Hapag-Lloyd Cruises to Redevelop Luxury 'MS EUROPA' & 'MS EUROPA 2' Ships During Docking Periods Next Year

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has announced it will overhaul and upgrade its MS EUROPA and MS EUROPA 2 luxury ships next year.

Both ships will undergo strategic further refinements in 2027. The focus will be on accommodation, dining and social interaction, three areas that help define the character of a cruise with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. The measures range from design-centred improvements, technical upgrades and maintenance work all the way to further conceptual enhancements.

The EUROPA 2 will be the first to go to the shipyard – in Singapore in January 2027. Around 250 suites will receive a new colour scheme. The Atrium and the Piano Bar, which is located there, will also be modernised while the Sakura and Elements speciality restaurants are set to undergo visual enhancements. Further conceptual developments are also planned for Elements.

“Progress, for us, means drawing on our experience to understand what makes our ships distinctive, while at the same time having the courage to change what is right to change,” said Isolde Susset, Managing Director Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. “We change what can be improved. We invest in what creates new possibilities. And we preserve what makes our ships unique.”

The ships’ further developments are guided by guest expectations, evolving perceptions of luxury as well as technological possibilities.

While the measures planned for the EUROPA 2 have already been finalised, planning for the EUROPA is currently being further refined. The small luxury ship will head to the shipyard in Bremerhaven next autumn. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises will therefore provide further information on the measures and developments planned for both ships over the coming months.

The EUROPA and EUROPA 2 have long been regarded as benchmarks in the domain of international luxury cruise ships. Ever since their commissioning, both have consistently been named the “best cruise ship in the world” by Insight Guides Cruising & Cruise Ships, formerly the Berlitz Cruise Guide – with the latest accolade coming in 2025. The EUROPA 2 also recently received a Kreuzfahrt Guide Award in the “Service & Comfort” category.