Launched in 2016, Koningsdam is the first of Holland America Line’s Pinnacle-class ships and is a vessel ahead of the curve. As the largest ship ever built for Holland America Line, this renowned cruise line’s new flagship is aptly named - ‘Koning’ means ‘king’ in Dutch. As their first new ship in eight years, it... Launched in 2016, Koningsdam is the first of Holland America Line’s Pinnacle-class ships and is a vessel ahead of the curve. As the largest ship ever built for Holland America Line, this renowned cruise line’s new flagship is aptly named - ‘Koning’ means ‘king’ in Dutch. As their first new ship in eight years, it...
Founded in 1873 under the name Holland-Amerika Lijn, this enterprising company offered a transatlantic passenger service between Rotterdam and New York until 1971, when Holland America abandoned passenger transportation and switched to running cruise ships full time. In 1989 Holland America Line became a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corporation. The company’s fleet of 15...
In an arena dominated by American names, MSC Cruises brings a welcome breath of la dolce vita to the cruising world. Unashamedly Italian in style and spirit, this Geneva-based line – the glamorous spin-off of the giant family-owned MSC container shipping empire – has always promoted its continental credentials. MSC Sinfonia pool deck As its...
Norovirus hits the headlines again – but this time it’s not on a cruise ship. Tabloid newspapers go into overdrive when an outbreak of norovirus – or stomach flu - occurs on a cruise ship. ‘Gastro bug strikes hundreds at sea’ was one recent example of the dramatic headlines. It is a cheap way to...
Do you fancy a Double Dragon or a Wee Heavy? Or perhaps you’d like your taste-buds tickled by a Bikini Blonde or a Good Old Boy? Anyone who doesn’t know their brews will be understandably baffled at this point (as I was originally!), but lovers of the amber nectar may well be salivating at the...
The Mediterranean could be said to be the ‘cradle of civilisation’. Enclosed by three continents, the world’s largest inland sea stretches more than 2,200 miles from the Straits of Gibraltar to the Black Sea. It’s not surprising, then, that the history of the Mediterranean is sea-based. The transfer of goods, languages, religion, rituals, fashions and...
Untamed tropical jungle, vibrant wildlife and evocative colonial cities set against that backdrop of a heady Latin beat make Central America an intoxicating destination for cruisers. This narrow strip of nations that connects North and South America is conveniently close to Florida’s main cruise ports, yet has a suitably exotic spiciness that makes these countries...
If there is one topic guaranteed to spark heated debate among cruisers, it is the thorny issue of tipping and service fees. For first-timers, extra charges can come as a nasty shock and while seasoned cruisers are more accustomed to the gratuity system, traditionalists resent the relatively high amounts charged by some (mainly American) lines....
The flagship of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ fleet has a colourful pedigree. Originally built in 1988 for the now defunct Royal Cruise Line, the 1,350-passenger Balmoral sailed with NCL as Norwegian Crown before it was purchased by Fred. Olsen in 2007. The vessel underwent a major refurbishment the following year, including the addition of a...