Guests were able to visit Holstein Switzerland, Laboe and the Hanseatic cities of Lübeck and Hamburg
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Marella Explorer made her maiden call at the Port of Kiel on 16 July, marking the first time a Marella Cruises ship has visited the German city.
Arriving early in the morning at Kiel’s Ostseekai berth with around 2,000 English-speaking passengers onboard, Marella Explorer called as part of a 14-day Baltic roundtrip that started in Newcastle, England and will conclude in the same port on 27 July.
Lord Mayor of Kiel Ulf Kämpfer welcomed the ship’s captain, John Spencer Clark, to the city and presented him with a plaque to commemorate the inaugural call.
“Kiel has a lot to offer to its guests and it is a gateway for excursions throughout Schleswig-Holstein and to Hamburg,” said Kämpfer. “We are happy to be part of Marella Cruises’ itinerary planning today as well as next year.”
Guests were able to choose from a diverse portfolio of shore excursions, including guided tours around Kiel and tours to Holstein Switzerland, the seaside resort of Laboe, the Hanseatic city of Lübeck and Hamburg.
Marella Explorer departed Kiel at 5pm local time, heading for Tallinn, Estonia. The ship will then call at St Petersburg in Russia, Helsinki in Finland and Stockholm in Sweden, before returning to the UK.
“Schleswig-Holstein becomes more and more renowned among international shipping companies as a touristic destination,” said Dirk Claus, managing director at the Port of Kiel. “This year we expect 20 calls during ongoing cruises and we also count a remarkable number of partial passenger turnaround calls.”
Azamara Club Cruises, Cunard Line, Fred. Olsen Cruise Line, Marella Cruises, MSC Cruises, Saga Cruises, Holland America-Line and Viking Ocean Cruises will all visit Kiel this year.