Dutch cruise firm Holland America Line has named its newest ship MS Koningsdam in honour of its regal aspirations.

The word koning means king in Dutch, and since 1883 every Holland America passenger vessel has borne the ‘dam’ suffix.

The name also pays respect to King Willem-Alexander, the Netherlands’s first king in more than a century.

Holland America’s 15 cruise ships fly the Dutch flag as they sail to more than 400 ports of call around the world, carrying nearly one million travellers a year.

MS Koningsdam will be the line’s largest ship and is being built at Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard.

When it debuts in February 2016, it will carry 2,650 passengers and 1,025 crew members.

Following its repositioning to Civitavecchia (Rome), MS Koningsdam will sail a seven-day round trip premiere voyage, departing on February 20, 2016 and sailing to Dubrovnik, Croatia; Kérkira (Corfu); Katakolon (Olympia), Greece; and Naples in Italy.

After this, from the end of February to May it will cruise a series of six 12-day premiere sailings on two alternating round trip itineraries from Civitavecchia.

The first itinerary calls at: Katakolon, Piraeus (Athens); Rhodes and Crete, Greece; Istanbul (overnight) and Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey; and Naples, Italy. The second visits: Naples, Italy; Palermo, Sicily; Cagliari, Sardinia; Gibraltar, British Territory; and Cadiz, Malaga, Cartagena and Barcelona (overnight), Spain.

“We have a very loyal following and we anticipate these cruises will fill quickly, so I recommend booking early,” said executive vice president Richard Meadows.

Places on the premier sailings will be available for booking tomorrow.

For details contact a travel agency or local agents Cruise & Travel group, visit www.cruiseandtravel.eu or call 2122 2999 or 2132 2001.