by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 8:40 AM ET, Fri April 25, 2025
The Port of Nanaimo welcomed a touch of German elegance this week as the ultra-luxury cruise ship MS Europa 2 made its first stop of the year, officially launching the city’s 2025 cruise season.
Operated by Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, the 225-metre vessel docked at the cruise terminal early Monday morning, April 21, Nanaimo News reports.
With capacity for just 500 guests, MS Europa 2 was built in 2013. The ship is renowned for its understated elegance, fine dining, and generous onboard space — every stateroom is a suite with a private veranda.
While Nanaimo’s 2025 cruise schedule is small in scale, it punches above its weight.
The vessel’s arrival marks the first of four scheduled cruise ship visits to Nanaimo this season, a modest but meaningful figure for a city steadily re-establishing itself as a boutique port of call along the Pacific Northwest.
Sailing on an 18-day round-trip voyage from Los Angeles to Vancouver, MS Europa 2 included Nanaimo as a stop alongside an itinerary including Victoria, Seattle, Astoria, Eureka, Santa Barbara, San Diego, and ultimately Vancouver.
The ship arrived from Victoria at 8 a.m. and departed for Vancouver at 6 p.m., allowing passengers a full day to discover local highlights such as the Old City Quarter, the Bastion, and the city’s scenic waterfront.
Next on the city’s cruise calendar is the Seabourn Quest, scheduled to dock on May 15 during a northbound voyage to Ketchikan, Alaska.
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