Hamburg presents highlights of 2017 cruise season at ITB trade fair in Berlin
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In addition to the opening of the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg almost two months ago, cruise lining certainly plays a central role for Hamburg’s 2017 tourism year. In September, highlights will include the Hamburg Cruise Days, Europe’s biggest public cruise festival, and Seatrade Europe, which will be held shortly prior to the festival. In the forerun to these events, there will be various other occasions for visiting Hamburg – the cruise hotspot in Northern Germany. These include the traditional HAFENGEBURTSTAG port festival as well as several premiering ship arrivals and ship launching ceremonies, e.g. with TUI Cruise’s “Mein Schiff 6”. Hamburg is expecting more than 200 cruise ship arrivals with around 800,000 passengers in 2017.
Also at this year’s ITB in Berlin, the Hamburg Tourism Board’s ITB stand will provide an ideal port of call for its ten partnering shipping companies – among them AIDA Cruises, A-ROSA Flussschiff GmbH, Costa Kreuzfahrten, Cunard Line, MSC Kreuzfahrten, Sea Cloud Cruises, Ponant Yacht Cruises & Expeditions, as well as TUI Cruises and Norwegian Cruises Lines. In short: the perfect opportunity for Hamburg and its partners to present their 2017 cruise highlights.
Hamburg Cruise Days 2017 with record attendance of 10 cruise liners
Taking place for the sixth time, the Hamburg Cruise Days from 8 to 10 September 2017 will once again transform the port of Hamburg into one big stage for both the cruise industry and cruise fans. A record number of ten cruise liners is scheduled to take part in the 2017 Hamburg Cruise Days, the biggest public cruise festival in Europe. Participating ships will include the AIDAprima (AIDA Cruises), the MSC Preziosa (MSC Kreuzfahrten), the Europa and the Europa 2 (Hapag-Lloyd Cruises), the Mein Schiff 3 (TUI Cruises), the Albatros and the Amadea (Phoenix Reisen), the Silver Wind (Silversea Cruises), as well as the Norwegian Jade (Norwegian Cruise Line) and the Sans Souci (Plantours) – which will be the first appearance of a river cruise ship at the event.
The record attendance of ships will make this year‘s ship parade the biggest parade of all time. On the evening of 9 September, six cruise liners will jointly leave the port of Hamburg and make their way down the River Elbe, accompanied by 24 escort ships and a large fireworks display. Overall, 1,575 metres of ship, equalling 502,946 gross registered tonnes as well as 17,140 passengers, will be joining the show, making the parade an unforgettable maritime catwalk.
During the event, the port will once again be illuminated as part of the BLUE PORT HAMBURG light installation, creating a unique atmosphere throughout the festival weekend. More than one hundred objects in Hamburg’s port will be lit up by light artist Michael Batz, including buildings, terminals, port vehicles, quay sections, cranes, jetties, and ships, providing an unparalleled work of art and a one-of-a-kind visual experience that can only be found in Hamburg.
Michael Otremba, managing director of the Hamburg Convention Bureau GmbH and Hamburg Tourismus GmbH, comments: “The world of cruising touches people’s hearts and is part of our city’s identity and history. With the Hamburg Cruise Days 2017 we are creating an emotional experience by bringing ships and people together. Along with the city’s new landmark, the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, pictures from the port bathed in blue light will go around the world and highlight Hamburg’s exciting contrasts.”
For the second time now, Hamburg is going to synchronise its cruise events, inviting both the general public and industry experts to join. Thus Hamburg will be hosting several maritime events prior to the Hamburg Cruise Days: Seatrade Europe – the leading cruise industry fair in Europe (6–8 September) – the travel sales event fvw Cruise Live (8 September) as well as two events (5–6 September) organised by CLIA, the world's largest cruise association. To learn more about the event, please visit www.hamburgcruisedays.de/en/
Elbphilharmonie Hamburg names Mein Schiff 6
TUI Cruises plans unique event in the Port of Hamburg: the latest member of the fleet, Mein Schiff 6, will be named by the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg on June 1, 2017. Iveta Apkalna, the titular organist of the concert hall, will be the godmother. The exceptional Latvian artist performs as a soloist around the world in the most renowned concert halls and at famous music Festivals.
The naming of the new arrival in the Hamburg-based cruise line’s fleet will be staged in a unique alliance with the Hanseatic city’s new landmark.
Mein Schiff 6 is the fourth newbuilding in succession to join the cruise line; another two are currently under construction. As of 2019, TUI Cruises will have a fleet of six state-of-the-art ships with a capacity of around 15,800 beds. Following the naming ceremony and maiden voyage, Mein Schiff 6 will be at sea on a variety of routes in Northern Europe and the Baltic states until mid-August 2017. Mein Schiff 6 will then set off from Hamburg and make its way to New York. From September 2017, the latest addition to the fleet will then cruise in the United States of America and Canada. In November, it will travel to Central America.
The HAFENGEBURTSTAG port festival and first arrivals
In addition to the Hamburg Cruise Days in September, Hamburg will be hosting the world’s biggest port festival, the Hafengeburtstag (Port Anniversary) festival, with a plethora of cruise ships in Hamburg. From 5 to 7 May, four cruise liners from the AIDA fleet alone – the Luna, the Vita, the Prima and the Sol – as well as the MS Astor, the MS Amadea and the MSC Preziosa will be luring hundreds of thousands of ship enthusiasts to the port of Hamburg. To learn more about the event, please visit www.marketing.hamburg.de/hamburg-port-anniversary.de
The fact that Hamburg has become one of Europe’s most popular cruise ports is also reflected by the large number of first-time ship arrivals in Hamburg’s port this summer. A growing number of large cruise ships will be calling at the port of Hamburg for the first time, among them the MSC Preziosa (3,502 passengers) on 3 May, Mein Schiff 6 (2,506 passengers) on 1 June, the NCL Jade (2,466 passengers) on 4 June and the Independence of the Sea (3,634 passengers) on 12 July. Another first-time visitor to Hamburg will be the Silver Wind of Silversea Cruises on 10 September.
For dates of all ship arrivals in 2017 and further information please visit www.hamburg-travel.com/attractions/shipping-and-cruises/
The cruise capital of Hamburg is expecting 800,000 passengers in 2017
With more than 171 ship arrivals and 710,000 passengers in the course of 2016, Hamburg broke all previous records and confirmed its position as the number one cruise destination in Germany. And this trend continues for the 2017 season as Cruise Gate Hamburg is expecting 200 arrivals with about 800,000 passengers, which constitutes an increase of 12% compared with 2016.
Sacha Rougier, managing director of Cruise Gate Hamburg GmbH, explains: “Thanks to intensive background work and close dialogue with shipowners we have achieved an amazing passenger record in 2016, and our strategy will continue to pay off in 2017 and in the coming years. Our recipe for success lies in close collaboration between the city‘s cruise operators and the private sector.”
More Hamburg:
Many more Hamburg tips for download or online at the following websites:
HHT website: www.hamburg-travel.com
Hamburg CARD: www.hamburg-tourismus.de/card
Calendar of events: www.hamburg-travel.com/experience/events/highlights
Event app: www.hamburg-travel.com/events
Hamburg App: www.hamburg-travel.com/hamburg-app
Media service on the occasion of the ITB:
On the occasion of the ITB trade fair, Hamburg Tourismus GmbH offers comprehensive services for media representatives, with up-to-date media information, background information, photos, and much more. All materials are copyright-free and free of charge for editorial use.
To learn more, please visit www.marketing.hamburg.de/hamburg-auf-der-ITB-2017
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Media contact:
Hamburg Tourismus GmbH
Julia Bankus Media
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