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Hapag-Lloyd Cruises reveals dramatic growth in English-speaking passenger numbers


LauraS
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  • 2 weeks later...
Good article.

 

One of the things that has kept us from considering this cruise line was that we didn't expect that many guests would speak english.

 

Keith

 

it depends from cruise to cruise - i once noticed that there were about 60

but also 10 people - that does happen the most on shorter cruises 3-4 days from Hamburg or Kiel

all waiting staff does speak English - there is also a special party for international guests ( guests from non German speaking countries)

the above does concern the MS Europa 2

on the MS Europa guests from non German speaking countries are very few ( ranging from approximately none to 12 )

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  • 1 year later...

One way that they can expand their numbers is to get a proper agent in the US. The people I spoke to were ill informed in more ways than I can count,

A few highlights; 1)I need to book excursions in Antartica. They are not includedThe ship will disembark me to the shore, but that's it!! For laughs, I asked her to send me a list of excursions I could buy,

2)I need to rent boots and a coat while onboard for excursions.

3) There is no difference in the cabins in the Hanseatic. She didn't believe me when I said cat 2 has portholes.

After speaking to Germany her all responses were corrected.

As a result, I am booking through the German office. I can't risk poor and inaccurate information.

Having a dedicated CC board would really help.

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A "dramatic growth" could be going from 10 English speaking passengers to 20. The key will be whether or not these passengers will return. The ships are really beautiful but I really don't want to be part a separated group for an event just because I speak English. *There is also the issue of families that apparently are encouraged more than they are on most other luxury cruise lines.

 

If Europa 1 and 2 were all-inclusive, did not have children and had at least 50% English speaking passengers, we would be interested in booking. We love German food and I'm sure that the food onboard is wonderful!

 

Agree with previous posters, Hapag-Lloyd needs their own board. Even if they did, this article is certainly worthy of being on a board that will be read by ore than customers of Hapag-Lloyd.

 

 

 

 

*The draw and growth of Viking Ocean (a premium-plus cruise line) is that children need to be 16 or older).

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A "dramatic growth" could be going from 10 English speaking passengers to 20. The key will be whether or not these passengers will return. The ships are really beautiful but I really don't want to be part a separated group for an event just because I speak English. *There is also the issue of families that apparently are encouraged more than they are on most other luxury cruise lines.

 

If Europa 1 and 2 were all-inclusive, did not have children and had at least 50% English speaking passengers, we would be interested in booking. We love German food and I'm sure that the food onboard is wonderful!

 

Agree with previous posters, Hapag-Lloyd needs their own board. Even if they did, this article is certainly worthy of being on a board that will be read by ore than customers of Hapag-Lloyd.

 

 

 

 

*The draw and growth of Viking Ocean (a premium-plus cruise line) is that children need to be 16 or older).

 

Your issue with children on board the Europa 2 has been responded to in postings on other threads

 

There are three separate clubs for children of different ages, and use of the pool by children is restricted to set times.

 

 

 

Meals in the Yacht Club are supervised, and are taken in the very rear of the restaurant.

 

In my experience, the impact of children on other passengers is practically non existent.

 

 

 

As far as Jaqueline is concerned ,this is academic as her proposed cruise is an expedition on the Hanseatic.

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Your issue with children on board the Europa 2 has been responded to in postings on other threads

 

There are three separate clubs for children of different ages, and use of the pool by children is restricted to set times.

 

 

 

Meals in the Yacht Club are supervised, and are taken in the very rear of the restaurant.

 

In my experience, the impact of children on other passengers is practically non existent

 

As far as Jaqueline is concerned ,this is academic as her proposed cruise is an expedition on the Hanseatic.

 

Sorry - having Hapag-Lloyd on the luxury board makes me assume that the ships being discussed are luxury. Based on what I've read, Hanseatic is not and is just here because there is no other place to discuss this.

 

Out of curiosity, would posting everything Hapag-Lloyd on the "Other Cruise Lines" board be a problem for H-L customers (if CC does not give you guys the board that you deserve to have?)

 

In terms of children ....... yes, you have posted this before but this does not change how many luxury cruise travelers feel about having children onboard. Are children allowed to dine with their parents or are they forced to eat with other children? I understand that they can't use the pool except during special hours but are they prevented from visiting their parents or laying on lounge chairs next to them the rest of the time?

 

I do not dislike children and feel sorry for them when their parents take them on a ship that isn't child-friendly. A well behaved child should have access to the pool all day long (supervised), be permitted anywhere on the ship and certainly should have the choice to dine with their parents or with other children. IMO, there are loads of very child-friendly cruise lines (my favorite is Disney and yes - we have sailed on Disney). There are very few true luxury ships (Europa 1 and 2 are amongst them) and most luxury ships do put on activities for children during the summer and the Christmas holidays. The rest of the time, on most luxury cruise ships, there are no children or less than 5 on a sailing.

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OMG... I'm not a time traveler yet! Sorry for the error.

I AM looking at February 2017.

I did a transsiberian rail trip with a German company and there were only 4 of us from the US. The passengers did mix a bit by country, but Germans were In their own cars so we didn't see them much, . The Dutch and fins were with the English guides.

Everyone was pretty friendly.

 

They promised us an English guide(s) on the Antarctic. Cruise, It is also a repositioning trip so there is a senseless five sea days after South Georgia. i am wondering what they would have planned and how rough the Atlantic will be?

 

It's the same price as the 10 day Silversea and Nat Geo. I have heard that it is well worth it to do Georgia (three more touring days). And we have plenty of time. My guess is that it is not booking too fast, as they still are offering a guarantee that is $1500 less than the least expensive cabin. All the categories seem to have availability.

 

Thanks for all the information. It is like pearls as there is so little out there!!

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Sorry - having Hapag-Lloyd on the luxury board makes me assume that the ships being discussed are luxury. Based on what I've read, Hanseatic is not and is just here because there is no other place to discuss this.

 

I don't know what you have read, and where you read it, but the Hanseatic is a 5* expedition ship.

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The reason I am probably choosing to sail the Hanseatic is that it is a five star ship.

 

I also have a lot of confidence in the seamanship and the experience that they have in Antarctica. Safety is a top priority.

 

Hapag-Lloyd is a luxury cruise line by anyone's standards.

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I don't know what you have read, and where you read it, but the Hanseatic is a 5* expedition ship.

 

Once again, having the Luxury Cruse Board as the posting board for H-L is confusing. From reading threads for months, I got the impression that the only luxury ships that H-L has is Europa 1 and 2. Perhaps there should be a sticky indicating which H-P are luxury and which are not.

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The reason I am probably choosing to sail the Hanseatic is that it is a five star ship.

 

I also have a lot of confidence in the seamanship and the experience that they have in Antarctica. Safety is a top priority.

 

Hapag-Lloyd is a luxury cruise line by anyone's standards.

 

The Hanseatic has the highest passenger vessel ice classification.

 

Judging by the following video you won't be roughing it, especially when it comes to dining.

 

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I didn't know anything about the Hanseatic until last week, either.

Every possible credible reviewer that I have seen, rates the Hanseatic a five star ship. Not sure where the confusion comes in. You can check cruise critic itself, or the far more detailed professional evaluation by Douglas Ward, who has been reviewing ships since 1989.

Your impression is probably based on the fact that it is an expedition ship. It is currently the only five star luxury expedition ship sailing.

I don't want to argue, but I do want this thread to have the correct information for future readers.

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Once again, having the Luxury Cruse Board as the posting board for H-L is confusing. From reading threads for months, I got the impression that the only luxury ships that H-L has is Europa 1 and 2. Perhaps there should be a sticky indicating which H-P are luxury and which are not.

 

#1. There is no ship named Europa 1.

The ships are named Europa and Europa 2.

 

#2. Perhaps there is no need for a "sticky" to satisf a personal need for those who have plainly expressed they have no interest in sailing the line.

 

#3. To answer a prior (dubiously innocent) question - there is no need for Hapag Lloyd to be discussed anywhere but the Luxury Board unless and until a separate specific Hapag Lloyd board exists.

It is not an "other cruise line" any more than Regent is.

 

#3a. Because it doesn't fit a provincial American definition of a "luxury cruise line" doesn't negate the fact it is a luxury cruise line.

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Once again, having the Luxury Cruse Board as the posting board for H-L is confusing. From reading threads for months, I got the impression that the only luxury ships that H-L has is Europa 1 and 2. Perhaps there should be a sticky indicating which H-P are luxury and which are not.

 

There is a wealth of information available on Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, and it's ships, outside of the confines of Cruise Critic not least on the Line's own website.

 

Five Star:

 

Europa

 

Europa 2

 

Hanseatic

 

Four Star:

 

Bremen

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One way that they can expand their numbers is to get a proper agent in the US. The people I spoke to were ill informed in more ways than I can count,

A few highlights; 1)I need to book excursions in Antartica. They are not includedThe ship will disembark me to the shore, but that's it!! For laughs, I asked her to send me a list of excursions I could buy,

2)I need to rent boots and a coat while onboard for excursions.

3) There is no difference in the cabins in the Hanseatic. She didn't believe me when I said cat 2 has portholes.

After speaking to Germany her all responses were corrected.

As a result, I am booking through the German office. I can't risk poor and inaccurate information.

Having a dedicated CC board would really help.

 

Despite the bilingual Europa 2 most cruise passengers in Belgium still do associate Hapag Lloyd as "German and very expensive." even thinking every day thick sausages and heavy pork dishes are served.

 

same history concerning cruises overhere - in some not so special travel agencies if inquiring about cruises , nearly immediately the brochure of RCL is shown and several lines like HAL, Celebrity and the regular class on Cunard are presented as "luxury cruising "

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There is a wealth of information available on Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, and it's ships, outside of the confines of Cruise Critic not least on the Line's own website.

 

Five Star:

 

Europa

 

Europa 2

 

Hanseatic

 

Four Star:

 

Bremen

 

Thank you for the explanation. We have no reason to go to the H-L board (we did once and decided that it was not a "fit"). The confusion is due to H-L being intermingled with luxury cruise line discussions that are not limited to one cruise line.

 

vistaman brought up a good point. Apparently in some countries, even a mainstream cruise line can be advertised as "luxury cruising". Although I am not questioning Europa, learning this does make me question some of the other foreign lines being discussed on this board.

 

The U.S. also has some confusion - so not pointing fingers at people in Europe. Some advertisements for "premium plus" cruise lines show the ships as "luxury" (specifically Azamara, Oceania and Viking Ocean". Although most regular cruisers know the difference, it can also be confusing to newbies.

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