Europa, the Flawless Flagship

It is a bold claim, but few would deny that the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships is the undisputed ‘bible’ of cruising. Now in its 26th year, this comprehensive almanac of everything cruise-orientated is the world’s most trusted resource. 
Revered throughout the cruise industry, author Douglas Ward has evaluated 285 ocean-going vessels in the 2011 edition of the guide. His authoritative ratings are not only objective, they are the yardstick which all ships aspire to. 

For the 11th consecutive year, one ship has been peerless. Europa, flagship of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, has topped the polls yet again, achieving 1,853 points out of a maximum 2,000. This ship is also the only vessel to achieve the prestigious five-star-plus rating. 

Ward justifies the accolade, citing attention paid to the personal well-being of guests. Sebastian Ahrens, managing director of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, says: “Top marks for the Europa confirm we are on the right path and show we are not resting on our laurels. Thanks to consistent modernisation, Europa still meets the highest demands.”

Other citations include ‘Ship of the Year’ in the 2006 Fielding’s Guide to Luxury Cruises and the American Academy Six-Star Diamond Award in 2010. Intrigued to see what sets Europa apart, I recently embarked this paragon to seek out what Ward calls the X-Factor.

Constructed at the Kvaerner Masa Shipyard in Finland and launched in September 1999, the 28,890-ton vessel conveys 408-passengers, looked after by a crew of 280, affording it one of the highest crew-to-passenger ratios in the cruise industry at 1.5:1 Equally impressive is the passenger/space ratio at a truly generous 70.4. An azimuth pod propulsion system allows for a service speed of 21 knots without any noticeable vibration, while two stabilisers ensure good sea-going comfort.
 
Statistics apart, the overall impression is of a European grand hotel – think Cipriani in Venice or the Victoria-Jungfrau in Interlaken and you get the idea. From the moment I embarked at the Atrium on Deck 4, the aura of gentrified individuality and artistic modishness wowed me. 

Unlike recent additions to the Cunard fleet that offer an idealised reflection of a golden era with a profusion of ersatz glamour, Europa exudes a sublime éclat of understated sophistication.

Forward of the Atrium – the focal hub of the ship – is the Europa Lounge. This room, decorated in a plush cherry-red palette, is the ship’s main show lounge and accommodates all passengers in comfortable seating. The sloping floor and good sightlines are perfect for the many virtuoso performances of classical and contemporary music that are a hallmark of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

In the Atrium, two glass-elevators serve all passenger decks. On embarkation day, these are manned by obliging Filipinos in white gloves. On the port side is the Tour Office, Concierge Desk, and Reception; on the starboard side is the Business Centre and Piano Bar, where a proficient pianist plays the Steinway baby grand at cocktail hour. The sense of decadence is augmented by ornate flower arrangements – a leitmotif that is continued along the Promenade that stretches aft to the Europa Restaurant.
 
More than anywhere else on the ship, it is on this deck that the sense of grandeur is evoked, with soaring ceilings and elegant hallways. Leading off this curving indoor promenade is the Havana Bar with its clubby leather armchairs, humidors and monochrome prints of Cuban scenes, not to mention prodigious selection of cognacs, vintage rums, and fine malts. Opposite is the Clipper Lounge, where passengers can enjoy cabaret-style entertainment as well as dancing to the five-piece band.

When Europa entered service there was a casino. However, this proved unpopular and the space is now devoted to a gallery that displays modern art or photography and is ideal for small cocktail parties. On the port side is a Boutique with some unusual logo items and designer wear. There is also a bijouterie showcasing silver objets d’art.  

A rotunda with a floral centrepiece denotes the entrance to the Europa Restaurant; flanking this cynosure is Venezia to port side and Restaurant Dieter Müller to starboard. The expansive Restaurant embodies the zeitgeist of sophistication that exalts this ship. 

An oval chandelier dominates the ceiling in the main part, while a circular chandelier illuminates the smaller aft section, elevated by three steps, where floor-to-ceiling windows have a perspective of the stern of the ship. 

This elegant restaurant, whose sense of style raises it way above the status of a mere ship’s dining room, can accommodate all passengers with assigned seating only in the evening. 

There are a generous number of tables for two in addition to well-spaced, larger circular and oval tables. Highly attentive service is achieved by the classic partnership of waiter and chef de rang, ensuring your assigned waiter is always on hand to offer what must rate as the most proficient service on the high seas.

The culinary delights are offered either as a comprehensive ‘Europa Menu’ or as a lighter ‘Cuisine Légère’ selection, with the option of choosing items from each. On my cruise, I sampled crab in saffron jelly with Lake Constance caviar cream; cauliflower-broccoli pudding in carrot-coriander soup; saddle of veal with boletus mushroom cream sauce, garden vegetables, and Maccaire potatoes; and an Amaretto-coffee parfait with almond mousse.  

A proficient sommelier is on hand to suggest accompanying wines. I was happy to sample a 2008 Diel de Diel white wine from the Nahe River region of Germany at €25 a bottle and an Austrian red from Burgenland – the 2007 Juris Blaufränkisch Edition MS Europa – at €26 a bottle. 

Open every day for lunch and dinner without any additional cover charge, Venezia and Restaurant Dieter Müller offer intimate alternatives to the formality of the Restaurant Europa. 

I had an extremely pleasant lunch in Venezia one day with Sebastian Ahrens, who was keen to hear my impressions of the flagship of his fleet. 

We enjoyed the finest olive oils with freshly-baked Italian breads and a selection of authentic antipasti, including delicious buffalo mozzarella. The chef then prepared homemade pasta cooked to perfection before rounding off the meal with tiramisu.  The crisp Gavi di Gavi from Piedmont proved a perfect accompaniment. 

For more casual dining, the Lido Café offers themed menus as well as regional specialities. This large room on Deck 8 is also open for breakfast and lunch where the comprehensive buffet positively groans under a wealth of freshly prepared dishes.

 A full English breakfast or a lighter continental affair can be served in your suite any time between 7 and 10am. The 24-hour room service menu offers a veritable feast of ‘snacks,’ which, in truth, would easily constitute a full meal for passengers opting to dine on their veranda or in the comfort of their own private halcyon.

Accommodation aboard Europa is all outside suites, located mostly on decks 5, 6 and 7. These come in five different configurations and 10 price categories. There are 36 outside suites, 152 outside suites with veranda, four Spa Suites with veranda, 10 Penthouse Deluxe Suites and two Penthouse Grand Suites, all with verandas. 

I found my category 4 veranda suite echoing the all-pervading grand hotel ambiance. At 352sq ft, these are larger than veranda suites aboard Seabourn’s latest trio and the newest addition to the Silversea fleet, and this is immediately evident. 

The layout is not as rectangular and, as such, evokes a squarer design – in keeping with a luxury hotel room. The teak verandas are also deeper than is the norm, with plenty of space for two full-length sun-loungers. There’s a walk-in wardrobe and ample storage space.

Bird’s-eye maple wood cabinetry adorned with fresh orchids conceals a mini-bar and writing desk with keyboard for Internet access. Flatscreen TVs allow 24-hour on-demand video and audio. 

The well-designed marble bathrooms all have a full-size bathtub and separate glass-fronted shower with generous, own-label unguents. The towels are of the finest quality and the Irish-linen cloths are again redolent of a European hotel of distinction.
The Ocean Spa on Deck 7 eschews some of the more esoteric diversions that are now a feature of recent spas, for this Asian-themed part of the ship takes itself seriously. 

There are plethora thalassotherapy treatments – a 30-minute thalasebain treatment costs €30; alternatively, an hour-long Hawaiian lomi-lomi massage is a relaxing €120; and a gents ocean mask facial that lasts a soothing 75 minutes is a treat at €90. There’s also a steam room, sauna and fitness room with a comprehensive array of apparatus. 

A golf simulator is on Deck 9, complete with golf-pro. There are two shuffleboard courts and, hidden away atop the vessel on Deck 11 – a nudist sunbathing area.

The long lap-pool is half under a glass-retracting roof and half open to sunshine. This area, covering the entire width of the vessel has traditional sun-loungers. At the forward end of the pool is a bar and grill, where delicious hot waffles with whipped cream are served between 3 and 5pm. 

Afternoon tea is served in the delightful Club Belvedere forward on Deck 8. This is also the venue for intimate classical recitals. The nearby Library is well stocked with books in English as well as German, and there are two computer terminals. This is also the location of a small cinema, where recent releases are screened daily. 

My favourite area on board was Sansibar, aft on Deck 9. A tribute to its namesake in the prestigious resort of Sylt, this bar with floor-to-ceiling retractable windows facing over the beautifully tiered stern of the ship, comes alive after dinner. 

There is a small dance floor and music supplied by a superb jazz band and singer. The amiable bartenders remember each passenger’s tipple and the ambiance is as convivial as any I’ve enjoyed at sea.

Excellent port information is provided both in a comprehensive guide and through the detailed ‘infotainment’ system shown on in-suite televisions. English-language tours, which are provided at every port, cost around €50 for a half-day excursion.

Hapag-Lloyd is proud of their policy of dedicated bi-lingual cruises, no matter what the minimum number of English-speaking guests might be. I found each and every crew-member to be fluent in English, often addressing me in my native tongue before I had the chance to utter a few words of my best O-level German. Currency on board is the Euro.

So what is the X-factor? This is no floating, anodyne five-star resort at sea staffed by unsmiling, Armani-suited robots. It transcends the stereotyped interpretation of a seagoing idyll. 

The definable difference is evident throughout, from the prepossessing décor to attention to detail ensuring every guest’s well-being and enjoyment. With gratuities included, the genuine willingness by the crew to be proficient yet personable is omnipresent. 

I was reticent about sailing on a ship with mostly German passengers, but any doubts proved unfounded as my well-travelled fellow guests were highly sophisticated and seemed to enjoy engaging English-speaking passengers in conversation about the destinations we visited. The gracious International Hostess occasionally choreographed such conviviality between groups of seaborne dilettantes. 

In summary, I can only endorse Douglas Ward’s evaluation. Europa is unquestionably a paragon; it is to cruising what Concorde was to air travel. 

EUROPA FACTFILE

Built: 1999
Tonnage: 28,890
Length: 656ft
Beam: 80ft
Draft: 20ft
Speed: 21 knots
Passengers: 408
Crew: 280
Passenger decks: 7
Registry: Bahamas

ITINERARIES: spring, transatlantic, Mediterranean; summer, Northern Europe; autumn, Mediterranean, transatlantic; winter, Mexico, South Pacific, Far East.