New Holland America ship takes to the sea

What will Holland America's next ship look like under way? Our new photo tour, in the carousel above, offers a sneak peek at the 2,650-passenger Koningsdam undergoing sea trials in recent days off the coast of Italy.

The tour also includes recent shots of the Koningsdam under construction and artist drawings of interior spaces planned for the vessel.

Scheduled to debut in April, the 99,500-ton Koningsdam is the first of a new class of vessel at Holland America that will be larger than previous ships and have a more contemporary design. The line tapped noted resort and restaurant designer Adam Tihany to create interior spaces in partnership with Bjørn Storbraaten, who worked on two earlier Holland America vessels. Tihany also has created spaces for Celebrity and Seabourn ships.

A major milestone in the construction of a cruise ship, sea trials involve days of maneuvers to test propulsion, steering and navigational equipment, and Holland America says the Koningsdam passed with flying colors. It's now back at the Fincantieri shipyard near Venice, Italy where it has been under construction for more than a year.

With sea trials completed, only final finishing work remains before the Koningsdam is delivered to Holland America by the shipyard. With its addition, the line will have 14 ships at sea.

Koningsdam will operate a diverse range of seven- to 26-day sailings around the Mediterranean and Baltic through the fall starting at $999 per person followed by Caribbean and Bahamas sailings.