Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has been in the business for over 120 years, and has 5 ships offering luxury cruising as well as expedition cruising. If you want excellent service, as well as some amazing food, then this could well be the cruise line for you. The ships in the fleet are: –
- MS Europa – described as the World’s Most Beautiful Yacht, and until 2013 was the only ship to have been given the coveted 5 star plus rating by the Berlitz Cruise guide, but is now joined by MS Europa 2. There are 285 member of crew to look after a maximum of 400 guests. When it comes to dining, there is the Europa Restaurant with a single sitting, two speciality restaurants and the Lido Café
- MS Europa 2 – entered service in May 2013, this 40,000 ton ship has a total of 244 suites and 7 family apartments, and carries 516 passengers and 370 members of crew. There are 8 restaurants to choose from onboard. Now also awarded the coveted 5 star plus rating in the 2014 Berlitz Cruise guide.
- MS Hanseatic – the only expedition ship rated as 5 star by the Berlitz Cruise Guide, she carries 184 passengers and 125 crew.
- MS Bremen – offers expedition cruising in the comfort of a ship rated 4 star plus, with 164 passengers and 100 crew.
As well as an extensive selection of accommodation to choose from, there is a great choice of onboard entertainment, as well as relaxation options with the spa with a selection of treatments available. Children are well looked after on MS Europa, MS Europa 2 and MS Columbus 2, with a range of activities for different age groups.
On MS Europa cruises the official language is German, although all the crew speak fluent English as well, and a number of cruises operate with joint English and German spoken. All cruises offered by MS Europa 2 will be international, with both English and German the official languages.
Follow this link to read the review I wrote after spending two days onboard, and also watch the video I took while I was onboard.
(page updated April 2016)