First thoughts on Europa2 cruise

I’m on my way back to UK now following the Lisbon to NY T/A. This was my first taste of this wonderful ship after 20 yrs of Seabourn. So all experiences were new. Would there be a language barrier? How would I get on with non-included bar?

I have to admit that on my last Seabourn cruise in the summer, I was underwhelmed with the food offerings. I found them unimaginative. So the step up to the multiple dining options on Europa 2 came as a blast of fresh air. We usually favoured the speciality restaurants at lunch, when no reservation was required, and either the Yacht club or Weltmeere in the evening. This worked very well for us. The first minor grouse here was that on boarding we were told that speciality evening reservations could only be made 48 hrs in advance. Imagine my surprise when on the third day I was told all restaurants were now booked up for the entire 12 day cruise, but I could go on the waiting list! But overall, the food was wonderful and varied. Service was generally efficient, with the odd exception in the MDR, especially if sitting in a corner.

There were about 20 English-only speakers on board, although only 9 or so turned up for the International welcome party. But at no stage was language ever a problem. All staff seemed to have sufficient English and entertainment was suitably multinational.

We were fortunate in receiving beverage credit for this cruise, but there was so much free drink floating around on boarding and at various receptions or parties, that we only just managed to use it up.

This could easily become my cruise ship of choice, although there were a few things I didn’t care for. There was a pervading aroma of cigarette smoke in most areas, especially around the pool if the retracting roof had been closed and I found it astonishing that they charged for water, out of the Suite.

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lexus man,

Thank you for posting your initial thoughts on your recent cruise.

It is unfortunate that you could not obtain an evening reservation for any of the speciality restaurants, as they have a more extensive menu compared to that at lunch time.

I may be wrong, but it was my understanding that suites have priority for making reservations.

I am surprised that there was pervading aroma of cigarette smoke in most areas, since the areas in which smoking is permitted are restricted:

'Smoking

All the restaurants are non-smoking restaurants with the exception of the terrace of our Yacht Club Restaurant, where smoking and non-smoking tables are clearly labelled. The theatre, the Belvedere, the Foyer and the Club 2, as well as the entire SPA area are also non-smoking areas. Smoking is permitted on the outer terrace of the Sansibar, while the indoor area of the Sansibar is a non-smoking zone. Cigars, cigarillos and pipes may only be smoked in the Collins (also during the day) and in the outside area of the Sansibar. Please note that smoking is not permitted in the suites. Smoking is permitted on the veranda. On the Pool Deck under the magrodome, smoking is only permitted in the immediate vicinity of the Pool Bar. All external decks are smoking zones. Smokers are obliged to exclusively use the ashtrays provided.

When the EUROPA 2 is refuelling, smoking is strictly forbidden on all external decks and verandas due to safety reasons. Please pay attention to the announcements made over the loudspeakers in this case.'

As for bottled water being chargeable, when I raised this on board I was told that it is the German way.<strike></strike>

I had thought that spirits/wine would be included. Are you say that you pay for that separately?

Keith

I had thought that spirits/wine would be included. Are you say that you pay for that separately?

 

Keith

Wines ,and Spirits are not included.

However, they are reasonably priced, and there is no service charge.

H-L's rationale is that a much wider selection of wines and spirits can be offered---- over 450 varieties of wine (19,000 bottles ), and over 250 varieties of spirits.

You may find the following video of interest:

English Voyager thank you for your observations. I found it amazing how far the Pool bar smoke carried. When the roof was closed I could detect it from the far side of the pool. Also, the door to Collins was frequently left open and aromas would drift down to the theatre area. Having said that, it was never bad enough to prevent me from returning in the future!

Further to your video, we had the pleasure of Jonathon Beaumont’s company on this cruise, as a fellow guest, and, yes, I can heartily recommend the complimentary gin-tasting experience. We thoroughly examined how the addition of first garnishes and then tonics, can completely change the flavour.

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concerning smoking : the only place where i found it very disturbing - from time to time - was always the Pool Bar

i do avoid Collins - previously Herrenzimmer - aware that also cigars are permitted inside.

i think the only guests able to book in advance are the people in the 2 owners suites

and the only restaurant with some more choice for dinner is Tarragon ( the table side beef tartar is only prepared at dinner )

paying for mineral water is something people do oppose - i prefer to pay for a decent mineral water instead of something in a bottle.

last weekend i did visit a rather very low rated cruise ship - we did receive water with chlorine taste out of a carafe.

i requested for sparkling - what was not possible as we were guests and could not pay for it :D

Going to the US, no table side prep of anything could be offered, even in the evening. Also, the Yakult disappeared from breakfast buffet ( could not guarantee temp below 5C) and there could be no polishing of cutlery or glassware.

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Wines ,and Spirits are not included.

 

However, they are reasonably priced, and there is no service charge.

 

H-L's rationale is that a much wider selection of wines and spirits can be offered---- over 450 varieties of wine (19,000 bottles ), and over 250 varieties of spirits.

 

You may find the following video of interest:

 

Excellent video.

Thanks for sharing.

Keith

I am on board right now in a basic veranda suite, and thanks to the advice on this forum went straight to the restaurants after boarding to make dinner reservations, and secured one each of what I wanted. Later in the cruise I secured two more in two different ones, but with more difficulty. Walkins did not work when I tried. Compare with when I was in a penthouse suite December 2015 on a Xmas cruise with DH, the butler got our reservations for when we wanted them, even twice in the same placem with no problems.

The best, outstanding meal I have had so far was in Sakura, the Japanese restaurant. Amazing flavor combinations and great service helped seal the deal.

The biggest issue of concern has been some odd table service problems in Weltmeere, and some intermittent beverage service problems in the Yacht Club.

As Lexus described, for unclear reasons other than habit, the Collins door is often left open, leading to smoke wafting towards the theatre, and the other night, into it during a performance as the theatre door was also left open, Smoke at the pool bar is noticeable if you pay attention. Extrene smokophobics would not like this.

I am enjoying the cruise, but there are some differences in food and service I am not fond of compared with my last E2 cruise which are enough to lead me to lean towards giving it a 4 instead of a 5 on the CC rating scale.

Review to follow post cruise.

If the Collins door is open, I would complain immediately to the international hostess or any other person in charge. I also complained about the lack of drink service in certain areas of the Yacht Club. The supervisor knew me then. ;-)

In Weltmeere, we were lucky to be seated with an efficient and friendly service team on our second evening. We stayed with them, of course.

1. Floridiana, unless you always go eat right when Weltmeere opens, how do you secure the same waiting team?

2. The wine girls that come around are nice, pretty efficient, but are only there for wine (they take your order before you have ordered food, sometimes they come before we have even finished looking at the food menu, and of course food selection determines wine chosen). Getting refills from my ordered bottle or Karaffe can be challenging when staff are busy running around, the glass is often empty. We have to be quick making our wine selection or off they will run after handing out the wine list, e.g., the other night the wine girl did not come back to take the wine order for fifteen minutes after zooming off after dispensing the list. I had made the mistake of pausing a few seconds trying to pick between two German Spaetburgunder wines.

3. All staff in Weltmeere and Yacht Club are hustling to keep up ( English Voyager commented on some staffing concerns in his last CC published cruise review so it appears to be still ongoing ) . The middle part of Weltmeere has also been closed off each time, despite lack of seating during peak times, so it seems there is some relative understaffing.

We came at 8:15 one evening when the restaurant opened at 7 and the only seat available ( with the closed off middle) was near the entrance, which we do not like because the padded benches there are near vertical and are uncomfortable, We told the waiter, who made no effort to figure out what to do, that we could wait until a table opened up rather than sit therem and he sarcastically and somewhat hostiley said " Well then you will have a long wait, as people just started eating " ( start was 7:15). I told him fine, "tschuess" ( goodbye), will go elsewhere then. We left the dining room, but the food and beverage manager ( Katja, who has been terrific with all interactions we have had) apparently had witnessed this and chased after us. She was helpful and polite, and found us a table.

4. Two of the three waiters assigned we had so far at dinner ( breakfast has always been fine, less people to serve) have been young, and though making efforts, were a bit odd ( e.g., one went so far as to physically battle with me over a plate of soup, trying to take it away from me when I was very clear I wanted to keep it). He had brought the wrong appetizer ( asparagus). When I told him I had not ordered it, first he insisted I had. I told him I had not, but would eat it anyway as it looked good, bur then the soup, which I had ordered came with the other waiterm and I said I would eat both as both looked good and they were small. He insisted I would only be allowed one. I thought he was joking at first, repeated I wanted to eat both, but he said " No, you have to choose" which is where he then landed up pulling on the soup plate on one side, with me on the other, It was getting bizarre so I finally put up the white flag and surrendered the soup plate and started eating the asparagus.

The friend I am traveling with is German born so there is no language issue, just some undertrained staff who still need to learn what luxury means.

Yes, we went to dinner when Weltmeere opened and were immediately escorted to one of our favorite tables by the waiter in the first section on the right. Tables would fill up later, but there were always one or two open after 8 pm. The same passengers showed up in this section between 7 and 8 pm.

Your experience is very strange. The waiter was lucky that no supervisor caught him.

When our good humored and super efficient 'wine girl' left in Sandakan, our corner got the one that had overlooked me in the Yacht club (When the interior of the club was empty except for mine and another table!) I realized she was just not good at this job and got many concerned looks from our main waiter. She was the only odd duck on our b2b cruise.

Catlover54-

What an uncomfortable situation you've described.

Agree this is not luxury, not typical, and not acceptable.

Frankly you could have every soup and vegetable on the menu with your meal if you desired. Of course you do not have to choose and are not limited to a choice of one.

I found Katja to be engaged, supervisory, willing to help as needed, and open to feedback. I like her style with her staff.

I do think the turnover issues are real and there is more inexperienced (and young) staff being released onto the dining room floor perhaps before they are truly ready.

Because of the larger volume of new crew at a given time it is more noticeable than if just a handful of new folks.

I'm still a huge fan. I do want HL to be aware that we're sharing these concerns and take corrective action.

New hotel staff come in with minimal on ship training. They are all selected because they have previous European hotel/restaurant training. (I was told.) The odd performance of one waitress would not deter me from booking again. We go by itinerary and tend to wind up on different ships and lines quite often, 14 so far and several day and overnight ferries. The Europa 2 had the best cuisine, service, library books, most space per passengers and, not to forget, the most luxurious bathroom set-up.

I am not sure the HL people in Hamburg read this forum. Your best bet is to address them in your evaluation sheet on the cruise. For example, I think the library set-up in that upper hallway was changed because of passenger feed-back reinforcing what the crew told them.

It would appear that the situation with regard to understaffing has deteriorated even further if the central section of the Weltmeere has remained closed off.

Certainly something I have not experienced.

Whilst staff with a certain amount of training will be supplied by the Staff Agency, and those staff will receive additional on-board training, the problem for H-L is poor retention of staff.

There is no incentive for staff who have been worked to the point of sheer exhaustion to sign up for a new contract.

I raised this topic back in 2016, both on-board the Europa 2, and with H-L's Head Office, and was advised that my comments would be passed on to the appropriate department.

Clearly, if remedial steps were taken, they have proved to be ineffective.

Floridiana - rest assured I shared my observations laudatory and critical on the cruise evaluation form.

I agree that for me Europa 2 still has more of what I like - nice cabins, good food, good beverages at reasonable prices, itinerary, and overall good value - than other lines I've sailed.

I think English Voyager and I agree the rate of staff turnover / lack of retention is driving a lot of what we're noticing.

Going to the US, no table side prep of anything could be offered, even in the evening. Also, the Yakult disappeared from breakfast buffet ( could not guarantee temp below 5C) and there could be no polishing of cutlery or glassware.

 

 

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Going from Hamburg to Lisbon, no table side prep of anything was offered, because they say they need to PREPARE for going to the US. Oh, nothing to write home about of the beef tartar anyhow from the kitchen.