Holland America Line’s newest and largest ship is sailing closer to her inaugural sailing.
This past week, Holland America Line’s new ms Koningsdam met the water for the first time in a major milestone, known as the floating out. During this ceremony, ms Koningsdam was floated from her dry dock into the outfitting dock, where she will receive her final touches and interior furnishings. This ceremony marks the first time the ship has been introduced into her natural environment, the water. Following her final outfitting, ms Koningsdam will set sail to Venice, Italy where she will be christened by an unnamed godmother.
“A ship’s construction has many key milestones, and floating it out and moving it to the outfitting dock is especially symbolic,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “The float out represents that we are getting closer to welcoming Koningsdam to our fleet and seeing the ship in the water adds to the excitement among our loyal guests, travel agent partners and employees in anticipation of its arrival.”
ms Koningsdam will be the largest Holland America Line ship to date, carrying 2,650 guests in a variety of staterooms ranging from interior, to suites, and for the first time aboard a Holland America Line ship, single guest staterooms. The new ship will offer guests a variety of new and innovative spaces, including Sel de Mer, a new French seafood brasserie; an expanded two story Queen’s Lounge; and a redesigned Lido Marketplace. ms Koningsdam will still feature a number of Holland America classics, including the Pinnacle Grill, Canaletto, and impeccable service from an all Indonesian and Filipino crew.
