Holland America Koningsdam Makes Splash with Fitness Amenities

TRX classes are just one of the group fitness sessions you can pay for on Holland America Koningsdam.

By John Roberts 

Sure, the newest Holland America ship, Koningsdam, charts a new course in entertainment and dining.  

With its revolutionary Music Walk venues that keep passengers singing and dancing well into the night, and restaurants like the Culinary Arts Center, Sel de Mer and Tamarind that serve up foods to suit a wide variety of tastes, travelers will thoroughly enjoy this cruise ship. 
Your health and fitness regimen doesn't take a back seat on Koningsdam, either. I took a cruise on Koningsdam and found several ways the ship works for travelers who like to stay fit.

The gym offers all the equipment you need to keep up your fitness program.

The Gym -- The large and well-equipped gym has dozens of pieces of standard cardio equipment (treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes and rowing machines) as well as Precor brand weight-training stations for all muscle groups. The fitness center has a free-weights area with benches and dumbbells that go up to 75 pounds and a Smith machine and universal cable machine. Other pieces include Expresso bikes with programmed routes and scenery to track your ride, a Total Gym exerciser and NuStep and SciFit trainers. So, you can see that the area is fully outfitted for almost any workout regimen. 

Fitness Classes -- Sign up for classes like Pilates, yoga, TRX (fees $12 to $20). Other free classes like morning stretching also are available. The ship also has a dedicated Ryde studio for the popular spin-style classes ($20). 

The thalassotherapy pool in Greenhouse Spa can help ease sore muscles.

Spa -- Several treatment rooms offer a range of massages, from Swedish to hot stone and more. Also, you can get passes to the Greenhouse Spa to enjoy use of the saunas, ceramic heated lounging chairs, thalassotherapy pool (it's a really cool circular one with cascading showers and overhead twinkle lights for night-time use), steam room and hot tubs. The passes are $40 for one day or about half that price per day if you buy a full-cruise pass. 

Jogging Track -- Koningsdam features the standard small jogging track seen on most cruise ships. The track on Deck 11 takes 12 laps to complete a mile. It is clear of loungers and other inconveniences found on some ships. However, a better space for avid runners is the promenade on Deck 3. The outside deck there encircles the entire ship and takes just three laps per mile and offers cover from the sun and winds that can make an outdoors run in the Caribbean a bit brutal.

Outdoor Fitness -- Just off the jogging track, you'll find a range of fitness equipment and activities. Workout stations on the outside deck include a strider and chest-press machine as well as bars for modified pull-ups, push-ups and stretching. Nearby is the sports court, where people play basketball or soccer.  

Spa Verandah staterooms are located close to the Greenhouse Spa and the fitness center and come with wellness amenities like yoga mats, Fitbits and Vitamin Water.

Spa Verandah Cabins -- These staterooms are located on Decks 10 and 11 close to the Greenhouse Spa. In your room, you get fresh fruit refilled daily, Vitamin Water, Fitbits and a yoga mat. 
  
Healthy Food -- I've always said you can find plenty of healthy options around a cruise ship, especially by curating your own plates full of goodness with all the ingredients available at the buffet, from fresh salads and veggies to lean proteins likes chicken, turkey and sushi. Koningsdam also has a healthy gourmet dining experience with its Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine. The dedicated space on Deck 2 features cooking classes during the day and a farm-to-table concept dinner event ($39) in which chefs explain how they are preparing each course you are enjoying. Meals include responsibly sourced fish and beef dishes and salads and appetizers complemented with greens grown onboard the ship.  
What do you think? Would you like to sail on Koningsdam?

At the Culinary Arts Center, the chefs give a show and explain the ingredients in your farm-to-table inspired meals.

Thanks for reading. 
Travel happy! Travel fit! Travel often! 
JR