The 10th Hamburg Cruise Days will take place from 12 to 14 September 2025, bringing a series of maritime festivities to the Port of Hamburg (Germany).
Several cruise ships are scheduled to call during the event, which will feature the traditional parade on Saturday evening, when illuminated vessels will proceed along the Elbe accompanied by music and fireworks. Ashore, visitors will be offered a wide variety of culinary experiences and entertainment.
Running in parallel from September 10th, the Seatrade Europe trade fair will open its doors not only to the industry but also to the public for the first time. Organisers have indicated that more than 250 exhibitors and around 3,500 delegates representing over 90 countries will gather in Hamburg’s exhibition halls. A 3-day conference under the theme Future Forward will focus on technological and infrastructural developments across the sector. On September 12th, the new “Destination Discovery Friday” program will allow up to 500 consumers to attend the fair directly, marking another first.
Complementing the cruise festival, the 10th edition of the Blue Port Hamburg light installation will illuminate the harbour from 10 to 28 September. Conceived by Hamburg artist Michael Batz, the project will see port facilities, bridges, ships, and buildings along the Elbe bathed in blue light. The launch of this installation will coincide with the 140th anniversary of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA).
The event follows a strong showing in 2023, when more than 250,000 people visited Hamburg Cruise Days and the port recorded 1.2 million cruise passengers, a figure marking a new high point for the city’s cruise industry.