Latest Koningsdam Pics

[mek]

I've never understood why people care so much what a ship looks like on the outside when it's everything inside that counts.

[Hflors]

Sorry, but for me it will be a pass. Not only does she look like someone dropped a couple of stories on top of her bridge, but she also looks, from the side as if someone took a couple of bites out of her.

 

She doesn't have a nice promenade deck for a nice leisurely walk, rather she has a jogging track. I like the old promenade deck where people could sit and watch the world go by.

The only alternative is the jogging track and at this point in our lives it would be "excuse me" all the way around as the younger joggers want to do their jogs.

 

She is too big and is intended to have just too many passengers onboard. Sometimes, not often, but sometimes the hallways and pools are crowded. I am not interested in trying to fight my way through crowds. I mean how many passengers? 2000, and some with two pools!

 

She has too many "family cabins" for me. That means too many children. Now children are fine, but HAL only has club HAL to entertain them. No dedicated pool area etc. Like RCCL or Carnival or Disney. So where do you think they will go. They will want to share the pools and other venues with the older adults. Sorry, but been there, done that on our last cruise.

 

As I look over the deck plans it really has occurred to me that HAL is changing their demographics. They are shooting for the younger aged passenger. That is fine, but I really don't think they should depend on their older demographic age groups to cruise on ships that just aren't built for the older and more traveled age groups.

 

Anyway since others were giving their opinions this is my two cents!

Let the flaming begin!!!

[cruisemom42]

I've never understood why people care so much what a ship looks like on the outside when it's everything inside that counts.

 

 

The look of the ship would certainly be low on my list in terms of why I choose a certain cruise (or cruise line).

 

That said, there is something about a well-designed object that is pleasing to the eye. Whether that's a sports car, a tea kettle, a building, or a ship. Arguably the function of any of those is not compromised by unattractive design, but the enjoyment is certainly enhanced by good design....

[Topsham]

The look of the ship would certainly be low on my list in terms of why I choose a certain cruise (or cruise line).

 

That said, there is something about a well-designed object that is pleasing to the eye. Whether that's a sports car, a tea kettle, a building, or a ship. Arguably the function of any of those is not compromised by unattractive design, but the enjoyment is certainly enhanced by good design....

 

 

CruiseMom,

 

This is just what I am trying to say....between 'beauty and the beast'. I don't think anyone here would say, "I would NEVER sail in the Koningsdam!" Myself... I enjoy ships.... maritime history... it is in my life. On the old ROTTERDAM... whenever you saw the ship from the pier... it was a gave a huge feeling of pride. Of course... on the old ROTTERDAM.... outside AND inside was a certain feel of perfection!

 

Here a shot of the old ROTTERAM... still here with us as De Rotterdam.... hotel and museum. A beauty!

 

Stephen

[VermeulT]

From the front, it definitely looks like an apartment block on a barge, not the classic lines of HAL's other ships.

 

But from the side, it is unmistakably the HAL I know and love. I guess I'll just have to make sure my viewing is from the side, not head-on.

 

My first thought was Container ship... for the head on view.

The side, yes - unmistakably a HAL ship on steroids.

[Despegue]

Let us please not forget that the vessel is NOT FINISHED YET.

 

Meaning, she still needs fresh paint, windows are not completed/ in protection foil, scafolding is still present... Basically, she is still in the process of getting ready for dinner, give the girl some slack and be patient untill she is ready to go out in public!

 

Granted, She will not be HAL's most beautiful design ever ( the old Nieuw Amsterdam was in my humble opinion), but at least she has a Hydroactive hull design and a proud funnel and more or less classic lines compared with some real appartment's at Sea like the newest Princess, MSC, Carnival and Costa vessels, also Fincantieri products...

 

Does anyone know if she has a strenghtened bow, like Queen Victoria/Elisabeth for Atlantic crossings/Antarctic ops. ? ( still in no way as strong as QM2 obviously)

[cruisemom42]

Of course... on the old ROTTERDAM.... outside AND inside was a certain feel of perfection!

 

Here a shot of the old ROTTERAM... still here with us as De Rotterdam.... hotel and museum. A beauty!

 

Stephen

 

I'm pretty sure we have a photo of my grandparents in front of the old Rotterdam. I agree -- the kind of ship you want to have your picture in front of!

 

 

Granted, She will not be HAL's most beautiful design ever ( the old Nieuw Amsterdam was in my humble opinion)...

 

 

In complete agreement with you that the old Nieuw Amsterdam was a beauty. When I was young (8 or 9 years) my grandmother used to take me onboard when the NA visited Port Everglades and we would have tea. I imagined how elegant it would be to travel the world on such a ship....

 

Sadly, I never got to do so.

 

I think the days of elegant liners are over, for the most part.

[Topsham]

Ah... NIEUW AMSTERDAM! The ultimate ship! Most people say she was the most perfect liner. I agree! I was fortunate to visit aboard quite a few times in the 60s.

 

My most recent painting.... the Nw AMSTERDAM shown at her dock in the Wilhelminakade on 10th April, 1946. She had just come back after six years as a troopship.

 

The painting is a cover for a new book due out in the next few weeks....

 

d.s.s. NIEUW AMSTERDAM by Nico Guns. 5 Volumes. This painting is for Vol. III.

 

 

I'm sure most know about this ship. Just in case.... this is the ship that is depicted as the Holland America Line logo. In the old design it showed the Nw AMSTERDAM..... with the HALVE MAEN.

 

 

Stephen

Edited January 20, 2016 by Topsham

[kevingastreich]

Correction; separated at berth...

 

good one! :D

[cruisemom42]

Ah... NIEUW AMSTERDAM! The ultimate ship! Most people say she was the most perfect liner. I agree! I was fortunate to visit aboard quite a few times in the 60s.

 

My most recent painting.... the Nw AMSTERDAM shown at her dock in the Wilhelminakade on 10th April, 1946. She had just come back after six years as a troopship.

 

The painting is a cover for a new book due out in the next few weeks....

 

d.s.s. NIEUW AMSTERDAM by Nico Guns. 5 Volumes. This painting is for Vol. III.

 

 

I'm sure most know about this ship. Just in case.... this is the ship that is depicted as the Holland America Line logo. In the old design it showed the Nw AMSTERDAM..... with the HALVE MAEN.

 

 

Stephen

 

That is really lovely. Thanks for sharing it. :)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Let us please not forget that the vessel is NOT FINISHED YET.

 

Meaning, she still needs fresh paint, windows are not completed/ in protection foil, scafolding is still present... Basically, she is still in the process of getting ready for dinner, give the girl some slack and be patient untill she is ready to go out in public!

 

Granted, She will not be HAL's most beautiful design ever ( the old Nieuw Amsterdam was in my humble opinion), but at least she has a Hydroactive hull design and a proud funnel and more or less classic lines compared with some real appartment's at Sea like the newest Princess, MSC, Carnival and Costa vessels, also Fincantieri products...

 

Does anyone know if she has a strenghtened bow, like Queen Victoria/Elisabeth for Atlantic crossings/Antarctic ops. ? ( still in no way as strong as QM2 obviously)

Very good point plus, I honestly think pictures do not always do justice to the ship just like for people. I suspect that in person the Koningsdam will look quite nice.

 

Personally I will always like the way the original Vista Class looked prior to them chopping up and changing her aft on the Zuiderdam, Oosterdam and Westerdam :) Noordam looked a bit too boxy but then all her younger sisters followed with the same look :D

[dot73]

I can't wait to sail on the koningsdam. For those that don't like her or want to sail on her I'd like to thank you. Hopefully it will drive prices down.

I just booked the Dec 4 cruise. Considering the low Canadian dollar, the price was very reasonable. It will be the newest ship I have ever been on. I haven't had bad cruise in 20 years so I'm sure this one will be great also.

[InTheWASide]

Very good point plus, I honestly think pictures do not always do justice to the ship just like for people. I suspect that in person the Koningsdam will look quite nice.

 

Personally I will always like the way the original Vista Class looked prior to them chopping up and changing her aft on the Zuiderdam, Oosterdam and Westerdam :) Noordam looked a bit too boxy but then all her younger sisters followed with the same look :D

 

I just booked the Dec 4 cruise. Considering the low Canadian dollar, the price was very reasonable. It will be the newest ship I have ever been on. I haven't had bad cruise in 20 years so I'm sure this one will be great also.

 

Finally a little positivity in a Koningsdam thread.

 

Gets a bit exhausting when every single thread about the ship is taken over by people whining and complaining about the look, the promenade, decor colors, etc.

 

Maybe the hosts can create a "Koningsdam hasn't even launched but sucks BECAUSE..." thread and then there can be another where people that are excited about the ship can have a nice conversation.

[sammiedawg]

The exterior look on a car is important to me, we just passed on replacing an RX 350 because the new design is ugly. The exterior of a cruise ship is not important at all to me. Food, service and the interior condition matter.

[david,Mississauga]

I received this by e-mail today. I post it without any comment from me.

 

http://tomscruiseblog.co.uk/2016/01/16/the-end-of-the-promenade-deck-etc-part-2/

[cruz chic]

Finally a little positivity in a Koningsdam thread.

 

Gets a bit exhausting when every single thread about the ship is taken over by people whining and complaining about the look, the promenade, decor colors, etc.

 

Maybe the hosts can create a "Koningsdam hasn't even launched but sucks BECAUSE..." thread and then there can be another where people that are excited about the ship can have a nice conversation.

 

Love it :D. Maybe we are just a bunch of rubes with no taste :D;).

[LMaxwell]

I received this by e-mail today. I post it without any comment from me.

 

http://tomscruiseblog.co.uk/2016/01/16/the-end-of-the-promenade-deck-etc-part-2/

 

Some ships, such as MSC Seaside, are getting around this by effectively having two promenade decks. One with wide open decks circling the ship; the other deck meeting the SOLAS requirements for lifeboats. So, it is possible to have a true promenade these days, but cruise lines must be willing to spend the money to dedicate space for them.

[TomAndJane]

I just booked the Dec 4 cruise. Considering the low Canadian dollar, the price was very reasonable. It will be the newest ship I have ever been on. I haven't had bad cruise in 20 years so I'm sure this one will be great also.

 

We booked too because of the great prices. Can't wait to get on her!!!

 

Tom

[dot73]

I mostly cruise solo and this ship has a few solo cabins, although not in the best location. It will be interesting to see what the reviews will be. HAL used to offer the lowest single supplements among the industry, but not lately so if I enjoy my Dec cruise on this ship, it may become my ship of choice. Hopefully, by the time the ship comes over to this side of the pond, many of the new ship kinks will be worked out and it will be a great Caribbean season.:)

[Laurino]

Some ships, such as MSC Seaside, are getting around this by effectively having two promenade decks. One with wide open decks circling the ship; the other deck meeting the SOLAS requirements for lifeboats. So, it is possible to have a true promenade these days, but cruise lines must be willing to spend the money to dedicate space for them.

 

Yes I mentioned that too in the Koningsdam promenade deck-thread. Ships such as Carnival Dream-class and Norwegian Getaway also have two stacked promenade decks. I think the problem is that those ships have many more passengers than Koningsdam and therefore they can have 3 decks of public rooms instead of HAL's usual 2 decks. First public deck obstructed by lifeboats, second public deck has the lifeboats boarding through obstructed promenade and the hoists etc, and finally the third public deck can have an unobstructed promenade over the lifeboat deck.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Laurino

[Cruiser Bruiser]

I love the photo of the Lido Pool just released by HAL. Some were worried that with two levels below the magrodome it might feel like the pool was at the bottom of a well. Clearly not so. Take a look:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6765

 

Another view, just gorgeous:

 

http://koningsdam.hollandamerica.com/activity/lido-pool-1

Edited January 21, 2016 by Cruiser Bruiser

[InTheWASide]

I love the photo of the Lido Pool just released by HAL. Some were worried that with two levels below the magrodome it might feel like the pool was at the bottom of a well. Clearly not so. Take a look:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6765

 

Another view, just gorgeous:

 

http://koningsdam.hollandamerica.com/activity/lido-pool-1

 

Absolutely agree. Here's one more that's more of a "you're on Lido Deck" view so you get a good perspective that you could actually experience when on the ship:

 

[InTheWASide]

That ended up way larger than I expected.

 

Well, they've also updated the Dining Room rendering. Looks like a few minor changes, but also that copper sheathing around the wine tower appears to now be more of a brushed metal finish. Still beautiful but I think it now works better with the overall look and decor

 

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

I cannot understand how the current generation of nautical designers and cruise executives continue/insist on churning out such unmistakably UGLY floating boxes. There is nothing appealing about this ship. The same can be said for the interiors from what I've seen. Give me Zaandam or Zuiderdam any day over this.

[CI66774]

Complaining and whining about a new ship isn't new. People did the same with the Royal Princess (and other ships). I, for one, tend to reserve judgment until I've actually cruised on the dang thing (or at least read reviews from others who have). Lots of bad press about Royal Princess (before it was finished) but I've done three cruises on her (two TAs) and, overall, think she's a terrific boat. Had my mother judged my father only by his looks, neither me nor my sister would be here today. I'm glad she looked past any perceived imperfections and reserved judgment until she saw what a true gem he was.:)