The two-deck saloon motor ship was built as the Gotthard's sister ship in SGV's own shipyard in Lucerne , commissioned on May 1, 1976 and was named Unterwalden because it was supposed to replace the paddle steamer of the same name from 1902. Since the paddle steamer Unterwalden made its last voyage for the time being on September 22nd, in 1976 two ships with the same name operated on the lake. Soon, however, a change in the fleet policy of the SGV became apparent. After 1977 following a share capital increase, representatives of steamer friends in the Board of Directors were elected to the SGV, the company decided in 1978 preserving the steamer Unterwalden . With the restart of the paddle steamer on May 5, 1985, the motor ship received its new name Europe . With this naming, the tradition of Lake Lucerne steamers with country names was linked, including Helvetia from 1870, Italia and Germania from 1872 and Gallia from 1913. The ship was christened in Hertenstein in the presence of Marcelino Oreja , Secretary General of the Council of Europe . Hertenstein was chosen as a symbolic place for the ship's name, as the Hertenstein program was adopted there in 1946 .
A major fire on February 20, 1993 destroyed the Europa except for the hull. The ship was rebuilt and was re-inaugurated on October 24, 1995. Externally visible differences to Europe before the fire are mainly a slightly differently designed wheelhouse, two chimneys and a new main mast. The interiors have been redesigned and redesigned. The capacity was reduced from 1200 to 1100 people.
commitment
The Europa is used for scheduled trips in regular service and for special trips.
↑ a b Kurt Hunziker, Heinz Amstad: Vierwaldstättersee - our fleet . Ed .: Shipping company of the Vierwaldstättersee. Dampferzeitung, Luzern 2001, ISBN 3-9522296-0-1 , p.42-43 .
