During the 2017 cruise shipping season, which ended for the Port of Kiel on October 21st, a new all-time high of 513,500 cruise travellers was hit by the German seaport.

In total, 143 calls were made at Kiel by 29 different cruise ships, of which the 333.3 m long GT 138 thou. MSC Fantasia was the biggest.

"In the coming season cruise shipping activity in the Port of Kiel will rise even further and for the first time more than 150 visits by cruise ships will be recorded," Dirk Claus, Managing Director, the Port of Kiel, commented.

The next season will be inaugurated on April 8th with the arrival of AIDAcara.

In addition, the port already will start preparing for the 2019 season by starting to construct in late summer 2018 a second terminal building at the Osteekai.

Photo: Port of Kiel / Stephen Gergs