Hamburg has a new, ultra-modern gateway to the world: the Cruise Center HafenCity has officially opened and sets new standards for urban cruise infrastructure in Europe. In the heart of HafenCity, directly integrated into the vibrant Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier, the state-of-the-art terminal offers a unique cruise experience.
The new terminal, which now replaces the former Cruise Center HafenCity, was officially inaugurated by Cruise Gate Hamburg GmbH (CGH) on September 12, 2025. With its strategically optimal location, the dream ships sail directly past the historic Landungsbrücken and the Elbphilharmonie concert hall on their way to the berth – an unforgettable start to any voyage.
Facts about Hamburg’s most modern terminal
The architecturally impressive building is organized vertically and extends over four levels with a total area of 10,300 m². It has two berths (345 meters and 230 meters long), which enable the handling of smaller and larger ships for an average of 2,500 passengers per call.
Its integration into the Überseequartier ensures excellent connections and direct access to retail, gastronomy, cultural highlights such as the Port des Lumières or the LEGO Discovery Centre as well as the UNESCO World Heritage Site Speicherstadt, which is within walking distance.
There is also a clear focus on sustainability: from the beginning of 2026, the terminal will be equipped with state-of-the-art shore power technology. This will give cruise ships the opportunity to use green electricity while they are docked and thus significantly reduce emissions.
A modern and impressive infrastructure awaits you at the Cruise Center Hamburg HafenCity – but a parking space is often hard to find.
The parking space trap: a problem you should solve in advance
With the opening of this spectacular terminal, Hamburg is expecting a sharp rise in visitor numbers. Around 50 ship calls are already planned at the new Cruise Center HafenCity for 2025 alone, and this figure is likely to double by 2026.
Around 1,500 parking spaces have been created in Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier to cope with this rush (there are around 4,400 available in HafenCity in total), but experience shows that the tens of thousands of passengers will not be able to find a parking space: These newly created parking spaces will hardly be enough for the tens of thousands of passengers who usually arrive and depart at the same time.
Added to this is the general parking situation in the Hanseatic city: finding a safe and inexpensive parking space in Hamburg is a real challenge. If you want to start your cruise stress-free, you should therefore not leave the issue of parking to chance or rely on the few, often expensive and quickly filled parking spaces directly at the terminal.
Our recommendation: park safely and cheaply with easy park & fly
Torturing through Hamburg’s traffic before departure and desperately looking for a parking space will dampen your vacation mood before it has even begun.
Our tip: reserve your parking space in advance with easy park & fly (Hafen-Parken). This is not only the safest, but often also the cheapest solution.
Use our special subpage for the North Elbe cruise terminals to book your parking space:
Important: Make sure you enter your correct travel dates on the subpage so that all available offers are displayed specifically for your ship and your travel period.
Attention Transfer: Before you book, please always check the details of the respective parking provider. It is important to check whether the provider offers a shuttle service to the respective pier (HafenCity, Altona or Steinwerder) or whether you are responsible for the transfer to the terminal yourself.
Scheduled ship calls at the Cruise Center HafenCity (selection)
To give you an idea of the majestic visitors expected in the coming weeks and months, here is a small selection of the planned ship calls at the new Cruise Center HafenCity (as of the end of 2025):
- MSC Poesia (e.g. on November 2 and November 9, 2025)
- Hamburg (e.g. on November 1, 2025)
- Borealis (November 10, 2025)
- HANSEATIC nature (November 20, December 5, 2025, among others)
- Queen Anne (December 19, 2025)
- Aurora (December 31, 2025)
See for yourself – a video of the spectacular departure from HafenCity – Mein Schiff 1:
Conclusion
It’s a great feeling to start your cruise in the middle of Hamburg, at the port city’s most modern terminal! Enjoy the unique view of the Elbphilharmonie and the maritime flair from the very first moment. Just make sure that you spend as little time as possible looking for a parking space. A pre-booked, secure parking space is the first step towards a relaxed dream vacation.