The largest cruise ship of 2018 summer season arrived in port of Kiel on Saturday, April 28, at the end of a trip across the Atlantic.
The 333-metre, 139,000 GT ship MSC Preziosa arrived in Kiel Fiord and was welcomed via water fountain tribute from one of port’s tugs and escorted to her berth at Ostseekai Cruise Ship Terminal.
Out of her base port Kiel, MSC Preziosa is undertaking 20 voyages in northern Europe this season and is one of the most frequent visitors to Kiel Fiord. Her itineraries, 17 of which starting at Ostseekai Terminal and 3 in Ostuferhafen, will take MSC Preziosa not only to the big Baltic cities but also along the Norwegian fiords.
MSC Cruises ships have been visiting the port regularly for 13 years. The start was made on Sept 4, 2005 by “Rhapsody”, the year before port of Kiel was elevated to a start and destination port by the company in 2006.
The port city is continuing to invest in expansion of the facilities at Ostseekai Terminal and in Ostuferhafen in order to guarantee its future clients first class handling quality. At Ostseekai for instance, a 2nd terminal handling building is currently being built and in Ostuferhafen an EUR 2 million baggage hall is now taking shape. Port access areas and facilities in Ostuferhafen are being redesigned and made much more spacious.