Hamburg has opened a third passenger terminal for cruise ships amid the ongoing boom in cruise package tours.
The terminal at the Kronprinzkai in the southern part of the port can handle more than 8,000 passengers embarking or disembarking by separate gangways. The new terminal will help to relieve some of the strain that has arisen from a surge in port calls by the big lines.
Hamburg, a popular destination on many cruise lines' itineraries, is located 100km inland from the North Sea, giving passengers a scenic trip up and down the Elbe river as part of the port call.
Hamburg currently ranks third in Europe behind Southampton and Copenhagen in terms of cruise tourism. Last year it posted a new record of 589,000 passengers arriving or departing on 189 cruise vessels.
Source: AAP
