English Voyager Posted June 23, 2018 #1 Share Posted June 23, 2018 Catlover54's detailed, and excellent,review on her recent cruise on the Europa has now been published: https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=623167 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Voyager Posted June 23, 2018 Author #2 Share Posted June 23, 2018 With regards to next year's 'Ocean Sun Festival' cruise, it is no surprise that while there is wide availability of accommodation for double occupancy, apart from Penthouse Deluxe Suites at £25,517, the cruise is completely closed to solo travellers. HL's policy just forces us to look elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Catlover54 Posted June 23, 2018 #3 Share Posted June 23, 2018 I hope to sort my iphone pictures for that cruise and post them soon. At the seven month pre-cruise mark and going forward closer to cruise time there will likely be things opening to solos, as happened in 2016, when we had 44 solos on board. That is when impulse bookers cancel as up till then there is very low deposit and low cancel penalty. The few I had talked to (all Germans — do they have special notice?) I had booked between 3 and 6 months ahead of time. I had booked I believe at 7-8 months in 2016 as it was right after the Europa 2 cruise, cost was with a 50 % extra solo charge and those solos were shocked I had to pay so much ( I thought it was a deal! ). This cruise there were solos milling around, though I do not know the count, and I had booked this in advance when it opened for sale fall 2016 with 50% surcharge. That does not help if you have to book a year or more out for scheduling, but if you are keen on that cruise and have at least some flexibility then have your TA be aggressive calling HL to note to have you on standby. It is too bad you had to cancel the one in 2017, and I missed that one due to SB cruise with DH and also will miss 2019 due to a conflicting DDay trip. Like I said elsewhere, we need an Europa 3 to have more easy availability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vistaman Posted June 23, 2018 #4 Share Posted June 23, 2018 catlover 54, many thanks for writing such a review in detail - i am not so patient to write such details anymore. i am joining ms Europa in Hamburg next month for a short event cruise Hamburg - Kiel- 4 days the ship is in Antwerpen tomorrow for a culinary event "Europa's Beste" - yes i can go :cool: I do know the Swiss bartender very well - i will tell him you liked him :D he previously was bartender on the Europa 2 in the sansibar and he is missed overthere. and yes as a single you have to be very fast : i am booked on several cruises until 2020and on one waitlist for autumn 2019 on the Europa 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Voyager Posted June 25, 2018 Author #5 Share Posted June 25, 2018 vistaman, were you captured on video? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vistaman Posted June 26, 2018 #6 Share Posted June 26, 2018 Englishvoyager , no i am not capured - i always try to avoid camera's it was big success and for the first time Rosé champagne was offered as aperitive as well i already booked the cruise with the event for 2019 last year in November during my next cruise on ms Europa there is another event "sansibar" also with a special buffet on open deck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsSommelier Posted June 26, 2018 #7 Share Posted June 26, 2018 Catlover 54, thank you for your extremely detailed, thorough review(s). And thank you, English Voyager, for the heads up, so I could follow the link and read it. (I don't always check the formal reviews, I must admit.) Brings back a lot of wonderful memories and I am so glad that the service, food and experience overall was top drawer. I'm ready to go back on board after reading :-) I know you had asked about how arrival times at the dinner table may vary and it sounds like you solved that potential issue: with your own table! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Voyager Posted June 27, 2018 Author #8 Share Posted June 27, 2018 I wonder if gloom has descended on the sister ships following Germany's elimination from the World Cup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdee3636 Posted August 14, 2018 #9 Share Posted August 14, 2018 This is possibly the best-written and most helpful ship review I have ever read. Thank you Catlover54! I think, though, that it confirms that the Europa is not for me---I'll stick with Silversea when I want a luxury experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Catlover54 Posted August 20, 2018 #10 Share Posted August 20, 2018 Jimdee, I am glad my review was helpful. I am on board Europa again Travemuende to Hamburg counterclockwise around Britain, Scotland and Ireland, the cruise started August 11 and ends August 25. Unfortunately trying to post live with sketchy internet from one gray UK day after another does not work too well so I will write another review, shorter than this last tome, after my return, with some pictures. You Brits, Scots and Irish not to mention Manx have some striking scenery! I am keen to grab an Ocean Sun Festival 2020 booking but they are not available until at least September, I checked, unkown when or where. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdee3636 Posted August 20, 2018 #11 Share Posted August 20, 2018 I'm looking forward to your review, Catlover. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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