Construction of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ ms Europa 2 is underway at STX Europe shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France with the ship slated to launch in May 2013.
I am writing this on the eve of an exciting event - tomorrow I am lucky enough to be joining Regent’s Seven Seas Voyager - plus some unusual Europa facts for you...
After spending more than 5,500 days at sea working for eight different cruise lines, Douglas Ward knows his ships. Since 1985, however, he’s been playing the role of passenger, rigorously assessing vessels for the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships, ‘the world’s foremost authority on cruising’. Here, he gives Cruise Passenger's Alarna Haigh an insider view.
MS Hanseatic is the only five-star expedition ship, while MS Bremen is rated four-star. They offer space, first-class service and have the highest ice category – perfect for traversing the entire North West Passage and attempting to cross the Antarctic Circle.
Europa is considered to be the world's finest yacht. Two hundred and eighty staff members look after a maximum of 408 passengers and the ship has the largest space per passenger in the industry.
