{"id":16942,"date":"2023-05-10T07:25:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-10T05:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thechill.at\/?p=16942"},"modified":"2023-05-10T08:24:31","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T06:24:31","slug":"ms-europa-2-cruise-experience-manila-saigon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thechillreport.com\/en\/2023\/05\/10\/ms-europa-2-cruise-experience-manila-saigon\/","title":{"rendered":"MS Europa 2 Cruise Experience: Frog Legs and other interesting Moments"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are many people who dislike cruising in principle – but have never been on board a ship. There are few people who have been on board a ship and don’t like cruising. Provided they catch the right ship and the right route. What MS Europa 2 cruise experience<\/strong> have I had? Read it for yourself. Here is part 1 of the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chicken without Feathers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“You have to try this now!” says my colleague Antje-Katrin from Senzacamedi<\/a>. She waves a somewhat burnt-looking piece <\/strong>around in front of my nose. It smells good, a bit like lemongrass and grilled meat. She looks serious, her gaze brooking no argument. “That’s what people eat here,”<\/strong> she adds. I give myself a second to think, then I grab it. I eat frog legs.<\/strong> It tastes like chicken without feathers. The meat is a little firmer, but good. If someone had told me that just two hours ago – or even before I left – I would have just shaken my head in disbelief. After all, I am somehow three-quarters vegetarian and quite fussy (not to say cowardly!) about my food. But a lot has happened <\/strong>since I boarded the MS Europa 2 in Manila.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hafen von Manila \u00a9 The Chill Report<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Was it love at first sight? Not necessarily. That – the first sight – was a little clouded. After all, I had a rather long journey<\/strong>, I was tired and if it wasn’t part of the honest MS Europa 2 cruise experience report – I would keep it quiet. But: I was sweating. To go from European winter directly to 36 degrees and 79 percent humid Manila is – well – a bit extreme. But already the second glance made me feel affectionate. Fortified with a glass of welcome champagne<\/strong>, which by the way is given to all shore visitors together with a refreshing towel upon their return, I explored the ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Size of a Grand Dame<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You don’t ask ladies their age. And certainly not about their dress size. What is striking without any research: the MS Europa 2 seems elegant and more intimate t<\/strong>han all the ships on which I have been a passenger so far. In comparison: the Costa Deliziosa has room for 2,826 passengers. The AIDAnova sails the seas with around 6,000 people. And how many passengers fit on Hapag-Lloyd’s MS Europa 2<\/a>? There are just 251 suites spread over the ship, which is just over 200 metres long. With a maximum draught of 6.5 metres and its model dimensions, the MS Europa 2 can also call at destinations whose ports are unsuitable for larger ships. For example, in the Amazon region<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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She was christened almost exactly ten years ago, on 10 May 2013<\/strong>. Since then, continuous facelifts have helped to ensure that the “Grand Dame of the Seas” does not show her age. The public areas, which are kept in pleasant and extremely elegant colours<\/strong>, are striking. Fortunately, one looks in vain for tangled carpets in the brightest colours. Instead, natural tones and tasteful details predominate. Anyone who has ever been a guest on a larger ship will quickly appreciate the clarity. The ship is clearly structured<\/strong>. And it is easy to find your own cabin, even after the fourth cocktail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n