Holland America Line’s Ship Float ‘Cruises’ Through Downtown Seattle

This is something you certainly don’t see every day—a cruise ship over land and in the air. On Saturday, July 30, 2016, spectators at the Alaska Airlines Seafair Torchlight Parade in downtown Seattle watched Holland America Line’s ms Koningsdam cruising down the street. The unusual sight was a replica helium balloon of the ship, which was among more than 100 floats taking part in this annual event.

At 45 feet long and 11 feet tall, the detailed float required 30 employees to guide it carefully through the streets of Seattle on the 2.5-mile route. In addition to the float, Seattle’s Hometown Cruise Line was a presenting sponsor of the parade, with participating employees carrying a banner boasting the company’s hometown pride and proudly wearing shirts that read “Anchored in Seattle.”

Holland America Line has been a sponsor and participant of the annual Seafair Torchlight Parade for many years, and employees previously carried an orca-whale balloon to highlight cruises to Alaska. This year’s cruise ship balloon was recently commissioned for the company to highlight its newest ship Koningsdam, launched in April, and to represent all the ships in the fleet, including the three sailing weekly from Seattle this summer.

Image Courtesy Holland America Line