Enjoying art at sea: Hapag-Lloyd Cruises sharpens its art profile on the EUROPA 2 from the Mediterranean season onwards

Travel inspires. Art moves. On the ships of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, both worlds are united in a unique way: exclusive collections, renowned artists and curated art concepts accompany guests at sea and open new perspectives. The EUROPA 2 is inextricably linked with the art world. Following the successful conclusion of the art2sea format voyage last weekend, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is focusing on the theme of art on the EUROPA 2. During the upcoming summer season in the Mediterranean, top-tier galleries on board will rotate exhibitions, offering art enthusiasts an immersive cultural experience on every voyage, complete with exclusive opportunities for personal interaction with renowned experts at sea.

The world is full of colors, perspectives and stories. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has always been passionate about making this diversity visible, both on land and on board.

Art as part of a holistic travel experience

Art is an integral part of all ships in the fleet. On the luxury fleet and the expedition fleet, art is deliberately used to give travel an additional emotional depth. Art broadens horizons, creates new perspectives, and opens inspiring spaces for discussion. With the highest quality, a clear curatorial line, and the conviction that discovery is not only geographical, but also intellectual and emotional. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises turns every voyage into a work of art.

Expanded art program on the EUROPA 2 from the Mediterranean season onwards

On the EUROPA 2, casual luxury lifestyle and contemporary art merge into a complete experience. A top-class art collection was integrated during the planning of the ship: there are 890 original pieces of art on the ship. Carefully curated and in some cases specially commissioned, from greats such as Gerhard Richter, Damien Hirst and Ólafur Elíasson to young European talents. This experience is complemented by changing exhibitions in the gallery on deck 9.

With the successful conclusion of this year's art2sea voyage, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is looking to the future: "I am delighted at how open and interested our guests are in the topic of art on board. This is precisely why we will be anchoring this dimension even more firmly on our voyages in future. Starting next year, our art2sea voyages on the EUROPA 2 will regularly feature gallery owners and artists, with guided art excursions added to both the onboard and shore programs," emphasizes Susanna Kitzl, Artistic Director at Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. She adds: “Already during the upcoming Mediterranean summer season we will have viewings in cooperation with top-class exhibition venues in our gallery on board on almost every voyage of the EUROPA 2, which is not only curatorially but also logistically enormously demanding.”

Accompanied by changing galleries and artists, a platform for dialog about art is being created on board, and starting next year it will be extended also on land, with art excursions to renowned museums, studios and galleries along the route.

In the upcoming summer of 2025, guests can look forward to the following collaborations in the gallery on deck 9 of the EUROPA 2 (https://www.hl-cruises.com/art):

• From Bilbao to Barcelona: the cooperation with the renowned Berlin gallery Friedmann-Hahn, from Charlottenburg, stands for contemporary art. For 20 years, the gallery has been presenting works that combine a keen sense of current trends with craftsmanship. At the heart of the collection is figurative painting, in which art-historical traditions such as still life is translated into the language of the present. Photography is also used as a creative tool to open new perspectives. The portfolio is complemented by sculptors and artists from the field of urban art. MS EUROPA 2 from 19.07. to 30.07.2025 (11 days). Bookable at the SILVER fare from € 6,290 per person based on double occupancy, excluding arrival and departure package. Further information at: https://www.hl-cruises.com/EUX2514 
  
  
• From Barcelona to Monte-Carlo: works from the traditional Hamburg gallery Commeter from Hamburg, which has been shaping the art scene since 1821 and was founded by Ernst Georg Harzen and Johann Matthias Commeter. Today, Carola Persiehl, the descendant of the founders, runs the gallery and shows contemporary art by artists such as Jochen Hein, Maria Ikonomopoulou and Klaus Schweier. MS EUROPA 2 from 30.07. to 07.08.2025 (8 days). Bookable at the SILVER fare from € 4,690 per person based on double occupancy, excluding arrival and departure package. Further information at: https://www.hl-cruises.com/EUX2515 
  
  
• From Palma de Mallorca to Civitavecchia (Rome) and from / to Piraeus (Athens): Specializing in German Expressionist and Classical Modernist works on paper, Thole Rotermund Kunsthandel has been one of the leading contacts for collectors throughout Europe in this field for over 20 years. In addition to the classic art trade, Thole Rotermund is a competent advisor not only to established collections, but also to individuals when acquiring or selling a work of art. He is also a member of the board of the Federal Association of German Galleries and Art Dealers (BVDG).
  
  On the cruise from Palma de Mallorca to Civitavecchia, Thole Rotermund Kunsthandel presents the Berlin artist and paper lover Peer Kriesel to the gallery on the EUROPA 2, who uses “designed” print products, which have become obsolete in their original form, as painting surfaces for his exciting overpaintings. MS EUROPA 2 from 16.08. to 25.08.2025 (9 days). Bookable at the SILVER fare from € 5,190 per person based on double occupancy, excluding arrival and departure package. Further information at: https://www.hl-cruises.com/EUX2517  
  
  Thole Rotermund Kunsthandel will also be exhibiting in the gallery on the EUROPA 2 on the late summer route from and to Piraeus from 13.09. to 22.09.2025 (9 days). Bookable at the GOLD fare from € 5,790 per person based on double occupancy, excluding arrival and departure package. Further information at: https://www.hl-cruises.com/EUX2520 
  
  
• From Piraeus (Athens) to Naples: For more than two decades, the Holzhauer Gallery has had its home port in an old factory loft in Hamburg-Ottensen. The versatile gallery owner Angela Holzhauer has a preference for works on paper, i.e. drawings, prints and folds as well as sculptures. MS EUROPA 2 from 30.09. to 11.10.2025 (11 days). Bookable at the SILVER fare from € 5,990 per person based on double occupancy, excluding arrival and departure package. Further information at: https://www.hl-cruises.com/EUX2522 
  
  
• From Naples to Lisbon: artist Thomas Pöllmann inspires with his colorful works. His studio is part of the historic Goerzwerk in south-west Berlin, a place that offers space for ideas, synergies and artistic freedom, perfect for experimental work. Intuition and a playful approach to chance characterize his often large-scale works, which can be found in private spaces, well-known companies and institutions such as Deutsche Bahn, the Joint Federal Committee or government buildings such as the Federal Chancellery. MS EUROPA 2 from 11.10. to 22.10.2025 (11 days). Bookable at the SILVER fare from € 5,990 per person based on double occupancy, excluding arrival and departure package. Further information at: https://www.hl-cruises.com/EUX2523 
  
  

Art at sea - also on board the expedition fleet

The expedition ships, the HANSEATIC nature, the HANSEATIC inspiration and the HANSEATIC spirit also display impressive art collections of around 200 works each, thematically dedicated to showcase nature and the relationship between humans, animals and the environment. As an integral part of the travel experience, works by international artists such as Michael Poliza, Mella Shaw and the Kenyan collective Ocean Sole emphasize the emotional power of art. Unlike on MS EUROPA 2, the art on the expedition fleet is part of a permanent exhibition and is not for sale. Interested guests will find detailed art catalogs on the respective collections in the on-board libraries.