Holland America Koningstafel Debuts at \$149

Published on Aug 14, 2025, 10:26 am CDT

6 min read

Holland America Line has introduced Koningstafel, a reimagined chef's table that blends a private cocktail reception, a behind the scenes galley tour, and a six course dinner with curated wine pairings. The experience launched on Oosterdam in July 2025 and will expand to Westerdam, Zaandam, and Volendam in the fall, with fleetwide rollout planned by spring 2026. Available on cruises 14 days and longer, reservations cost $149 per person, plus gratuities, and can be booked online or onboard. A vegetarian menu is available upon request.

Key Points

Why it matters: Adds a premium, small group culinary experience that elevates Holland America's dining program.
Travel impact: Available only on sailings 14 days and longer, with limited seats and a $149 price point.
What's next: Expansion to more ships in fall 2025, then fleetwide by spring 2026.
Menu highlights include Wagyu tartare, butter poached lobster, and herb roasted lamb loin.
New themed dinners join the lineup, including Rijsttafel in Tamarind and a Tiki Dinner in Pinnacle Grill.

Snapshot

Koningstafel begins with a private Ocean Bar reception, featuring the De Lijn Gin cocktail "You Should See Me In A Crown." Guests then join the executive chef for an exclusive galley tour that frames the evening's culinary storytelling. Dinner follows at a styled table in the Dining Room, where chefs introduce each of six courses and sommeliers pour a curated wine for every plate. The set menu ranges from Asian Wagyu Steak Tartare to a finale of artisan cheeses and Honey Crémieux, with vegetarian alternatives on request. The experience is offered on itineraries of 14 days or longer, priced at $149 per person, plus gratuities.

Background

Holland America has been steadily refreshing its food and beverage program, from the Global Fresh Fish initiative to recent Tamarind updates. Koningstafel adds a high touch, limited capacity event that fits the line's premium positioning and longer itinerary focus. The launch on Oosterdam in July 2025 precedes a fall expansion to Westerdam, Zaandam, and Volendam, then a fleetwide rollout by spring 2026. The line is also layering themed events, including a Dutch Indonesian Rijsttafel in Tamarind on Baltic sailings and a South Pacific themed Tiki Dinner in Pinnacle Grill on crossings 20 days and longer. For broader context on the brand's direction, see our recent coverage of Holland America's 2027 Alaska cruises mark 80 years and Holland America Expands Live Entertainment Fleetwide.

Latest Developments

Pricing and booking details for Koningstafel

Reservations are available online before departure or onboard, subject to availability, at $149 per person, plus gratuities. The experience is limited to cruises of 14 days and longer, which helps maintain exclusivity and ensures galley access can be staged without disrupting peak service. The evening starts with a private Ocean Bar reception, then a guided galley visit hosted by the executive chef. Seating is at a styled table in the Dining Room, with floral accents, elegant settings, and chef led dish introductions. Wine pairings are included with each course, and a vegetarian menu can be arranged. Given capacity constraints, early booking is recommended on popular Grand and Legendary Voyages.

What is on the six course menu

The set menu showcases premium ingredients and a bit of culinary theater. Courses include Asian Wagyu Steak Tartare with soy mirin egg yolk, nashi pear, and tempura shiso leaf. Butter Poached Lobster Tail with lemongrass coconut is served alongside a "Smoked Champagne Cocktail." Spinach Ricotta Malfatti arrives with truffle garlic butter, seasonal black truffle, and parmesan espuma. A Sour Cherry Granite pour with lemon sorbet refreshes the palate. The main course is Herb Roasted Lamb Loin with pistachio crust, date purée, Mediterranean vegetables, and tableside lamb jus. The finale pairs an artisan cheese selection with Honey Crémieux accented by lemon curd, bergamot gel, honeycomb, and lavender honey.

More themed dining on the horizon

Beyond Koningstafel, Holland America is adding three complementary experiences. Rijsttafel Dinner brings a Dutch Indonesian tasting to Tamarind on Baltic sailings for a supplemental fee. Tiki Dinner, a tropical themed evening with beverage pairings and souvenir mugs, debuts in Pinnacle Grill on South Pacific crossings and is offered once per voyage on itineraries 20 days and longer. Legendary Voyages will host an Indian Pop Up Menu with regional dishes such as Lamb Vindaloo, Paneer Butter Masala, and Rasgulla. New Indian menus are also available fleetwide in the main Dining Room, including on shorter sailings, and can be arranged on embarkation. For itinerary context, see Experts join Holland America's 2026 solar eclipse cruises.

Analysis

Koningstafel aligns with a broader premium dining shift at sea, where intimate, story driven meals complement main dining and specialty venues. The $149 price point positions the experience as a splurge that remains accessible on longer itineraries, especially when compared with high end land based tasting menus. Limiting availability to 14 day sailings reinforces the brand's long voyage identity, concentrates demand where sea days are plentiful, and simplifies galley logistics. The program's design, cocktail to galley to table, gives travelers a narrative arc and a sense of backstage access that typical chef's tables rarely match. At the same time, the Rijsttafel, Tiki, and Indian offerings diversify east west flavor profiles and add reasons to book specific regions. If execution keeps pace with demand, Koningstafel can become a signature add on that differentiates Holland America on Grand, Legendary, and extended regional cruises, while quietly lifting onboard revenue without diluting the main Dining Room experience.

Final Thoughts

For travelers who plan longer voyages, Koningstafel delivers a polished, small group evening that showcases the culinary team and the ship itself. The path from Ocean Bar to galley to a styled table turns dinner into an event, and the curated wines simplify decision making. With complementary themed dinners arriving in Tamarind and Pinnacle Grill, food focused guests will have more to discover on longer itineraries. Book early, consider dietary requests at reservation time, and build in a lighter lunch to enjoy the full arc of the evening. The concept should travel well across the fleet, and it strengthens the brand's culinary identity around the Holland America Koningstafel.