At Sea, North Atlantic

Monday, June 12th
At Sea - North Atlantic Ocean
ms Koningsdam
Voyage of the Midnight Sun
Day 1
Cloudy - 65 Degrees

We are settling in and getting to know the Koningsdam, happy to have a day at sea to relax.  This is the first of the new Pinnacle class of ships, the next one to be delivered in late 2018.  There are several new dining options:  Tamarind for Pan-Asian cuisine, the French brasserie Sel de Mer, farm-to-table exhibition dinners in the Culinary Arts Center, the Grand Dutch Cafe for Dutch bites and beers, and snack bars for pizza and gelato.  The technology is much improved as well.  The Holland America Line Navigator is a new web app for phones, tablets and computers that provides ship information and access to dining reservations, shore excursions, and spa treatments.  Navigator connects devices to free Wi-Fi service throughout the ship, and provides a reliable portal for paid Internet service.  Entertainment options have been expanded with Music Walk, a series of venues with live music in the evenings:  Lincoln Center Stage, Billboard Onboard, and BB King's Blues Club.  The music theme extends to the entire ship, passenger decks are named for famous composers.  The World Stage is the new venue for mainstage productions.  It features a 120 degree curved wrap around video screen.  The ship is comfortable, and the public spaces flow well.

We booked a standard Verandah cabin, and we were "upgraded" to a handicap-accessible cabin on deck 5 forward, port side, 5054.  We are on the Gershwin deck.  The cabin is incredibly spacious, which is the ultimate luxury on a ship.  But, the open space comes at the expense of some comfort.  Furniture is minimal, and there is nowhere comfortable to sit.  We realize that this is not a problem for someone in a wheelchair, the intended occupant of this cabin, and thus a good problem to have, but we miss being able to sit on the couch and watch the world go by.  That's an important part of cruising for us.

Another improvement on board ship is the Greenhouse Spa & Salon.  We don't get facials or massages, but we really enjoy the hydrotherapy pool and thermal suite.  On a cold-weather cruise, a warm-water refuge is key for relaxation.  The hydrotherapy pool is about 100 degrees with powerful jets and playful bubbles.  There is every kind of shower imaginable:  hot, cold, steam, rain, wand, full-body, vertical, and horizontal.  There are two steam rooms, one with a porthole view, three saunas, and ice cold splash buckets for rapid cool down.  The thermal suite features heated chaise lounges facing out to sea.  We got a cruise pass, and intend to soak several times a day for the duration.  We had our first visit tonight and watched the sun set into the ocean from the steamy comfort of the thermal suite.

Next Stop:  Flåm, Norway