Koningsdam Dining Review

Holland America Line’s Koningsdam offers a classic mix of casual and specialty restaurants, guaranteed to please the palettes of all sailors. For a mid-sized ship, Koningsdam has a great variety of included and specialty options, with cuisines of varying types. I just spent seven days eating and drinking my way through the ship's many dining venues. 

There are five included eateries, eight specialty venues onboard Koningsdam, and numerous bars/lounges attached to the restaurants and all around the ship. Dining at all included venues is complimentary on Koningsdam. Specialty venues charge an additional cost. Some special entrees in the included and specialty venues may also charge an extra a la carte fee.  

Beverages (alcoholic and non) come at an extra charge. Before sailing on this (or any) ship, I strongly recommend that you research drink prices and decide if a beverage package is right for you. Depending on how much you plan to drink, you may save by purchasing one of these options. 

The following is a look at Koningsdam’s onboard food and beverage options and my review of each venue. 

Included Dining 

The Dining Room

The Dining Room is Koningsdam’s main dining venue. It is open for dinner each evening, breakfast, and lunch most days (depending on schedule/port days). It is a huge 2-level venue at the aft of the ship. On some at-sea days, the Dining Room will have afternoon tea service for all guests. 

The majority of guests choose to eat in The Dining Room. The menu is robust, with appetizers, entrees, and dessert selections. You can opt for an assigned dining time (early or late seating) for dinner service with the same waitstaff or come without a reservation to be seated anytime at an available table. 

I had dinner at The Dining Room several times during my sailing. The menu selections were extensive, offering cruise ship staples and some regional dishes. My favorite was the fresh seafood from Alaska. Menu items change daily, so expect to try something new each day. 

Among the standouts was delicious fresh Halibut topped with prosciutto, one of the menu’s exceptional Taste of Alaska selections. Another standout item was the Stroopwafel Cheesecake, a tasty concoction of the Dutch treat topped with caramel.  

Service in the Dining Room was incredibly efficient, especially given the number of people served simultaneously. Overall, I found the food quite enjoyable, with the food quality above the standard of main dining experiences I’ve had on other ships.  

Lido Market

Lido Market is Koningsdam’s main buffet area. It’s a vast space, with food stations on either side of the marketplace and seating all around. On one side, the Lido Market intersects with doors to the pool area, making it an excellent option for outdoor dining if it's nice outside when you are sailing. 

At the Lido Market, choose from breads, desserts, salads, mains, and other ready-prepared items. You can also choose dishes to be made a la minute at individual food stations. 

One of my favorite options was a ‘make your own taco bar,’ where guests could select a taco shell, filling, and hot toppings, all prepared by a ship’s culinary team member. A separate guacamole/salsa station was adjacent for you to perfect your creation. There was also a salad station, with several salad menu items to choose from, to be combined and plated by a culinary staff member. 

One of the unique things about the Lido Market was that most items were not self-service and were plated for you by a culinary team member. Although this is less ‘on-demand’ than other buffet areas on other cruise ships, I thought it was an excellent enhancement of attentive service and a great way to reduce touch points. 

New York Deli

Another casual eatery in the Lido area is New York Deli. It is open from breakfast to night and serves bagels, an extensive sandwich menu, made-to-order fresh pizzas, and late-night bites. True to NY deli sandwiches, the sandwiches here are huge. Pizzas are individually sized but could easily be shared. 

Tip: New York Deli has a rotating selection of pre-made individual pizza slices. If you don’t want an entire pie made, grab a slice and go! 

Dive In

Dive In is a casual spot by the Lido Pool with no extra charge for guests. Choose from a menu with various burgers, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, fries, milkshakes, and more, then grab a table by the pool. Upon ordering, guests are presented with a pager, which beeps when food is ready to be picked up. 

Grand Dutch Cafe and Explorations Cafe

The Explorer’s Cafe, located right off the Crow’s Nest lookout, and Grand Dutch Cafe, right off the Atrium, are lovely venues to grab drinks and enjoy a light bite. If you do not have a beverage package, the drinks are a la carte priced, but all food and pastry items are complimentary. 

The Grand Dutch Cafe serves Dutch food and desserts. Highlights include traditional Dutch Pea Soup, toasted Ham and Cheese, or Apple and Bacon Pannenkoek—a Dutch pancake with powdered sugar and Stroop. Food is served from 11:30 AM to 8 PM. I recommend ordering a bit and sitting in the eatery’s special royal blue dining area, which has great mid-ship window views. 

Exploration’s Cafe serves several pastry and light bite options. Enjoy one (or two) in the comfy chairs of the adjoining Crow’s Nest lookout. 

Club Orange

Club Orange is an exclusive venue for members of the Club Orange program. This extra-cost club from Holland America comes with a number of perks, including this special dining room, upgrades, and more. This intimate dining venue on Koningsdam offers a special menu. 

If you stay in one of the ship’s Neptune or Pinnacle Suites, you will also receive access to Koningsdam’s Club Orange dining room. 

Room Service 

Room Service is available 24/7. For breakfast service, coffees, teas, select juices, and continental breads/pastries are delivered to all guests at no extra charge. A more comprehensive menu selection is available all day for an additional charge. 

Specialty Dining 

Tamarind & Nami Sushi

Tamarind and Nami Sushi are in the same venue, on Deck 10 aft. The eateries serve separate menus. However, you can sample sushi from Nami a la carte in addition to your meal at Tamarind. On my Koningsdam sailing, the cost per guest to dine at Tamarind was $35 (+ 18% service charge). The dining experience offers a selection of appetizers, entrees, and desserts, all included in the fee to dine at the restaurant. Additionally, there were a few special menu items at extra cost. Nami Susi has its own a-la-carte menu of sushi rolls, nigiri, special cocktails, and more. 

The entire restaurant space is elegant and calming. Tamarind and its bar take up most of the room, with Nami Sushi’s bar offering its own seating. The service here was outstanding and a highlight of our dining experience on the ship. 

Tamarind features a Pan-Asian menu with a variety of special dishes. Among the standouts of my meal were Lobster and Shrimp Gyoza, Tom Khakai (a delicious coconut-broth-based chicken soup), Dan Dan Noodles, and the Mango Posset—a dessert with coconut macaroon, passion fruit jelly, and mango sorbet.

Rudi's Sel De Mer

Rudi’s Sel De Mer is an upscale French/seafood eatery. The space is incredibly intimate and elegant—perfect for a date night or celebrating a special occasion. Dining at Rudi’s is $55 per guest (+ service charge), and some menu items are extra. 

Menu selections include whole Dover sole meunière with shaved pink Himalayan sea salt, oysters on the half shell, fruits de mer, salt-crust baked branzino, steak frites, duck cassoulet, and coq au vin. 

Among the highlights of my meal were a marinated lobster appetizer and the Apple Tart Tartin dessert. My dining companion enjoyed the Dover Sole and the Profiteroles dessert.

Pinnacle Grill 

If you are looking for steak on Koningsdam, search no further than the Pinnacle Grill, open for lunch and dinner. Fleetwide, Holland America Line has rolled out a new menu at all its Pinnacle Grill locations, emphasizing regional dishes for where your ship is sailing. Pinnacle Grill is $46 per guest for dinner and $19 per guest to dine at lunch.

At Pinnacle Grill, enjoy a variety of steak cuts, classic steakhouse appetizers, a variety of family-style side dishes, chicken and fish mains, and a delectable dessert selection. A wide variety of cocktails and wines is also available. 

During my visit to Pinnacle Grill, I opted for the traditional steakhouse items, choosing Lobster Bisque, New York Strip, and the Jacque Torres Chocolate Souflee to end the meal. All were excellent—no notes!  

The space at Pinnacle Grill is very formal, with white tablecloths and an attentive wait staff. Note: Request to sit by the window at Pinnacle Grill on Koningsdam. We were seated in the back of the restaurant, adjacent to the kitchen that services Pinnacle Grill and Rudi’s Se De Mer, which got loud at times. 

Canalleto 

Canalleto is Koningsdam’s Italian trattoria, serving a menu of small plates, pastas, and desserts. It’s a smaller restaurant within the Lido Market, with seating adjacent to the main market area. Dining at Canaletto is $29 per guest (+ service fees). 

For appetizers, choose from a robust antipasti plate of meats and cheese salad or veal and sage meatballs. Main dishes include fresh-made pasta, short ribs, shrimp scampi, ossobuco and more. Deserts include cheesecake, affogato, gelatos, and other Italian-inspired treats. 

I chose a burrata appetizer, which was paired with tomatoes and a pesto. As a main, I selected Casarecce Pesto Geneve, a pasta dish with pesto and tomatoes. The star of my meal was the Chocolate Hazelnut Tart, topped with Nutella and chocolate sauce.  

Gelato

Gelato is an extra-cost spot that serves fresh gelato and frozen yogurt, a la carte. It’s a great place to indulge your sweet tooth and cool off on a warm sea day. 

Bars & Lounges

A variety of bars and lounges dot the public spaces onboard Konignsdam. Many bars are adjacent to the restaurants; however, a few special spots can be found onboard just for having a cocktail and relaxing. There are also a number of bars located on Deck 3 near the Music Walk’s live music venues. 

One of the unique aspects of the beverage program on Koningsdam was the special Taste Alaska menu and local beverages brought onboard from the destinations my sailing was visiting. This was a great way to sample the local flavors and immerse yourself in the region you were cruising through. 

As mentioned, most beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) come with an extra cost. We recommend you explore your options before boarding so you don’t end up with any surprise charges for drinks enjoyed onboard. 

Holland America offers a “Have It All” program that includes the beverage package, specialty dining, and Wi-Fi. This package can be added when booking your cruise or any time before boarding. In some cases, the “Have it All” package may be included in the cruise fare as a booking incentive or perk. Be sure to check with your travel agent for details.

Overall Impressions 

Koningsdam offers an impressive variety of dining venues for a ship its size. Whether you are looking for a quick casual bite or opting for a venue for a special occasion, there’s something to please everyone onboard. No matter which dining venue you choose, rest assured that the menu and service will impress. Bon Appetit! 

Explore All Koningsdam Sailings

Related:

Holland America Line’s Koningsdam Ship Review 

Inside Report: Sailing Alaska’s Inside Passage on Holland America Line’s Koningsdam