Viking is a line that emphasizes geography, culture, history, good food, comfort and value for the money. Viking guests are 55 plus, well-educated, affluent, curious and active, a s well as interested in history, culture and music.

When Vking polled its guests, they found that many thought that:

- Ocean ships have become too big

- Too little time is spent at the destination

- They are not as good value as you think when you purchase

- The small ships are far too expensive

So the announcement of these new ships can only be good news to those who have grown tired of ships growing bigger and more impersonal as they are built to carry 3,000. 4,000 or even 5,000 passengers.

Some of the features of the new Viking Star include:-

- all cabins with a private balcony

- a two-deck high observation lounge at the forweard end

- an outdoor pool at the stern as well as a midships pool with Magrodome

- the main dining room will have “the best food”

- it will also have floor-to-ceiling windows that slide open

Viking Cruises will provide excellent value for the money, with fares starting at $420 per person per day, including airfare,  shore excursions in each port, concierge service,  free WiFi, complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner as well as specialty coffees, complimentary self-service laundry, free room service and all port taxes and transfers to and from the ship.

Interestingly, details of the new 48,000-ton 745-foot 925-passenger Viking Star (above left) were announced just six days after Hapag-Lloyd Cruises christened its new 42,839-ton 739-foot 516-passenger Europa 2 (above right) in Hamburg. But while cruise-only fares on Europa 2 start at €600 ($800) per person per night, fly/cruiise fares on Viking Star will start at $420.

For further details on Viking Cruises and how to book new Viking Star or Europa 2, which is already in service, please contact Gay Scruton at The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or Freephone 0800 526 313 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk.

Photos courtesy of Viking Cruises except Europa 2, courtesy of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

THE CRUISE EXAMINER at Cybercruises.com

by Kevin Griffin

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ new Europa 2 features a pool area with retractable roof adjacent to the walkaround promenade

Last Monday, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ new 42,830-ton Europa 2 departed Southampton on a pre-inaugural cruise before sailing for Hamburg, where she was formally named on Friday. The Cruise Examiner was on board and files his report. Meanwhile, Down Under, the Australasian cruise market reached a grand total of 694,062 cruisers in 2012. And while Carnival Cruise Lines announced that it would send the Carnival Legend to Australia on a seasonal basis to join the Carnival Spirit, this means that the line will also be abandoning Europe, and not for the first time. Finally, new Portuguese operator Portuscale Cruises, has announced patriotic new names for its Madeira-registered fleet of classics.

THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                                 (See previous columns)

As we predicted in April 2012 after seeing the artist’s depictions of the public rooms and restaurants, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Europa 2 has indeed turned out to be a real stunner. Compared to her fleetmate Europa, now fourteen years in service, it is difficult to see how cruise rating aficionados will not be able to give her an even higher rating, which would make her the top-rated ship in the world. With her high ceilings, large windows and open decks and a passenger space ratio of about 80 tons per passenger (a world record), this is a ship where everywhere you go the sea is with you.

Along with the great and the good of the cruise and travel press, about sixty top UK cruise agents were invited on a one-night cruise from Southampton along the English Channel towards Cornwall last week. Also on board was Douglas Ward, editor of the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships.

Two of the themes on the new ship are “Relaxed Luxury” and a “Hideaway at Sea.” This is quite different from what is on offer in the rest of today’s cruise market, even from ultra-luxury operators. Europa 2 is aimed squarely at a different audience – the affluent executive and professional classes still in work, younger in age and with growing children. The new ship’s dress code is therefore smart casual, not formal.

To reach this audience, the new ship’s operation is quite different from others. Her summer cruises in the Mediterranean are based on 7-day itineraries that can be extended to 14 or 21 days, with no itinerary repeated before three cruises have elapsed. In addition, nannies will be engaged on a ratio of one for every four children. Because of this and the need to house entertainers, although the ship has been designed to accommodate 516 guests, it is unlikely that her passenger loads will ever exceed 480.

Her shorter routes are ideal for a new audience. With 7-day combinable Mediterranean cruises and 13-to-20 day combination cruises to far-away destinations by winter, Europa 2 meets the requirements of young high-earning professionals and families with limited holiday time. Calling at 123 ports on twenty-six different itineraries this year, her cruises will take guests to the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, Southeast Asia and China, and then in 2014/15 to the Americas.

All itineraries are based on ports that have plenty of air service and are easy to get in and out of – for example, Barcelona, Monte Carlo (Nice) and Venice, Dubai in the Middle East, and in the Far East, Singapore and Hong Kong.

The ship’s size is a major advantage – with a length of 739 feet and a draught of 20.7 feet, Europa 2 is capable of calling at small, rarely-visited ports such as Bonifacio and Portofino, where larger ships cannot go. Twelve Zodiacs are also carried to take passengers ashore to lagoons and beaches that other ships cannot reach. The Europa 2 also introduces some new concepts. She has a magrodome, but it is not the usual cover over a pool deck but is two decks high.

The new ship’s accommodations are all Veranda Suites, with balconies each measuring at least 75 square feet. All suites come equipped with a free mini bar, Wi-Fi Internet access (at a charge) and a tablet computer. The ship‘s 251 suites come in seven categories measuring from 301 to 1,066 square feet. The highest categories have whirlpools with ocean view.

Sixteen Spa Suites have whirlpool tubs and rain showers with steam saunas, providing guests with a private oasis of well-being. For families traveling together, there are seven family suites, where parents and children live in two separate areas, connected by a door and a shared balcony. What’s more, children up to the age of eleven are carried free of charge as long as they occupy a suite with their parents.

Important to Europa 2 is that every cruise caters to international passengers who speak English. This is unlike the present practice, which is to nominate international cruises for each ship in the fleet. By this means, it is aimed to increase the number of English-speaking passengers by four- or five-fold, from ten to twenty per internatuonal sailing now to fifty to eighty in three to five years’ time.

There are eight different restaurants to choose from and wines and spirits are sold at prices that are cheaper than onshore, unlike virtually every other cruise line other than the all-inclusive ones. Beer is about €1.40, a cocktail around €4.20 and bottles of wine run from about €14. The usual practice on cruise ships has moved away from such duty free prices to charging full shoreside hotel prices. Hapag-Lloyd’s goal is not to maximise on board revenue but to offer value and a good experience. Also, in the alternative restaurants, it will not be possible to book more than forty-eight hours in advance, giving an opportunity for all to experience them where on some lines old hands have been able to monopolise these spaces.

All in all, some interesting ideas are coming out of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and this ship is a real game changer. The most interesting thing about this ship was that at the end of the voyage many said they did not want to leave her.  She was christened in Hamburg on Friday, May 10, 2013.

For further details on Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and how to book the Europa 2 please contact Gay Scruton at The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or Freephone 0800 526 313 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk.

THE CRUISE EXAMINER at Cybercruises.com

by Kevin Griffin

The gastronomic concept of this new, modern, luxury cruise ship provides seven different restaurants for the passengers to choose from, including a sushi bar and three speciality restaurants. Additionally the Speisezimmer can be booked for private dining. For guests who feel like cooking themselves and getting to know dishes from their cruise destination, they may wish to book a cooking course in the Miele Culinary School while at sea.

Specialities ranging from Asian to Mediterranean

Guest on board the Europa 2 will experience a culinary journey of discovery, which is totally appropriate for a cruise experience. They can choose from eight different restaurants (including the “Speisezimmer”), ranging from classic Italian to modern Asian cuisine. With a total capacity of 266, the largest restaurant on board the Europa 2 is the Weltmeere, which stands out because of the generous amount of space. Chef de cuisine Wilke and his colleagues serve both international and refined vegetarian menus.

The Yacht Club is the second largest restaurant on board the Europa 2 and provides specialities fresh from the grill and variety from the buffet for up to 276 people. Special feature: guests can dine alfresco here if they wish (134 places). The chefs can also be seen working their magic in front of the passengers as they prepare to put the food onto the plates.

Fans of French cuisine will be at home in the Tarragon (44 covers,illustrated above). Passengers can experience Asian delicacies in Elements (48 covers) with its range of aromas from aniseed to lemon grass.

The Serenissima (56 covers) provides high quality Italian cuisine. Here guests can enjoy Mediterranean classics and also modern interpretations of Ligurian, or Neapolitan cooking. The culinary round the world journey on board is completed by the Sakura sushi restaurant (58 covers), which offers the celebrated miso soup and fish specialities plus green tea ice cream for dessert. Classic wines from all over the world with accompanying dishes are available for guests on the Europa 2 in the Grande Reserve wine bar. Individual wine tastings can also be arranged here with real vine rarities for a maximum of twelve people.

As well as a wide variety of restaurants, the Europa 2 offers the option of private dining for very special occasions. It is possible for guests to book the Speisezimmer exclusively at a cost of €1,500 for an evening, so they can relax and be indulged in a small group. The price includes an aperitif, amuse-bouche with caviar and a dinner with lobster. There is the opportunity to book before the cruise in order to ensure absolute perfection in the planning.

If guests feel like cooking themselves, they may book a cooking course in the Miele Culinary School. Here the chef de cuisine of the Tarragon – the French style restaurant on board – will demonstrate to his students the cuisine of Europa 2‘s various cruise destinations. The cooking courses take place in the morning and they can be booked as an alternative to a shore excursion. Participation costs 80 Euros per person, which includes accompanying wines, cooking aprons and recipes.

Guests on Europa 2 enjoy pure, informal luxury as there are no fixed eating times, or fixed table allocations in the restaurants within the opening times. Another plus point: the meals are included in the cruise price (except drinks).

For further details on Hapag-Lloyd Cruises new Europa 2 please call Gay Scruton at The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk.

For further details please call Gay Scruton at The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk.

THE CRUISE EXAMINER at Cybercruises.com

by Kevin Griffin

Thursday, April 18, marks the 140th Anniversary of Holland America Line, founded in 1873 as the Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij. A shipping and passenger line headquartered in Rotterdam and providing service to the Americas, it soon became known as the Holland America Line.

The first ships sailed between Rotterdam and New York, while other services were soon opened to Baltimore and South America. A New York cargo service was added in 1899 and during its first twenty-five years the company carried 400,000 people from the old world to the new.

Though shipping was the primary sources of its revenue, HAL offered its first cruise in 1895. Its second cruise, from New York to the Holy land, was offered in 1910 and many others followed.

Moving its headquarters temporarily to Curacao during the Second World War, New York became the company’s headquarters in 1971, in the same year that it suspended its transatlantic passenger service. In 1973 it sold its cargo shipping division, which participated in Atlantic Container Line.

In 1983, after its acquisition of Westours, the company moved to Seattle. In 1989, Holland America Line, with then a fleet of four ships, became the first outside brand to join the Carnival group, and today, with the backing of Carnival Corp & PLC, its fleet stands at fifteen ships. These fifteen ships operate to seven continents and carried more than 750,000 cruise passengers in 2012.

Holland America Line’s 86,273-ton Nieuw Amsterdam of 2010, carries 2,106 guests and is larger than the original Queen Mary

Holland America Line produced some noted ships, from the 36,287-ton Nieuw Amsterdam of 1937 (besides the 81,237-ton Queen Mary, the only 1930s-built liner to make a profit) and the 38,645-ton Rotterdam of 1959, one of the first North Atlantic ships also equipped for one-class luxury cruising. By the late 1960s, however, the golden era of transatlantic passenger ships was ended by air travel.

In 1971, Holland America moved from operating ocean liners to full-time cruising and is known now for its wide variety of destinations, including Antarctica, which it added in the 1980s. The line also now owns the Westmark Hotels in Alaska and the Yukon, Worldwide Shore Services providing  logistical support and the private island Half Moon Cay, where most Caribbean cruises now spend a relaxing day.

Since the end of the 2012 summer season, the present 59.855-ton Rotterdam, sixth of the name, has been based in Holland year-round, performing a number of short cruises within Europa, as well as longer cruises to the Canaries and as fare as Indonesia. She has also been offering cruises for passengers boarding at Southampton. Holland America expects more than half of Rotterdam’s passengers will be Dutch

In October 2012 it was announced that an order had been placed with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for the construction of a 2,660-passenger ship for delivery in the autumn of 2015. The ship will be the first of a new class, the “Pinnacle” class, and will enter service five years after the last Holland America ship, the Nieuw Amsterdam of 2010.

Although it closed its transatlantic service in 1971, Holland America has always sent ships to Europe and has been redeveloping its Rotterdam base since 2007.  The Seattle-based line is doing all it can to draw on its European roots and entice more European clients to cruise with them. Its ships continue to be staffed by Dutch officers and crew from Indonesia, the former Dutch East Indies, something that has now become an accepted tradition.

In Rotterdam itself, two Holland America icons stand out today. Holland America’s last regular Transatlantic liner, the Rotterdam of 1959, now operates there as a floating hotel, Cruise Hotel SS Rotterdam, while the line’s former headquarters building, built in 1901 adjacent to what is now the Wilheminakade cruise terminal, has found a new lease on life as the 72-room Hotel New York.

For further details on Holland America Line and how to book please call The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk.

In North America please call The Cruise People Ltd toll free on 1-800-961-5536 or e-mail cruise@thecruisepeople.ca.

THE CRUISE EXAMINER at Cybercruises.com

by Kevin Griffin

The Bella Desgagnés was built to serve the route from Rimouski, on the south shore of the Gulf of St Lawrence, via Sept Iles and Anticosti, to a range of ports on the Lower North Shore as far downstream as Blanc Sablon. From Blanc Sablon, there is regular ferry service across the Strait of Belle Isle to St Barbe, Newfoundland.

At 312 feet in length, 63½ feet beam and only 14½ feet draft, the Bella Desgagnés can accommodate 381 guests, including deck passengers. The new ship has 63 cabins (some de luxe) accommodating 160 passengers in berths, dining room, cafeteria, lecture room and other passenger facilities. Measuring 6,588 gross tons, she will replace the much smaller 1,749-ton Nordik Express, which has been on the route since 1987.

The Bella Desgagnés can also carry 125 TEU of containers and her own 30 ton long-reach crane to handle them. She is built to Ice Class IA and can reach a speed of 15 knots. Her propulsion system consists of four diesel engines driving two electric motors and two azimuthing stern drives. She also has two bow thrusters and has manoeuverability similar to a large harbour tug.

Relais Nordik  is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Groupe Desgagnés Inc. It transports passengers, general cargo and vehicles from the main terminals of Rimouski, Sept-Îles, Havre-Saint-Pierre and Natashquan, and to the eight ports of the communities it serves at Port-Menier, Kegaska, La Romaine, Harrington Harbour, Tête-à-la-Baleine, La Tabatière, Saint Augustin and Blanc Sablon. Round voyages are also offered from Rimouski.

In an earlier era (1932 to 1946), the Sable I (seen here with Tintin) maintained the Gulf of St Lawrence service to Blanc Sablon.

Cruises of 7 nights duration will be offered from Rimouski. Present fares for the Nordik Express start at $1,258.40 per person in a superior cabin, or $1,494.86 in a de luxe cabin. Fares for the Bella Desgagnés will be announced shortly. Summer cruises leave Rimouski every Tuesday at 12:30 pm and return from Blanc Sablon on Fridays.

For details of how to book the Bella Desgagnés‘ weekly round voyage as a cruise please e-mail The Cruise People Ltd in London at cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk or in North America e-mail cruise@thecruisepeople.ca.

Photo of Bella Desgagnés courtesy Groupe Desgagnés. Image of Sable I by Quebec artist Jean-Pierre Charest.