Europa is no glitzy, Vegas-style cruise

The artist-in-residence was puzzled. "What are you English doing on a German ship?" he asked.

We were just leaving Barcelona en route to Valencia, Mallorca, Corsica and Monte Carlo. Our home for the week-long voyage was the Hapag-Lloyd cruise ship Europa, rated by many as the best cruise experience in the world. We had read glowing reviews in prestigious annual guides like Berlitz: "The tradition of luxury cruising in a contemporary setting is taken to its highest expression."

Although Europa is based in Hamburg and 90 per cent of its guests come from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Hapag-Lloyd plans several bilingual itineraries each year and now encourages North Americans to try a cruise that combines German culture and efficiency with outstanding creature comforts. All the staff speak English as well as German.

Europa, with just 400 passengers, is relatively small for a cruise ship but, at 200 metres long, it's big enough to easily handle 600. That translates into large staterooms, most with balconies and all with both tub and shower, along with spacious restaurants and public areas where line-ups and crowding are virtually unknown. A crew of 264 provides one of the best staff-to-passenger ratios at sea...
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