by Emma Blacklow, October 2016
I was lucky enough to experience Holland America’s brand new ship “Koningsdam” last month on an 8 night Greek Island Cruise from Athens to Rome. I visited some wonderful ports including Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, Heraklion and Naples.
Koningsdam is very different to the rest of the “Dam” fleet as it is very modern and sleek compared to the usual Holland America traditional style. The entertainment on board is quite varied with often three shows a night in the main theatre, which has 270 degree LED screens so you can see, no matter where you are sitting. For the art lover, there are some amazing pieces on board – one of my favourites being a Crystal World Globe located on Deck 3.
There are so many different restaurants and bars on board that it was hard to get around them all in 8 nights (although I did try very hard to eat and drink my way around the ship!). The specialty restaurant I enjoyed most was Tamarind, an Asian style which features dishes honouring the elements of water, wood, fire and earth. I can also vouch for the unusual cocktails here!
A port highlight for me was Mykonos. It was such a lovely and easy town to walk around and get lost in with all the different hidden walkways. It was also a great spot to do a bit of shopping, especially with all the beautiful jewellery! My tip is to try and get off the ship as early as possible – that way you can walk around without all the crowds of people.
