Cruise fair in Hamburg: private visitors are allowed in for the first time!

Cruise fair in Hamburg: private visitors are allowed in for the first time!

Seatrade Europe in Hamburg has some new features to offer this year. The international cruise trade fair opened its doors to private individuals for the first time. This special opportunity to experience the already established trade fair will be offered until Friday, September 12, 2025. However, the number of tickets for private visitors is limited to 500, who must register online in advance. The entrance fee is five euros and opening times are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Around 3,500 participants from more than 90 countries are expected at Seatrade Europe. The event is supported by 250 exhibitors showcasing ports and cruise destinations. The regions represented include Saudi Arabia, the Caribbean, Spain, the Baltics and India. Large shipping companies such as AIDA, TUI Cruises, MSC and Hapag-Lloyd are also present at the trade fair. The focus is on sustainability, digitalization and the expansion of modern port infrastructure.

Cruise trends and developments

Claus Ulrich Selbach, Vice President of Hamburg Messe, expressed optimism about the future development of cruise shipping. He cited year-round landing of cruise ships as an important goal. Current statistics show that cruise tourists only make up two percent of the total number of guests in major tourist cities. The number of cruise ships is only two percent of all ships on the seas, while around 60,000 merchant and container ships are on the move.

Last year, the German cruise industry recorded over three million passengers on ocean cruises. The most important ports are Hamburg, Kiel, Rostock-Warnemünde and Bremerhaven. In addition, around 840,000 passengers were counted on river cruises.

AIDA Cruises is optimistic about the future

AIDA Cruises, one of the major players in the industry, reports a positive booking situation for 2023 as well as long-term bookings for 2026 and 2027. Felix Eichhorn, President of AIDA Cruises, emphasized that capacities are the only limiting factor. AIDA is currently active with a fleet of eleven ships, and two additional ships have already been commissioned. These new ships are scheduled to enter service in spring 2030 and winter 2031/2032.

The popularity of cruises is also reflected in the numbers: in 2024, three million Germans sailed on ocean voyages, with around half of them traveling with AIDA. AIDA is also planning to offer departures from Hamburg and Kiel in the new winter program. Around 80 percent of summer trips in 2025 will start from German ports.

AIDA Cruises also invests in sustainable technologies. A key goal of the shipping company is to replace fossil fuels with biogenic and electricity-based alternatives. AIDA actively supports the expansion of shore power infrastructure in ports. A total of four Selection class ships are to be modernized by 2028, which will involve investments in the high three-digit millions.

The Hamburg Cruise Days, which take place at the same time as Seatrade Europe, enable visitors to obtain comprehensive information about ships and travel. On these three days, travel agencies will also have the opportunity to visit the event from Friday to Sunday.

Seatrade Europe not only shows the current trends in the cruise industry, but also provides an outlook on future developments and the challenges the industry is facing.