Holland America Line’s New Koningsdam Floats Out to Finishing Dock

Major construction on Holland America Line‘s new Koningsdam superstructure has been completed, and the cruise ship has been floated out to the finishing dock at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, where it will receive its final interior fittings. The ship is currently scheduled for delivery on March 31, 2016

“A ship’s construction has many key milestones, and floating it out and moving it to the outfitting dock is especially symbolic,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “The float out represents that we are getting closer to welcoming Koningsdam to our fleet and seeing the ship in the water adds to the excitement among our loyal guests, travel agent partners and employees in anticipation of its arrival.”

Koningsdam Floats Out
(Copyright © Holland America Line)

Earlier, a traditional coin ceremony took place when two gold coins were welded to Koningsdam‘s forward mast. The line explains, “the gold coins bear the image of His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. The word koning means ‘king’ in Dutch, and the ship’s name pays honor to the first king of the Netherlands in over a century.”

For more information on the Koningsdam, visit Holland America Line‘s website here.

HEADER IMAGE SOURCE: HOLLAND AMERICA LINE