Tag Archives: resume service

Koningsdam Set to Resume Service, Kicking Off First Season on the West Coast

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Holland America Line is resuming service on the West Coast today, as the Koningsdam welcomes guests back in San Diego.

After a 19-month operational pause, the 2016-built vessel is starting a week-long California Coast voyage.

Debuting in the region, the Koningsdam is set to visit three ports during the cruise, including Catalina Island and San Francisco, where an overnight stop allows the guests to explore further. Before returning to its homeport, the 2,650-guest ship also pays a visit to Ensenada, a popular cruise port in Mexico.

Now sailing from San Diego every Sunday, the Koningsdam is also offering Mexican Riviera itineraries through the end of the year. The seven-night cruises include call in three ports: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta.

From January, the vessel’s program will see the addition of longer voyages to Hawaii, with visits to Honolulu, Hilo, Lahaina and more.

Inspired by Holland America Lines’ Dutch roots and heritage, the Koningsdam was named to honour His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, the first king of the Netherlands in over a century.

With the word koning standing for “king” in Dutch, the name is also meant, according to the company, to celebrate the majestic ship.

As the first vessel in the Pinnacle-class, the Koningsdam ushered a new era for Holland America Line, debuting a new design approach and several new features.

With interiors created by Adam D. Tihany and Bjørn Storbraaten, the 99,500-ton ship was conceived to blend a fresh, contemporary styling with the line’s renowned classic elegance.

The iconic Queen’s Lounge, for instance, was completely reimagined for the ship, becoming an elegant theatre and entertainment venue that spans two floors. 

Also debuting was an updated culinary vision for the fleet, with new dining and eatery concepts, including the Grand Dutch Café, another nod to Holland America Line’s heritage, and a place to grab Dutch-themed snacks and beverages.

Following the Nieuw Amsterdam and the Eurodam, which resumed service in July and August, respectively, the Koningsdam is the third Holland America Line vessel to restart guest services.

Three additional vessels are welcoming the guests back for the company through the end of December, including the 2018-built Nieuw Statendam.

Third Princess Ship Resumes Service as Sky Princess to Sail From Southampton

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The Sky Princess is the third Princess Cruises ship to resume revenue service.

Based in the United Kingdom, the vessel is departing Southampton today, starting its “Summer Seacation” program.

The Sky Princess is offering a four-night cruise the first in a series of domestic UK cruises, which will run through late September. Along with the Regal Princess, the Sky Princess is now offering scenic voyages and regular cruises around the country, ranging from three to seven nights.

The itineraries include stops in ports such as Liverpool, in England; Belfast, in Northern Ireland; Greenock, in Scotland; and more.

After the UK program, the vessel is set to return to Port Everglades. Starting in November, the ship is sailing three-, five-, seven- and 14-day cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

A Royal-class ship, the Sky Princess entered service in 2019 and was said to be an evolution to the platform used for previous Royal-class ships, the Royal, Regal and Majestic Princess.

The new and enhanced features include a digitally enhanced escape room called the Phantom Bridge and the Wakeview pool located on the ship’s aft decks. Other changes are a new café, redesigned lounges, additional Jacuzzis, and the new Sky Suites.

Featuring the largest continuous private balconies at sea ever offered by any cruise line, the two Sky Suites have a sleeping capacity for five guests and are located on one of the ship’s highest decks.

The 143,700 ton, 3,660-guest ship was also the first in the fleet to be built from the ground up with the Ocean Guest Experience Platform, powered by Princess’s MedallionClass technology. 

With the Sky Princess now in service, three Princess Cruises vessels have resumed guest operations. The first ship to welcome passengers back was the Majestic Princess, which launched a series of Alaska cruises on July 25.

A few days later, on July 31, the Regal Princess started to offer domestic sailings in the UK.

Princess is now preparing its return to the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Hawaii the California Coast. By November 28, a total of eight ships will be sailing to those destinations from Port Everglades, Los Angeles and San Francisco.