Supplement to Travel Trade
June 2002

Deilmann’s Deutschland

Debuts in Luxury Market

By Ethel Blum

Peter Deilmann’s new Deutschland is, as I expected, a beautiful ship. It is also like a small, elite European-style hotel nestled on a secluded body of water. It reminds me of a family-operated lakeside villa where dining, service, entertainment and environment blend into an ambiance that enhances the European experience.

The Deutschland qualifies as one of the most beautiful boutique-quality ships afloat. She is definitely in the high-end luxury class. From the outside, she has classic lines, with a huge funnel reminiscent of the vessels of yesteryear. On the inside, décor is in the style of a grand hotel built during the Art Deco period of the late 1920s, with touches of Edwardian splendor. These include rich, highly polished wood finishes enhanced by shiny brass grillwork, marble, tapestries, fine carpets, etched glass, soft lighting and a superb art collection.

A curved wall on Deck 7 offers 1930s-style seating on a velvet sofa. Murals, although they have not been identified, seemingly depict a vintage Deutschland steaming into Hamburg. The opposite wall shows passengers, in all their glory, enjoying the wide deck and comfortable seating, which has been recreated. (Note: about 70 ships during the past 150 years have sailed with the name Deutschland. Some were tankers, ferries, freighters and liners. The one that comes closest to the present Deutschland is best remembered as the Blue Riband winner in 1900.)

I’m told that the art, which includes museum-quality statuary, was specially commissioned for the vessel, but the choicest pieces are from Peter Deilmann’s personal collection. A few pieces date back to the 16th century.

Passengers can’t help but note the design details: the wood-finished arched dividers between cabins, brass-sculpted balustrades, etched-glass doors leading to public rooms, elegant brass hardware, and even the wooden deck lounge chairs with plumped up adjustable cushions and foot rests.

Despite its comparatively small size of 22,400 tons, the Deutschland has a lot of public space. There is never a feeling of a crowd and never a line for any service. There’s something special about this ship — and it’s evident from embarkation directly into the triple-deck atrium-style foyer, through the cabins and public rooms.

It’s most noticeable in the personal service, with a more than one-to-two ratio between passengers and crew; the fine china and cutlery in dining venues; the extra amenities in cabins and suites; the statues on each stairway landing with palm fringed baskets filled daily with fresh fruit; the marble columns; and elegant ceilings.

Built primarily with the European market in mind, there’s a lot of outdoor seating for sun-starved passengers. But, the Deutschland is an all-weather ship intended to cruise worldwide, so there’s also plenty of comfortable indoor/outdoor seating on unobstructed decks and both indoor and outdoor decks for walkers and joggers.

Embarkation is directly into the spectacular, three deck semicircular atrium on Deck 5 (Kaptain Deck). It is crowned by a magnificent stained glass dome and encircled by balconies on the two decks above the main lobby area. A giant-size mural on Deck 7 (Kommodore Deck) dominates the wall between decks.

The Deutschland has seven decks, which are almost evenly divided between cabins and public rooms. The main lounge is the double-deck, tiered 460-seat Kaiser Saal, which is used for evening entertainment, afternoon high tea, special events and captain’s parties. The gently sloped room is lavishly decorated in plush velvets and heavy drapery with flexible seating in small groupings. There is unobstructed viewing of the raised stage from even the very last row.

With three restaurants and other food service areas, passengers have dining choices. The 300-seat Berlin Restaurant is the main dining room. Passengers are assigned to two sittings, but we found it to be extremely flexible. We were able to switch tables and sittings during the voyage, depending on ports and availability.

Cuisine on the Berlin bears little to no resemblance to what we have come to expect on Caribbean-style vessels or, for that matter, in Germany. Lunch and dinner menus offer eight or nine courses, and food preparation, service and quality are premium quality. Surprisingly, “typical German” dishes were not on the menu. The preparation was international and the variety was extensive.

Americans may consider the portions to be somewhat smaller than they are accustomed to. Europeans like it this way. It gives them a chance to go right down the menu, tasting from each course. Of course, seconds are no problem and special orders are encouraged.

The 104-seat à la carte Four Seasons (Vierjahreszeiten) is the superb optional restaurant. A reservations-only dining option, it is an elegant Parisian-type restaurant. Tables for two to 10 are spaced outside of eavesdropping distance. The staff is extremely attentive. Menus change nightly.

The 150-seat Lido Restaurant is open more or less all day for anything from breakfast to a mid-day snack to a casual late-night buffet. The grill and barbecue adjacent to the Lido are open from noon to 4 p.m.

German-style mittag home cooking (wurst and the like) is offered in the Alte Fritz (Old Fritz) Pub, which extends into a partly covered deck section. This is a favorite gathering place for the under 40-year old passengers. Its casual, open atmosphere is best likened to a high-end private German club where members gather for wine, beer, snacks and conversation. Background music is provided by a pianist during evening hours. In warm weather areas, the Alte Fritz crowd moves outdoors to umbrella-covered tables during the day and for romantic moonlight gatherings when the sun sets.

Other outstanding facilities include the 90-seat Lido Terrace on the top deck. A tastefully furnished room, it serves several purposes: as an observation lounge, with windows three-quarters of the way around the room; as a library, with a limited selection of books (only two in English); and as a venue for late Continental breakfast, with freshly baked brotchen, elegant afternoon tea and evening cocktails.

The midship Lili Marlene Lounge is probably the most popular on board. A lively piano player and trio take center stage when the sun begins to set. The room is a warm, friendly, well-designed gathering place, with dividers separating small seating areas so that music doesn’t interfere with conversation.

Contrary to trends on new vessels, the Deutschland’s spa and sports center is located on the lowest passenger deck. Unusual in other ways, it has an indoor pool, sauna, massage rooms, as well as a well-equipped gymnasium. A private sunning area is not restricted to but is used almost exclusively by spa clients, who curl up with blankets on deck chairs after a massage or other treatment.

Other facilities include: an outdoor swimming pool; conference room; hair dressing salon; well-stocked shop; supervised small children’s playroom (although there were no children on board this particular sailing); an infirmary with a doctor in attendance and dialysis center; laundry services; and limited food service in cabins.

Of the 288 cabins accommodating 512 passengers, 224 are outside with large picture windows. Two cabins are designed for physically challenged passengers and a couple are noted for single occupancy.

Cabins range from 124- to 238-square feet and are configured to afford amenities that include a mini-bar, television, radio, hair dryers, tubs with showers, terry robes and amenities. Deck 8 has the most desirable cabins and 18 suites that measure up to 382-square feet. Decks, cabins and suites are color-coded and range in décor from pastel walls and carpeting to dark polished woods. All have beds that convert to twin or queen-size, duvets, top quality amenities in bathrooms and plush towels and soaps. Embarking passengers are greeted with champagne and hors d’ oeuvres on arrival and fresh fruit is replaced nightly.

Entertainment is international. While comedians are funnier if you understand German, entertainment was mostly musical and included a concert violinist, a pianist and singers. Daytime activities were movies and well-known European lecturers.

The Deutschland should be viewed by travelers and the industry as being in the same league as Seabourn and Silversea-type vessels from food to service to itineraries — but with a difference. Although she is German-built, staffed and managed, the Deutschland is about as European-Continental as you can get.

Like all high-end products, the Deutschland is not for every luxury traveler. Marketed since her introduction mainly in Germany and on the Continent, it does help if one speaks a little although I understand that, as more Americans start sailing aboard the ship, more and more of the ship’s activities will be conducted in English, as well as German.

The Deutschland is definitely for anyone who does not insist that his or her vacation environment be American-flavored; anyone who appreciates different cultures and languages and anyone who has German ancestry, no matter how far back.

The company is making a serious attempt to market to North Americans. Luxury-minded passengers, even if they don’t speak German, will feel right at home among a few familiar faces. Engelbert Lanier, former long-time hotel manager on the QE2, has been hired to supervise the multi-cultural and bilingual transition. Some of the recipes and presentations in the dining room will also have a familiar flavor. The top chef trained under Michel Roux on Celebrity ships and the dining room maitre d’ spent about five years as assistant maitre d’ on Crystal Cruises vessels.

Announcements are made in both German and English, and an English version of the day’s activities and world news is delivered to cabins of English-speaking guests every morning.

As I said, the Deutschland is different. Even on the few “casual suggested” dress evenings, almost all of the men wore jackets and many wore ties. Based on my experience, Europeans like to dress-up on cruises. They also like to take shore excursions, which were operated with guides who spoke English and German.

There are a few other things potential passengers should know. Official currency on board is the Deutsche mark and the business of the ship is quoted in that currency. At the end of the voyage, ship accounts are charged in Deutsche marks and then converted by credit card companies. In every port, the ship cashier will convert dollars directly into local currency and then change leftover money back into either German or U.S. currency.

The Deutschland is a classy ship in every regard. For instance, the shop stocks a nice line of designer merchandise and purchases will be altered, usually overnight, at no charge.

The Peter Deilmann company is headquartered in the Baltic coast town of Neustadt in northern Germany. It was founded in 1968. In addition to the Deutschland, the company also operates the 420-passenger Berlin, which sails on cruises around the world, the barquentine clipper Lili Marleen, launched in 1994 for sailing enthusiasts operating mostly in the Mediterranean, and four deluxe river cruise boats: the Mozart and Danube Princess on the Danube, the Prussian Princess on the Rhine, Moselle and Maine-Danube Canal, the Princesse de Provence on the Rhone and Saone, and the Dresden and Konigstein on the Elbe. The North American headquarters in Alexandria, VA, is headed by veteran cruise industry marketing and sales executive Ron Santangelo.

The Deutschland is homeported in Kiel during summer months for a varied schedule of Northern Europe cruises. She moves to longer cruises and exotic itineraries this month, starting with 7- to 16-night cruises in the Mediterranean, then to voyages that include visits to Oman, Dubai, Kuwait, Bombay and Sri Lanka. Included roundtrip air is available from selected North American cities.