By
Rebecca Gibson |
A record 12 ocean and river cruise ships will head to Hamburg, Germany for the seventh annual Hamburg Cruise Days event from 13-15 September.
Billed as the world’s biggest public cruise festival, Hamburg Cruise Days will welcome AIDA Cruises’ AIDAperla, AIDAsol, AIDAvita; Phoenix Reisen’s Amadea; Costa Cruises’ Costa Mediterranea; Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Europa and Europa 2; TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 4; MSC Cruises’ MSC Preziosa; Nicko Cruises’ World Explorer and Frederic Chopin; and Plantours’ Sans Souci.
Visitors will be able to enjoy a varied programme of events, including harbour boat trips, culinary experiences, live music and ship presentations. Key highlights will include a light, laser and pyrotechnic show on Costa Mediterranea on the evening of 13 September, as well as a parade on the evening of 14 September. The latter will involve five cruise ships parading down the River Elbe accompanied by 20 escort ships and a large fireworks display.
Throughout the event, Hamburg’s waterfront will be transformed into themed ‘islands’ that will showcase the benefits of cruising via maritime markets, cultural highlights, live music and dance, food tastings, recreation and sports, and more. More than 100 objects – including buildings, terminals, cranes, port vehicles and ships – in the area between the Elbbrücken bridges and the beaches of Oevelgönne will be illuminated as part of artist Michael Batz’s Blue Hamburg light installation.