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MS Koningsdam Cruise Ship, United States of America

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MS Koningsdam is a new cruise ship being constructed by Fincantieri at its Marghera shipyard, Italy, for Holland America Line. It will be the first Pinnacle-class vessel to join Holland America’s cruise ship fleet.

The first steel for MS Koningsdam was cut in February 2014, and a keel laying ceremony was held in August 2014. Delivery is expected in February 2016.

MS Koningsdam design

Koningsdam is designed in a contemporary style to create a perfect harmony with classic elegance. It will feature luxurious interiors that blend fresh air, fluid curves, elegant lines and illuminated spaces. The public spaces are designed to reflect tradition, whereas the architectural elements are inspired by music.

The central atrium with a ceiling skylight will be three decks high and adorned by an airy stainless steel sculpture. The interiors are designed by Adam D Tihany and Bjørn Storbraaten.

The 99,500 gross register tonnage (grt) cruise ship will have a capacity to accommodate 2,650 passengers and 1,025 crew members.

Accommodation aboard the new Pinnacle-class cruise ship

The new Pinnacle-class cruise ship will offer single and family staterooms. The staterooms will be classified into three categories, namely Neptune, Signature and Vista.

The ship will also feature 32 family ocean-view staterooms that occupy between 222ft2 and 231ft2, with two bathrooms and accommodation for five people, and 12 single ocean-view cabins measuring between 127ft2 and 172ft2. The staterooms and suites will be furnished with custom casework, USB ports and frameless glass shower doors.

A grand Pinnacle Suite of 1,290ft2 will comprise a living area, dining area, dressing area, bedroom and personal verandah with whirlpool. The cruise ship will also feature two Neptune Spa Suites and 43 Neptune Suites. The guests of Neptune and Pinnacle suites will have access to the Neptune Lounge, with the personalised service of a concierge.

The fleet-wide lounges offer worktables, a big-screen television, a library, sofas and chairs, complimentary refreshments and wi-fi at a nominal charge in the ship.

Koningsdam will also offer affordable accommodation, including 266 standard or large interior rooms of up to 225ftsq. Most of the rooms will feature verandas. The verandah spa accommodations, which will be located near the Greenhouse Spa & Salon, will offer health and wellness services during the journey.

Dining aboard the Koningsdam

The guests on-board Koningsdam can enjoy dining at six restaurants, namely the Pinnacle Grill, the main dining room, the Lido, Tamarind Asian fusion restaurant, In-Cabin and Balcony Dining, and Canaletto Italian restaurant.

The central bar area will allow the guests to check-in for an alternative-dining reservation at the central podium, and enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail before being seated at the restaurant.

The Culinary Arts Centre will offer activities such as hands-on classes and cooking demonstrations during the day, while it will transform into a dining area and the Grand Dutch Café to provide snacks or beverages in the evening.

MS Koningsdam entertainment venues

The Music Walk complex on the ship will encompass the Lincoln Centre Stage, Billboard Onboard and BB King’s Blues Club.

The World Stage, with multiple stage configurations, will feature high-definition 270° LED screen of two stories high and 250ft-long. It will be equipped with state-of-the-art sound systems and lighting for showcasing performances and productions.

Additional facilities will include Digital Workshop, Explorations Café, Fitness Centre, Merabella luxury shop, Signature Shops, Promenade, Casino and Explorer’s Lounge.

MS Koningsdam itineraries

MS Koningsdam will enter service with a seven-day round-trip voyage from Civitavecchia (Rome) to Naples, followed by a series of six 12-day sailings across the Mediterranean.

Horrific injuries of female guest raped, beaten and almost thrown overboard by attendant on Holland America cruise

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MS Nieuw Amsterdam
  • A civil lawsuit was filed on Friday in a Seattle district court on behalf of Jane Doe, seeking $50m compensation and $365m in punitive damages
  • Room service attendant Ketut Pujayasa used his company-issued master key to enter the cabin of Jane Doe
  • He beat her about the head with a laptop and repeatedly strangled her unconscious before raping her
  • The victim’s screams were reported by fellow passengers but staff took 45 minutes to respond – and then could not access her room
  • She was airlifted to hospital following attack on February 14, 2014. The victim was left with a traumatic brain injury and PTSD
  • Pujayasa confessed and was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison  

A female guest who was raped, brutally beaten and strangled unconscious on a Holland America ship by a crew member is suing the cruise company.

A civil lawsuit was filed on Friday in a Seattle district court on behalf of Jane Doe who was almost thrown overboard by her rapist during the fight for her life on Valentine’s Day last year on MS Nieuw Amsterdam.

Room service attendant Ketut Pujayasa used his company-issued, master key to enter the cabin of Jane Doe, then 31, where he was able to lurk on her balcony for several hours until she returned.

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT

The female passenger on a Holland America cruise ship suffered horrific injuries after she was raped, beaten and strangled in a brutal attack by a cabin crew member last February 14

The woman survived after fighting for her life against Ketut Pujayasa who tried to throw her overboard last year. The victim filed a civil lawsuit against Holland American last week

Ketut Pujayasa pleaded guilty in a Miami courtroom last September to rape and attempted murder. He was convicted and is serving 30 years

Holland America was ‘grossly negligent’, Jane Doe’s attorney John H. (Jack) Hickey told Daily Mail Online on Wednesday, in allowing Pujayasa access to a master key which was ‘applicable to all cabins’.

Mr Hickey, a maritime law specialist with more than 30 years experience, added: ‘To top it off, the cruise line’s system is that when the other passengers dial 911 they get the front desk, not security, and the front desk responds to the scene some 45 minutes to an hour later and does not even have access to the cabin?

Ketut Pujayasa pleaded guilty in a Miami courtroom last September to rape and attempted murder. He was convicted and is serving 30 years

Ketut Pujayasa pleaded guilty in a Miami courtroom last September to rape and attempted murder. He was convicted and is serving 30 years

‘If this is not the definition of outrageous, I don’t know what is.’

On February 14, 2014, the married woman, who was on the cruise with a group of friends but had a room to herself, returned around midnight and got ready for bed.

As she climbed into the bed and turned off the lights, in the shadows, she became aware of a figure lurking on the stateroom balcony.

Pujayasa, a 29-year-old employee originally from Indonesia, pounced on the woman.

During the sustained attack, which lasted close to an hour, Pujayasa punched her, smashed heavy blunt objects into her head including a laptop, and threw her across the room.

The rapist attempted to strangle his victim with his hands and then used a telephone cord and a curling iron cord.

The victim lost consciousness during the attack where she was raped and sexually assaulted.

Pujayasa pulled the woman to her room’s balcony and tried to throw her overboard into the dark waters.

She screamed repeatedly but no one responded.

The victim was able to hold on to the door handle to prevent being dragged on to the balcony.

Mr Hickey said it was only by having a certain degree of physical strength as part of her career as an aerialist, that his client was able to hold on.

The victim eventually escaped herself. She managed to wrestle free of Pujayasa, opened the door to her cabin on her own, and ran into the hall where other passengers had congregated.

Koningsdam 2016 delivery delayed

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Holland America Line is moving back the delivery date of the Koningsdam to “more fully leverage the new features, innovations and state-of-the-art technology to further enhance the guest experience.”

Originally scheduled to be delivered by shipyard Fincantieri on Feb. 16, 2016, the ship will now be handed over on March 31. HAL said the delay was a joint decision with Fincantieri.

The 99,500-gross-ton Koningsdam will be HAL’s largest ship and includes a new hull design and an array of new venues and innovations.

With the postponement, HAL is also moving back the date of the inaugural cruise. The seven-day roundtrip voyage from Civitavecchia, Italy, will now depart on April 8, 2016.  The ship’s official naming celebration remains as scheduled on May 21, 2016, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.