Cruise Gate Hamburg (CGH) wrapped up the 2023 season with two calls in a row by a fully booked AIDAnova, according to a press release.

The Christmas sailings on December 22 and December 29 set a new record for passenger turnaround per day at Hamburg’s cruise terminals operated by (CGH).

Simone Maraschi, managing director of CGH, said: “Ending this eventful cruise season with such a highlight is noteworthy on two counts. On one hand, it shows just how attractive and sought-after cruise trips departing from Hamburg are, even in winter. On the other hand, the logistics achievements of the employees are outstanding. Our well-practiced processes at the terminal and the excellent cooperation of all parties involved make it possible to ensure efficient luggage services and smooth provisioning operations even on extremely busy turnaround days such as these. We want our guests to have the very best experience here, and we will do our utmost to make sure that they can set off on their Christmas holiday cruise carefree and relaxed.”

Felix Eichhorn, president of AIDA Cruises, said: “We are delighted to see so many guests wanting to spend Christmas and the New Year with us. Since 2016 when we launched our AIDAprima we, in conjunction with the city and CGH, the terminal operator, have been putting a lot of effort into making Hamburg a year-round destination. Roughly half of all cruise ships calling at Hamburg are AIDA ships, and we offer a wide range of cruise options from the Hanseatic city throughout the year. At the same time, we are one of the key drivers of tourism in the city; more than every second cruise passenger is an AIDA guest.”

As of now, 268 calls are scheduled for the 2024 season, of which nine cruise ships will sail to Hamburg on their inaugural sailings, including the Azamara Onward, Costa Favolosa, Mein Schiff 7, Ocean Albatros, Queen Anne, Seabourn Quest, Sirena and the Sky Princess, as well the Disney Dream, which is scheduled to call at Hamburg for the first time on September 3, 2024.