cafe is a nice nod to the line’s Dutch heritage. The Culinary Arts Center hosts
cooking classes on other ships, but on Koningsdam it doubles as an evening dining room, costing $29, with a fresh, farm-to-table concept. For wine lovers, the new Blend experience allows guests to taste, mix and match five red wines to create their own blend. It’s pricey – $129 or $179 per couple – but HAL claims the wines used sell for up to $80. Koningsdam has entertainment by the bucket-load: a music
Previous features have been made bigger and better, but there are many new venues to attract new customers
theme runs throughout, from partnerships with Billboard Onboard and Lincoln Center, to the paintings and art installations dotted around the ship. I let loose on the Queen’s Lounge dancefloor while resident band BB King’s All Stars proved to be the best I’ve seen at sea – a crowd favourite. But Koningsdam’s biggest
feature is the World Stage, where a 270-degree wrap-around screen means there isn’t a bad seat in the house. The screens bring the show to life and the concept works well. The only downside was that the full set of screens
weren’t fully used in every show I saw during my short sailing. Koningsdam represents a fresh
approach, far from the stereotype of a stuffy ship, but it’s the new cabin categories that will really entice a new audience. The vessel is the first in HAL’s 13-ship fleet to feature single staterooms and family cabins. There are 12 sizeable solo oceanview cabins, plus 32 family oceanview cabins sleeping up to five, with two bathrooms (one with a smaller bathtub and shower for tots), and though the cabins themselves aren’t massive, extra beds come in the form of a sofabed and pullman folding out of the ceiling. BOOK IT: Holland America Line offers a seven-night Norse Legend cruise on Koningsdam departing July 10, priced at £719 cruise- only for an inside stateroom; flight-inclusive prices from £969. The cruise is a round-trip from Amsterdam calling at Eidfjord, Bergen, Geiranger and Alesund.
hollandamerica.com
44
travelweekly.co.uk 9 June 2016
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