The EUROPA 2 offers a comprehensive choice to families with kids, with facilities for three different age groups with age appropriate activities and furnishings. On selected Family Cruises, special, escorted family excursions on shore are provided and also programmes on board, such as ‘tours of discovery’ for young people.
Julian Pfitzner, Director of Product Management EUROPA 2: “Unusual for a luxury cruise ship, EUROPA 2 is a very family-friendly place. Children up to and including eleven years of age travel for free, for children aged from twelve to fifteen the cost is €60 ($80, £50) per night, if they are accommodated in the same suite as the adults responsible for them.”
Facilities for three age groups on board: Knopf Club, Kids Club, Teens Club
Whether a small child, or a teenager, there are tailored programmes for all age groups on board the EUROPA 2. Qualified staff look after two to three year olds in the Knopf Club, which is equipped with cots and baby change units (subject to a charge). There is also a Steiff snuggly lounge here, which was arranged by the renowned toy manufacturer Steiff within the framework of an exclusive co-operation with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Käpt’n Knopf, the mascot on all family cruises is also a real Steiff bear.
The four to eleven year olds can look forward to the Kids Club. There is also an age-appropriate children's library imparting knowledge and providing a theatre, a research laboratory, a climbing wall and modern gaming consoles like Sony PlayStation and Nintendo Wii. Games and activities like a treasure hunt on board are also offered regularly.
The Teens Club is focused on the requirements of young people between the ages of eleven and fifteen. Table football, iPod chairs, a chill out area and PCs with Internet access and gaming consoles are available here. The supervisors also organise additional activities like sample visits to the spa for example.
Eight family apartments on board EUROPA 2
As part of its first scheduled docking earlier this year, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ EUROPA 2 underwent some cosmetic repairs and modernization works: among others, further improvements were made to the eight family apartments, tailoring them even more to the needs of families, with a section of each split suite converted especially for children and teenagers; and also featuring a baby changing table, a children’s bathroom with bathtub, bunk beds (one of which is a Pullman couch), a play area with painting and games table, and a gaming console (PS4).
A new EXPERIENCE.tv episode online: “EUROPA 2 - Cruising with the Kids”
In this latest episode of EXPERIENCE.tv, Jonathan Beaumont explores EUROPA 2 with some of the youngest guests on board. He takes the viewers through all different aspects of family services on board – including the eight family apartments and a banana boat excursion. Click here to see the latest film online: http://www.hl-cruises.com/social-media/experiencetv
Cruise example EUX1619: Family cruise sails from Kiel/Germany via Oslo/Norway, Eidfjord/Norway, Olden/Faleidfjord/Norway, Andalsnes/Romsdalsfjord/Norway, Vik/Sognefjord/Norway and Flam/Aurlandsfjord/Norway back to Bergen/Norway, 03 July 2016 – 11 July 2016, 8 days, from €3,990 ($4,790, £3,000) per person, cruise only. More information online at: http://www.hl-cruises.com/find-your-cruise/EUX1619
Hamburg, October 2015