Koningsdam Solo Cabins

p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; } With the debut of the Koningsdam, Holland America introduced the single occupancy cabins. There are several solo cabins of varying size, all located on deck 1 all the way forward. Comments here are based on cabin 1012, which according to the deck plan is one of the largest of the solo cabins.

This cabin is a nice size for a person traveling alone. It has plenty of room to move around and ample storage. It is possible that two could share this cabin if they are well acquainted. The cabin contains a queen bed – not two twins pushed together – which is against the port hole. It also contains a desk and nightstand. The desk has 3 US power outlets along with 2 European and 1 USB charger port. The nightstand has 1 US power outlet along with 1 USB charger port.

The bathroom is a bit small, and contains a shower only. The toilet is placed such that almost anyone will have to sit sideways in order to use it. The shower is large enough for a plus size person to use in comfort. The shower also contains the usual HAL shampoo, soap and conditioner and the shower head is adjustable.

The location is convenient to the World Stage and the Crows Nest, and a bit of a walk from the restaurants. I have been in the cabin while performances were going on in the World Stage and I didn’t hear any of it.

If there is any down side, it is that the TV is positioned such that you almost have to be on the bed in order to watch it. You could also move the desk chair and have a good view.

Thanks so much for this detailed review!

Thanks - I've been waiting for a first hand account. Sometimes the placement of toilets in bathrooms puzzles me. Have the people who designed the bathrooms or installed the fixtures every used a toilet? :confused:

Roz

Thanks for the review. This is a good trend for HAL - solo occupancy cabins. They could provide more passenger room if they had a smaller bed since this was intended to be solo. Wonder if they wanted to keep some design flexibility to see if these sold as solos or could be converted back into a small duo room if necessary.

How does the pricing work out for the solo cabins? How much less than the old formula of paying for solo use of a regular cabin?

Thanks- I've been waiting for a first hand account. Sometimes the placement of toilets in bathrooms puzzles me. Have the people who designed the bathrooms or installed the fixtures every used a toilet? :confused:

 

 

Roz

They are designed by graduates of the same school as those who design stalls for women in public bathrooms... you know, the ones where even a very small woman needs to straddle the toilet in order to shut or open the door.

Mame, yes, I've been to several of those bathrooms. 2 inches between the door and toilet.

Ols Salt, I was thinking the same thing about the double bed. Personally I'd prefer a single bed and more cabin room, but I think you're right about HAL wanting the flexibility to be able to convert those cabins.

Roz

Mame, yes, I've been to several of those bathrooms. 2 inches between the door and toilet.

 

 

Ols Salt, I was thinking the same thing about the double bed. Personally I'd prefer a single bed and more cabin room, but I think you're right about HAL wanting the flexibility to be able to convert those cabins.

 

 

Roz

Not the kind you want to encounter when in transit with luggage and solo. :eek:

(I miss the old Eek emoji- much more expressive than this one.)

Very helpful thread. :)

thanks so much for sharing. And I have added your comments per your permission to the site that may not be named:rolleyes:

I guess this is the debut of the solo cabins on the ships built by HAL - Prinsendam has them but that ship was not built by HAL ;)

I think it's great that solo cabins are being added. ;)

Great help and thank you!

How does the pricing work out for the solo cabins? How much less than the old formula of paying for solo use of a regular cabin?

Doesn't make much sense to build solo cabins and then not make them competitively priced.:confused: However, this seems to be the trend with ships that are putting in solo cabins.

As a solo cruiser more often than not, I appreciate the review as well. Thank you.

I agree with others that I would prefer a single bed rather than a queen in order to allow a bit more room within the stateroom.

I wonder if the toilet's position in this category's bathroom is even worse than has been reported in other categories of Koningsdam.

Thank you for the description of the solo cabins.

I did look at your pictures.

Thanks for sharing your experience in Pinnacle class' OO category. I'm anxious to try one. The few mock bookings I've attempted have had discouraging results in terms of price. In fact, I often notice they are $1 more than other ocean view categories with the 100% single supplement.

I just sailed in a single ocean view cabin on P&O's Aurora, and it was lovely. That price was 160% of the going ocean view rate, so I felt like I was getting a good value. I'm now booked in a single inside cabin on P&O's Arcadia, which is a Vista class ship intended for HAL that was outfitted for Cunard and then assigned to P&O. The price was very similar to that 160% ratio.

I hope that Nieuw Statendam and Pinnacle III have more OO cabins, and maybe some single inside cabins, too, so that HAL can get closer to that 160% price point.

Being so far forward, is it a rouugh ride in that cabin?

Thanks for sharing your experience in Pinnacle class' OO category. I'm anxious to try one. The few mock bookings I've attempted have had discouraging results in terms of price. In fact, I often notice they are $1 more than other ocean view categories with the 100% single supplement.

 

I just sailed in a single ocean view cabin on P&O's Aurora, and it was lovely. That price was 160% of the going ocean view rate, so I felt like I was getting a good value. I'm now booked in a single inside cabin on P&O's Arcadia, which is a Vista class ship intended for HAL that was outfitted for Cunard and then assigned to P&O. The price was very similar to that 160% ratio.

 

I hope that Nieuw Statendam and Pinnacle III have more OO cabins, and maybe some single inside cabins, too, so that HAL can get closer to that 160% price point.

When I booked the cruise there was a significant savings for booking the solo cabin. I have watched the fare go up as the cruise came closer, and I believe the solo cabins were sold out early.

Being so far forward, is it a rouugh ride in that cabin?

The ride has seemed smooth to me, but in general it doesn't bother me so someone else could give a better answer.

Cruiser Bruiser:

Interesting that you predict a Pinnacle III vessel already.

More single staterooms would, I hope, be provided in future vessels. But, for this single to book such, there location does make a very major difference.

It is encouraging that the OP reported that his cabin under the World Stage was well insulated from sound.

Cruising does continue to evolve, no doubt.

Cruiser Bruiser:

Interesting that you predict a Pinnacle III vessel already.

 

More single staterooms would, I hope, be provided in future vessels. But, for this single to book such, there location does make a very major difference.

 

It is encouraging that the OP reported that his cabin under the World Stage was well insulated from sound.

 

Cruising does continue to evolve, no doubt.

You may have missed this "breaking news!":

http://www.hollandamericablog.com/2017/01/20/holland-america-line-to-build-third-pinnacle-class-ship-for-delivery-in-2021/

I wish my predictive powers were so good.

You may have missed this "breaking news!":

http://www.hollandamericablog.com/2017/01/20/holland-america-line-to-build-third-pinnacle-class-ship-for-delivery-in-2021/

 

I wish my predictive powers were so good.

I certainly did miss this news! Thanks for posting the link.

Do they still offer the single share propgram?

One of my greatest pleasures on a Cruise is sitting on the balcony with the love of my life. Now he is gone why shoul I be designated to a low cabin with no access to that beautiful access balcony. Unless I pay double which I cannot afford.

When I sailed on NCL Epic, with my mum, we looked into the cost of sharing a balcony against booking 2 studio cabins ..... and there was not much difference. We went with sharing the balcony in the end.

It seems to me HAL have a long way to go with dropping the prices of their single cabins, compared to NCL. I would think a fair price would be about 130% of the 'normal' cost

When I sailed on NCL Epic, with my mum, we looked into the cost of sharing a balcony against booking 2 studio cabins ..... and there was not much difference. We went with sharing the balcony in the end.

It seems to me HAL have a long way to go with dropping the prices of their single cabins, compared to NCL. I would think a fair price would be about 130% of the 'normal' cost

i get your point but I keep in mind, no one ever promised us ' fair and if they did, they were mistaken.

I sailed NCL once as a solo and had to pay 200% -- same as on HAl.

When I sailed on NCL Epic, with my mum, we looked into the cost of sharing a balcony against booking 2 studio cabins ..... and there was not much difference. We went with sharing the balcony in the end.

It seems to me HAL have a long way to go with dropping the prices of their single cabins, compared to NCL. I would think a fair price would be about 130% of the 'normal' cost

I get your point but know that no one ever promised us 'fair'. THE one time I sailed NCL, I was solo and had to pay 200%. Same as HAL.

Thanks for the up date on the third Pinnacle class ship. I don't understand why you have to pay 160% to cruise in a single cabin, the cruise line build it for singles so why are they charging extra?

Allan

Thanks for the up date on the third Pinnacle class ship. I don't understand why you have to pay 160% to cruise in a single cabin, the cruise line build it for singles so why are they charging extra?

Allan

I can think of a couple of good reasons:

First, the square footage of even the smallest of Koningsdam's solo cabins (127 sq ft) is about 75% the size of a normal interior or ocean view cabin for two people (170 sq ft) on Koningsdam. So you are effectively getting more room per person. And space is always at a premium on ships. If these cabins were only 50% the size of a regular cabin, it might be harder to justify the cost. (And some of the solo cabins are nearly the same size as a regular cabin.)

Second, occupancy of space isn't the only consideration. HAL also has to factor lost revenue. Having more people aboard ship means more people to buy drinks, shore excursions, photos, spa treatments, as well as casino play and meals in specialty restaurants, just to name a few revenue-producers.