Day 11 on Koningsdam and it’s the last sea day of this cruise as we make our way toward the final port of call, Half Moon Cay, Holland America’s private island in The Bahamas.
There were a couple things on the agenda today that revolved around pure indulgence, and let’s be honest, when you’re on a cruise, overdoing it is pretty much part of the program. And when you combine overdoing it with cake? Well, that is just a beautiful thing.
Once per cruise, Holland America rolls out one of its more popular food events called Cake Me Away, and today was the day we were all taken away on a sugar high. For two hours, one section of the Lido Market buffet gets transformed into a cake lover’s paradise with more than a dozen different kinds of cake set out for guests to enjoy. We’re talking everything from classics like chocolate and red velvet to vegan and gluten-free cakes as well as sugar-free options for those who want to pretend they’re being responsible while still eating cake on a cruise ship.
Want one slice? No problem. Want two? Go right ahead. Want to sample your way through the whole lineup and see how quickly your blood sugar files a formal complaint? Have at it. This is one of those events that is very clearly designed for indulgence.
Now, today’s Cake Me Away started at 11:30, and people were literally lining up at 11:00 in order to be first in line for their favorite slice. Is that really necessary? No. Not even a little bit. Holland America knows exactly how popular this event is. They know which cakes people go crazy for, which ones are less popular, and they make enough so they are not going to run out five minutes in. So lining up a half hour early for cake is a bit much. But then again, this is the same cruise culture that has people lining up outside the main dining room a half hour before the doors even open as if their table might disappear and they’ll be left to wander the ship in search of scraps.
Relax.
Even if you roll up at 1:20, there is still going to be cake for you.
Nobody is going to let you starve in the Lido.
After getting thoroughly caked away, I had another event on the planner, the premium wine tasting.
On the third day of the cruise, I attended the Regional Wine Tasting, which is complimentary for 4-star and above Mariners and $35 for everyone else. This one, the Premium Wine Tasting, runs $49 per person and features more upscale wines and more generous food pairings to go along with them.
The event started at 2:00 p.m. and this time, instead of being held in the main dining room, it took place in Rudi’s Sel de Mer, which made for a much more intimate setting for the roughly 40 of us who attended. Like the previous tasting, I joined cruise friends Linda and Lowell for this one.
As we entered, we were handed a glass of Holland America sparkling wine and shown to our table. Waiting there was a tasting tray along with cards showing which wines we’d be trying and some tasting notes for each. For this tasting, the lineup included Veuve Clicquot Champagne, Louis Latour Pouilly-Fuissé, Grgich Hills Chardonnay, Seni Amarone della Valpolicella, and Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon. And as always with these kinds of events, keep in mind that the exact selections can vary by ship and by sailing.
Alongside the wines was a plate of food pairings that included blue cheese, strawberries, smoked duck, smoked salmon, beef tenderloin, a crab cake, and chocolate sauce. Yes, chocolate sauce. More on that in a second.
Once the introductions were out of the way, Alan got started with the Veuve Clicquot and worked us through the whites and then into the reds. Along the way he talked a little about the history of each wine, tasting notes, and then had us try the different food pairings to see how they changed the flavor of what was in the glass. And I know I was not the only one in the room who suddenly discovered that blue cheese with chocolate sauce is an absolutely ridiculous combination in the best possible way.
We were even shown the proper polite way to open a bottle of Champagne, which is the quiet, controlled method, as opposed to the loud cork-popping version people think they’re supposed to do! Check out the video below of Alan demonstrating the “professional way” to pop the bottle of bubbly:
Once the formal presentation part was over, the wine stewards made their way around the room topping people off with more wine if they wanted it, and let’s just say that by the time the tasting wrapped up, most of us were feeling pretty good. By “pretty good” I mean… we were all drunk ready for a nap.
The event ran a little over an hour, the wines were excellent, the food pairings were delicious, and once again it reminded me why I keep saying these tastings are one of the best ways to fill an hour on a sea day. Whether it’s the regional tasting or the premium one, both have been excellent events and a great way to try wines you may not normally be drinking at home.
A Little Shipboard Scavenger Hunt
Now let’s talk about two little fun things to find not only on Koningsdam, but on just about every cruise ship, and they make for a good little scavenger hunt when you’ve got some time to kill. One is pretty easy to find, and the other is a little more obscure, the kind of thing you can walk by a dozen times and never even notice because it’s not exactly displayed with spotlights and fanfare.
The first is the builder’s plaque.
It’s fairly large and is one of those things you’ve probably passed dozens of times without ever really stopping to look at it. On Koningsdam, let’s just say it’s in a spot with a pretty good “view” of the “sea” if you’re “thirsty,” so take it from there!
The plaque reads:
- Fincantieri S.p.A.
- Stabilimento Venezia – Marghera
- Costr. 6241
- Anno 2016
So what does that all mean?
- Fincantieri S.p.A. is the name of the shipbuilder, the giant Italian shipbuilding company that built Koningsdam.
- Stabilimento Venezia – Marghera refers to the specific shipyard, in this case the Fincantieri yard at Marghera, near Venice, Italy, where the ship was constructed.
- Costr. 6241 is essentially the shipyard construction number, kind of like a serial number assigned to the ship during construction.
- And Anno 2016 simply means Year 2016, which is when Koningsdam was completed.
So while it may just look like a fancy metal plaque most people ignore, it’s actually the ship’s birth certificate!
The next item to look for is the ship’s coins, and this one is a little more obscure than the builder’s plaque because it is very easy to miss if you are not specifically looking for it.
This goes back to one of the old maritime traditions that cruise lines still love to keep alive, the coin ceremony. The tradition is rooted in the belief that placing coins under the mast, keel, or another part of the ship during construction brings good luck and protection to the vessel and everyone who sails on her. It is one of those old seafaring customs that goes way, way back. On modern cruise ships, the coin ceremony usually takes place when the first block of the ship is lowered into place at the shipyard. Coins are placed in or under that section as a blessing of sorts for the ship’s future.
And no, the coins are not just randomly tossed in there and forgotten about.
Cruise lines often preserve that moment by later displaying the ceremonial coins somewhere onboard, usually in a tucked-away little spot that most passengers will walk right by without ever noticing.
On Koningsdam, these are the actual coins from the coin ceremony that took place at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy, on February 26, 2015 while the ship was under construction.
As for the particular coins themselves, the one on the left shows King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, which makes perfect sense given Holland America’s Dutch roots and the fact that Koningsdam itself is tied to the Dutch monarchy as “Koning” means “King.” The one on the right is a Dutch euro coin dated 2013.
And now for the clue on where to find them.
They’re located where superstition may revoke a number, but don’t “overlook” that. Keep your eyes peeled, and if you find it, take a “bow.”
If you found one or both of these, let me know in the comments!
And speaking of scavenger hunts, the activities team does have scavenger hunts as part of daily activities, so be sure to check the daily planner for your cruise for the time and location to pick up your tally sheet and get hunting!
Dinner at Canaletto on Koningsdam
With cake and wine behind us, who could even think about dinner? But eventually, a decision had to be made. Before getting into where I wound up tonight, here’s a look at what was being served in the Lido Market and the main dining room. Since it was the second “dressy” night of the cruise, the MDR had their second Gala Night special menu.
When dinner time rolled around, I headed down to Ocean Bar for a little pre-dinner cocktail, and cruise friends Linda and Lowell were there. They were having some wine, because after the premium wine tasting the correct move was obviously more wine, before heading up to Canaletto for dinner and invited me to join them.
So off we went.
As I mentioned previously, Canaletto does not have its own dedicated restaurant space. It’s a small section carved out of the Lido Market, but it remains one of the best values in specialty dining on Holland America. It’s only $25 per person plus 18%, and if you’re a 4-Star Mariner or higher, you get 50% off, which makes it even more of a no-brainer.
🖼️ Menu Images
Now, one of the things I really love about Canaletto, besides the consistently great food, is how accommodating they are. Honestly, I have never had a bad meal there no matter which ship I’ve been on. They make their pasta fresh daily, and they have absolutely no problem making you something that is not exactly on the menu.
Want paccheri pasta but with veal instead of sausage? No problem, I’ve done that before.
Want them to turn the herb-crusted chicken breast with vegetables and potatoes into a chicken parm with pasta instead? No problem, done that too.
As long as they have the ingredients, they are more than willing to play around with them a bit and make what you actually want.
And tonight was no exception.
All three of us wanted the casarecce pasta, but none of us wanted it the way it came on the menu with pesto, almonds, and tomatoes. Instead, we wanted it with beef short ribs and different sauces. Problem? Not at all.
So we all went with the pasta and short rib, but I had mine done with bolognese sauce and added a few meatballs, basically turning it into a big, Sunday gravy-style dish, and it was fantastic. Pair that with a Canaletto salad and cheesecake for dessert, and we definitely had a winner.
We all left stuffed and happy.
Linda and Lowell, thanks for inviting me along for dinner. It turned into a really enjoyable evening.
After that, we wrapped things up with a few more cocktails at Ocean Bar before calling it a night.
We anchor off Half Moon Cay tomorrow morning around 6:30 a.m., and once provisions and crew are transported ashore, guests will be allowed off the ship sometime after 8:00 a.m. So more on the final full day of the cruise tomorrow along with the overall review of this 12-day adventure on Holland America Line’s Koningsdam!
As always, thanks for following along.
Daily Schedule
| 7:00am | Abs Class | Fitness Center, 9 |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00am | Tai Chi for Everyone | Lido Poolside, 9 |
| 8:00am | Mass is Celebrated | Hudson Room, 1 |
| 8:00am | Pure Form Pilates $20 | Fitness Center, 9 |
| 8:00am | Pickleball Open Play | Sport Court, 11 |
| 9:00am | Interdenominational Devotionals | Hudson Room, 1 |
| 9:00am | Complimentary Fine Jewelry Cleaning | Effy Jewelry, 2 |
| 9:00am | On Deck for a Cause (NEW TODAY) | Grand Dutch Café, 3 |
| 9:00am | Coffee with Jayne Featuring Assistant Hotel Manager Mark | B.B. King’s Blues Club, 2 |
| 9:00am | Koningsdam Marketplace - Open Today | Atrium, 2 |
| 9:00am | Pickleball Instruction: Lob & Backhand | Sport Court, 11 |
| 9:00am | Introduction to Iris Photography (PROMOTION) | Photo Gallery, 3 |
| 9:30am | Origami Folding: Sailboat | Art Studio, 12 |
| 9:30am | Stretch & Release | Fitness Center, 9 |
| 10:00am | A City on the Sea (NEW TODAY) | World Stage, 2 & 3 |
| 10:00am | Party Bridge Play until 4:00pm | Hudson Room, 1 |
| 10:00am | Mahjong Players Meet until 4:00pm | Half Moon Room, 1 |
| 10:00am | Pickleball Tournament | Sport Court, 11 |
| 10:00am | Learn to Line Dance | B.B. King’s Blues Club, 2 |
| 10:00am | Footprint and Posture Analysis (PROMOTION) | Fitness Center, 9 |
| 10:30am | Modern Calligraphy: Cards | Art Studio, 12 |
| 10:30am | Pain Management with Acupuncture (PROMOTION) | Greenhouse Spa, 9 |
| 11:00am | EFFY Outlet & Sample Sale (PROMOTION) | Effy Jewelry, 2 |
| 11:00am | Detox for Health & Weight Loss Seminar (PROMOTION) | Fitness Center, 9 |
| 11:00am | Win A Cruise Bingo (Tickets on Sale 10:00am) | B.B. King’s Blues Club, 2 |
| 11:30am | Creating Doodle Designs: Mandala | Art Studio, 12 |
| 11:30am | Ship Scavenger Hunt | Piano Bar, 2 |
| 11:30am | Caribbean UpClose: Roots & Rhythm (LOCAL) | World Stage, 2 & 3 |
| 11:30am | Cake me Away! (NEW TODAY) | Lido Market, 9 |
| 12:15pm | 60:60 Auction | Rolling Stone Lounge, 2 |
| 12:30pm | Origami Folding: Sailboat | Art Studio, 12 |
| 1:00pm | Fragrance Finds from $39.99 (PROMOTION) | The Shops, 2 |
| 1:00pm | Ladies Pamper Party (PROMOTION) | Greenhouse Spa, 9 |
| 1:00pm | Today’s Trivia: Travel | B.B. King’s Blues Club, 2 |
| 1:30pm | Solo Guitarist Plays | Crow’s Nest, 12 |
| 1:30pm | Learn to Line Dance | B.B. King’s Blues Club, 2 |
| 2:00pm | Premium Wine Tasting $49 | Sel de Mer, 2 |
| 2:00pm | Health Seminar: Improve Your Posture | Fitness Center, 9 |
| 2:00pm | Basketball Knockout | Sport Court, 11 |
| 2:00pm | Port Talk: Half Moon Cay (LOCAL) | Piano Bar, 2 |
| 2:00pm | Vivace Strings Play | B.B. King’s Blues Club |
| 2:30pm | Watercoloring: Caribbean Sunset | Art Studio, 12 |
| 3:00pm | EFFY Connoisseur Club Raffle (PROMOTION) | Effy Jewelry, 2 |
| 3:00pm | L&C Watch Sets $24.99 (PROMOTION) | The Shops, 3 |
| 3:00pm | Ping Pong Tournament | Lido Balcony, 10 |
| 3:00pm | Over $1600 Jackpot Bingo Must Go! | B.B. King’s Blues Club, 2 |
| 3:00pm | Pickleball Open Play | Sport Court, 11 |
| 3:00pm | Solo Guitarist Plays | Lido Poolside, 9 |
| 3:00pm | Mixology Class $25 | Club Orange, 2 |
| 3:30pm | Watercoloring: Caribbean Sunset | Art Studio, 12 |
| 3:30pm | Tighten your Skin with Thermage (PROMOTION) | Greenhouse Spa, 9 |
| 4:00pm | Complimentary Walk-In Medi-Spa Clinic (PROMOTION) | Greenhouse Spa, 9 |
| 4:00pm | Ask Your Travel Guide | Travel Guide Desk, 12 |
| 4:00pm | Team Trivia Challenge | Piano Bar, 2 |
| 4:00pm | Cornhole Challenge | Cornhole Court, 11 |
| 4:00pm | Solo Guitarist Plays | Lido Poolside, 9 |
| 4:00pm | Expert Art Advice | Art Gallery, 1 |
| 4:00pm | Vivace Strings Play | B.B. King’s Blues Club |
| 4:30pm | $617,000 Paradise Lotto Jackpot Drawing | Casino, 3 |
| 4:30pm | Watercoloring: Caribbean Sunset | Art Studio, 12 |
| 4:30pm | Dressy Night Portrait Studios until 10:00pm (PROMOTION) | Photo Gallery, 3 |
| 4:30pm | Introduction to Signature Studio (PROMOTION) | Photo Gallery, 3 |
| 5:00pm | Meet the B.B. King’s All-Stars (NEW TODAY) | Rolling Stone Lounge, 2 |
| 5:00pm | TRX Suspension Training $20 | Fitness Center, 9 |
| 6:30pm | Candlelight Concert with Vivace (NEW TODAY) | B.B. King’s Blues Club, 2 |
| 6:30pm | Game Show: Call My Bluff | Rolling Stone Lounge, 2 |
| 6:30pm | Friends of Bill W. Meet | Hudson Room, 1 |
| 7:00pm | Music Trivia: Disco | B.B. King’s Blues Club, 2 |
| 7:15pm | Billboard Onboard: Love Songs | Billboard Onboard |
| 7:30pm | SHOWTIME: Sebastian Fucci - Roots | World Stage, 2 & 3 |
| 8:00pm | Movies by the Pool: The Phoenician Scheme | Lido Poolside, 9 & 10 |
| 8:00pm | Cruise & Cash Scratch-Off Tickets (PROMOTION) | Casino, 3 |
| 8:15pm | Billboard Onboard: The Hot 101 | Billboard Onboard |
| 8:15pm | B.B. King’s Blues Club: The Best of B.B. King’s All-Stars | B.B. King’s Blues Club |
| 9:00pm | Tequila Tasting $35 | Taste, 2 |
| 9:00pm | SHOWTIME: Sebastian Fucci - Roots | World Stage, 2 & 3 |
| 9:15pm | Billboard Onboard: All Requests | Billboard Onboard |
| 9:15pm | B.B. King’s Blues Club: The Best of B.B. King’s All-Stars | B.B. King’s Blues Club |
| 9:30pm | Chocolate Surprise (NEW TODAY) | Atrium, 2 |
| 10:15pm | Billboard Onboard: All Requests | Billboard Onboard |
| 10:15pm | B.B. King’s Blues Club: The Best of B.B. King’s All-Stars | B.B. King’s Blues Club |
| 11:00pm | Rolling Stone Lounge: Rock the Yacht | Rolling Stone Lounge |
| 11:00pm | $617,000 Paradise Lotto Jackpot Drawing | Casino, 3 |
| 11:45pm | Stay and Play Slots All Night | Casino, 3 |