While Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo are currently hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the artistic presentation of these major events is also receiving considerable attention alongside the sporting achievements. With three internationally renowned choreographers, Diego Tortelli, Yoann Bourgeois and Alexander Ekman, who have leading roles in the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is also showcasing contemporary dance at the very highest level – exclusive, accessible and embedded in a luxurious cruise experience. Premieres, innovative formats and acclaimed revivals make the EUROPA 2 a stage for choreographies of global appeal:https://www.hl-cruises.com/cruises/themed-cruises/arts-entertainment
The XXV Olympic Winter Games are currently taking place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy and will continue until 22 Feb 2026. The Paralympic Winter Games will follow from 6 to 15 Mar 2026. Precision, expressiveness, discipline and emotional intensity shape these major international events – qualities that also characterise the signature style of the choreographers whose works can be experienced on the EUROPA 2. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is once again putting the sophisticated arts and entertainment programme of its luxury fleet in the spotlight on its stage at sea.
Diego Tortelli is responsible for the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics and Yoann Bourgeois is responsible for the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympics. In 2024, Alexander Ekman was Head of Choreography for the Winter Paralympics in Paris. With the same artistic standards, the three exceptional choreographers will be presenting dance performances on the stage of the small and exclusive luxury ship EUROPA 2 this year and the next.
With this extraordinary selection of choreographers, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is making a strong international cultural statement in the Olympic year 2026. The EUROPA 2 will become a stage for artists who shape major global events, showcasing their art in a setting that combines intimacy, quality and emotional depth.
Since its commissioning, the EUROPA 2 has regularly been named “best cruise ships in the world” (Insight Guides Cruising & Cruise Ships 2025). With a maximum capacity of 500 guests, it offers the ideal setting for extraordinary encounters between the audience and art: contemporary dance can be experienced at the highest level in an exclusive, personal atmosphere.
“Our artistic partnerships are based on trust, creative freedom and uncompromising quality standards,” says Foad Naddafi, Artistic Director at Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. “The fact that several of our choreographers play influential roles at the Olympic and Paralympic Games shows how consistently we curate a cultural programme of international relevance at sea.”
Diego Tortelli and Aterballetto – Olympic closing ceremony choreography and exclusive premiere
A cultural highlight of the 2026 Olympic year will be the production by Italian choreographer Diego Tortelli, who has been officially appointed Head of Choreography for the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics by Fondazione Milano Cortina. The closing ceremony will take place on 22 Feb 2026 at the Arena di Verona. Under the title ‘Beauty in Action’, Aterballetto will also perform as part of the official artistic programme of the ceremony.
Just a few months later, Tortelli is due to perform on the EUROPA 2 with Aterballetto. The company, which previously participated in the official Olympic closing ceremony, will present the premiere of a newly developed version of an existing work on board, which it will then take on an international tour. A poetic, physically precise work between classical technique and contemporary narrative.
- Sample cruise, EUX2619 (16 Aug to 25 Aug 2026, 9 days): From the port in Civitavecchia (Rome) along the Italian coast all the way to Dubrovnik on the idyllic Adriatic Sea – a cruise featuring history, art and culture. Bookable in the PLATIN fare from € 8.815 per person, double occupancy, including travel package to and from departure and arrival points. For more information, visit: https://www.hl-cruises.com/cruisefinder/eux2619
- Sample cruise, EUX2624 (10 Oct to 18 Oct 2026, 8 days): From Palma de Mallorca to Lisbon: city hopping in southern Europe – Mediterranean diversity meets modern on-board culture. Bookable in the PLATIN fare from € 6.000 per person, double occupancy, including travel package to and from departure and arrival points. For more information, visit: www.hl-cruises.com/EUX2624
Yoann Bourgeois – Paralympic opening ceremony and poetic physical artistry
French choreographer and performance artist Yoann Bourgeois is another protagonist of the Olympic year on board the EUROPA 2. Bourgeois has been officially named Head of Choreography for the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortino 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
In 2027, he will stage “NOVECENTO – The Legend of the Ocean Pianist” based on Alessandro Baricco exclusively for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, a poetic work at the intersection of dance, contemporary circus and physical movement.
- Sample cruise, EUX2714 (3 Aug to 15 Aug 2027, 12 days): From Civitavecchia (Rome) to Palma de Mallorca. Elegance of the Mediterranean: from luxurious summer days in Portofino, St-Tropez or Ibiza and the colourful flair of Cinque Terre to the indulgent Balearic lifestyle. Bookable in the PLATIN fare from € 8.980 per person (incl. early booking discount until 31 Oct 2026), double occupancy, including travel package to and from departure and arrival points. For more information, visit: https://www.hl-cruises.com/EUX2714
Alexander Ekman – Olympic creativity in motion
The EUROPA 2 is continuing its successful collaboration with the exceptional Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman, who already gained international attention in 2024 as Head of Choreography for the Paralympic Games in Paris.
Entitled “Ekman meets EUROPA 2 – Take 5”, the show concept combines Ekman’s unmistakable signature style with precision, humour and emotional power, bringing contemporary dance to life. This year, guests will experience the production on a spring cruise across the Atlantic and through the western Mediterranean, which is already fully booked. Those who don't want to miss the chance to experience Ekman's extraordinary art of choreography up close can already look forward to next year. It has now been confirmed that Alexander Ekman will bring his choreography to the stage of the EUROPA 2 again in 2027.
- Sample cruise, EUX2762 (21 Jul to 3 Aug 2027, 13 days): From Tenerife to the islands of the Atlantic via southern Portugal and Spain, the Balearic Islands, Sardinia and Corsica to Civitavecchia (Rome), guests experience a cruise full of elegance, culture and unforgettable landscapes. Bookable in the PLATIN fare from € 9.790 per person (incl. early booking discount until 31 Oct 2026), double occupancy, including travel package to and from departure and arrival points. For more information, visit: https://www.hl-cruises.com/EUX2762
