MIAMI, May 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival
Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's
largest leisure travel company, welcomed Holland America Line's new
ms Koningsdam into its fleet with a dedication ceremony held
May 20 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Honoring the
brand's 143-year history with the
Netherlands, Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands christened Koningsdam by
triggering a champagne bottle break on the ship's hull, a
long-standing maritime tradition. Her Majesty also participated in
the ceremonial blessing of the ship's bell, and was the first to
sign Koningsdam's commemorative wall, which will become a permanent
installation on the ship.
Carnival Corporation now has three of its four new 2016 ship
deliveries in service – Koningsdam, AIDA Cruises' AIDAprima and
Carnival Cruise Line's Vista. The fourth new ship arrives when the
Seabourn Encore joins the global fleet in December. Including
Seabourn's new Encore ship, Carnival Corporation has a total of 15
new ships scheduled to be delivered between 2016 and 2020.
The dedication ceremony took place onboard Koningsdam in
Rotterdam. Holland America Line, one of 10 brands in the Carnival
Corporation family, was founded in 1873 just steps from the site of
the recent event. Koningsdam is named to honor King
Willem-Alexander, the first king of the
Netherlands in a century. "Koning" is Dutch for king, and
the naming convention of "dam" on Holland America Line ships dates
back to 1883. Her Majesty Queen Máxima serves as godmother for the
ship.
The ceremony was part of a special 13-day christening cruise
that departed Civitavecchia, Italy, near Rome on May 9.
Following the christening voyage, Koningsdam will homeport in
Amsterdam for the European summer
season and in Fort Lauderdale for
winter and spring Caribbean
cruises.
"It's an honor to have Her Majesty Queen Máxima as the godmother
to Koningsdam, and May 20 was a truly
special day with Her Majesty performing the ceremonial traditions
of blessing the bell and the champagne bottle break to officially
welcome our newest ship to the fleet," said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America
Line.
As the first of a new Pinnacle class of ships for Holland
America Line, the stunning 95,000-grt, 2,650-guest capacity
Koningsdam becomes the 14th and largest ship in the brand's fleet.
Built at Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard, Koningsdam combines
classic Holland America Line features with new venues and
experiences, including new dining options such as an immersive
farm-to-table dinner experience, a 270-degree LED screen to enhance
entertainment performances, and beautifully appointed staterooms
and suites.
KONINGSDAM'S ENTICING NEW FEATURES
Koningsdam
introduces several innovative concepts and enticing offerings, with
special attention to new cuisine and entertainment choices.
Exclusive dining options for guests include a French seafood
brasserie and an immersive farm-to-table dinner experience in the
Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food & Wine magazine. Other
enticing options include the debut of the Grand Dutch Café, which
features traditional Dutch treats and several European beers and a
completely redesigned Lido Market. The main dining room with its
expansive windows and a towering wine sculpture features classic
favorites and five-course dinners in a sophisticated setting.
Koningsdam will also feature its highly popular specialty
restaurants – the Pinnacle Grill, Canaletto Italian and pan-Asian
themed Tamarind.
New onboard entertainment venues also provide guests with a wide
range of choices, including B.B.
King's Blues Club in the Queen's Lounge, bringing the
highlights of Memphis music to
sea, as well as the Lincoln Center Stage, which offers chamber
music nightly. Additionally, the 270-degree LED screens at World
Stage enable new concepts for live performances and an immersive,
panoramic entertainment experience for guests at sea. Through a
partnership with Billboard, Koningsdam also features Billboard
Onboard, an interactive experience of 50 years of chart-topping
hits, with live musicians performing from a large library of
all-time favorites.
Koningsdam also features Holland America Line's first
purpose-built staterooms for solo travelers and families. These are
among the design elements that Holland America Line and other
brands in the Carnival Corporation family are creating to respond
to the changing profile of today's cruise consumer, who could be
traveling alone or as part of a multigenerational family
vacation.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CARNIVAL CORPORATION'S NEWEST
SHIP
Koningsdam will initially sail from the port of
Amsterdam and visit Norway, Estonia and Iceland. Beginning November 9, Koningsdam will begin its inaugural
season in the Caribbean with a
four-day cruise to the Bahamas.
Departing from Port Everglades in Fort
Lauderdale, the ship calls at Nassau, the Bahamas followed by Half Moon Cay, Holland
America Line's award-winning private island. In early 2017,
Koningsdam will offer itineraries that call on a variety of
destinations including Turks & Caicos, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and Mexico.
The evolution of Koningsdam was documented in a series of
"Countdown to Koningsdam" videos, which offered a behind-the-scenes
look at the ship's design, construction and delivery.
Holland America Line is set to
receive its second ship in the Pinnacle class series in
November 2018. Koningsdam's sister
ship will be named Nieuw Statendam, the sixth ship in Holland America Line's history to bear the
Statendam name.
For more information about Holland America Line, consult a
professional travel agent, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or
visit hollandamerica.com.
Photos are available at
https://www.cruiseimagelibrary.com/c/oenmmqxy.
About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest leisure travel
company in the world, with a portfolio of 10 cruise brands
in North
America, Europe, Australia and Asia comprised
of Carnival Cruise Line, Fathom, Holland America
Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA
Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O
Cruises (Australia)
and P&O Cruises (UK).
Together, these brands operate 101 ships visiting over 700 ports
around the world and totaling 225,000 lower berths, with 15 new
ships scheduled to be delivered between 2016 and
2020. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates
Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, the leading tour companies
in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Traded on both
the New York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival
Corporation & plc is the only group in the world to be
included in both the S&P500 and the FTSE 100 indices.
Additional information can be found on www.carnival.com,
www.fathom.org, www.hollandamerica.com, www.princess.com,
www.seabourn.com, www.aida.de, www.costacruise.com, www.cunard.com,
www.pocruises.com.au, and www.pocruises.com.
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SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc