“During the first sailing before revenue guests joined the ship, we find out whether everything on board works the way it should,” reports Henk-Jan Gerridzen. On the trip to Rome in April, he was responsible for 14 fully automatic Melitta^® Cafina^® CT8 coffee machines and 3 catering-size Melitta^® 6020 filter coffee machines. The crew members involved were already impressed by the “German engineering” of the piston coffee machines when they were set up to supply the desired coffee flavor. As the coffee technician recalls the successful maiden voyage, he reports that the initial positive impression was also confirmed: “The F&B managers told me they’d never had such delicious coffee at sea before.”

The coffee for the Holland America Line is supplied by roaster Beukenhorst USA, who also helped get the flagship of Melitta Professional’s fully automatic fleet on board. With an hourly output of up to 250 cups, the Melitta^® Cafina^® CT8 ensures fast and efficient order processing even during peak times. The extra-large 10.4” touchscreen display provides a clear overview and quickly steers the user to the desired product. Product groups show all possible variants of a certain beverage at a glance. If desired, beverages can even be grouped by size, bean or milk type. Orders can also first be collected and then dispensed consecutively, while in self-service mode guests can select the desired beverage themselves.

With a gross tonnage (GT) of 99,500, a length of nearly 300 meters, a crew of 1,025 and space for 2,650 passengers, the ms Koningsdam is the largest vessel of the traditional Holland America Line. The interior design of the ms Koningsdam blends classic charm with innovative concepts. There is traditional Dutch food on offer in the new “Grand Dutch Cafe”, while the “Lido Market” redefines the buffet experience with themed serving stations. Gourmets are catered for in the “Sel de Mer” fish restaurant and “Culinary Arts Center” (show kitchen during the day, restaurant in the evening).

The “Music Walk” offers musical entertainment for every taste: chamber music at “Lincoln Center Stage”, chart hits played live at “Billboard Onboard”, and the music of Memphis at “B.B. King’s Blues Club” in the Queen’s Lounge. During performances on the “World Stage”, guests are surrounded by the visual and acoustic effects of a 270-degree LED screen.

After the dedication ceremony befitting of such a ship, conducted by Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands on May 20 at the port of Rotterdam, the largest vessel of the line set sail from its home port of Amsterdam for summer cruises to Norway, the Baltic states and the British Isles. In September, the MS Koningsdam will return to the Mediterranean before crossing the Atlantic to Fort Lauderdale in Florida. From its local home of Port Everglades, the new luxury liner will then offer its first Caribbean cruise in the winter season 2016/17.