Being built at the STX Europe shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France and promising to set new luxury standards on the worldwide oceans, EUROPA 2 ill join the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises fleet (currently 4 ships) in May 2013.
The 40,000 ton EUROPA 2 will be positioned as the modern, lifestyle-orientated sister ship of the world’s only 5-star-plus ship MS EUROPA and will cater to a sophisticated, international and cosmopolitan audience.
New standards will also be set with regards to environmental protection – the EUROPA 2 is the FIRST cruise ship equipped with catalysts (SCR = process of Selective Catalytic Reduction), which reduces the emission of nitrogen oxides by almost 95 per cent.
Julian Pfitzner, Director Product Management MS EUROPA 2 says: “With EUROPA 2 we have broken new ground – she represents a casual and modern interpretation of luxury cruises in terms of her design, facilities and entertainment programme. The voyage routes are shorter and thus more flexible – mostly 7 nights – and will appeal to professional working people and families, who have very demanding lives and are looking for individuality, choice and an elegant yet informal atmosphere on board. The EUROPA 2 will offer an international atmosphere on board – all our cruises being conducted in German and English. The lecturers also speak English and in addition, English-language excursions will be offered on 10 – 12 selected cruises each year. As a matter of course, anyone interested can also enquire about individual excursion arrangements for all the other cruises. We have consciously increased the focus on wellness and fitness; and also decided to forgo some of the cruise traditions such as the Captain’s Dinner; and the on-board announcements generally will be reduced to a minimum and be made in German and English at all times.”
A total of 835 shipyard workers are involved in the project, dedicating an estimated 2.5 million hours of labour until its completion in the spring of 2013.
Shipbuilding Tribune Staff, September 19, 2012; Image: hl-cruises
