Between June 17-25, Kiel expects visits by 15 cruise vessels including Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth and P&O’s Arcadia which berthed side by side at the Ostseekai Cruise Terminal on Wednesday.
Dr Dirk Claus, md of Port of Kiel said, 'The Kieler Woche – with its sailing competitions and cultural programme and even as a marine meeting opportunity – has always been an international event. The cruise ships fit into this context very well and also provide their guests with a unique visitor experience.'
Queen Elizabeth arrived in the Kiel Fiord in the morning from St Petersburg while Arcadia arrived at the same time from Skagen in Denmark. Together they carried well over 3,000 passengers.
The port’s berths were well occupied as early as the first Saturday of the Kieler Woche when two ocean-going cruise ships and three river cruise ships arrived, along with ferries from Color Line, DFDS and Stena.
During peak periods more than 15,000 travellers embark or disembark from ships at the port’s terminal facilities during the Kieler Woche, Claus added.
Other cruise visitors to this year's festival include TUI Cruises’ latest addition Mein Schiff 6, as well as three ships from AIDA Cruises – AIDAvita, AIDAcara and AIDAbella.
On Friday there will be a seldom-seen encounter in Kiel between two sister ships when Phoenix Seereisen’s Albatros and Fred. Olsen’s Cruise Line’s Black Watch meet at the Ostseekai Terminal.
On Saturday the port is expecting MSC Fantasia and on Sunday, the closing day of the Kieler Woche, the fourth AIDA ship of the season, AIDAluna, will arrive.
Four river cruise ships are visiting Kiel this year and all are spending several days in the port.
Twenty-eight cruise ships are scheduled to visit Kiel on 142 calls in 2017.
Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Add Seatrade Cruise News to your Google News feed.
