Major Donations in the Port of Hamburg: Five Cruise Ships Support Charitable Causes
The campaign week kicked off on Monday, June 9, 2025, with the arrival of the MS EUROPA from Hapag-Lloyd Cruises at the Cruise Center HafenCity. As part of a redesign of its Penthouse Deluxe Suites with a fresh color concept, the luxury cruise line handed over a substantial donation consisting of armchairs, tables, sofas, curtains, and decorative pillows.
On the following Tuesday, June 10, the Costa Favolosa from Costa Cruises docked in Steinwerder. The ship donated 400 cabin television sets, which were loaded onto 13 pallets and transported to the organization's warehouse in Hamburg-Bahrenfeld. These devices are destined for various non-profit recipients, including homeless shelters, facilities for children and young people, church communities, and aid for Ukraine. A further delivery of around 500 TVs is already planned for the ship's next call on June 22.
The wave of donations continued on Wednesday, June 11, with 1,000 pillows and 80 balcony chairs from the luxury ship MS Europa 2. On Thursday, June 12, donations followed from two ships of the AIDA fleet: the AIDAprima handed over nearly 600 bath towels in Hamburg, while the AIDAperla donated fitness equipment in Rotterdam. This sports equipment will be forwarded directly to therapy centers for war-wounded individuals in Ukraine via the partner organization UA Never Alone.
The DER HAFEN HILFT! e.V. initiative expressed its deep gratitude to all involved parties – the cruise lines, the ship crews, the volunteers, and partner organizations – for the successful collaboration. Such campaigns not only strengthen cross-border humanitarian aid chains but also ensure that well-preserved items benefit people in difficult life situations instead of being discarded.
