New HAL ship to be named ms Koningsdam

Until now, it has been referred to jokingly as Nonamedam. From today, Holland America Line's new 99,500-ton cruise ship is ms Koningsdam. 

While the name pays homage to the company’s heritage and roots in the Netherlands, it also reflects a new era with a bold name that is an original in Holland America Line’s 141-year history.  Since 1883 every Holland America passenger vessel has borne the “dam” suffix, and ms Koningsdam carries on that tradition. The word koning means “king” in Dutch, and the name celebrates the majestic new ship. The name also pays honor to His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, the first king of the Netherlands for more than a century.

The 2,650-passenger ship, being built at Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri's Marghera yard near Venice, is scheduled for delivery in February 2016. 

Many of Holland America Line’s ships have been christened by members of the Dutch Royal Family over the past 75 years. Most recently, ms Nieuw Amsterdam was christened by Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima in 2010. And in 2008 ms Eurodam was christened by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. 

“In choosing the name Koningsdam, we are honouring our rich Dutch heritage while reflecting that we’re entering a new era as a company,” said Stein Kruse, chief executive officer of the Holland America Group. “This new Pinnacle Class ship will be our largest, most contemporary vessel, and it was only fitting to give it a name that embodies great achievement for the future, while embracing timeless tradition.”

Holland America Line was founded in the Netherlands in 1873 as the Netherlands-American Steamship Company headquartered in Rotterdam. The original headquarters building still stands today as the Hotel New York on the Wilhelmina Pier, with the company’s European headquarters located nearby.

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Holland America Start Work On Their Biggest Ship

Holland America have started work on their biggest ship to date with the ceremonial steel-cutting occasion for their as-yet unnamed new-build that will launch in February 2016.

The event was held at Italian ship-builder Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard (above), with the first steel being cut on Tuesday for the 99,500-ton Pinnacle-class vessel, under the gaze of Holland America Group chief executive Stein Kruse and yard director Antonio Quintano.

The ship is a completely new design and the largest for the line, following a four-year gap since Marghera handed over the Nieuw Amsterdam in 2010, and is the 15th ship Fincantieri has constructed for the Seattle-based line.

The newcomer will have 2,660 lower berths and be able to accommodate up to 3,152 passengers, with an overall length of 299.8 meters.

Holland America have cagily disclosed few details of their latest vessel but it boasts some
promising design concepts that have never been seen on their ships before.

The interior design team will be Adam Tihany and Bjørn Storbraaten. The latter, of prolific ship architects Yran & Storbraaten, worked on Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam while Tihany, a noted hotel and restaurant designer, made his first foray into cruise design with Celebrity Solstice, creating the two-level Grand Epernay dining room, the Tuscan Grille steak house and the casual Oceanview Café and Grill on the Lido Deck.

More info: visit www.hollandamerica.com.

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