Koningsdam: Sanitation Record & Health Report
ShipTea Verdict
Koningsdam, the lead ship of Holland America's tidy little Pinnacle class, strolled into its most recent CDC inspection on January 6, 2026, and walked out with a spotless 100. That's not just passing — 86 is the bar to clear — it's the kind of number that makes the fleet average of roughly 95 look like it's slacking. All-time average, five-year average, highest, lowest: it's all 100, because this ship has exactly one inspection on the books so far. A perfect debut is a perfect debut, but with a sample size of one, calling it a "trend" would be premature — the data itself has nothing to compare against, so we're not going to pretend otherwise.
Where things get spicier is food safety, which we grade separately, and here Koningsdam posts an 84.0 for a "Needs Scrubbing" label. So somewhere between the gleaming CDC paperwork and the galley reality, there's a gap worth side-eyeing. We also can't tell you anything about outbreak history one way or the other right now — CDC's outbreak records are currently unreachable on our end — so we're not about to hand this ship a "clean record" badge we can't actually back up. File that under asterisk, not accusation.
Who it's for: cruisers who want a mid-size, elegant, still-fairly-fresh ship (built 2016, refreshed in 2023) with a genuinely strong inspection result and don't mind that it's only one data point deep. At 2,650 guests and just under 100,000 tons, Koningsdam is roomy without tipping into mega-ship chaos, which suits the Pinnacle-class crowd looking for polish over spectacle. Who should skip it: anyone who wants years of inspection history to lean on before booking, or who'll lose sleep over a "Needs Scrubbing" food safety grade sitting a few lines below that shiny 100. The report card says excellent; the kitchen grade says do a little more homework first.
Koningsdam at a Glance
Koningsdam is a Pinnacle-class ship in the Holland America fleet, built in 2016 and refurbished in 2023. It carries 2,650 passengers and measures 99,863 gross tons. Koningsdam has 50 sailings on the schedule through September 2027, mostly from Vancouver (27) and San Diego (23), most often on 7-night voyages (trips run 4 to 35 nights). The next departure is September 19, 2026 from Vancouver.
Its most recent CDC inspection scored 100 out of 100 on January 6, 2026. A trend needs at least two inspections, so we will add one when the next result is published.
Pinnacle-Class Sister Ships
Koningsdam has 2 sister ships in the Pinnacle class. Here is how their latest CDC scores compare.
| Ship | Line | Latest CDC score | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotterdam | Holland America | 99 | Mar 16, 2026 |
| Queen Anne | Cunard | 95 | Apr 5, 2026 |
Score History
Outbreak Timeline
No outbreaks on record for the Koningsdam.
Outbreak history for this ship is not currently available from the CDC.
Environmental Rating: B-
Making Effort
Score Breakdown
Friends of the Earth Report Card
USCG Environmental Compliance
✓ Clean environmental compliance record — no MARPOL deficiencies on file.
Needs Scrubbing
Food Safety Sub-Score based on 1 inspection with item-level data.
Food Inspection Breakdown
Item-level deductions from the most recent inspection with detailed data.
| Item | Category | Type | Deducted | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #11 | Employee Health & Illness Management | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #12 | Employee Cleanliness & Handwashing | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #13 | Food Safety Management & Knowledge | Critical | -3 | 5 |
| #14 | Employee Appearance | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #15 | Food Sources & Receiving | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #16 | Food Temperature & Time Control | Critical | -5 | 5 |
| #17 | Food Protection & Prep Practices | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #18 | Cross-Contamination Prevention | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #19 | Food Storage & Handling | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #20 | Food Display & Service | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #24 | Food-Contact Surface Cleaning | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #25 | Wiping Cloths Cleanliness | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #26 | Equipment Sanitization | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| Total Food Deductions | -8 | 50 | ||
⚠ 8 points deducted from critical food safety items.
How Is This Calculated?
The Food Safety Sub-Score extracts deductions from 13 food-specific CDC VSP inspection items (items 11-20 and 24-26) covering employee hygiene, temperature control, cross-contamination, food storage, and equipment sanitation. The maximum possible food deduction is 50 points. Score = 100 × (1 - food deductions / 50).
Crew Treatment: Fair Passage
This score reflects how Holland America treats its crew — based on employee reviews, flag state quality, safety compliance, and editorial assessment. All ships in the Holland America fleet share this line-level rating.
Glassdoor Employee Rating
★★★★☆ 3.3Based on 645 employee reviews
Score Breakdown
Flag State Quality
Koningsdam is registered under a Paris MOU White List flag state — the highest safety and compliance tier. Flag State Score: 100/100
Upcoming Sailings
| Voyage | Departs | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 7 nights, round-trip from Vancouver, Canada | Sep 19 | 7N |
| 7 nights, round-trip from Vancouver, Canada | Sep 26 | 7N |
| 28 nights, one-way from Vancouver to San Diego | Oct 3 | 28N |
| 17 nights, one-way from Vancouver to San Diego | Oct 3 | 17N |
| 11 nights, round-trip from San Diego, USA | Oct 20 | 11N |
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Frequently Asked Questions
The latest CDC sanitation score for the Koningsdam is 100/100 as of January 6, 2026.
No, the Koningsdam has never failed a CDC inspection. All recorded scores have been 86 or above.
No, the Koningsdam has no recorded gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on file with the CDC.
The Koningsdam has a latest CDC sanitation score of 100/100. See the full inspection history and our ShipTea verdict for a complete assessment.
Based on CDC VSP inspection item-level data, the Koningsdam has a food safety score of 84/100 ("Needs Scrubbing"). This sub-score focuses on 13 food-specific inspection items covering temperature control, cross-contamination, and sanitation.
The Koningsdam was last inspected by the CDC on January 6, 2026.