Bremerhaven - Hamburg Short cruise North Sea - refreshing maritime stories

Look forward to the trendy destination of Rotterdam. Futuristic architecture, huge container ships, trendy restaurants, and renowned museums set the pulse of this young, dynamic city. Experience these facets “like a local” on a bicycle or by tuk-tuk¹, as the Rotterdammers themselves do. Alternatively, explore the city on foot during a guided tour¹. Your ship stays overnight, giving you plenty of time for an evening stroll through the city.

Scheveningen, the largest seaside resort in the Netherlands, welcomes you with a kilometres-long promenade lined with countless restaurants, cafés, and beach bars. Just a stone’s throw away lie The Hague and Delft¹. Stroll through the historic centre of the Dutch seat of government, and make a detour to the Peace Palace, home to the United Nations, and the royal Noordeinde Palace.

Belgium offers a wealth of variety when you reach Zeebrugge. Avant-garde fashion, fine chocolates, and comics à la Tintin: Belgian craftsmanship is world-famous, following in the tradition of the Flemish painter Jan van Eyck, the master of naturalism. As vividly as in his oil paintings, the Middle Ages can still be experienced today in romantic Bruges¹, particularly in the town centre and on a canal cruise. Van Eyck’s famous altarpiece, typical guild houses, and a behind-the-scenes look at a chocolatier: which sensory delights will appeal to you most during a stroll through Ghent¹?

Texel welcomes you with vastness and authenticity. The island is known for its namesake sheep and its typical Gulf farmhouses. The natural creative power of the largest West Frisian island is matched only by the works of human hands. With a fresh wind on your face, explore the De Slufter¹ nature reserve, a wide plain with creeks and salt marshes amid the dune chain. Idyllic charm can be found on a carriage ride¹ through the town of De Koog with its delightful centre and small beach cafés. Alternatively, head out onto the Wadden Sea¹ on a shrimp cutter to catch fresh seafood. The sandy, muddy coast is ideal for “garnalenvissen,” as shrimp fishing is called in the Netherlands.

As a dream landscape in the sea and one of Germany’s most popular islands, Sylt welcomes you. Wooden groynes in the surf and glowing dunes beneath an almost endless sky – the “Queen of the North Sea” captivates as a glamorous holiday paradise with natural grace. Its most beautiful side can be experienced on a vintage bus¹ through a drifting dune area, past Kampen and Hörnum to Keitum with its thatched houses. Alternatively, wade through the mudflats on a mudflat walk in Blidsel Bay¹, tracking the diversity of life in the seabed.

Red rocks and abundant birdlife: Helgoland, Germany’s only high-sea island. The experts on board sharpen your eye for the great diversity, which you can perfectly observe from your prime viewing spots on deck. Up to 430 species have been recorded here – unique in all of Central Europe. A popular breeding site and at the same time one of northern Germany’s most impressive natural landmarks is the Lange Anna. The rock needle rises 47 metres above the island. Weather permitting, the Zodiacs are put into action. Expedition spirit and unexpected perspectives await you in the sturdy inflatable boats. This is how pirates must have felt when the island supposedly served as a smuggler’s paradise. A very famous pirate, Klaus Störtebeker, was captured off Helgoland in 1401. A marine predator is the grey seal, which shares the dunes with harbour seals. Hunting at up to 40 km/h, it pursues sardines and cod in the water. You, on the other hand, are seeking spectacular panoramas on a walk along the 2.8 km cliff-top trail. In the fresh North Sea air, a fish sandwich tastes particularly good.