Hamburg Cruise Days 2025: a relaxed start with a captivating highlight
In wonderful maritime weather with sunshine, clouds and breezy spells, the 10th Hamburg Cruise Days began on Friday afternoon – and ended with the spectacular staging of the VASCO DA GAMA, complete with a glittering firework display. There are more exceptional events on the water lined up for visitors on Saturday and Sunday.
Thousands of visitors flocked to the 10th Hamburg Cruise Days on Friday to stroll along the waterfront, savour the atmosphere, wave to ships and soak up those first thrilling moments. This unique event opened on Friday afternoon, attracting crowds to the waterfront between Landungsbrücken and the Elbphilharmonie to enjoy the relaxed maritime atmosphere and discover the wide choice of attractions along the promenade: culinary delights, cabaret and the showcases presented by the participating cruise lines.
Friday evening marked the first highlight of Hamburg Cruise Days 2025: the atmospheric staging of the VASCO DA GAMA on the Elbe. At around 9 pm, the classic cruise ship, which belongs to the Stuttgart-based shipping company nicko cruises, glided downstream against the backdrop of the Blue Port Hamburg illuminations accompanied by music and fireworks.
The EUROPA (Hapag-Lloyd Cruises) was the first ship to enter the port on Friday morning for the Hamburg Cruise Days. It starred in the official opening of the new Hamburg Cruise Centre HafenCity in the evening and left the port again at around 10.30 pm.
A total of eight cruise ships are making an appearance at the Hamburg Cruise Days from 12 to 14 September 2025: AIDAperla and AIDAsol (AIDA Cruises), EUROPA (Hapag-Lloyd Cruises), Mein Schiff 4 (TUI Cruises), MSC Preziosa (MSC Cruises), MS Sans Souci (PLANTOURS Kreuzfahrten), Norwegian Dawn (Norwegian Cruise Line) and VASCO DA GAMA (nicko cruises). Details of the ships’ layovers and terminals can be found here, and more information about the individual ships can be found here.
The highlights of the next two days
Five of these cruise ships will be in port on Saturday evening for the next highlight on the programme: the Grand Hamburg Cruise Days Parade, where the festively illuminated ships sail down the Elbe together from 9 pm on against the backdrop of the blue illuminations in the port, accompanied by music and a commentary. The grand finale of the parade will be a spectacular firework display over the Elbe. The order of the ships is Mein Schiff 4 (TUI Cruises) – AIDAperla (AIDA Cruises) – MSC Preziosa (MSC Cruises) – VASCO DA GAMA (nicko cruises) – MS Sans Souci (PLANTOURS Kreuzfahrten). It’s worth getting there early to grab a good position to watch these majestic ships manoeuvre into position and master the complex navigational challenges in the port of Hamburg.
The charming programme of events along the promenade will also continue on Saturday and Sunday, attracting visitors with a wide range of culinary delights from street food to home-style cooking, cabaret and culture, activities for children, cruise flair and promotions from the cruise lines. The event site will be open on Saturday from 11 am to midnight and on Sunday from 11 am to 8 pm.
On Sunday evening, visitors can look forward to another maritime high note: the joint departure of two majestic cruise ships. At around 7 pm, the MSC Preziosa will set sail from Steinwerder and meet the Norwegian Dawn at the Elbphilharmonie. Accompanied by music and commentary, both ships will then sail gracefully downriver to the sea.
Blue Port Hamburg will accompany the Hamburg Cruise Days 2025 even after the grand finale: this year, as Blue Port Art, it will continue to shine after the Hamburg Cruise Days weekend until Sunday 21 September.