All I want for Christmas is ... a cruise: relax and enjoy the festive season on board our ships
Experiences are the most valuable gifts – for ourselves and for our loved ones. Moments shared together turn into memories that last. Are you looking for a touching gift that offers an unforgettable time? We have several suggestions for you: our festive cruises.
But before you start choosing a gift, there’s one important question to answer: how do you love spending the festive season – frosty and white or warm and under palm trees? Do you prefer sitting in a reindeer sleigh or diving alongside turtles? Tabular icebergs or a beach BBQ? Glogg or tropical cocktails? Icy cold or balmy and tropical? In short, which Christmas type are you?
A toast to the beauty of the world
It goes without saying that you’ll of course enjoy special moments on board with us. Our ships are festively decorated and the Christmas bakery smells of vanilla and cinnamon. Festive menus are included. We also have an excellent selection of wine and champagne on board, so you can look forward to every opportunity to raise a glass. The mere fact that you don’t have to worry about decorating the tree or preparing the Christmas meal and that you can simply look forward to enjoying the beauty of the world with your loved ones – that’s surely one reason for a toast.
Love idyllic moments?
The South Seas with the EUROPA 2
“What a Wonderful World” is the title of a beautiful song by Louis Armstrong, which will also be heard in a special way on board our EUROPA 2. And on this cruise, every note will be confirmed many times over. Because our small luxury ship sets off from lively Auckland on a cruise to the stunning paradise of the South Seas. Each of the island destinations is a dream in itself. On Christmas Eve, the “Bay of Islands” fascinates with its breathtaking natural beauty – and the ship, decorated in a modern and stylish way, later shines during the Christmas dinner. The new year begins after a lavish New Year’s Eve party on a relaxing day at sea in the island world of Vanuatu. On board, our guests will experience great stars up close, such as the French soprano Patricia Petibon, the celebrated baroque cellist Christian-Pierre La Marca and the much-praised German violinist Tobias Feldmann. There will be vaudeville entertainment, an astonishing show of mental magic and a moving production of spectacular photographs by French photographer and film-maker Yann Arthus-Bertrand entitled “Wonderful World”.
The festive cruises with the EUROPA 2:
New Zealand at its best
3 to 18 Dec 2024 – Advent cruise from Melbourne to Auckland
Christmas in paradise
18 Dec 2024 to 7 Jan 2025 – Christmas cruise from Auckland to Fiji
Want a Christmas with hygge?
Off to the icy north with the HANSEATIC spirit
An expedition to the home of Santa Claus – could there be a more fitting destination for a festive cruise? Our HANSEATIC spirit sets off from Kiel to the icy north, where the Northern Lights dance through the night sky and a famous, red-robed gentleman with a full beard lives – and with probably the best work–life balance imaginable. Everything else also radiates hygge, the typical Scandinavian feeling of cosiness. There are many special moments to experience – winter walks, dog sled rides, romantic cities in the glow of lights. A highlight is New Year’s Eve in Stockholm: the sparkling fireworks over the city can be admired from your front-row seat on board. The cruise with the HANSEATIC spirit, which departs from Hamburg, takes in the most beautiful cities in the Baltic region in the run-up to Christmas. Perfect for Christmas market hopping and gift shopping.
The festive cruises with the HANSEATIC spirit:
Short cruise on the Baltic with plenty of hygge
14 to 21 Dec 2024 – Hamburg, Gdansk, Karlskrona, Copenhagen, Kiel
God Jul – Christmas adventure in Lapland
21 Dec 2024 to 5 Jan 2025 – Kiel, Lapland, Stockholm, Hamburg
Want to experience unforgettable encounters at Christmas?
The Antarctic with the HANSEATIC nature or the HANSEATIC inspiration
Elegantly, they stand on the shore or on ice floes and chatter with each other, preen each other’s feathers or steal a stone from each other – we couldn’t imagine more entertaining guests for festive days on board. The course taken by the HANSEATIC nature and the HANSEATIC inspiration always follows just one goal: to provide guests with unforgettable moments. Fascinating and diverse experiences in nature await wherever the ship drops anchor and the Zodiacs set off on shore excursions. Everyday life never feels so far away. If the weather conditions allow, there is a visit to legendary Cape Horn. Or crossing the Antarctic Circle. Will the ship succeed? That would be an outstanding gift. With unforgettable wildlife encounters, spectacular tabular icebergs and its fascinating history of discovery, Antarctica is a true Christmas wonderland. And the cruise of a lifetime.
The festive cruises with the HANSEATIC inspiration:
Expedition Antarctica
5 to 21 Dec 2024 – Grand expedition from/to Ushuaia
Expedition Antarctica with Cape Horn
21 Dec 2024 to 10 Jan 2025 – Grand expedition from/to Ushuaia with Cape Horn
The festive cruises with the HANSEATIC nature:
Grand expedition Antarctica
25 Nov to 13 Dec 2024 – Antarctic expedition from Ushuaia to Ushuaia
Grand expedition Antarctica with Antarctic Circle and Cape Horn
13 Dec 2024 to 4 Jan 2025 – Antarctic expedition with Antarctic Circle and Cape Horn
Dreaming of spending the festive season under palm trees – but without a long-haul flight?
With the EUROPA to the highlights of the Caribbean from/to Lisbon
Great relaxation lies between Lisbon and the Caribbean: festive days full of peace and quiet. Decorated for Christmas, the elegant EUROPA makes its way across the Atlantic. A large Christmas tree stands in the Atrium, creating the perfect space for all guests to get together on Christmas Eve. Lots of atmosphere and surrounded by the calming, wide open sea. The ship sails from Lisbon to the Caribbean and back in two cruises. Those who book both cruises can travel to the world of palm trees without a long-haul flight and enjoy the run-up to Christmas on white beaches and with an exclusive beach BBQ. On board, classical music stars will provide entertainment: tenor Michael Schade, accompanied by Johannes Fleischmann on the violin and Maximilian Kromer on the piano. On Boxing Day, the EUROPA visits the picturesque Cape Verde Islands. The turn of the year is celebrated against the backdrop of Funchal on Madeira. Traditionally, several ships gather here, as the fireworks over the island’s capital are unique. Like this very cruise – a premiere for the EUROPA. Will you join us?
The festive cruises with the EUROPA:
Atlantic islands and Caribbean dreams
24 Nov to 14 Dec 2024 – from Lisbon to Miami
New Year’s celebrations in a class of their own
14. 14 Dec 2024 to 3 Jan 2025 – from Miami to Lisbon
Fotos: Archiv, Text: Kirsten Rick