Number of cruise passengers in the Port of Hamburg 2000-2021

The number of cruise passengers crossing through the port of Hamburg had only been growing in recent years, amounting to 810,000 in 2019. With the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, figures plummeted. Hamburg is a major port in Europe, with a number of cruise routes starting in one of Germany’s most northern cities. Numerous cruise liners known around the world also depart from or make a stop in Hamburg.

Off on a cruise

Cruise trips are generally divided by their shipping routes, namely whether these go by sea or river. The number of people in Germany who prefer cruise vacations as leisure travel has decreased somewhat in the last three years. As of 2022, around 14.53 million Germans would board. Considering that cruises are typically on the expensive side, and with rising inflation levels in the country, this trend may stick around. Sea cruise passenger numbers in Germany have been falling since 2019, and the same was true for river cruises. The cruise industry does need more time to catch up after the pandemic, as well as deal with current challenges posed by the Russia-Ukraine war: changed routes, growing energy prices, international inflation, consumer uncertainty.

Sea and river cruises

In better times, Germany offers many options for cruise passengers, with its several ports of departure, as well as plenty of river trips to choose from. The Rhine and the Elbe are the longest rivers in the country. On average, based on most recent data, holidaymakers went away for a week on river cruises. Meanwhile, sea cruise trips lasted a little longer, sometimes over nine days.