The Europa has been called by Berlitz as the “best cruise ship Americans never heard of”. We have been several times on Crystal, Regent and Seabourn but this was our first time on Europa. A good opportunity to see if we agreed with that evaluation!

We selected Europa primarily for the itinerary: 18 nights to Norway, starting in Hamburg and ending in Kiel, Germany. What we liked about the itinerary was more port stops and land-intensive opportunities, in addition to plentiful fjord experiences.

In a nutshell: There are a lot of things to like about the Europa, but for us, unfortunately, there are also dislikes to note. We found the ship itself very appealing: A grand dame of a certain age that has kept her figure and is meticulously groomed and maintained. Europa exudes class. Read more