In 2017 Kiel was visited on a total of 143 separate occasions by 29 different cruise vessel with a total gross tonnage of over 10 million (an increase of 7.5 per cent over 2016).
For the first time ever more than 500,000 passengers (513,500 to be exact) boarded or left cruise ships last year (a 6 % increase). That makes 2017 Kiel’s most successful cruise year ever.
To date a total of 168 calls at Kiel by 32 cruise liners have been registered. Total GT will increase to 11.4 million, while the number of vacationers could reach 600,000. The season starts on April 6 with the arrival of Fred Olsen's liner Boudicca.
In 2018 the most frequent visitors will be the cruise ships of AIDA, Costa, MSC and TUI, with AIDA calling no fewer than 63 times with 5 ships. The largest cruise ship this season will be the 139,000 GT MSC Preziosa, which will be seen for the first time in Kiel Fiord on April 28.
The highlights of the season include the presentation of the latest ship of TUI Cruises, Mein Schiff 1 on April 27 and the maiden calls of 7 further ships. Among them is Cunard’s Queen Victoria, which will tie up at Ostseekai on July 17.
14 visits are also expected during Kieler Woche sailing regatta between June 16-24, 2018, two of which by river ships. However, the focus of attention will be the 12 dates on which 3 or even more ocean going cruise vessels are expected in the port. On August 11 a total of 5 cruise ships will visit Kiel at the same time.
Work is starting in late summer on the construction of a 2nd terminal building at Ostseekai. With this, port of Kiel will create the quality capacity to accept larger ships with more passengers in future. A 4,000 m2 two-storey building is planned, which will be of contemporary design and will complement the existing structure in form and function. It will open at the beginning of 2019 season.