Hapag-Lloyd Unveils 2027 Europa Talks Program Aboard Europa
Peter Frey, a journalist and former editor-in-chief of German public broadcaster ZDF, will host selected voyages, where guests can question invited speakers directly.
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has detailed its 2027 Europa Talks program aboard Europa, where selected sailings will examine German politics, European identity and France’s presidential election. Politicians, historians and journalists will join passengers for lectures and discussions.
The series, formerly Europa Salon, combines moderated exchanges with opportunities for guests to question invited speakers directly. Peter Frey, journalist and former editor-in-chief of German public broadcaster ZDF, will host selected voyages.
“Our guests are interested in the destinations as well as the background and developments that shape our present,” said Lisa Wilken, head of luxury cruises at Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.
Political discussions on South American and European sailings
The South American edition will run from January 25 to February 17, 2027, on a 23-day voyage from Rio de Janeiro to Valparaiso. Silver fares start at €12,892 per person, based on double occupancy and including an arrival and departure package.
Former German Bundestag President Wolfgang Thierse and political scientist Andrea Rommele will join Frey to examine political developments in Germany, elsewhere in Europe and internationally. Subjects include the condition of Germany’s governing coalition, forthcoming state elections and geopolitics after the U.S. midterm elections.
France’s role in Europe after its presidential election will be the focus of a 16-day sailing from the French Riviera to Hamburg, departing May 31 and arriving June 16, 2027. The route follows the coasts of France, Spain, Portugal and Northern Europe. Silver fares start at €6,112 per person, based on double occupancy, including a travel package.
That voyage will feature former Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn and ARD journalist Sabine Rau, a former Paris correspondent. Alongside Frey, they will assess the election result from political and journalistic perspectives, including its potential consequences for France, Germany and Europe.
A separate roundtrip from Piraeus turns to Europe’s historical and cultural foundations. Participants include historian Karl Schlogel, recipient of the German Book Trade’s 2025 Peace Prize, and Monika Grutters, former minister of state for culture and media. Their discussions with Frey will address democracy, identity and European developments, supplemented by lectures.
Europa Talks looks beyond politics
The program also draws speakers from business, science and wider society. Its subject matter includes social change, international affairs and the challenges of interpreting an increasingly complex news environment.
Hapag-Lloyd plans to broaden future editions to cover more economics, science and forward-looking subjects. Three additional Europa Talks editions are planned for 2028. The voyages run from Hong Kong to Yokohama, Leixoes (Porto) to Hamburg, and New York to Miami.
