The 10th Hamburg Cruise Days: Celebrating wanderlust and a love of cruises
02 Sep 2025 15:30 Entertainment
From 12 to 14 September 2025, Hamburg will celebrate the 10th Hamburg Cruise Days, turning the city into a hotspot for cruise and travel fans from all over Europe. This year, eight cruise ships will be showcased – presented in atmospheric stagings on the water, accompanied by a relaxed and varied programme on shore, all bathed in the magical blue glow of Blue Port Hamburg.
The Hamburg Cruise Days are considered the world’s most beautiful cruise event: every two years they attract hundreds of thousands to the harbourfront with their unique maritime atmosphere. In 2025, the Hamburg Cruise Days celebrate their 10th anniversary – with a total of eight cruise ships honouring the city with their presence (in alphabetical order): 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).
Michael Otremba, Managing Director of Hamburg Tourismus GmbH: “The Hamburg Cruise Days are a unique experience – they combine maritime culture, festival atmosphere and art into an event that resonates far beyond the city. Together with the Blue Port, they have established Hamburg as a world-class cruise metropolis, delighting cruise lines and guests alike. At the same time, they provide impetus for future themes in cruise tourism.”
Several spectacular stagings on the river will be among the highlights of the event weekend, 12–14 September: On Friday evening the VASCO DA GAMA will be showcased in a stunning production, Saturday evening will see the famous Grand Hamburg Cruise Days Parade with five participating ships, and Sunday evening will conclude with an unusual double departure (→ Events on the Water).
From 10 September, artist Michael Batz will once again transform Hamburg’s harbour into the magical Blue Port Hamburg. Closely linked to the Hamburg Cruise Days since 2008, this light installation will bathe the port and its landmarks in atmospheric blue light until 21 September – extending beyond the festival itself.
The Harbourfront – a charming world of experiences
In 2025, the Hamburg Cruise Days will once again invite visitors ashore to discover and enjoy: in the heart of the port, stretching from the Landungsbrücken to the Elbphilharmonie, a relaxed promenade awaits. Here, participating cruise lines will present themselves with information, offers and entertainment, while a wide range of culinary areas invite guests to linger. Visitors can look forward to a lively mix of street performances, arts and crafts, and activities for all generations.
Co-organiser Katja Derow (redroses communications): “The Hamburg Cruise Days are an emotional event that brings people closer to cruising – but also to Hamburg as a destination and to our port – in a unique way. For the 10th anniversary, we invite everyone to admire the impressive ships and stagings on the Elbe in a relaxed atmosphere – and to rediscover, at least a little, the slowness of travelling on the rivers and seas of the world – a valuable counterbalance to the stress and hustle of our everyday lives.”
One licensor and three main sponsors
For the first time, the organisers uba gmbh and redroses communications have moved away from the concept of a single premium sponsor: alongside Hamburg Tourismus GmbH as licensor, and other partners and supporters, AIDA Cruises, MSC Cruises and TUI Cruises have joined as equal main sponsors. Each is represented with one or more ships at the event and will also showcase their offers on the harbour promenade. Uwe Bergmann, Managing Director of uba: “The joint commitment of three cruise lines marks a paradigm shift in the ten-year history of our event. To inspire people for the fascinating world of cruising, the key players are working hand in hand. With its unique atmosphere and high quality of stay, the Hamburg Cruise Days provide the perfect stage for this.”
Also actively engaged in the Hamburg Cruise Days 2025 are Cunard Line, with a special anniversary show truck, and nicko cruises, with a festive ship staging (→ Events on the Water) and a presentation along the harbour promenade.
Cruise Week: Seatrade Europe opens its doors to cruise enthusiasts
The connection between the Hamburg Cruise Days and Seatrade Europe – Europe’s leading trade fair and conference for ocean and river cruising – will be closer than ever this year: on Friday, 12 September, the trade fair will, for the first time, open its doors to private cruise fans with “Destination Discovery Friday”. From 10:00 to 14:00, visitors can discover new cruise destinations from Europe to the Caribbean, gain fascinating insights into modern onboard technology and innovations, and gather fresh ideas for their next dream trip. Tickets have been on sale since 15 August 2025 – only 5 € per person. A total of 400 tickets are available, granting access to both the exhibition and a varied stage programme.
Grand opening of the new Cruise Center HafenCity
Coinciding with the Hamburg Cruise Days, terminal operator Cruise Gate Hamburg will officially open the new Cruise Center HafenCity in the Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier on the evening of 12 September 2025. Invited guests can look forward to a festive evening attended by Hamburg’s First Mayor, Dr Peter Tschentscher. As part of the celebrations, the prestigious Cruise Guide Awards 2025 will also be presented.
About the Hamburg Cruise Days
The Hamburg Cruise Days have taken place since 2008. After a pandemic-related break in 2021 and a one-off special edition (Hamburg Cruise Days pur) in 2022, they will return in 2025 for the 10th time. From 12 to 14 September 2025, eight cruise ships will call at Hamburg, becoming the stars of spectacular stagings on the Elbe. A high-quality programme along the harbourfront will make the cruise feeling tangible on land as well. The organisers are the Hamburg-based agencies uba gmbh and redroses communications GmbH; the licensor is Hamburg Tourismus GmbH.
About the BLUE PORT HAMBURG
Since 2008, the light installation BLUE PORT HAMBURG by light artist Michael Batz has bathed the night-time harbour in magical blue light before and during the Hamburg Cruise Days, illuminating dozens of objects in and around the port. In doing so, it creates a bridge between harbour and city, between land and river, and – on the festival weekend – between cruise guests and visitors to the Hamburg Cruise Days. The Blue Port Hamburg will also celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2025.
From 12 to 14 September 2025, Hamburg will host the 10th Hamburg Cruise Days, attracting cruise and travel enthusiasts from across Europe.
Press contact
Katja Derow
redroses communications GmbH
Phone: 0162 / 43 11 376
E-Mail: k.derow@redroses-pr.com
