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review europa 2


vistaman
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many thanks to english voyager for posting the review on europa 2

 

sorry to hear that you endured an accident

 

you do mention something about " sommeliers" - in the matter of fact there are indeed sommeliers - however not so clearly - but they do wear the same uniform as the "waiters" and are assisting occasionally with the dishes .

they have a larger section as the people serving the meals

also in the speciality restaurants there are people doing the "drink service"

 

in southampton it is always the same : only for Cunard ans P&O there are enough porters and assistance

i had the same with a Crystal and a Silversea

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Thanks for your review. Sorry you got hurt, hope all is OK. Sounds like the trip and ship were very nice. I am looking forward to my trip in December. Starts in NYC so boarding should be OK. As we live here they are picking us up however I believe the boarding time is also 4. Thanks again for taking the time to report.

I am disappointed to hear about the noise transfer between cabins although happy that they responded fast with a offer to move you.

 

 

 

 

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Edited by hypercafe
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many thanks to english voyager for posting the review on europa 2

 

sorry to hear that you endured an accident

 

you do mention something about " sommeliers" - in the matter of fact there are indeed sommeliers - however not so clearly - but they do wear the same uniform as the "waiters" and are assisting occasionally with the dishes .

they have a larger section as the people serving the meals

also in the speciality restaurants there are people doing the "drink service"

 

in southampton it is always the same : only for Cunard ans P&O there are enough porters and assistance

i had the same with a Crystal and a Silversea

 

Hi,

I am slowly recovering, and am thankful that the accident happened at the end of the cruise, and not the beginning.

 

With regard to 'Sommeliers' , one evening in the 'Weltmeere' I asked if there was a Sommelier in the restaurant.

I was told there was not as he was based in the 'Tarragon', and that they would fetch him if I wished to talk with him. I said I would speak with him the next night as I was dining in the 'Tarragon'.

 

In my conversation with him he said that he was resident in the 'Tarragon' but occasionally worked in 'The Yacht Club'.

 

I remarked that at one time a qualified Sommelier wore a silver tasting cup on a chain around their neck. He replied that that was very old fashioned, and that now a small badge was a sign of their qualification.

 

In dining in the 'Serinissima', and 'The Yacht Club' the advice on wine was provided by what appeared to be one of the wait staff.

 

With regard to my review, it was written in the hope that it might encourage English speakers who might be hesitant in taking a cruise on a German Cruise Ship to take one on the Europa 2

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Thanks for your review. Sorry you got hurt, hope all is OK. Sounds like the trip and ship were very nice. I am looking forward to my trip in December. Starts in NYC so boarding should be OK. As we live here they are picking us up however I believe the boarding time is also 4. Thanks again for taking the time to report.

I am disappointed to hear about the noise transfer between cabins although happy that they responded fast with a offer to move you.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my XT1032 using Forums mobile app

I was located on Deck 6, and talking with a passenger ,who was located on Deck 7, he advised that he could hear noise from the next stateroom.

And yet, two more passengers, who were also on Deck 7, said that they could not hear anything from adjoining staterooms.

 

The offer to move me was probably possible because the ship was not fully occupied.

With full occupancy such an offer would probably not be forthcoming.

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We do not speak German however as long as the crew speaks English and the printed info is in English I see no problem. I look at cruising as international and look forward to something different. I have been trying to get some friends to join as I believe it will be a very nice trip

 

 

 

 

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i 'll be back on europa 2 30 th August for 7 days from Malta to Athens

 

i truly hope Europa 2 will maintain the high standard as i saw- and endured - already so many changes, economising on nearly all the other 5 starred products

from no more chocolate on the pillow over "diet" portions or no more caviar , withdrawn gala-buffets or no more welcome aboard champagne

to prosecco on gala parties

( as done by 4 companies in the 5 star level )

 

unfortunately for a lot of people free drinks ( and i do not refer to minerals but to alcohol ) seem to be very important.:rolleyes:

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When it comes to alcohol I prefer to pay as I go. I think the all inclusive thing is a American deal, goes along with very large portions. Some say it is a hardship to show your card for each drink however I never could see the problem. I too hope it stays as is.

 

 

 

 

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it seems in belgium there is quite some interest especially for the 2

however all in is also important for european cruise passengers - especially free french champagne :cool:

you also do have people preferring to pay a large suite on one of those giant ships instead of a basic cabin on a 5 starred company

i thought in 2007 i intended do the ms europa once and was rather nervous as for years i did not speak german often

meanwile it is updated :)

so far i only noticed once a couple from the UK who obviously were very unhappy - they told me they were missing all the cruise traditionals on the menu's : beef wellington, chicken king or kiev, french dinner and of course the baked alaska ( some people do like that )

wrong choice : that was the mistake of their TA ...

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H L needs to work harder at advertising Europa2 in north america because it seems the three of us are the only ones interested in it.

 

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I was discussing with a fellow passenger how few non-German passengers there were on the ship.

 

He was of the opinion that Americans would not consider the Europa 2 as it did not have a Casino.

 

In conjunction with it being neither all inclusive nor non-smoking perhaps these are factors deterring some people from considering the Europa 2.

 

I was being recommended very acceptable wines that ranged in price from 14-23 Euros per bottle, and wines were also available by the glass or carafe, so the fact that they were not included could hardly be considered a hardship.

 

As for the smoking areas, they were never noticeable to me.

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H L needs to work harder at advertising Europa2 in north america because it seems the three of us are the only ones interested in it.

 

Sent from my XT1032 using Forums mobile app

 

Make that "4 of us" (North American, that is). I am booked on Athens to Istanbul and Istanbul to Athens for 21 nights in September. I just received my shore excursion packet and was generally happy with the English speaking tours. I am going to book a private tour in Odessa because I wanted to spend more time off the ship than the ship offered in their English tour. I am disappointed in not being able to see the 2 ports in the Crimea, but that is no fault of HL. They are offering a 10% discount and 2 other ports in place of Yalta and Sevastopol. I thought that was very acceptable.

Everyone is correct that HL does not do a very good job advertising in the US. Their brochures are beautiful and are in English, but most people in the US wouldn't know to ask for one. I even booked using a London TA.

Everything I read points to an exceptional cruise and I am very easy to please, so I am excited to start my adventure in September.

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I really do not see a casino being a big deal as Oceania ships have one that is really empty when I have passed. The all inclusive could be a deal breaker however as many that like just as many do not I believe. I think people just do not know about it. In the US I only found one TA that knew how to work with H L. They are very different than US lines. You can not just call up, make a reservation and give your credit card. Also their cancelation policy is much more strict and all onboard is based in euros. As an American I also believe Americans are afraid to go on a line where they are not top cat. I think those afraid are the losers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Make that "4 of us" (North American, that is). I am booked on Athens to Istanbul and Istanbul to Athens for 21 nights in September. I just received my shore excursion packet and was generally happy with the English speaking tours. I am going to book a private tour in Odessa because I wanted to spend more time off the ship than the ship offered in their English tour. I am disappointed in not being able to see the 2 ports in the Crimea, but that is no fault of HL. They are offering a 10% discount and 2 other ports in place of Yalta and Sevastopol. I thought that was very acceptable.

Everyone is correct that HL does not do a very good job advertising in the US. Their brochures are beautiful and are in English, but most people in the US wouldn't know to ask for one. I even booked using a London TA.

Everything I read points to an exceptional cruise and I am very easy to please, so I am excited to start my adventure in September.

 

Sounds like you have a great trip planned. I am sure it will be great

 

 

Sent from my XT1032 using Forums mobile app

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Make that "4 of us" (North American, that is). I am booked on Athens to Istanbul and Istanbul to Athens for 21 nights in September. I just received my shore excursion packet and was generally happy with the English speaking tours. I am going to book a private tour in Odessa because I wanted to spend more time off the ship than the ship offered in their English tour. I am disappointed in not being able to see the 2 ports in the Crimea, but that is no fault of HL. They are offering a 10% discount and 2 other ports in place of Yalta and Sevastopol. I thought that was very acceptable.

Everyone is correct that HL does not do a very good job advertising in the US. Their brochures are beautiful and are in English, but most people in the US wouldn't know to ask for one. I even booked using a London TA.

Everything I read points to an exceptional cruise and I am very easy to please, so I am excited to start my adventure in September.

 

With regard to the English speaking tours I suggest you have a 'fall back' plan for the relevant Ports of Call should it transpire that, as on my cruise, no-one signs up for them.

Alternatively, people may sign up but the required minimum number may not met.

 

I imagine that marketing in the US is far from easy.

 

On my cruise on The Queen Elizabeth I was surprised at how many Americans I met had never heard of the Company Tauck.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

 

Don't, as I did, forget a Mains plug adapter!

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4 US, 2 GB and one B ( b from belgian :D )

are those the international guests of the europa 2 ?

 

lucky that you can avoid Istanbul airport ... however necessary maybe one of the strictest and most severe airports concerning security i ever was

 

last cruise i did there were 5 belgians and 2 dutch as well ...

 

i think the high cruise ticket is also a fact

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With regard to the English speaking tours I suggest you have a 'fall back' plan for the relevant Ports of Call should it transpire that, as on my cruise, no-one signs up for them.

Alternatively, people may sign up but the required minimum number may not met.

 

I imagine that marketing in the US is far from easy.

 

On my cruise on The Queen Elizabeth I was surprised at how many Americans I met had never heard of the Company Tauck.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

 

Don't, as I did, forget a Mains plug adapter!

 

2 good points. I had the electrical on my list already. The thought of H-L cancelling the one and only English speaking tour at a port hadn't crossed my mine. I'm adding that to my "worry list.":confused: I had backup tour plans in some of the ports, but not all. I guess it's back to researching all the ports for a back up. I wish there was a way to know in advance how many English speaking people have book the cruise. That would give me an idea how great the chances were that I might have to find my own tour. I'm afraid that all the issues in the Crimea might scare off some people and I suspect that my first cruise in the Black Sea might not be too full.

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2 good points. I had the electrical on my list already. The thought of H-L cancelling the one and only English speaking tour at a port hadn't crossed my mine. I'm adding that to my "worry list.":confused: I had backup tour plans in some of the ports, but not all. I guess it's back to researching all the ports for a back up. I wish there was a way to know in advance how many English speaking people have book the cruise. That would give me an idea how great the chances were that I might have to find my own tour. I'm afraid that all the issues in the Crimea might scare off some people and I suspect that my first cruise in the Black Sea might not be too full.

 

On my cruise what was even more odd was the fact that none of the English speaking passengers attended the Port Lectures that had been specifically arranged to be presented in English.

 

I don't know the total number of English speaking people that were on board, but I had conversations with at least 10, so one would have thought that they would have attended on-board English language activities.

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