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Hamburg's new Cruise Center: A boost for cruise tourism!
Opening of the new Cruise Center in Hamburg's HafenCity on September 12, 2025 - key project for the cruise industry.
Hamburg's new Cruise Center: A boost for cruise tourism!
On September 12, 2025 the time had finally come: the new one Cruise Center HafenCity was ceremoniously opened. The festive opening attracted numerous representatives from politics, business and the cruise industry. As part of the inauguration, a symbolic departure of the MS Europa took place, which caused great enthusiasm.
The modern designed terminal is not only a real eye-catcher, but also an important step towards securing Hamburg's long-term position in the international cruise business. The connection to the existing terminals in Altona and Steinwerder will further enhance HafenCity and strengthen the city as a first-class cruise destination.
An outlook on the infrastructure
With around 10,300 square meters of total space and a vertical structure that includes two above-ground and two underground levels, the terminal offers plenty of space for passengers. The two berths, which are 345 and 230 meters long, were designed for ships with a maximum draft of 10.3 meters. This renewal will not only improve the arrival conditions of the ships, but also increase the passenger experience many times over through the picturesque port route along the Landungsbrücken and the Elbphilharmonie, such as Cruise Gate Hamburg highlights.
The connection to local public transport is also exemplary. There is a dedicated subway station directly at the terminal as well as bus and taxi terminals, which makes travel much easier. There are also 1,500 parking spaces available in the adjacent “Westfield Hamburg Überseequartier”, which further increases comfort for travelers.
Economic impulses for the region
Hamburg, which already recorded over 1,204,089 cruise passengers in 2023, an increase from 785,000 passengers the year before, is underpinning its status as a leading German cruise port with this new achievement. How Hamburg Port Authority reported, a total of 278 calls from 51 different ships were registered in 2023. This speaks volumes about the economic importance of the cruise for the city, as it generates an annual gross added value of 420 million euros and creates 4,490 high-quality jobs.
For the coming years, 48 calls are already planned for 2025 and 94 calls for 2026. The cruise industry is extremely adaptable and has been able to master the challenges of recent years well. And that's not all: from 2026, the new terminal will also be equipped with shore power supply, making it possible to supply two ships with renewable energy at the same time. This future-oriented measure will not only protect the environment, but also further increase the attractiveness of HafenCity.
In summary, it can be said that Cruise Center HafenCity not only represents an architectural highlight, but will also provide significant economic impetus for the Hamburg region. The celebrations for the Hamburg Port Anniversary 2024, which will take place from May 9th to 12th, are another opportunity to celebrate the high dynamism and popularity of the cruise business.