Hamburg is preparing for another busy cruise year in 2026, with 331 ship calls with cruise passengers expected by the end of December. The port handled more than 1.4 million passengers in 2025, reinforcing its place among northern Europe’s leading cruise hubs.
For many travellers, Hamburg is the start or end point for voyages ranging from short city breaks to long expeditions and world cruises. The season includes sailings to Norway, Iceland, the British Isles, Lapland, New York and the Canary route through the North Sea.
Among the regular visitors are ships from Aida, Costa, Cunard, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Plantours, Hurtigruten, Tui Cruises and Explora Journeys. Several itineraries also include special events such as a total solar eclipse, gourmet festivals and northern lights voyages.
Aida Sol is one of the headline departures from the port. The ship sails from Hamburg throughout the year to destinations including Norway, Britain and France, but one departure on 7 August stands out because passengers can watch the total solar eclipse during a call in Gijon in northern Spain on 12 August.
The same ship leaves Hamburg again on 18 October for a 126-day world cruise. That voyage underlines how the German port now serves as a gateway not just for regional sailings, but for major global itineraries as well.
Costa Favolosa, from Costa Crociere, also adds variety to the schedule. On a departure from 10 July, the ship visits Reykjavik and three other Icelandic ports, before returning to Hamburg via several stops in Scotland.
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises uses Hamburg for both luxury and expedition sailings. Its liner MS Europa is due to call at the port five times this year, with a short trip beginning on 21 August through the Kiel Canal to Copenhagen and back to Kiel.
That sailing is tied to the 20th anniversary of the gourmet festival Europas Beste. While still in Hamburg harbour, the ship’s sun deck turns into a dining promenade where chefs with a combined 23 Michelin stars serve dishes to passengers.
Another major name is Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, which offers a six-day journey from 27 August through the Innvikfjord and Nordfjord in southern Norway. The itinerary includes stops in Olden, Bergen and Alesund, alongside the ship’s usual mix of transatlantic crossings and short European sailings.
Plantours’ smaller MS Hamburg also departs from the city this summer. On 9 July, it sets out for the Isle of Wight, the Scilly Islands and Guernsey, with an additional stop in Saint-Malo in Brittany. Sports journalist Stefan Kaussen joins that voyage during the football World Cup.
Hurtigruten remains a frequent visitor too. The MS Finnmarken, recently renamed back from Otto Sverdrup, runs its Nordkap route from Hamburg twice per summer month, taking 14 days to visit 12 coastal destinations as far as Honningsvag at the North Cape.
From mid-September, the modernised MS Midnatsol joins the programme, meaning Hurtigruten’s Signature voyages will depart weekly from Hamburg.
Tui Cruises is also increasing its presence in the port. Mein Schiff Relax, the company’s largest ship, made its Hamburg debut on 14 May and returns several times in the autumn, including a trial cruise to Oslo starting on 21 October.
That sailing is followed by time on the Metropolis route, before the sister ship Mein Schiff Flow reaches Hamburg for the first time on 9 December after its naming in Trieste on 20 June.
Explora Journeys brings a different style of cruising to the city. Its newest ship, Explora III, will call at Hamburg after its naming in Barcelona on 1 August, before leaving on 7 September for a transatlantic voyage to New York via Britain, Iceland, Greenland and Canada.
The 7 October arrival in New York ends a route that also includes smaller ports, reflecting the growing appeal of slower, more destination-focused ocean travel.
Expedition cruising also plays a part in Hamburg’s 2026 schedule. Hapag-Lloyd’s Hanseatic Nature is set to leave on 2 October for a short trip to western Europe and the Channel Islands, before several Norway voyages during the polar light season.
On 20 December, the ship heads through the Kiel Canal towards Finland, with the voyage continuing to Kemi before returning to Hamburg. For winter travellers, that makes the city a launch point for Lapland and Arctic-style holiday itineraries as well as summer cruises.
The range of departures shows how Hamburg continues to broaden its role in the European cruise market. From eclipse viewing and gourmet events to fjords, world cruises and Arctic routes, the port is offering a 2026 programme that spans most of the cruise industry’s main sectors.
Photo Credit: Sina Ettmer Photography / Shutterstock.com
