Cruise Ports: Turnaround Days and Shore Excursions
Four German cruise ports, four different set-ups. A turnaround day links the ship with an airport or a station; a shore day may mean a long drive inland and back before sailing.
What differs from port to port
Hamburg has several terminals in different parts of the port, so a transfer is planned to the terminal on the cruise documents. Kiel's Ostseekai is about 1.6 km from the Hauptbahnhof and about 91 km from Hamburg Airport. At Warnemünde, shore-excursion and shuttle operators must register with the port in advance, and parking is not allowed during ship calls. Bremerhaven's terminal is about 72 km from Bremen Airport.
Berlin is about 243 km from Warnemünde, so a Berlin shore excursion is a long day for the driver as well as the guests.
Planner questions
Which Hamburg terminal will we use?
The one named on the cruise documents. Terminals are assigned per call, so the transfer is confirmed once you have them.
Can a coach wait at the ship all day?
Not at Warnemünde, where parking is not allowed during calls. Waiting arrangements are agreed port by port.
Can you combine a ship arrival with a flight home?
Yes. Disembarkation time, the airport and the flight are planned as one run, with buffer for luggage.