Cruises from Berlin
Published: 2 min read
Berlin offers residents, including the large Ukrainian community, two different seasonal routes to a cruise, and neither requires a trip to the border or back to Ukraine. In the Baltic season, the train becomes a convenient option: direct rail service from Berlin leads to Hamburg, as well as toward Kiel and Warnemunde, from where liners depart in Baltic waters. The train trip takes a few hours and does not depend on airport schedules, so it often turns out more convenient than a domestic flight. For the Mediterranean season, it makes more sense to use the BER airport in Berlin: direct flights from there go toward Barcelona, Civitavecchia near Rome, Genoa, or other southern ports, where MSC, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Costa, and Celestyal wait for passengers. Which of the two options to choose depends primarily on the season and the specific cruise: the Baltic route through Hamburg or Kiel is relevant only in summer, while Mediterranean flights from BER are available for most of the year. For people from Ukraine now living in Berlin, this trip is dramatically simpler than the one relatives who still live back home have to make: instead of a ground segment and a border, all that is left is a flight or a train within Europe. How this same route looks for a family departing directly from Ukraine is described in detail in the article "How a Ukrainian can get on a cruise: the road to the port."
Cruises
BLACK FRIDAY from MSC Cruises
Mediterranean
Istanbul, Turkiye, Corfu, Greece, Bari, Italy, Athens (Piraeus), Greece, Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkiye, Istanbul, Turkiye
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
BLACK FRIDAY from MSC Cruises
Canary Islands
Arrecife (Lanzarote), Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain, Santa Cruz de la Palma, Spain, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, Puerto Del Rosario-Fuerteventura, Spain, Madeira (Funchal), Portugal, Arrecife (Lanzarote)
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
Barcelona, Spain, La Goulette, Tunisia, Palermo, Sicily, Italy, Naples, Italy, Livorno, Italy, Marseille, Provence, France, Barcelona, Spain
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
BLACK FRIDAY from MSC Cruises
Mediterranean
Bari, Italy, Athens (Piraeus), Greece, Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkiye, Istanbul, Turkiye, Corfu, Greece, Bari, Italy
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
Barcelona, Spain, La Goulette, Tunisia, Palermo, Sicily, Italy, Naples, Italy, Livorno, Italy, Marseille, Provence, France, Barcelona, Spain
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
Split Croatia, Venice, Italy, Zadar, Croatia, Corfu, Greece, Kotor, Montenegro, Brindisi, Split Croatia
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
Southampton (London), United Kingdom, Gijon, Spain, La Rochelle, Bilbao, Spain, Cherbourg, France, Southampton (London), United Kingdom
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
Southampton (London), United Kingdom, Brest, France, Leixões, PT, Vigo, Spain, Cherbourg, France, Southampton (London), United Kingdom
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
BLACK FRIDAY from MSC Cruises
Northern Europe and Norwegian fjords
Hamburg, Germany, Rotterdam, Netherlands, Zeebrugge, Belgium, Paris (le Havre), France, Southampton (London), United Kingdom, Hamburg, Germany
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
Venice, Italy, Kotor, Montenegro, Mykonos, Greece, Mykonos, Greece, Syros, Greece, Ancona, Italy, Venice, Italy
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
DetailsWhere to next
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Berlin to Baltic ports of embarkation?
Most conveniently by train: direct rail service leads to Hamburg, as well as toward Kiel and Warnemunde, from where liners depart in Baltic waters in summer.
How do I get from Berlin to Mediterranean ports?
BER airport offers direct flights toward Barcelona, Civitavecchia near Rome, Genoa, and other southern directions, from where MSC, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Costa, and Celestyal depart.
What should I choose: the Baltic or Mediterranean route from Berlin?
It depends on the season and the specific cruise: the Baltic direction through Hamburg or Kiel is relevant only in summer, while flights from BER south are available most of the year.
Do I need to cross a border for a trip from Berlin to a cruise?
No, and that is the main difference from the route out of Ukraine: the trip starts right at the train station or airport, without a ground segment and without transit through a neighboring country.
How much time should I allow for the road from Berlin to the port of embarkation?
Much less than from Ukrainian cities: the Baltic direction takes a few hours by train, and the Mediterranean one a day with a flight and transfer. Still worth having a small buffer for a delay.