HafenLiebe Kreuzfahrtnachrichten

The MS "Hamburg," recognized as Germany's smallest ocean-going cruise ship, is set to embark on an extraordinary journey on October 22, 2025. This unique eleven-day cruise will visit coastal cities in England, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. A highlight of the itinerary is the ship's maiden voyage on both the River Thames in London and the River Seine in France—a remarkable feat for a vessel of its size, which accommodates a maximum of 400 passengers. The voyage will commence and conclude in Hamburg, following the ship's passage through the Elbe. Thus, the MS "Hamburg" will navigate three significant rivers on this particular tour.

Those planning a sea journey from Hamburg this coming weekend, especially on ships like the AIDAperla or the MS Hamburg, should prepare for significant traffic disruptions. The Hanseatic city will be affected by several major events and a critical infrastructure measure, which will drastically increase traffic volume.

On Sunday, June 29, 2025, a remarkable rescue operation unfolded aboard the cruise ship Disney Dream, a vessel belonging to the renowned Disney Cruise Line fleet. At the time of the incident, the ship was en route to its destination port, Fort Lauderdale, as part of a four-day short cruise that attracted numerous families.

Currently, Royal Caribbean International's Independence of the Seas is in the midst of its European season, sailing from and to Southampton, England. On its current Norway voyage, scheduled from June 29 to July 6, 2025, the cruise ship has to skip a planned port of call. The stop in Ålesund, originally set for today, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, will not take place.

The popular cruise ship AIDAperla celebrates its eighth anniversary today, Monday, June 30, 2025. Exactly eight years ago, on June 30, 2017, the ocean liner was ceremoniously christened in the presence of model and TV personality Lena Gercke. The festive ceremony took place against the picturesque backdrop of Palma de Mallorca, after the ship had completed its transfer voyage from the Mitsubishi Shipyard in Nagasaki to the Mediterranean under the command of Captain Boris Becker.

The renowned southern French city of Cannes is introducing significant restrictions on cruise ships starting in 2026, aiming to regulate the daily influx of passengers. From next year, only one large vessel carrying over 3,000 guests will be permitted to anchor in the bay off the French Mediterranean coast per day. The newly established cap allows a maximum of 6,000 cruise guests per day.

The AIDAnova, a well-known vessel of the AIDA fleet, had to revise its current Scandinavia voyage from June 28 to July 5, 2025, due to unfavorable weather conditions. The planned call at the Danish port of Skagen for today, Monday, is unfortunately not possible. A similar situation occurred yesterday when the AIDAdiva was also unable to call at this port and diverted to Copenhagen instead.

On its current Baltic Sea voyage from June 22 to July 3, 2025, the Mein Schiff 1 from TUI Cruises has encountered a notable delay. The reason for this was strong winds in the Swedish capital, Stockholm. The ship was originally scheduled to depart on Sunday evening, June 29, at 5:30 PM and arrive in Visby on Gotland today, Monday, June 30, 2025, at 8:30 AM. Both schedules could not be met due to the weather conditions.

This year's Kieler Woche reaches its festive conclusion today, Sunday, June 29, 2025. The grand finale at the Kiel Fjord will commence at 11 PM CEST. Under the theme "Home Among the Stars," a show sponsored by AIDA Cruises will captivate visitors with a combination of light effects, a drone show, and an impressive fireworks display. This spectacular event marks the grand finale of the renowned summer and sailing festival.

On this Sunday, June 29, 2025, the AIDAdiva of AIDA Cruises has made an unscheduled stop in the Danish capital, Copenhagen. The reason for this is the prevailing strong wind conditions at the northern tip of Denmark, specifically in Skagen. The port originally planned for today could not be safely approached, as safe entry and exit maneuvers were not feasible under these strong gusty conditions.

The capital city of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, today marks a truly special moment in its maritime history: the 4,000th visit by a cruise ship. Two prominent representatives of modern cruising, AIDAnova from AIDA Cruises at the Ostseekai and MSC Euribia from MSC Cruises at the Ostuferhafen, are present for this anniversary. Both vessels are regular visitors throughout the current summer season and are utilized for passenger changes in Kiel.

Hurtigruten's expedition vessel, the MS Finnmarken, requires an unscheduled return to the shipyard. A technical malfunction affecting its stern thruster has necessitated this measure. Consequently, the Norwegian shipping company has had to cancel the planned cruise from July 25 to August 8, 2025, which was scheduled to depart from and return to Hamburg. The MS Finnmarken had only recently concluded its routine spring dry dock period, resuming service on May 16, 2025.

An ongoing labor dispute in the Spanish metal industry has led to significant disruptions during the routine shipyard stay of the Carnival Liberty. Since June 18, 2025, work at the Navantia shipyard in Cádiz, Andalusia, has been unable to proceed as planned due to strikes. Consequently, Carnival Cruise Line was compelled to relocate the vessel to another shipyard and cancel a scheduled cruise. According to Spanish media reports, financial compensation is being sought from Navantia. It is also reported that the cruise ship was used as leverage by the trade unions in the collective bargaining dispute.

Since 2011, the Day of the Seafarer has been celebrated annually on June 25th. This special day of action focuses on the vital work of individuals employed in the shipping industry. The initiative for this commemorative day originated from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and complements the established World Maritime Day, which has been in existence since 1978.

NEPTUN WERFT, a cornerstone of German shipbuilding, is commemorating its 175th anniversary this year. Since its establishment in 1850 on the banks of the Warnow River, the shipyard has evolved into one of the nation's most storied shipbuilding sites. With over 1,600 new constructions and numerous repairs and modernizations, it boasts a rich history of marine engineering prowess. Employing more than 600 individuals, NEPTUN WERFT has cemented its position as a leading builder of river cruise ships and remains a vital economic contributor to the Rostock region.

HD Hyundai is stepping up its presence in the European market by introducing advanced fuel cell technology for cruise vessels, proactively responding to the global trend towards maritime decarbonization.