When Holland America Line’s new ship, the 2,650-passenger ms Koningsdam launches in April 2016, its guests will have the opportunity to become winemakers. That’s right, you can blend your own wine at the only purpose-built wine-blending venue at sea on a Holland America Cruise!

Koningsdam will feature a new establishment called BLEND – an intimate wine tasting setting that will host up to 10 guests at a time. The program will operate in collaboration with Chateau Ste. Michelle, the oldest winery in Washington State. The ship’s wine expert will lead participants in a blending session to create their own blend of red wine from a selection of five single-vineyard Chateau St. Michelle wines.

“At the core of every Holland America Line cruise is our desire to offer unique, immersive and innovative experiences, and BLEND by Chateau Ste. Michelle is all of those things and more,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “It will be exciting for our guests to create an exclusive wine tailored to their personal taste that they can enjoy onboard with our exceptional cuisine.”

Blend Your Own Wine

The blending experience begins with viewing a welcome video by Bob Bertheau, Chateau Ste. Michelle’s winemaker. Then participants will learn about the history of Washington wines and winemaking, discover how different vineyard sites influence the flavors and style of wine, and examine soil samples.

Next, guests participate in a tasting of five unique wines and the ship’s Cellar Master will share what flavors and nuances to expect in each. Varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot from Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Cold Creek and Canoe Ridge Estate vineyards will be sampled and guests will make tasting notes on the characteristics they like about each wine.

With their newfound wine expertise, guests decide how much of each wine to add to their personal bottle, making a one-of-a-kind blend tailored just to their personal taste. They bottle and stopper their custom wine blend and can even create their own label. The finished product will be delivered to the dining room or other shipboard restaurant for the guest to enjoy with dinner, or they can savor their personal wine blend in the privacy of their own stateroom at their leisure.

Wine blending sessions on Koningsdam will be held daily for a fee, and reservations are required. For gastro-inclined travelers, the innovative new BLEND experience will be a perfect complement to other interactive culinary experiences in the Culinary Arts Center.

The ms Koningsdam will spend its inaugural summer in Europe, then homeport at Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Reservations for seven- to 11-day Caribbean voyages sailing November 2016 through March 2017 are now open for sale. For itineraries and special offers, contact our Covington cruise specialists today.