Hapag-Lloyd Set to Charter Newbuild Ship Called Europa 2

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises said it will expand its fleet by chartering a new luxury ship to be named Europa 2. The newbuild, which has been acquired by a third party, is being built by the French STX shipyard in St. Nazaire and will enter service in 2013. The charter agreement for the Europa 2 is for 12 years.

Hapag-Lloyd said it also is adding a premium segment ship with the two-year charter of Oceania Cruises’ Insignia, which will be integrated into Hapag-Lloyd fleet as the Columbus 2 beginning in April 2012. Meanwhile, the Europa 2 will offer a casual luxury alternative to the existing Europa, with seven-day cruises in the Mediterranean in the summer months and faraway destinations in the winter. Europa 2 will have 258 cabins, with a maximum passenger capacity of 516.

With 349 cabins, the Columbus 2, built in 1998, will offer accommodations for a maximum of 698 passengers. In the summer, the Columbus 2 will cruise the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Nordic countries, with a wide range of combinable voyages of seven to 12 days. During the winter, the Columbus 2 is scheduled to offer world tours.