|   Europa 2 entering Southampton Water   | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Europa 2 | 
| Operator | Hapag-Lloyd cruises | 
| Port of registry |  Valletta,  | 
| Builder | STX Europe, Saint-Nazaire, France | 
| Laid down | 7 February 2012 [1] | 
| Launched | 6 July 2012 [2] | 
| Christened | 10 May 2013 | 
| Acquired | 26 April 2013 [1] | 
| Maiden voyage | 11 May 2013 | 
| Identification | 
  | 
| Status | In service | 
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 42,830 GT [1] | 
| Length | 225.62 m (740 ft) [1] | 
| Beam | 26.70 m (88 ft) | 
| Draught | 6.3 m (21 ft) | 
| Decks | 7 passenger decks | 
| Propulsion | Diesel-electric with four MaK 6M43C, 24 MW total | 
| Speed | 21 knots | 
| Capacity | 516 passengers | 
| Crew | More than 370 | 
MS Europa 2 is a cruise ship operated by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, a German-based cruise line. She entered service in May 2013.
Europa 2 was built at the STX Europe shipyard at St-Nazaire, France. Her first steel was cut on 5 September 2011, the keel was laid on 1 March 2012 and she was launched on 6 July 2012. On 29 April 2013, the vessel was handed over to Hapag Lloyd, with Wolfgang Flägel, managing director of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Laurent Castaing, general manager of STX France, signing the takeover protocol. [3] She was christened on 10 May 2013, during the 824th Hamburg Port anniversary. [4]
Europa 2 is intended to convey a more relaxing atmosphere than that of her more traditional fleet mate, the Europa. [5] She has the greatest space per passenger of any cruise ship, [5] with contemporary decor. [6]
The art collection aboard Europa 2 is one of the largest at sea, with 890 originals commissioned exclusively for the vessel. The collection's focus is on contemporary pieces; it includes works by Ólafur Elíasson, David Hockney, Damien Hirst, Adam Fuss and Hans Hartung. [5]
 Europa 2 has 251 passenger cabins, seven restaurants and six bars, a 15-metre-long (49 ft) pool, a gym, a spa and two golf simulators. [7] [8] [9] [10]
The option to plugin whilst in port (and turnoff the engines) was added in 2020 (known as cold ironing) [11]
Europa 2's 14-night maiden voyage departed from Hamburg, Germany, and stopped at Amsterdam, Antwerp, Honfleur, La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Bilbao, Leixões and Lisbon. [12] The vessel has since been named the number-one cruise ship in the world by the Berlitz Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships, replacing her fleetmate, MS Europa, which had held that distinction for more than a decade. [5]