Montevideo Yarn Shopping and Koningstafel Dinner

by The Inside Cabin | Mar 28, 2026 | South America, Uruguay, Montevideo, Knitting, 2026 Grand World Voyage

A relaxed day in Montevideo with two unique yarn shops, a walk down Sarandí Street, and one of the best onboard meals so far in the King’s Room

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Montevideo – Yarn Shopping Day & Koningstafel Evening

We arrived in Montevideo early this morning, and the ship cleared around 8:20 AM.

Volendam on the pier in Montevideo

Getting Off the Ship

We left the ship a little before 10:00 AM. There isn’t a cruise terminal here, just a walkway down the pier to the port exit, about a quarter mile. In the past, HAL has run a shuttle to Independence Plaza, but since that wasn’t offered today, we grabbed an Uber right outside the gate.

Entrance to the Montevideo Port

With that in mind, we set out to visit a couple of yarn shops, then make our way back to the ship on foot.

Stop #1 – Manos del Uruguay

Our first stop was the Manos del Uruguay outlet. Quick Uber ride and easy to find. The shop spans two floors, with the upper level focused on discontinued yarn lots.

They also carry a nice selection of finished garments.

Judy picked up a few items, and the staff was very friendly. A good, easy first stop.

5 hanks of IDEAL yarn in a creamy white
1 hank of MARINA in a bright pink

: Judy picking yarn inside Manos del Uruguay

: Yarn on the second floor of Manos Del Uruguay

: Judy, Lisa with the friendly clerks at Manos del Uruguay

: Judy and Lisa outside Manos del Uruguay

Stop #2 – Lanas Pure Wool

From there, we took another Uber, about 10 minutes into a residential neighborhood, to Lanas Pure Wool. This one was a little trickier. It’s a small shop on the first floor of the owner’s home, with no visible signage outside.

When we arrived, we realized it was closed for the day. Google Maps hours didn’t match the website, something we’ve run into before.

We called anyway. No answer, but the owner happened to see us outside, came over, and opened up the shop. That worked out well.

We spent about 20 minutes there and picked up:

6 hanks of sport weight yarn sourced and hand dyed from local sheep in Uruguay. The color shifts from cream to a medium mocha, with no tags listing yardage or fiber content
Two sets of KnitPro Zing straight knitting needles

👉 lanaspurewool.uy

: Inside Lanas pure wool

: Judy, Sandra and Lisa at Lanas Pure Wool

: Lisa and Judy showing off their yarn outside Lanas Pure Wool

Purchases from Manos del Uruguay and Lanas Pure Wool in Montevideo – January 24, 2026

Back Toward the Ship

After that, we Ubered to Independence Plaza and started walking down Sarandí Street toward the port.

This is a great walking street with restaurants, shops, and souvenir stands all along the way.

As we got closer to the ship, we stopped at a local market and picked up a mate gourd and a few t-shirts.

We were back through the port around 1:30 PM and onboard shortly after.

: Sarandí Street is a nice walk from the ship toward Independence Plaza

: Don’t forget to look up as you walk down Sarandí Street – you may see Romeo and Juliet!

: One of many vendors on Sarandí Street

: A nice selection of Mate in the Frog Grocery store

: Lemon mate and my new Gourd

Afternoon Onboard

Just in time, Judy joined her 2:00 PM Zoom knitting class, which ran until about 4:15 PM. She’s been taking this class every Saturday, and the ship’s internet has been consistently strong enough to make that work.

Koningstafel Dinner

Koningstafel, which translates to “King’s Table,” is Holland America’s reimagined Chef’s Table experience now rolling out across the fleet. It combines a private cocktail reception, a guided galley tour, and a six-course dinner designed to showcase the culinary team. It’s offered on longer cruises at an additional fee and is positioned as a full culinary experience rather than a standard meal.

It’s essentially an upgraded Chef’s Table. Small group, starts with cocktails, includes a behind-the-scenes galley tour, and ends with a multi-course tasting menu paired with wine. More of an event than just a dinner.

$165.20 per person ($140 plus 18%)

We received invitations the day before, which added to the experience.

: The Koningstafel menu cover

: The Koningstafel menu folds open – it was delivered to our cabin the day prior

The evening started at The Mix around 6:00 PM with cocktails. Nice energy and a good way to meet others in the group.

Pre-dinner Cocktail – “You Should See Me In A Crown,” made with Holland America Line’s own De Lijn Gin.

At 6:20 PM, we were taken down for a galley tour. Always interesting to see the operation behind the scenes. Organized, fast-paced, and everything running smoothly.

Dinner followed at 6:30 PM in the King’s Room on Deck 5. It’s a set multi-course menu with wine pairings, with each course introduced as it’s served.