The Best Competition At Sea

In an age where cruise lines seem content to continually one-up each other in terms of outrageous onboard diversions – from big top tents to boxing rings, aqua theatres, levitating bars, even an actual city street – it’s refreshing to see one line in particular adopt a different view of what constitutes onboard entertainment, one in which both passengers and performers alike stand to benefit.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, best known for their luxurious fleet of five-star ships featuring world-class cuisine and service coupled with some of the most innovative itineraries available, will be hosting their second-annual classical music competition at sea.

The “Stella Maris” International Vocal Competition is designed to bring up-and-coming talent from the most renowned opera houses throughout the world together for an incredible event at sea that is completely unique to the Hamburg, Germany-based line. Where other lines focus on their lounges or fixed amenities, the defining factor here is the incredible talent that will be embarking on the five-star EUROPA in Istanbul, Turkey on November 6, 2010 for a ten-day journey through Turkey, Cyprus, Lebanon, and Jordan.

Also embarking in Istanbul will be the distinguished jury of famous classical music personalities. Under the direction of Canadian tenor Michael Schade, jurors Christina Scheppelmann (Washington National Opera), Daniel Goodwin (Deutsche Grammophon), and Martin Engstroem (Verbier Festival), the jury will decide on the recipients of prizes including a guest engagement at the Washington National Opera, a concert at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, and a test recording courtesy of Deutsche Grammophon.

The major prize, however, and one which performers will be strongly vying for, is the €15,000 grand prize. This incredibly generous amount is provided courtesy of the cultural foundation Hauck & Aufhaeuser. Perhaps most impressively, the audience onboard the ship will get to determine who walks away with this honour.

Featuring competitors culled from some of the most renowned opera houses around the world, this unique voyage promises to give passengers the musical experience of a lifetime while whisking them in style and comfort to some of the most historic ports in the world. Boasting private balconies on 80% of her staterooms (and not a single cabin under 290 square feet), the 408-guest EUROPA features an astonishing number of public rooms for a vessel her size. From the magrodome-covered pool to the open-grill cafe, two specialty restaurants, and the newly-renovated OCEAN SPA, EUROPA combines the elegance of days gone by with the all the modern comforts and amenities expected by today’s cruiser.

Prices for this unique experience start at $6,570 per person based on double occupancy. Sounds expensive? Maybe, but remember: this is an ultra-luxury line. The amount of money you could reasonably expect to pay to see performances of a similar calibre in London or New York could easily creep up into the thousands. The opportunity, though, to see truly great performances by some of these talented, up-and-coming individuals while experiencing a magnificent ten day cruise to the cradle of civilization, surrounded by every comfort – is a bargain, and one that will likely sell out quickly.



For more information on this incredible itinerary, departing November 6, 2010, visit the Stella Maris Competition website.