Cruise ports in Cruises in Germany

Photo: Ilya Kalachev

Germany combines ocean cruises on the North and Baltic Seas with river cruises on the Rhine, Elbe, Main-Danube Canal and Danube. Coastal ports provide access to destinations including Scandinavia, the Baltic states and longer Atlantic routes; river ports lead to inland cities and landscapes. As a seaport on the Elbe, Hamburg is also located on an important river route.

Coastal and Ocean Ports

Bremerhaven and Cuxhaven are on the North Sea; Cuxhaven lies at the mouth of the Elbe. Hamburg connects access from the sea via the Elbe with several cruise terminals. On the Baltic coast are Kiel on the fjord, Travemünde on Lübeck Bay, and Warnemünde near Rostock. Wismar is another port town in the area. Depending on the itinerary, ocean routes may travel to destinations such as Scandinavia or the Baltic states, and longer voyages may cross the Atlantic.

When travelling to larger ports, the specific terminal matters. As of spring 2025, Cruise Gate Hamburg lists the Steinwerder, Altona, Baakenhöft and HafenCity locations; the city name alone therefore does not identify a particular berth. In Kiel, Ostseekai is close to the city centre and main railway station, while other port areas are farther away. The port websites provide information about local access to each location.

• Bremerhaven – North Sea port for North Cape and Atlantic routes.
• Cuxhaven – at the mouth of the Elbe, where river and North Sea meet.
• Hamburg – ocean port on the Elbe with several terminals.
• Kiel – Baltic Sea port on Kiel Fjord.
• Travemünde – on the Baltic coast at the mouth of the Trave.
• Warnemünde – on the Baltic coast near Rostock.

River Ports

River cruises follow navigable waterways, linking port towns along a route. Along the Rhine, for example, are Königswinter in the Siebengebirge hills and Breisach on the Upper Rhine. Nuremberg is on the Main-Danube Canal, and Passau is on the Danube. Hamburg, Magdeburg and Dresden offer different kinds of stops along the Elbe; farther north, routes along the Ems, Weser and canals reach places such as Papenburg, Bremen and Hoya. A town may be a starting point, destination or stop along the way. Piers are not always right in the city centre; on rivers, the channel, locks and local landing stages determine the route.

• Königswinter – a Rhine stop at the foot of the Siebengebirge hills.
• Breisach am Rhein – a stop on the Upper Rhine near the French border.
• Nuremberg – on the Main-Danube Canal between the Main and Danube rivers.
• Passau – a port for Danube cruises.

When to Travel and Getting There

Ocean cruise departures follow the cruise line’s seasonal schedule; river cruises also depend on water levels and conditions along the relevant stretch. When planning, travellers should distinguish between the booked port of departure or arrival and, if specified, the terminal or landing stage. This is especially important when a city has several berths or the river landing stage is outside the city centre. For a cruise that ends at a different port, planning should also account for where the vehicle is parked and the return journey. The linked port websites guide visitors from the cruise region to individual locations and information about local conditions.