wripro Posted July 23, 2013 #26 Share Posted July 23, 2013 HI Carolyn, What interests me is that it is different. I'm not saying better, just different and I like to experience different approaches to luxury cruising. I love Seabourn and have hundreds of days aboard them but I also love to try other lines to see what they offer. Hapag Lloyd is truly unique so why not give them a shot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted July 23, 2013 #27 Share Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) Carolyn: Really looking forward to hearing about your experiences on Europa 2 -- especially hoping you try another massage:-) Edited July 23, 2013 by Travelcat2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor@cruisecritic Posted July 29, 2013 #28 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Laughing, Travelcat2. I haven't yet decided about the massage :) Carolyn Carolyn: Really looking forward to hearing about your experiences on Europa 2 -- especially hoping you try another massage:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor@cruisecritic Posted July 30, 2013 #29 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Totally agree, wripro. I am enjoying the experience (will write about it shortly, Internet's a bit slow for serious work-related stuff though fine for vacation-minded efforts), though I'm thinking my next holiday cruise will probably be Seabourn. Same concept. Less effort. Especially if what I want is an easy Caribbean holiday. Carolyn HI Carolyn, What interests me is that it is different. I'm not saying better, just different and I like to experience different approaches to luxury cruising. I love Seabourn and have hundreds of days aboard them but I also love to try other lines to see what they offer. Hapag Lloyd is truly unique so why not give them a shot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted July 30, 2013 #30 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Carolyn, I hope you get to sail one of the triplets to the Caribbean before they disappear. They're perfect for the islands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Keith1010 Posted July 30, 2013 #31 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Carolyn, I would be interested what aspects are above those of other luxury lines, those that are the same and any that fall below what you have experienced. Also, would like to hear about the passenger mix and also the crew. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted August 20, 2013 #32 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Totally agree, wripro. I am enjoying the experience (will write about it shortly, Internet's a bit slow for serious work-related stuff though fine for vacation-minded efforts), though I'm thinking my next holiday cruise will probably be Seabourn. Same concept. Less effort. Especially if what I want is an easy Caribbean holiday. Carolyn Carolyn, we are waiting with baited breath for your review. Did you post it somewhere else??? TC2 (Jackie) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYCSMF Posted August 24, 2013 #33 Share Posted August 24, 2013 I'm very tempted to take a 7-day western Mediterranean cruise next summer aboard this ship... I've secured a quote from an agent, and am just mulling it around. It's not inexpensive; for even a standard room it runs about $15K for two on a 7 day cruise. That's with a 5% early booking discount. I went on a couple cruises back in the 80s with my parents when I was a teenager. I cannot recall the names of the boats now, but they were a let-down. This ship looks beautiful and the itineraries are quite nice. Also, many of the things that I found ridiculous about those earlier cruises seems to have been eliminated from the Happag Lloyd format (no tuxedos and assigned dinner companions, "captains dinner" etc.). Despite my preference for non-formal attire, I don't want to immerse myself into a too casual scene where people are running around in beach wear all day. The issues cited by others as reasons for hesitating, like paying for drinks (I don't drink), and being surrounded by non-English speaking passengers actually make me like the idea all the more. I've looked at Seabourn and am not as excited about their itineraries nor the longer duration. Jumbo ships do not interest me in the least. While I like the Europa 2 the best so far, any insights into other small ship lines would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted August 24, 2013 #34 Share Posted August 24, 2013 If you've not checked out Oceania you may want to since it offers what you are looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted August 25, 2013 #35 Share Posted August 25, 2013 While I like the Europa 2 the best so far, any insights into other small ship lines would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Another vote for Oceania Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted August 25, 2013 #36 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Also Azamara. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted August 26, 2013 #37 Share Posted August 26, 2013 I'm very tempted to take a 7-day western Mediterranean cruise next summer aboard this ship... I've secured a quote from an agent, and am just mulling it around. It's not inexpensive; for even a standard room it runs about $15K for two on a 7 day cruise. That's with a 5% early booking discount. I went on a couple cruises back in the 80s with my parents when I was a teenager. I cannot recall the names of the boats now, but they were a let-down. This ship looks beautiful and the itineraries are quite nice. Also, many of the things that I found ridiculous about those earlier cruises seems to have been eliminated from the Happag Lloyd format (no tuxedos and assigned dinner companions, "captains dinner" etc.). Despite my preference for non-formal attire, I don't want to immerse myself into a too casual scene where people are running around in beach wear all day. The issues cited by others as reasons for hesitating, like paying for drinks (I don't drink), and being surrounded by non-English speaking passengers actually make me like the idea all the more. I've looked at Seabourn and am not as excited about their itineraries nor the longer duration. Jumbo ships do not interest me in the least. While I like the Europa 2 the best so far, any insights into other small ship lines would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Unfortunately there are few reviews of Europa 2 from passengers in the U.S. All you seem to be getting are cheerleaders from Oceania and Azamara which, IMO, are not in competition with Europa 2. From my perspective, the big question is whether or not you would be concerned that most of the passengers (around 90%) speak German. Also German passengers have a different way of doing things than those of us in the U.S. If you are looking for a cruise line that includes alcohol and/or, you may want to look at luxury cruise lines (IMO, Regent). If you would like a premium plus experience, look at Azamara next year when they will become all-inclusive. Of, if you do not drink much and want the most beautiful ship at sea with incredible food (in the specialty restaurants), look at Oceania. Hope this helps:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alc13 Posted August 26, 2013 #38 Share Posted August 26, 2013 I'm very tempted to take a 7-day western Mediterranean cruise next summer aboard this ship... I've secured a quote from an agent, and am just mulling it around. It's not inexpensive; for even a standard room it runs about $15K for two on a 7 day cruise. That's with a 5% early booking discount. I went on a couple cruises back in the 80s with my parents when I was a teenager. I cannot recall the names of the boats now, but they were a let-down. This ship looks beautiful and the itineraries are quite nice. Also, many of the things that I found ridiculous about those earlier cruises seems to have been eliminated from the Happag Lloyd format (no tuxedos and assigned dinner companions, "captains dinner" etc.). Despite my preference for non-formal attire, I don't want to immerse myself into a too casual scene where people are running around in beach wear all day. The issues cited by others as reasons for hesitating, like paying for drinks (I don't drink), and being surrounded by non-English speaking passengers actually make me like the idea all the more. I've looked at Seabourn and am not as excited about their itineraries nor the longer duration. Jumbo ships do not interest me in the least. While I like the Europa 2 the best so far, any insights into other small ship lines would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. I took the plunge - booked a Southeast Asian cruise on Europa 2 next year. It is an anniversary for us so the expense could be justified. It is about double what we usually pay for an overseas vacation. I am beyond excited about the trip. Like you I am not daunted by the thought of spending time among non-Americans, and actually look forward to it - kind of a mini-vacation in Germany. Unlike you I do drink alcohol, but I like the Hapag LLoyd reason for not including alcohol in the price; they say the quality would be less than their customer base is known to want. The ship itself looks elegant, and service and food are reported to be superb. Finally the itinerary is unusual, and very appealing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYCSMF Posted September 6, 2013 #39 Share Posted September 6, 2013 I took the plunge - booked a Southeast Asian cruise on Europa 2 next year. It is an anniversary for us so the expense could be justified. It is about double what we usually pay for an overseas vacation. I am beyond excited about the trip. Like you I am not daunted by the thought of spending time among non-Americans, and actually look forward to it - kind of a mini-vacation in Germany. Unlike you I do drink alcohol, but I like the Hapag LLoyd reason for not including alcohol in the price; they say the quality would be less than their customer base is known to want. The ship itself looks elegant, and service and food are reported to be superb. Finally the itinerary is unusual, and very appealing. Like you, I took the plunge. I booked for the western Mediterranean next year. I couldn't find a better 7-day itinerary, and the ship just looks amazing. Also, I prefer not to subsidize the heavy drinking of others in my ticket price. ;) Many thanks to the rest of you for your suggestions on the other lines, which looked nice as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DipBrat Posted November 6, 2013 #40 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Hi, Travelcat. Am heading out Friday for a four nighter on Europa 2 and will report back. Laughing at your comment about the nudity. My other experiences with Europa's cruise line (Hapag-Lloyd) were all pretty normal to this American save for the spa. I was on Europa, having a massage, and when the time came for me to change and get on the table the male masseuse just sort of stood there. I finally said -- you need to go now so I can change :) Felt somewhat provincial but on the other hand..... Carolyn Was this review ever posted? I can't find it anywhere on the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor@cruisecritic Posted November 6, 2013 #41 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Not yet, DipBrat, I'm working on it. But can answer absolutely any questions you might have in the meantime. Carolyn Was this review ever posted? I can't find it anywhere on the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DipBrat Posted November 6, 2013 #42 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Not yet, DipBrat, I'm working on it. But can answer absolutely any questions you might have in the meantime. Carolyn For this trip I am looking at early 2015 so I can wait for the review for the details. I would be travelling with young children so the quality of the kids club and free fare for kids is very attractive as it means there will be a few other families on board. Your impressions of the suitability for mult-generational trips? I am also wondering about the food and especially specialty restaurants. Some Europa reviews said there were difficulties booking specialty restaurants and that they were just OK. In our ideal world we might only eat in the MDR a few times outside of breakfast. (We prefer Asian and "lighter tasting" cuisine, especially Sushi) In fact it is Crystal's new alt. restaurant charge that led me to look at Hapag for this trip as had been leaning towards Crystal. Grateful for any other first thoughts on your trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Voyager Posted November 22, 2013 Author #43 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Not yet, DipBrat, I'm working on it. But can answer absolutely any questions you might have in the meantime. Carolyn Is your review on your July cruise still a work in progress? If the review has been posted, where might we find it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor@cruisecritic Posted December 5, 2013 #44 Share Posted December 5, 2013 It still is, English Voyager. Almost very nearly done. Sorry for the delay -- will post here when it's up. Carolyn Is your review on your July cruise still a work in progress? If the review has been posted, where might we find it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor@cruisecritic Posted December 5, 2013 #45 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Hi, DipBrat. On our trip there wasn't a lot of trouble booking the alternative restaurants (in fact I just showed up one night at Tarragon and got a table) but I think it depends on the itinerary, schedule, passenger mix. Definitely a "younger" crowd on our trip -- lots of families. The kids' club was lame based on, say, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney standards, but that's normal for Europe where the kids club isn't at the center of the cruise. It was certainly adequate. For multi-generational travelers: Absolutely recommend it. One thing I need to check on (and really, am at final stages with the review!!!) is the ship's Asian restaurant. I thought it was very pleasant but it definitely wasn't very heavily booked and one of the staffers onboard hinted that the restaurant may be overhauled. Not sure where that stands, so will ask. Hope that helps, thanks for your patience. Carolyn For this trip I am looking at early 2015 so I can wait for the review for the details. I would be travelling with young children so the quality of the kids club and free fare for kids is very attractive as it means there will be a few other families on board. Your impressions of the suitability for mult-generational trips? I am also wondering about the food and especially specialty restaurants. Some Europa reviews said there were difficulties booking specialty restaurants and that they were just OK. In our ideal world we might only eat in the MDR a few times outside of breakfast. (We prefer Asian and "lighter tasting" cuisine, especially Sushi) In fact it is Crystal's new alt. restaurant charge that led me to look at Hapag for this trip as had been leaning towards Crystal. Grateful for any other first thoughts on your trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retiredand happy Posted December 5, 2013 #46 Share Posted December 5, 2013 It still is, English Voyager. Almost very nearly done. Sorry for the delay -- will post here when it's up. Carolyn I just found your post while I was surfing the web trying to find more information about the Europa 2. I have requested a quote for a combined 14 and 7 day trip in September from Athens to Istanbul and back to Athens. I am traveling with a person who is on kidney dialysis and the Europa 2 offers dialysis on selected trips. My main concern was the availability of English speaking shore excursions through the ship. I took a 14 day riverboat trip this summer on the MS Mozart (also a German ship) on the Danube and I made several German friends who I still communicate with. On the Mozart, they went out of their way to accommodate the small number of English speaking passengers. I am now over my fear of being in the minority on the ship. I am looking forward to your review as I wait for my quote. I am preparing myself for the sticker shock when the quote arrives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor@cruisecritic Posted December 6, 2013 #47 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Hi, wripro. Definitely, Douglas Ward who writes the Berlitz Guide loves loves loves Hapag-Lloyd and the line does a great job. But...not sure it's the best for North Americans though am supportive of the company's desire to attract more English speakers. We've done Europa twice; the first time it was sublime, the second time frankly very poor for a luxury line (the review's up, check it out). I liked Europa 2 a lot and am just finishing up the review. One thing it has against it -- the smoking by the way didn't bother me and I'm pretty sensitive -- is that for a luxury line it's not very inclusive in terms of tours, drinks, etc. That might be a hurdle for people, especially when in the US market the lines are really going more inclusive. We'll see. Carolyn The Hapag Lloyd ships are all beautiful with great food and service. The consistently rank higher than all the U.S. based luxury lines. Up till now it helped to speak German though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted December 6, 2013 #48 Share Posted December 6, 2013 HI Carolyn, Really looking forward to your review. In terms of all inclusiveness I couldn't care less about tours (that's a Regent ripoff) but alcohol and tips are a must at those fares for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Voyager Posted December 6, 2013 Author #49 Share Posted December 6, 2013 It is my understanding that Hapag-Lloyd's alcoholic drink prices are not expensive, and, compared to other luxury lines, the selection may well be far more extensive (if the 35 brands of gin available are a guide). As for drinks being inclusive, my attitude is I don't expect them to be if I stay in a 5* hotel, so it is of minimal concern to me if the same situation applies on a luxury ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathaana Posted December 7, 2013 #50 Share Posted December 7, 2013 The prices are very reasonable, especially the cocktails (less than 6 Euros). Tours are also very reasonably priced and usually quite good. Tips are included. Even if they weren't - this is a German ship, so tips really are optional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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