
Mediterranean
The easiest great cruise there is: short flights, famous ports, and a ship for every kind of family.

ResearchLines, ships and destinations, in detail
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
All-suite, bilingual and relaxed: the small luxury ship that still runs a children's club.
Overview
Europa 2 is Hapag-Lloyd's modern flagship, built in 2013 as a deliberate break from the formal Europa: casual dress, no fixed dinner seating, a contemporary design and more space per guest than almost any ship her size. Every cabin is a suite with a veranda, and the ratio of crew to guests is close to one to one.
She is the ship we propose to confident families and couples who want food and space before entertainment, and who do not mind that the deck chatter is mostly German. The cruise director's team runs the program in both languages, and the crew switch to English without being asked.
At a glance
We will say whether Europa 2 is right for your party, which suite we would book and which sailing, or name the ship we would choose instead.
Price
Planning figure around $1,000 to $1,600 per person per night in a Veranda Suite, drinks and excursions extra; family apartments are priced for four. Not a quote.
Tell us what you are looking for and the figure you have in mind. We will say what it buys on each line, and where the same money goes further.
On board
In our words, from the questions we are asked most. Suite names are the line's; which one we would book is ours.
Tell us who is traveling and we will name the deck and the suite numbers we would hold, and the ones we would avoid.
Children, grandparents, mobility
Three honest notes: what the ship does for children, what it does for grandparents, and what it asks of anyone with limited mobility.
Connecting suites, different activity levels, dining that works for everyone, and transfers that suit grandparents and toddlers alike. The best family suites go first, so start early.
Where it sails
The regions this ship sails as far as we know; the itinerary confirms the ports and the season.

The easiest great cruise there is: short flights, famous ports, and a ship for every kind of family.

Small ships, island overnights, and a late season that runs into October.

Venice, Dubrovnik and Kotor in a week, on ships small enough for the old harbors.

Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallinn and Helsinki in a week, with culture the whole way.

Winter sun for the whole family, on ships that make Christmas and half-term easy.
Sample itineraries
We have not written up a sample sailing on Europa 2 yet. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises publishes the current itineraries; tell us the season you have in mind and we will send the two or three we would consider, with planning figures.
Give us the month, who is traveling and how far you will fly. A specialist will name the two or three regions and ships we would choose.
Deck plans and photographs
Deck plans and suite dimensions are on Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' official site; we link rather than copy them because the line updates them.
Our promise
We do not recommend a cruise because it is expensive, and we do not put people on the wrong ship. If Europa 2 is not right for your party, we will tell you and suggest the one that is, even if it costs less or is sold by someone else. We are an advisor, not a booking engine.
Speak to a specialistGood to know
Rarely the only ones, but likely a minority. The ship markets to English speakers and runs the program bilingually, so you will be looked after; the social mix is the thing to weigh.
Yes in school vacation weeks, when the clubs are staffed and family apartments fill. Outside those weeks there are few children on board, which suits some parties and not others.
Our pick: A Grand Ocean Suite for a family of four, a Veranda Suite for a couple.. Tell us who is traveling and when, and we will say which sailing and which suite, or whether another ship would suit you better.