Magnificent late summer sun, captivating moments and an enthusiasm for cruises that remained as lively as ever marked the end of the Hamburg Cruise Days 2023 on Sunday evening. The organisers and the city are highly satisfied.

It was a cruise festival that ticked every single box: fabulous weather, nine impressive cruise ships ranging from majestic ocean cruisers to sleek expedition ships and charming river cruise boats, a great programme on land with entertainment and culinary delights, and the incomparable maritime spirit that only Hamburg can conjure up.

Hundreds of thousands of people came to the Hamburg Cruise Days 2023, which once again clearly demonstrated why it is known as the most beautiful cruise festival in the world. Far more than the projected 250,000 visitors flocked to the event; even outside the event site on both sides of the Elbe River, tens of thousands more came to share the enjoyment of the Hamburg Cruise Days and the event’s spectacular highlights – the Rhapsody in Blue and the Grand Hamburg Cruise Days Parade.

The passion for cruises remains as strong as ever

The incredible popularity of the event shows that cruises are a true asset for Hamburg as a destination. Michael Otremba, Managing Director of Hamburg Tourismus GmbH: “Breath-taking images of the Hamburg Cruise Days have gone around the world: dazzling sunshine, the port in a magical blue light and wonderful shows on the water of a kind that are only possible in Hamburg.”

Sven Jacobsen, Vice President Communication & Sustainability at AIDA Cruises, the premium partner of the Hamburg Cruise Days: “AIDA would like to thank all those involved and those who helped out both out front and behind the scenes. Their incredible commitment and passion make the Hamburg Cruise Festival so very special, and this year they again pulled out all the stops. The unique atmosphere and the special mood over all three days on water and on land speak for themselves – hundreds of thousands of visitors have been inspired by the magic of cruises.”

The organisers Uwe Bergmann (uba) and Katja Derow (redroses communications) were also very satisfied with the event: “The interest in the Hamburg Cruise Days and the consistently positive feedback we get from visitors on site and on social media shows that the enthusiasm for this beautiful, atmospheric event remains as high as ever. It is wonderful to see so many people coming together peacefully and harmoniously to experience and celebrate cruising in Hamburg’s harbour.”

A final highlight on Sunday – and farewell until 2025

Early on Sunday evening at the final highlight of the event, visitors to the Hamburg Cruise Days were invited to wave goodbye to ships one last time: in the AIDA Sailaway, AIDAsol and AIDAperla left the port of Hamburg to a moving soundtrack. The land programme of the Hamburg Cruise Days ended at 8 pm, the Blue Port Hamburg continued to shine until midnight.

The next Hamburg Cruise Days are scheduled to take place in 2025. From 12 – 14 September 2025, the port city on the Elbe River will once again be devoted to the magic of cruises.

Hamburg, 8 September 2023 – Magnificent summer temperatures, a relaxed mood along the waterfront and two evening highlights: the world’s most beautiful cruise festival, the Hamburg Cruise Days 2023, got off to a wonderful start.

The Hamburg Cruise Days are back in all their glory: from 8-10 September, nine cruise ships will be pulling into the port, while a charming programme on land – with plenty of entertainment, food, drinks and an unmistakably Hanseatic touch of maritime style – invites visitors to soak up the atmosphere along the river, from Platz der Deutschen Einheit to Hafentreppe.

The start of the Hamburg Cruise Days 2023 couldn’t have been better: in lovely summer weather with blue skies, on Friday afternoon tens of thousands of visitors streamed to the riverside to enjoy the unique atmosphere and explore the programmes of the participating cruise lines.

The first cultural highlight of the day was Stefan Gwildis, who performed his latest album BUNT! live with his band, bringing the ROCK ANTENNE Hamburg Stage at Landungsbrücken and the audience to fever pitch.

The colour of the day: blue

The very first cruise highlight of the festival almost seemed to have been inspired by the brilliant blue of the daytime sky: showtime with VASCO DA GAMA by nicko cruises kicked off with Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin: against the backdrop of the luminous artwork Blue Port Hamburg, the high-sea explorer sailed gracefully downriver from the iconic Elbphilharmonie concert hall to a commentary by actor Marek Erhardt. The crowning finale of this stunning image: a spectacular, beautifully executed firework display in blue and gold above the ship.

More highlights to follow in the next two days

On Saturday, the Hamburg Cruise Days open at 11 am; in addition to the entertaining programme along the waterfront and on the stages, visitors can look forward to the most popular highlight of the entire event: the Grand Hamburg Cruise Days Parade, during which the five cruise ships AIDAprima, Mein Schiff 6, VASCO DA GAMA, WORLD VOYAGER and MS Sans Souci –  accompanied with a soundtrack and a commentary by actor Marek Erhardt – will sail down the Elbe together in the evening. Blue Port Hamburg will accompany the Hamburg Cruise Days until 10 September.

A vibrant event by day and night – Hamburg is set to celebrate the fascination of cruising at the Hamburg Cruise Days 2025. Eight ocean liners, expedition ships, and river cruisers will be the stars of the show, making a grand appearance in the port of Hamburg.

Visitors can look forward to a diverse and high-quality programme both on land and on the water: in a unique maritime atmosphere, with exciting presentations of cruise lines, culinary highlights, street performances, a children’s adventure world – and with unique, atmospheric evening productions on the Elbe.

The festive opening will take place on Friday at 9:00 p.m. with an atmospheric show on the Elbe: the VASCO DA GAMA from nicko cruises will take center stage – accompanied by spectacular fireworks. The Grand Hamburg Cruise Days Parade – a string of ships gliding down the Elbe at dusk – will be the highlight on Saturday evening. It begins at 9:00 p.m., but even the ship maneuvers leading up to the perfect formation will be exciting to watch. The parade concludes with a spectacular fireworks display. Participating ships include the MSC Preziosa from MSC Cruises, Mein Schiff 4 from TUI Cruises, VASCO DA GAMA from nicko cruises, MS Sans Souci from PLANTOURS Kreuzfahrten, and AIDAperla from AIDA Cruises; the ship lineup will be announced shortly.

As the Hamburg Cruise Days draw to a close on Sunday evening, another highlight awaits again: the double departure of two cruise ships. At around 7 pm, the MSC Preziosa will depart from Steinwerder and meet the Norwegian Dawn at Elbphilharmonie. Both ships then head out to sea, accompanied by music and entertainment.

Providing the perfect backdrop for the 10th edition of the Hamburg Cruise Days will once again be the mesmerising “Blue Port Event” light installation, bathing the port, ships, and buildings in a magical blue glow.