By
Michele Witthaus |
Phoenix Seereisen’s Artania made its first call in the Port of Kiel on 15 May as the first of seven cruise liners scheduled for inaugural visits to the German port during the 2012 season.
Kiel’s three passenger terminals for ferries and cruise ships will see 136 calls by 26 different cruise ships and will serve 375,000 cruise passengers and 1.5 million ferry passengers by the end of the season, making it the country's most popular turnaround port.
During an onboard reception for the Artania, Cathy Kietzer, president of the federal state capital of Schleswig-Holstein, officially welcomed the ship, passengers and crew and presented the traditional First Call badge to Captain Jens Thorn. Kietzer remarked: “A first call is always something very special. We are very pleased that the Artania is performing the first kick-off to a number of inaugural visits this year.”
Dirk Claus, managing director of the Port of Kiel, said: “We are proud that Kiel is again among the base ports of Phoenix Seereisen. With its modern terminals, first-class service and easy accessibility, Kiel is the ideal turnaround port, especially for German passengers.”
The other six ships due to make their first calls at Kiel this year are the MSC Magnifica, which will reach the port on 3 June, the Columbus 2, the Hamburg and the sailing ship Star Flyer (during Kieler Woche from 16 to 24 June), Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, and the Thomson Spirit.
Kiel’s Berth No. 1 at the Ostuferhafen (East Bank Port) will be redesigned during the next few months to provide added capacity for cruise ships by next year.