Kieler Woche regatta highlights the Port of Kiel cruise season with seven cruise ships in port on one day
The Kieler Woche sailing regatta is increasingly turning into a big attraction for cruise ships as well as others and this year has become the highlight of the season.
From the 18th to the 26th of June, Kiel expects seventeen calls by a total thirteen different cruise ships. Even on the opening day, all the available berths are booked. For the first time ever, seven cruise ships, two of them river cruise vessels are tying up in the port in addition to the regular big ferry ships of Color Line, DFDS and Stena Line.
Dr Dirk Claus, Managing Director of the Port of Kiel (SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG), said “The Kieler Woche is the absolute highlight of the cruise shipping season, both as far as the number of ships and the number of passengers is concerned. On the opening Saturday we expect more than 22,000 travellers to use the terminal facilities to board or leave ships.”
On this day, “Mein Schiff 4” and “AIDAaura” are berthing at the Ostseekai Terminal while the “MSC Musica” is tying up at the Ostuferhafen Cruise Terminal. The “Ocean Majesty” is going to the Norwegenkai and the “AIDAvita” will berth in front of the Stena ferry at Schwedenkai-Süd. The river cruise ships “Sans Souci” and “Johannes Brahms” will tie up at the Seefischmarkt and at the Ostseekai Terminal.
At the same time, the arrival of the “AIDAvita” marks the 250th visit to Kiel by an AIDA ship and the occasion is being marked with an on-board reception. Later on during the Kieler Woche, visitors will include the “Albatros“on June 23rd and the “AIDAluna” on June 26th.
The Kieler Woche is traditionally an international meeting point and as well as Holland America Line’s “Zuiderdam” on June 19th, P&O’s “Arcadia” will also be welcomed on June 22nd when she makes her first visit to Kiel.
More than 4,000 mainly American and British passengers will use the visit to experience the biggest sailing sport event in the north. One special day will be June 23rd when “Mein Schiff 5”, the new flagship and most recent addition to the TUI Cruises fleet, is expected on her maiden visit.
“Kiel is the very first port of call for this ship after she leaves her Finnish builders”, said Dirk Claus. “We are very proud that Kiel has been selected for this premiere”, he added.
There will in fact be a TUI fleet get-together on June 26th when both “Mein Schiff 1” and “Mein Schiff 4” will berth together at the Ostseekai Terminal. The last cruise ship to visit the Kieler Woche will be the “Artania” from Phoenix Reisen, which will be among the guests at a spectacular closing fireworks display.
The cruise ship visit during the 2016 Kieler Woche are:
1. „Sans Souci“ (June 18th, Seefischmarkt)
2. „MSC Musica“ (June 18th, Ostuferhafen)
3. „Mein Schiff 4“ (June 18th, Ostseekai)
4. „AIDAvita“ (June 18th, Schwedenkai)
5. „Johannes Brahms“ (June 18th, Ostseekai)
6 „AIDAaura“ (June 18th, Ostseekai)
7. „Ocean Majesty“ (June 18th, Norwegenkai)
8. „Zuiderdam“ (June 19th, Ostseekai)
9. „Arcadia“ (June 22nd, Ostseekai)
10. „Albatros“ (June 23rd, Ostseekai)
11. „Mein Schiff 5“ (June 23rd, Ostseekai)
12. „MSC Musica“ (June 25th, Ostseekai)
13. „AIDAaura“ (June 25th, Ostseekai)
14. „Mein Schiff 1“ (June 26th, Ostseekai)
15. „Mein Schiff 4“ (June 26th, Ostseekai)
16. „AIDAluna“ (June 26th, Ostuferhafen)
17. „Artania“ (June 26th, Ostseekai)
A total of 23 different cruise ships will make 144 calls at the port this year. Kiel has three modern and efficient terminal facilities available for cruise ships and ferries at the Ostseekai, Norwegenkai and Schwedenkai and all are very close to the city centre. In addition, passenger exchanges take place at Berth 1 at the Ostuferhafen.
This year more than two million passengers are expected to board or leave a ferry or cruise ship, some 450,000 of them cruise ship passengers.
