At Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, the experienced provider of luxury and expedition cruises, each cruise becomes a journey of culinary discovery. With a great deal of culinary creativity, our chefs and gourmet experts bring the flavours of the regions you visit on to your plate. On two cruises on board the EUROPA 2 this year, guests can look forward to culinary highlights that appeal to all the senses and are sure to delight connoisseurs in particular.
This autumn, guests on the EUROPA 2 will experience culinary diversity in its purest form. Accompanied by wine and spice sommeliers, guests can experience the island magic of Madeira and the Azores as well as the Caribbean on board the luxury ship on select cruises in October and November, always in line with our standards of combining enjoyment and health in perfect harmony.
Luxury cruise with Europe’s top sommelier Rakhshan Zhouleh
The EUROPA 2 focuses on culinary diversity and fine wines. This route is accompanied by a sommelier who once stood on the football pitch and is now one of the best in his field. Working at restaurants such as the Tantris in Munich and the Haerlin in Hamburg have shaped the career of Rakhshan Zhouleh. Added to this are years spent at top wineries. A multiple award winner, sought-after lecturer, successful with his own wine edition and as head sommelier at Europe’s oldest restaurant, the Stiftskulinarium in Salzburg, he knows how to combine his passion for wine with knowledge and humour. This cruise, for which he has brought along a tailor-made selection of wines, promises impressive landscapes as well as encounters with one of Europe’s best sommeliers.
Cruise details (22 Oct to 2 Nov 2025, 11 days): In October, the EUROPA 2 will set sail from Lisbon to the Algarve, heading for Portimao before taking its guests to the island worlds of Madeira and the Azores. Crater lakes on Sao Miguel, the rocky north coast of Terceira and the river trip through the Douro Valley to Porto and back to Lisbon make this route a cruise full of contrasts, from rugged nature to lively city culture. For more information, visit: www.hl-cruises.com/EUX2524.
Cape Verde to Caribbean beaches: a spices and wellness cruise with Dr Manuela Mahn
Spice sommelier and nutritionist Dr Manuela Mahn shares her knowledge of spices, herbs and cuisine in books, lectures, webinars and tastings. Mahn has worked as a lecturer and examiner for the Genussakademie Bayern, the DHBW Heilbronn and the University of Salzburg. She also curated the German Spice Museum in Kulmbach. Her workshops and lectures are aimed at amateur cooks, people with a particular passion for spices, and health-conscious connoisseurs.
Cruise details (13 Nov to 28 Nov 2025, 15 days): The EUROPA 2 begins its cruise in Tenerife and first heads for La Gomera and La Palma. Cape Verde with Santo Antao offers impressive mountain landscapes, which are still rarely visited by cruise ships. Mindelo on Sao Vicente is known as the cultural centre of the archipelago. After five relaxing days at sea, guests can look forward to the beaches of Barbados, the spice island of Grenada with its scent of nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla, and the final destination of Curacao. For more information, visit: www.hl-cruises.com/EUX2526.
