LUXURY CRUISING
for intimate classical recitals. The nearby Library is well stocked with books in English as well as German, and there are two computer terminals. This is also the location of a small cinema, where recent releases are screened daily. My favourite area on board was
Sansibar, aft on Deck 9. A tribute to its namesake in the prestigious resort of Sylt, this bar with floor-to-ceiling retractable windows facing over the beautifully tiered stern of the ship, comes alive after dinner. There is a small dance floor and music supplied by a superb jazz band and singer. The amiable bartenders remember each passenger’s tipple and the ambiance is as convivial as any I’ve enjoyed at sea. Excellent port information is provided both in a comprehensive guide and through the detailed ‘infotainment’ system shown on in-suite televisions. English-language tours, which are provided at every port, cost around €50 for a half-day excursion.
H
apag-Lloyd is proud of their poli- cy of dedicated bi-lingual cruises, no matter what the minimum number of English-speaking guests might be. I found each and every crew-member to be fluent in English, often addressing me in my native tongue before I had the chance to utter a few words of my best O-level German. Currency on board is the Euro. So what is the X-factor? This is no float-
ing, anodyne five-star resort at sea staffed by unsmiling, Armani-suited robots. It transcends the stereotyped interpretation of a seagoing idyll. The definable difference is evident throughout, from the prepossessing décor to attention to detail ensuring every guest’s well-being and enjoyment. With gratuities included, the genuine willingness by the
crew to be proficient yet personable is omnipresent. I was reticent about sailing on a ship with mostly German passengers, but any doubts proved unfounded as my well- travelled fellow guests were highly so- phisticated and seemed to enjoy engaging English-speaking passengers in conversa- tion about the destinations we visited. The gracious International Hostess occasion- ally choreographed such conviviality between groups of seaborne dilettantes. In summary, I can only endorse Doug-
las Ward’s evaluation. Europa is unques- tionably a paragon; it is to cruising what Concorde was to air travel.
Europa FACTFILE
Built: 1999 Tonnage: 28,890 Length: 656ft Beam: 80ft Draft: 20ft Speed: 21 knots Passengers: 408 Crew: 280 Passenger decks: 7 Registry: Bahamas
ITINERARIES: spring, transatlantic, Mediterranean; summer, Northern Europe; autumn, Mediterranean, transatlantic; winter, Mexico, South Pacific, Far East.
MORE INFO: Call (in Germany) 49 (40) 3001 4580; in the UK, call The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677 or look up
www.hl-cruises.com.
Spring 2011 I WORLD OF CRUISING
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