Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Europa is completing its 25th year of service in September. Ordered as a replacement for the 1981-built Europa, the vessel was built by the Kværner Masa Yards in Helsinki, Finland.

As the sixth ship to carry the name in the company’s history, the Europa was delivered to Hapag-Lloyd on September 9, 1999.

After sailing to Germany, the 408-guest ship was christened at the Port of Hamburg on September 15, 1999.

Gabriele Frenzel, wife of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ then CEO Michael Frenzel, served as godmother during the ceremony.

Two days after the inaugural celebration, the Europa welcomed guests for its maiden cruise: a repositioning voyage to the Mediterranean that ended in Málaga, Spain.

Designed to offer a high-end product for the German-speaking market, the Europa has been sailing worldwide ever since.

After offering itineraries in Europe and two trans-Atlantic crossings throughout the end of the year, the ship is scheduled to start a global deployment in 2025.

The schedule begins with itineraries to the Canary Islands and the African West Coast in January before arriving in the Indian Ocean for cruises to Madagascar, Tanzania, the Seychelles and South Africa.

In mid-March, the Europa embarks on a repositioning voyage back to Europe via Namibia, St. Helena and the Cape Verde archipelago.

The ship then offers a spring program in the Mediterranean before repositioning to Northern Europe for the summer.

In other news, the 28,600-ton ship entered a drydock at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven earlier this month.

According to Hapag-Lloyd, the vessel’s three-week shipyard visit will involve class work and inspections, as well as upgrades for 100 suites and refurbishments to public areas.

The Europa is scheduled to welcome guests back on Oct. 4, kicking off a 16-night cruise to Western Europe and the Mediterranean.

Sailing from Hamburg to Malta, the itinerary features visits to destinations in France, Spain, Portugal and Morocco.