We have been HAL fans; the Koningsdam was new to us. Let's begin with the big positive - she's a beautiful ship. The public rooms are really handsome and ooze old world elegance and warmth with occasional contemporary jolts. But lovely as she is at first she's not the easiest ship to navigate and it takes a little time to adjust to her layout especially as not all the upper desks are thru decks and some elevator banks will not bring you to the upper level you need to reach.

HAL did a fabulous job on embarkation. Boarding was delayed two hours for extra sanitization of the ship due to an uptick of gastrointestinal issues on the prior sailing. All were excellent in expediting the boarding process, making it run smoothly and easily. Cabins were ready for all on boarding which was an added plus. Really good work all around.

In apparently adding more staterooms HAL seems to have opted for narrower hallways which can create some little traffic jams. Also, the promenade deck, often a treasured shady spot to read and relax has lost her deck chairs (a fabulous old world touch) as they have narrowed the walking deck which is too bad as shady places where you can avoid strong sun and read are few and far between. And these deckchairs were also a big plus on windy days when upper decks might not be ideal. But it is still great to have the walking deck! Read more