Hapag-Lloyd: art galleries on board
Onboard the EUROPA 2 cruise ship operated by the German company Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, art is not just decoration, but an integral part of the journey. With a series of curated exhibitions and exclusive encounters with gallery owners and artists, the Mediterranean summer of 2025 becomes a season of creative dialogue between land and sea.
In the international luxury cruise landscape, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has distinguished itself not only for the excellence of its itineraries, but also for the care it devotes to enriching onboard time with high-profile cultural content. Each voyage thus becomes a complete experience, combining the discovery of new places with the exploration of thought, art, and beauty.
Among the many initiatives launched in recent years, the contemporary art programme stands out for its originality and consistency with the company’s refined identity, and is now one of the defining features of the EUROPA 2 cruise experience.
Starting from early summer 2025, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has chosen to decisively reinforce its artistic profile, offering guests a curated, dynamic, content-rich art programme, deeply connected to the cultural landscapes visited along the Mediterranean.
MS EUROPA 2 kreuzt in der Mittelmeer Saison auch vor Calvi, credit to Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
The artistic identity of the EUROPA 2, in fact, was no afterthought. From the very design phase, art was conceived as a structural and defining element of the onboard experience.
The 890 original artworks adorning the ship’s interior – including internationally renowned names such as Gerhard Richter, Damien Hirst and Ólafur Elíasson – accompany guests in every space. But this is no mere ornamentation: each piece was selected or commissioned according to a precise curatorial vision, aimed at encouraging reflection, dialogue, and contemplation.
This permanent collection is complemented by a seasonal programme of temporary exhibitions at the Galerie on Deck 9, an exhibition space designed to host outstanding galleries and introduce guests to both established and emerging artists.
The success of the recent art2sea themed cruise, which concluded in late spring, marked the beginning of a renewed commitment to bringing onboard not only artworks, but also curators, gallery owners, talks and discussions.
Over the course of this season, the EUROPA 2 has already hosted several noteworthy galleries, solidifying its role as a travelling cultural platform. Between July and August, for example, guests could admire works selected by the renowned Galerie Friedmann-Hahn in Berlin, which for over twenty years has focused on the languages of contemporary figuration.
Galerie an Bord der MS EUROPA 2, credit to Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
The onboard exhibition showcased paintings that reinterpret still life and portrait traditions, enriched with mixed media, urban influences and photographic interventions. Particularly appreciated was the section dedicated to the use of photography as a pictorial tool, capable of creating new levels of interpretation and sparking deeper reflections on the reality portrayed.
Next, the historic Galerie Commeter of Hamburg – one of Germany’s oldest galleries, founded in 1821 – took centre stage. Curator Carola Persiehl created a dialogue between past and present by exhibiting contemporary artists such as Jochen Hein, known for his poetic, realistic landscapes, and Maria Ikonomopoulou, whose work with paper and collage explores themes of identity and memory.
These events also took on a significant educational and cultural dimension, thanks to public lectures where gallery owners shared behind-the-scenes stories and insights about the art market and curation, offering valuable opportunities to deepen guests’ understanding of the artists and their work.
In the first half of August, the spotlight turned to Thole Rotermund Kunsthandel, a gallery specialising in 20th-century works on paper, presenting a selection focused on Berlin-based artist Peer Kriesel.
A conceptual and eclectic artist, Kriesel presented a series of works made from discarded printed materials – road maps, school manuals, bureaucratic forms – transformed into pieces rich in marks, colours and suggestions. A meditation on reuse, material memory, and visual layering that piqued the interest of many collectors on board.
MS EUROPA 2 vor Bonifacio, credit to Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
In the second half of September, during a round-trip cruise from and to Piraeus (Athens), Thole Rotermund Kunsthandel returned with a new selection of refined and intense works on paper, perfectly in tune with the Mediterranean cultural landscape.
Once again set up in the Galerie on Deck 9, the exhibition focused on early 20th-century German artists and the graphic experiments of the second half of the century, with particular attention to lithographic, woodcut and engraving techniques.
In addition to the exhibition, direct conversations with the gallery owner were held, during which he explained his criteria for artwork selection and shared anecdotes related to the history of individual editions. The intimate setting and personal dialogue that developed between expert and guest made each gallery visit an opportunity for learning as well as discovery. In line with the company’s philosophy, art thus became a space for connection and personal growth.
On the segment from Piraeus to Naples, guests aboard the EUROPA 2 were invited to explore a new installation curated by Galerie Holzhauer.
Located in Hamburg-Ottensen, this gallery has built its reputation on a genuine passion for drawing, graphic arts, paper folds and contemporary sculpture. Founder Angela Holzhauer is known for her sensitive and refined eye, capable of combining delicate execution with conceptual strength.
Guests enjoy new exhibitions on almost every trip starting in the Mediterranean season_credit to Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
The exhibition presented a visual journey through essential forms and humble materials, where line became narrative and matter turned into poetry. Some works played with light and shadow, inviting viewers to shift their perspective, while others challenged perceptions of three-dimensionality through folds and layering.
Short public talks and conversations with the curator were also scheduled, during which she shared her vision of the relationship between medium and artistic language.
Throughout the summer 2025 season, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has offered events of exceptional artistic value, and the programme is not yet over: one final exhibition, scheduled for late October, promises to end the summer in style.
During this last event, the MS EUROPA 2 will be the stage for another special art exhibition along a route from Naples to Lisbon, featuring the vibrant, colourful works of artist Thomas Pöllmann.
Hailing from the historic Goerzwerk in Berlin – a creative space in the city’s southwest that encourages the meeting of ideas, synergies, and artistic freedom – Pöllmann stands out for his playful and intuitive approach, where chance becomes an integral part of the creative process.
MS EUROPA 2 mit Zodiac, credit to Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
His large-scale works are found in private collections as well as prestigious institutions such as Deutsche Bahn, the Federal Joint Committee, and the Federal Chancellery. This cruise will be a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in a contemporary artistic atmosphere full of energy and experimentation.
The artistic project developed by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises with the EUROPA 2 represents far more than a simple decorative addition to the cruise experience. It is a true travelling curatorial journey, where the geographic voyage intersects with an aesthetic and intellectual one. Each exhibition is designed to dialogue with the ship’s route, enriching the itinerary with cultural reflections and sensory stimuli.
With the growing success of the art2sea format, the integration of art and travel is set to deepen further. The company has already announced that from next year, guided excursions to museums, galleries and ateliers in the ports of call will be introduced, expanding the very notion of a cultural cruise. Meanwhile, the next two onboard exhibitions promise emotion, dialogue, and new perspectives.
For those who love art and the sea, the EUROPA 2 now offers a one-of-a-kind experience: a place where beauty is not only admired on the horizon, but also on the ship’s walls, in gallery lounges, and in conversations with those who live for art. An invitation to sail not only to new lands, but also to new ideas.
Don’t miss further updates, news and onboard events by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises on our website Cruising Journal.