By
Rebecca Gibson |
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ flagship Europa 2 made her Kiel debut on 11 June, arriving at the Ostseekai Terminal accompanied by a water fountain display from a port tug.
The 43,000 gt ship called at the German port after a visit to Copenhagen, Denmark, and commemorated the visit with an onboard ‘first-call’ plaque ceremony.
“This first visit by Europa 2 is something very special for the port,” said Dirk Claus, the port’s managing director. “We are very pleased that Kiel has a firm place in Hapag-Lloyd’s route planning and that we can now welcome the company’s flagship for the first time.”
Europa 2 departed the port in the evening to visit various destinations in the Baltic Sea including Bornholm in Denmark, and Usedom and Rügen on the Pomeranian coast. The ship will return to Kiel on 15 June to host the popular German football talk show ‘Doppelpass’.
Built at STX France’s St Nazaire yard, Europa 2 was launched in 2013 and accommodates up to 500 people.