Deutschland: A Deluxe Club At Sea
Imagine
being a member of a floating deluxe club. Where you are greeted
by name by the staff and your requests expertly executed. Where
refined table service and delicious food are the norm. Where
original works of art grace the public areas and staterooms.
And where the ambience on board has a touch of the Old World.
Sound too good? Welcome to the Deutschland—a floating
club, as I like to call her, that gives her guests an unforgettable
experience. If you are looking for superb service with a European
touch, this is a ship to seriously consider.
Recently,
I was witness to that experience when I took a fifteen-day cruise
on the ship. I had never cruised for that long a duration and
that was a challenge in itself. The cruise began in Lisbon and
sailed three seas, calling on ten ports before ending in Venice.
A fifteen-day cruise is a long time to be on a ship but surprisingly
the trip felt as if it were only a few days duration.
My
adventure began after a Lufthansa flight from New York to Lisbon.
I had to change planes in Frankfurt and endure going through
security a second time. My mistake was that I did not fly a
day earlier to eliminate much of the jet lag I was saddled with
during my first day in Europe. I must say Deilmann Cruises handled
the airport transfer to the dock effortlessly on my arrival
in Lisbon and in no time I was at the ship terminal. Embarkation
was delayed a few hours since it was only noon and so I took
a taxi into the center of Lisbon to explore a bit. Upon my return
to finally board the ship, champagne was served to passengers
in the terminal as a ship band played. When it came time for
passengers to embark, the heads of the various ship departments
clapped us aboard and personally escorted us to our respective
staterooms.
I
was part of a small group of English-speaking passengers on
board since this is a predominantly German speaking ship. But
don’t let that fact deter you from taking a Deutschland cruise.
When there are nine or more English-speaking passengers, all
public announcements are made in English as well as German;
and on the entertainment front, there is usually an English-speaking
presenter along with the German host.
Peter
Deilmann Cruises is aiming for the North American market these
days and making sure that its ocean-going guests from across
the Atlantic come back again. The company’s North America headquarters
are based in Alexandria, Virginia. (Click Interview:
Ronald Santangelo, President of Deilmann Cruises).
Deilmann
Cruises is better known in North America for its deluxe river
vessels that ply the intercoastal waterways and rivers of Europe.
But as more and more North Americans are becoming experience
ocean-going cruisers, they are taking cruises further away from
home. The luxury and ambience found on Deilmann’s river vessels
is duplicated on the Deutschland. Built in 1998, the 505-passenger
vessel has a two-crew-to-one-passenger ratio. Guests are pampered
and service is first rate by the ship’s hotel staff. The ship
operates under the German flag so expect to find strict safety
regulations on board as well as cleanliness and high maintenance.
Every day I saw crew members painting the rust spots on the
exterior of the ship, washing the salt spray off the vessel’s
multiple windows, or mopping the teakwood decks. The cabins
were attended to in a highly professional manner. Used glasses
were quickly whisked away by the wait staff in the public rooms.
The ship was as clean as a whistle to use an American expression.
Here’s
what you will find on this floating “club”:
Staterooms:
The staterooms have large picture windows giving wonderful views—there
are no balconies. The self-controlled air-conditioned cabins
are nicely furnished with rich wood-veneer wardrobes that have
ample shelf space. A vanity with extra storage and a hair dryer
is at one end of the room while a small console and two chairs
are positioned by the window. There is a minibar, a minisafe
and a television. And satellite phone service is available.
The
beds are a bit soft, but they are covered with wonderful linens
and European-style duvets and pillows including a small head
pillow for reading in bed. Even the inside cabins I saw were
nicely furnished and do not give the usual claustrophobic feeling
one gets on other ships. An extra touch are the umbrellas and
shoulder duffle bags provided guests for their shore excursions.
The
Italian marble tiled bathrooms feature shower or bathtub, depending
on the cabin category, with brass fittings and shelf space.
Plush bathrobes and slippers are available as are an ample supply
of towels. Each night beds are turned down by the cabin stewardess,
used robes and towels replaced and the next day’s activity sheets
placed on your bed by the cabin steward. A small foot mat is
placed alongside the bed during bed turndown. A bottle of champagne
placed in a cooler awaits passengers on embarkation day.
Two
Grand Suites are located on Deck 8 forward, each with a full
bath, a separate sitting area and a veranda.
Dining:
There are three restaurants on board. The Art-Deco-styled 300-seat
Berlin is the principal dining room with two sittings although
it can seat all the ship’s guests in one seating if need be.
Eight-course dinners are served by experienced staff and it
is where the ship’s captain usually dines. Breakfasts and five-course
lunches are also served here. I preferred this dining room in
the morning instead of the self-serve Lido cafe as its calmer
ambience and individualized attention were better suited to
someone not quite awake before her morning coffee. At breakfast
omelets ordered were done to perfection and a nice variety of
sliced fruits were available at the buffet stand as were a variety
of European breads in addition to pastries and croissants
The
informal Lido Gourmet and Grill café serves breakfast, lunch
and dressed-down dinner buffet style. Many of the selections
here are also served in the Berlin but after a day of active
sightseeing, many passengers like to eat informally, preferring
to choose for themselves from a selection of hot and cold dishes.
There is table service with an eager staff willing to fulfill
your requests.
For
gourmets there is the quite elegant restaurant the Vier Jahreszeiten
or Four Seasons offering a selective à la carte menu that changes
daily. Within the restaurant, to the side, there is a small
dining room for private parties that can hold up to ten persons.
The tables are set with finest crystal and china and the personalized
service diners receive enhances the scene. The fine merits of
elegant dining are stressed here and dinner usually lasts two
hours or longer. Since I am always interested in food and presentation,
I dined with friends several times at this venue and was never
disappointed. Reservations are required although there is no
extra charge to dine here.
Sometimes
the menus in the restaurants reflected the cuisine of the port
just visited such as a Spanish menu which consisted of six courses
the day we visited Barcelona. Another night, after a port call
to Elba, it was the favorite dishes of Napoleon Bonaparte—potage
pistou, escargots de Bourgogne, filet of sole with ratatouille
and olive rice, and followed by a choice of three meat dishes—Carre
de’Agneau, Coq au Rouge and Tournedo au Poivre.
Entrées
in all the restaurants cater to Germanic tastes and that means
a prevalence of meat and fowl dishes offered at dinner, though
fish is offered. Even at breakfast and lunch, the buffet tables
were filled with many varieties of hams and cured meats not
usually found on American-oriented ships in addition to an ample
selection of smoked fish. There are no-smoking sections in all
the restaurants and vegetarian and dietary selections are available.
Wines
served at the table are an extra charge as is sparkling water
(plain bottled water is not). While the wine selection sways
heavily to German or other European vintages, wines from other
regions of the world, such as California, Australia and Chile,
are being added to the selection.
A
wonderful souvenir at the end of the cruise is the selection
of menus presented to guests along with a map of the cruise
itinerary autographed by the Berlin’s wait staff who had served
the guests’ respective tables.
For
late risers not using the 24-hour room service available, a
continental breakfast is served in the Lido Terrace with a nice
selection of sliced fruit, pastries and breads.
Near
the end of the cruise, the chefs present their traditional midnight
buffet in the kitchen galleys—a smashing display of culinary
talent and ice sculptures. Already stuffed by all the food I
had eaten for dinner, I could not resist trying some of these
tasty delights while speaking with the architects of this culinary
spectacular.
Public
Rooms: The two-level high Kaiser Saal (Emperor’s Ballroom)
and cocktail lounge with its magnificent chandelier and frescoed
ceiling harking back to the days of Edwardian theater provides
the setting for the nightly entertainment, The red damask walls
of the second-level balcony surrounding the ballroom are adorned
with original works by mostly German artists, and it provides
a more intimate setting to watch the show below. On the stage,
the entertainment can be a musical cabaret, a chamber music
performance or, as on one night, a magic show. For English-speaking
passengers, there is a guest translator. Other evenings the
gentleman dancers on board ship invite members of the audience
to dance to some cool tunes by the ship’s orchestra. (The ship
usually has one or two gentleman escorts for those of the fair
sex traveling solo.)
The
intimate Salon Lili Marleen Salon named after the famous Marlene
Dietrich is the venue for pre- or post-dinner drinks or receptions.
Usually a piano player or trio is on hand to play some jazz
or pop favorites. Decorated in rich wood with gold-hued upholstery,
a striking portrait of Dietrich overlooking the salon enhances
the 1920s high-society café décor so reminiscent of pre-war
Berlin.
My
favorite watering stop at any time of day but especially in
late hours was the cozy Old Fritz pub located in aft on Deck
8. Decorated in rich wood veneers and traditional tub leather
chairs, the pub extends out on to the deck—a wonderful place
to unwind and watch the sunset. Friendly bar tenders are on
hand to whip up your favorite concoction or just pour you some
good German beer along with amusing chatter. It’s definitely
the place to be for a final night cap and perhaps a sausage
or two before turning in.
The
Lido Terrace is more like a winter garden with large picture
windows where formal tea is served in the mid-afternoon. It
also doubles as a library and a place for cards or board games.
There
is also a dedicated library on board with a selection of reading
material, although on my cruise, German books predominated.
It also has two computers for emails only. I was told that there
will be more English publications and books on hand and hopefully
much needed computer improvements for Internet capability. Many
of us would scramble for the nearest Internet Café with cheaper
web services when the ship was in port.
Besides
showing films, the Cinema, midship on Deck 7, is also used for
lectures and small conferences as well as religious services.
Before visiting each port, a lecture and slide show would be
given in both English and German at different times.
One
time I attended a wonderful demonstration on how to create unusual
floral displays by a most creative young man who is the ship’s
on-board florist. His displays grace the dining and public areas
and truly they are imaginative works of beauty. One thing guests
will not see on board are plastic shrubs or flowers anywhere.
Even the staterooms have fresh flowers.
Activities:
For days at sea, there were a host of activities planned
ranging from Spa Wellness programs to lectures to dance lessons
to midday buffets and dancing by the outdoor pool. Bingo was
regularly scheduled by the cruise host to double as a basic
German/English conversational class.
In
the Fitness Center on Deck 6 aft, there is small workout area
with several machines and weights. At the entrance is a small
bar for natural waters served in wine glasses by the attendant
who also sees that you have towels, exercise mats or a private
deck chair to rest after a workout. The workout area along with
the adjacent sauna and steam bath have great sea views.
On
Deck 3, the indoor marbled Wellness Spa is designed to resemble
a Roman bath. A heated fresh-water swimming pool with a counter
current to give swimmers an aerobic workout is the first thing
one sees upon entering the spa along with contoured ceramic
lounges that are heated to sooth those aches and pains. Off
to the side are the private treatment rooms offering a variety
of therapeutic and facial treatments.
During
my cruise, a wellness program of exercises were scheduled throughout
each day. It could be aerobics en plein air on deck or
water gymnastics in the outdoor salt-water pool or walking a
nautical mile with the ship’s fitness trainer Stefan. Fitness
consultations were available as was Pilates.
Shuffleboard,
skeet shooting and a golf-putting area are other activities.
On this cruise, golf excursions were offered in various ports
at a nearby golf course. The bus trips to courses of different
design and difficulty were popular whether it was Madeira, Casablanca,
Barcelona, Elba, or Sicily. The golf program is being offered
on 12 Deutschland cruises in 2006.
There
are lots of cozy areas inside and out on deck for reading. A
deck attendant makes sure that a thick lounge cushion is on
your teakwood lounge chair. He also tucks you in with a wool
blanket on chilly days.
A
small boutique area on Deck 8 offers a variety of high-end women’s
and men’s clothes and perfumes. What I missed was being able
to purchase dental or cosmetic items such as toothpaste or hand
cream since that meant searching out a pharmacy when the ship
was in port. Near the boutique is a unisex hair salon offering
hair styling, cuts and manicure/pedicure services.
As
far as families are concerned, there is a small children’s playroom
offering arts and crafts and a few video games that also doubles
for babysitting tots with cute little bunk beds for naps. Other
than the outdoor pool and perhaps shuffleboard or table tennis
or board games, there is little on board to amuse children.
Nor is there a special section in the Lido cafe with special
meals set aside for the younger set. The ship would be better
suited to teens traveling with their parents as the ports of
call are history lessons in themselves. And if your teenager
is on school holiday with a long reading list to complete, then
the ship offers a perfect venue to complete that task.
Other
points of interest: The Concierge (Reception Desk) located
on Deck 5 is where you check in at the beginning of the cruise
and the place to settle your ship account on the last day. The
bilingual staff is very helpful if you want advice on shore
excursions or travel arrangements or need to change your currency
into euros.
The
ship is cashless during the course of the cruise. Settlement
of the cruise bill takes place on the last day with payment
by travelers checks or credit cards or euros. Gratuities are
not included in the cruise fare. The suggested tip, per passenger,
is $10/$12 per day payable in euros—the ship’s currency—to the
hotel staff broken down into deck, cabin, and dining staff.
If you tip as you purchase drinks, you will not have to tip
the bar staff additionally. There is also a box to accept tips
at the Reception Desk for those wanting to tip discreetly.
Smoking
is allowed only in designated areas in the public rooms and
mercifully it is not permitted in the staterooms.
There
are no launderettes on board. A wonderful laundry/dry cleaning
service does exist and a laundry bag is provided in one’s cabin
for an expedited service with moderate fees. Each time I sent
out my laundry bag it was returned within 24 hours.
An
efficient photo service is available near the boutique. Here
photos can be placed on disks in a few hours when your camera’s
memory cards run out. In addition, there is a ship photographer
who accompanies many of the land excursions and posts the photos
shortly after in the photo room, ensuring that there will be
many visual mementoes to take home. Or for a fee you can purchase
a video of photos taken during the cruise.
A
well-equipped infirmary that can accommodate up to six persons
is located next to the Wellness Spa and it is staffed by a physician
and nurse. Medical services are charged to your stateroom account.
Unique
Touches: It began with the arrival of my faux leather
“wallet” containing my tickets and luggage tags. Then there
were the champagne toasts each time the Deutschland left port
and the haunting melody that played as the ship thrusted away
from the dock and went on her merry way. (The music was from
the German TV version of the American Loveboat series of the
‘80s, and still filmed on board the ship each year.) Sometimes
on leaving port, a lecturer points out historical sites of interest,
such as when the ship departed from Lisbon at the beginning
of the cruise.
But
the high quality of service found in all the departments—from
the cabin stewardess to the dining staff to the staff in the
bars and public areas to the reception desk—all going out of
his or her way to ensure that your trip is one you will not
forget. Before being hired, crew working in dining, bar and
cabin areas, have to undergo a three-year apprenticeship in
a hotel or restaurant. Bar tenders must have hotel experience
and pass a bar tender examination.
And
as guests make their final disembarkation at the end of the
cruise, the captain himself along with the head of the hotel
department are at the end of the gangway to shake your hand
and thank you for cruising with them—wishing you auf Wiedersehen.
Overall
Assessment: The ship is best suited for cruisers who
are not out for a loudish frolicking time and caters mostly
to a 40-plus-and-older age group. There is no casino on board
nor Vegas-type musical revue. Cruise life is more sedate and
will appeal to those who like serenity on their trips. However,
there is no lack of activities planned for seagoing days and
whether it is dance lessons, lectures, wellness workouts or
special events such as noonday buffet and dancing beside the
pool, days will be full. In the evening while there is lots
of music performed throughout the trip you will not hear rap
or hard rock on board—just toe-tapping jazz or oldies, musical-theater
fare, or pop.
Sometimes
local vocal groups are invited on board to perform when the
ship is in port.
Passengers
were well dressed at all times—no sloppy jeans, t-shirts or
shorts except for the fitness center or sports activities—and
possessed a unique European decorum in their manner. The European
guests were always polite and friendly even though there often
was a language barrier in some of the conversations.
Our
English-language land excursions were executed in a very efficient
manner. Buses used were modern and had good window visibility.
Tour leaders were bilingual and quite informative about the
country in general and the social pluses and minuses of life
there in addition to a wealth of background on the historic
or religious sites visited. While escorted tours are limiting
in giving an in-depth view of the city visited, time is limited
and you at least get an overall picture. Most tours were three
to four hours long though some, as in Casablanca were all day
because of the distance traveled to the area visited. With the
shorter tours, one at least got three or four hours to tour
the area near the ship or have lunch in a local restaurant.
If the city was not in walking distance as in some ports, regularly
scheduled shuttle buses were provided. (Click Lisbon
to Venice Itinerary for information on the ports
visited.)
The
biggest drawback for me—and could be for younger passengers—is
the lack of computers and Internet availability on board. Since
today’s baby boomers are on the computer for business and/or
pleasure, it will be very hard to suddenly feel cut off from
web activities even though a cruise vacation is supposed to
be exactly that. Hopefully some improvements will be made in
the future.
But
don’t let this deficiency deter you from trying a cruise on
the Deutschland—for me it was a cruise of a lifetime—from immersion
in the European culture on board or in the ports visited to
the friendships made to the personal service offered guests.
The ship enjoys a 60 percent repeat rate among its guests and
one can see why after taking a cruise.
Passengers
on this five-star-rated ship will definitely have a different
view on cruising lifestyles after a voyage on the Deutschland—your
club away from home.
* * * * * * * * * *
--
Ship Statistics * Company History * Meet The Captain
--
Interview: Ronald Santangelo, President of Deilmann Cruises
--
The Lisbon To Venice Itinerary
--
2006/07 Itineraries
