Copenhagen aims to be a year-round cruise destination

In Copenhagen, a recovery plan named ‘Comeback Copenhagen’ has been developed to initiate tourism after the pandemic, but also to improve a more sustainable form of travelling. Working with this, and a new sustainable growth strategy, CruiseCopenhagen is currently running an off-season campaign to disperse cruises and guests in the city.

The intention of the campaign is not just to put less pressure on city sights and satisfy local residents, but also to increase the general satisfaction of the guests. In fact, recent studies showed a higher degree of satisfaction amongst visitors in Copenhagen who had visited more of the city's districts, compared to visitors who had not visited as many city districts. Specifically, visitors who had visited more than five city districts, were, on average, more satisfied with their stay than visitors who had visited just one of the city's districts. This included experiencing local sights and events. When visiting the Danish capital off-season, the possibility of experiencing these increases. Take for example the Danish concept ‘hygge’.

Danish ‘hygge’ unfolds off-season

During winter time ‘hygge’ unfolds in Copenhagen in its purest form. It comes with the candles, the cold weather and the hot chocolate. In December in particular, Christmas markets and exhibitions are to be found on every corner of the many streets of the capital. Whether it is in the city centre or one of the bro-districts, guests can experience real hygge and local specialties. This includes craftsmanship and designs, local food, and warm beverages. In fact, one of the bro-districts, Nørrebro, has just been named 'the coolest district in the world' by Time Out Magazine.

In wintertime, Danish ‘hygge’ can be experienced in Tivoli, the 170-year-old amusement garden in central Copenhagen

The world’s safest city and full of unique eateries

Besides the authentic experience of hygge, it is safe to say that Copenhagen offers all the right conditions for guests to experience life in the city. In fact, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) named Copenhagen the world's safest city in 2021. This was measured by the multifaceted nature of urban safety, with 76 indicators organised along five pillars: personal, health, infrastructure, digital, and – new this year – environmental security.

The culinary scene of Copenhagen is also thriving, as Guide Michelin Nordic Countries 2021 assigned 23 stars to 14 of the city’s restaurants – including three stars to noma – as well as three Michelin Green Stars to local venues promoting sustainability. Many of the restaurants are located in different districts of the city and are ideal for visiting off-season together with local sights and activities.

There are many more good reasons to plan itineraries in Copenhagen off-season, making the city a perfect year-round destination for cruise ships and their guests. Please read more about this on CruiseCopenhagen’s dedicated microsite here.

Some Cruise Lines have already noticed the great potential of visiting Copenhagen off-season. Watch this video to see how Santal Claus currently welcomes Christmas cruise calls to the European Christmas Capital: