English Voyager Posted May 29, 2017 Author #501 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Hapag-Lloyd has recently posted a video titled 'Accommodation on board MS Europa 2': Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vistaman Posted May 30, 2017 #502 Share Posted May 30, 2017 i am always in a basic Ocean suite and the first item i do is removing the beer and asking for Diet Cola or Zero when available :D and ice in my cabin as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Catlover54 Posted May 31, 2017 #503 Share Posted May 31, 2017 i am always in a basic Ocean suite and the first item i do is removing the beer and asking for Diet Cola or Zero when available :D and ice in my cabin as well. A Belgian who removes beer! Shocking! :) I also remove the beer, and the sugared coke, and replace it with diet cokes galore and sparkling water ( but I remove the ice bucket to make room for extra cokes and cheeses and excellent sausage I bring back to my room for nibbling with leftover wine from dinner) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Voyager Posted September 4, 2017 Author #504 Share Posted September 4, 2017 For those with access to the Smithsonian Channel, to be broadcast from Wednesday, the series 'Mighty Cruise Ships' will feature the Europa 2: http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/shows/mighty-cruise-ships/europa-2/1003687/3451005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steirisch Posted September 5, 2017 #505 Share Posted September 5, 2017 For those with access to the Smithsonian Channel, to be broadcast from Wednesday, the series 'Mighty Cruise Ships' will feature the Europa 2: http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/shows/mighty-cruise-ships/europa-2/1003687/3451005 My husband DVR'd this and I watched it this morning. Looks like an amazing ship. I wonder if they do the surprise ports cruises now and again. Quite expensive and I notice on their website that they don't stay in any one port very long. Few overnights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Voyager Posted September 5, 2017 Author #506 Share Posted September 5, 2017 My husband DVR'd this and I watched it this morning. Looks like an amazing ship. I wonder if they do the surprise ports cruises now and again. Quite expensive and I notice on their website that they don't stay in any one port very long. Few overnights. Maybe I have been lucky, but I have always found the time spent in ports of call to be generous. I don't know which cruises you have looked at, but I chose at random to look at the itineraries of Cruises EUX1721, and EUX1728. Personally, I would have no complaints if I was on either of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathaana Posted September 5, 2017 #507 Share Posted September 5, 2017 The Europa has been doing them for a while and I always wanted to go on one. Didn't even realize the Europa 2 does them as well now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vistaman Posted September 6, 2017 #508 Share Posted September 6, 2017 during my last cruise there was an overnight in Bordeaux what was very good - the ship is also linked to the tides in Bordeaux i was not so happy with the overnight in Amsterdam - however this is very personal - by high speed train it is one hour from the place where i live and in summer Amsterdam is extremely crowded ( like Bruges ) most of the passengers found the stay in my hometown Antwerpen from noon to midnight too short i never risked to do a surprise cruise so far - most of the times it is to Greek Isles - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathaana Posted September 6, 2017 #509 Share Posted September 6, 2017 i never risked to do a surprise cruise so far - most of the times it is to Greek Isles - One of the reasons we never booked one - there are more interesting places to go to than the Greek Isles. But I do like the concept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scandun Posted September 8, 2017 #510 Share Posted September 8, 2017 May I ask you experienced HL cruisers: 1) we received cruise documents saying we can leave luggage somewhere at Hamburg central station from 10:00am of boarding day for free, but not able to do so directly at Hamburg airport, although they arrange free transfer to ship from both locations ? 2) if we want to invite friends to have meals onboard when the ship have a overnight stay in port, is this possible ? Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathaana Posted September 8, 2017 #511 Share Posted September 8, 2017 We had to collect our luggage after the flight but then handed them over to the representative at the airport. We've had friends on board in Dublin. They have to provide paperwork (passport details) and you have to pay for their meals. But pretty easy process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted September 11, 2017 #512 Share Posted September 11, 2017 I noticed that this thread began before the merger. A recent thread seems to indicate that things have changed - and not necessarily for the better on H-L's luxury ships. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scandun Posted September 12, 2017 #513 Share Posted September 12, 2017 We had to collect our luggage after the flight but then handed them over to the representative at the airport. We've had friends on board in Dublin. They have to provide paperwork (passport details) and you have to pay for their meals. But pretty easy process. I got info it will cost 50 euro for each guest for lunch. That sounds reasonable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Voyager Posted September 13, 2017 Author #514 Share Posted September 13, 2017 I noticed that this thread began before the merger. A recent thread seems to indicate that things have changed - and not necessarily for the better on H-L's luxury ships. The Europa 2 was bought by The Tui Group in January 2015. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted September 13, 2017 #515 Share Posted September 13, 2017 The Europa 2 was bought by The Tui Group in January 2015. This sounds like a merger rather than a buy-out but it occurred this year https://www.hapag-lloyd.com/en/press/releases/2017/05/hapag-lloyd-and-uasc-complete-merger.html There are more articles if you do a search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Voyager Posted September 13, 2017 Author #516 Share Posted September 13, 2017 This sounds like a merger rather than a buy-out but it occurred this year https://www.hapag-lloyd.com/en/press/releases/2017/05/hapag-lloyd-and-uasc-complete-merger.html There are more articles if you do a search. That refers to the merger of the shipping container operations. Is Hapag-Lloyd Cruises not a separate entity, and part of the Tui Group? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathaana Posted September 13, 2017 #517 Share Posted September 13, 2017 I think HL Cruises has belonged to TUI for about 10 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted September 13, 2017 #518 Share Posted September 13, 2017 That refers to the merger of the shipping container operations. Is Hapag-Lloyd Cruises not a separate entity, and part of the Tui Group? Thanks for the information. However I remain confused. Has the Tui Group owned the company for 2 years or 10 years? In any case, I was quite surprised by the negative review and was looking at reasons why the food, etc. may have been so poor compared to the experiences that others have had. Sorry that I keep posting on H-L issues -- really wish the cruise line would get its own board so that I didn't get tempted to read posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ededmd Posted September 14, 2017 #519 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Hapag-Lloyd was acquired in 1998 by TUI AG (Hanover), a tourism conglomerate, and became its fully owned subsidiary in 2002. Europa 2 launched 2013 and had been under charter to Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten (former name) until 2015. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (current name - post rebranding) bought Europa 2 outright in 2015. Regarding the one person's opinion on their Europa voyage - it is just that, ONE person's opinion. Certainly valid to that person. n=1 And yes agree - several of us who have sailed the line would prefer to have a separate board as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Catlover54 Posted September 14, 2017 #520 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Thanks for the information. However I remain confused. Has the Tui Group owned the company for 2 years or 10 years? In any case, I was quite surprised by the negative review and was looking at reasons why the food, etc. may have been so poor compared to the experiences that others have had. Sorry that I keep posting on H-L issues -- really wish the cruise line would get its own board so that I didn't get tempted to read posts. We all have free will, to post or not to post, depending on our agendas :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Voyager Posted September 14, 2017 Author #521 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Regarding the one person's opinion on their Europa voyage - it is just that, ONE person's opinion. Certainly valid to that person. In the review, Ms Sommelier states: 'We brought up all these things with the Host at a lunch with him and he said the reason was that TUI bought H-L cruises and they are having a hard time finding and keeping good help.' In my review of my cruise on the Europa 2 in July of last year I commented on the very apparent shortage of, the predominantly young, wait staff in the main restaurant. Many of the wait staff looked exhausted. I suspect that Hapag-Lloyd Cruises 'churn' rate for wait staff is extremely high, especially given that they appear to be supplied by a single Agency Company. In view of MsSommelier's comment, it would appear that TUI has failed to get a grip on the situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsSommelier Posted September 14, 2017 #522 Share Posted September 14, 2017 During that same lunch, the host said, in addition, that TUI overall was having challenges with staffing. He said that Mein Schiff 6 was delayed in launching due to difficulty finding enough German speaking, qualified staff, which leads me to believe that English Voyager is right in saying that they appear to be supplied by a single agency company. The average tenure on MS Europa, according to the host, used to be about 5 years; now it's more like 2 years. With the overall demand increasing within TUI for more staff (all the Mein Schiffs plus the Hapag-Lloyd brand ships), this is likely to continue to be a challenge. I really hope the situation will be rectified (especially with a 43 day voyage coming up!) and that all those repeat passengers I spoke to filled out the satisfaction survey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Voyager Posted September 14, 2017 Author #523 Share Posted September 14, 2017 MsSommelier, In August of last year, in response to my comments on shortage of wait staff leading to over work, and exhaustion, and the potential for poor retention of staff, I received a response from Hapag-Lloyd Cruises in which they named their service provider, and admitted that 'it is currently very difficult to find good, competent, service staff.' More than 12 months later it would appear that the problem remains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsSommelier Posted September 14, 2017 #524 Share Posted September 14, 2017 English Voyager, That is very discouraging. Although not my 'perfect' ship in every way, MS Europa (I have not yet been on Europa 2) was the height of culinary and service excellence for me. Given the number of first-time Europa cruisers on this trip (179), maybe H-L feels they have enough of a 'captive' audience of customers who are happy to cruise with Europa. It used to be that the cruises sold out so fast, it was hard to secure a cabin. That appears to no longer be the case. At least, there are many cruises with availability and they are advertising regularly in the Sunday papers here with offers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vistaman Posted September 14, 2017 #525 Share Posted September 14, 2017 i am just back from a 4 day cruise on ms Europa and it was a full house. I was a cruise with the sailaway parade 7out op the port of Hamburg after the cruisedays overthere. There were 7 cruise ships in port. Yes i noticed a lot of new staff was on board and several people including barkeepers and ass maitre d' left. Maybe for some people the ms Europa is too formal and i think the younger generation able to pay the not so cheap HL fares is attracted to the Europa 2. I am aware the first part of the Wold cruise from Nizza to Tenerife is also sold out. Some cruises are sold out and on other some promotions are going on : i was able to receive a quite serious discount for a cruise on MS Europa in April 2018 by exchanging bonus miles ; 2 ports in Israël are involved and i hope they are not going to review Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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