Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has unveiled a preview of 127 routes across its now fully bilingual fleet, inviting travelers to explore extraordinary destinations, culinary moments and expedition experiences in 2028. Guests can place non-binding pre-bookings for their preferred voyages. Digital previews are available now for both the luxury and expedition segments, with printed brochures to follow. Binding bookings and full pricing will open in December 2025.
Europa
January–April 2028 places the spotlight on Asia. Two in-depth cruises aboard Europa around the Philippines headline the season, returning to Japan for the cherry-blossom season. A curated Southeast Asia program mixes tropical islands and marquee cities, with convenient transfer gateways such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City and Yokohama. Before returning toward Europe, Europa explores the Indian Ocean/Southern Africa around Cape Town and sails north to the Canary Islands.
For summer 2028, Europa settles into an extended Mediterranean season:
- Short escapes to the Côte d’Azur
- A comprehensive north–south cruise along Italy’s coastline
- Island-hopping across Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearics
Voyages range from five to 13 days, designed for indulgence, culture and relaxation. From August to September, Europa will explore Western Europe and the Baltic Sea from German ports. In October, the ship sets a course via Greenland to Canada. November–December features the U.S. East Coast and Southern States en route to the Caribbean, with a festive season immersed in the flora and fauna of Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama. For extended escapes, Europa will again offer longer route combinations of approximately 54–108 days.
Europa 2
In January 2028, Europa 2 explores Central and South America with itineraries featuring Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia. In February, the ship will offer cruises to and from Miami, blending New Orleans and Galveston with Caribbean beaches and Mayan heritage in Mexico. A spring Atlantic crossing follows from the ABC Islands, calling at Cape Verde, the Canary Islands and the Azores, then cruising up the Western European coast to arrive in Hamburg in April.
From April to mid-July, Europa 2 operates from German ports to Western Europe, the Baltic Sea and Norway—with two calls on Svalbard including cruising in St. Jonsfjord and a return to the North Cape for the first time in many years. The ship then spends late summer and autumn in the Western and Eastern Mediterranean.
Pre-Christmas, Europa 2 adds a nine-day Orient itinerary (UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman). The Christmas journey sails Dubai to Singapore, showcasing the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia—swapping snow flurries for white-sand beaches.
Hanseatic Nature
Breaking with tradition, Hanseatic Nature spends winter 2027/28 in warmer climates rather than ice, sailing the Indian Ocean with a focus on Madagascar and the Seychelles through March 2028. Thanks to strict visitor limits, remote atolls like Aldabra can only be accessed by small expedition ships, a hallmark of the Hapag-Lloyd class. Guests can expect frequent Zodiac outings, guided hikes, beach landings and snorkeling, alongside expert-led interpretation of endemic wildlife, including the famed Aldabra giant tortoises.
For winter 2028/29, Hanseatic Nature returns to Northern Europe with both shorter itineraries and classics: Baltic Sea explorations and Northern Lights expeditions to the North Cape and Geirangerfjord, all combinable into longer journeys.
Hanseatic Inspiration and Hanseatic Spirit
Hanseatic Inspiration and Hanseatic Spirit remain in the Antarctic through February 2028. New to the program are two 14-day expeditions focusing on South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula, perfect for travelers seeking a shorter, high-impact polar experience. Classic routes continue to feature the Weddell Sea, Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctic Circle crossings before turning to the Peninsula. The much-loved semi-circumnavigation from Tierra del Fuego to New Zealand also returns. From November 2028, both ships once again head south to the ice.
New frontiers: Indonesia, the Kimberley, Amazon & the Great Lakes
In spring/summer 2028, the expedition fleet widens the map:
- Hanseatic Spirit introduces three Indonesia routes, with unforgettable days in Raja Ampat and a first-ever program in Western Australia’s Kimberley. The 18-day Kimberley expedition features signature Zodiac adventures on the King George River and at Montgomery Reef, plus the Houtman Abrolhos archipelago.
- Hanseatic Inspiration operates two Amazon cruises in April, then returns to North America’s Great Lakes, where Hapag-Lloyd Cruises remains the only operator to combine all five lakes on a single cruise. The Hanseatic Inspiration’s 2028 season raises the bar with premiere calls (including Cleveland and Alpena), expedition days on the rarely visited Lake Superior, and innovative combinations reaching Labrador, Newfoundland and Greenland.
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