MS Elbe Princesse, 6 Night From Hamburg to Berlin: Discover the Medieval Charms of Hanseatic Cities ex Hamburg, Germany to Berlin, Germany

Travel back in time to discover medieval Hanseatic cities between Hamburg and Berlin. Explore two of Germany’s largest metropolises and admire the cities’ outstanding architecture along the banks of the Elbe.

Day 1
Passengers are welcome to board our ship in Hamburg starting at 6:00 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. We'll enjoy dinner on board.

Day 2
In the morning, join us for an optional guided tour of Hamburg. Soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the maritime charm of Germany’s second-largest city. Our guided tour will bring you to the top sites, including the main shopping street Mönckebergstraße in the city center, the Alster Lakes, the Rathausmarkt (City Hall Marketplace), the stock exchange, and St. Michael's Church. We'll continue on foot through the city's historical center—one of the oldest sections of Hamburg. We’ll enjoy lunch on board. This afternoon, we’ll leave by coach for an optional guided tour of Lübeck. Known as the “Queen of the Hanseatic League,” Lübeck was founded in 1143 by Adolf II, Count of Schauenburg and Holstein. UNESCO lists the city as a World Heritage Site because of its aristocratic homes and numerous red-brick Gothic monuments. Founded on the banks of the Trave River, the historic center is home to a unique collection of monuments from different eras—namely the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical periods. We’ll discover the Holsten Gate leading to the old city center, Lübeck’s most well-known landmark and a symbol of the power once possessed by this former Hanseatic city; St. Mary’s Church, an absolute Gothic gem; and the castle monastery. We’ll wrap up our excursion by visiting a tea room where we’ll enjoy some delicious marzipan, a local specialty. After our tour, we’ll return on board in Hamburg. Join us for dinner and an evening of entertainment.

Day 3
We’ll spend the morning cruising. We'll ride on the Scharnebeck twin ship lift, one of the highest in Europe with a maximum vertical lift of 125 feet (38 meters). Join us this morning for an optional guided tour of Luneburg, one of the best-preserved Hanseatic cities. During the Middle Ages, its salt deposits made it one of Germany’s wealthiest areas. The Old City has conserved its traditional brick architecture from this prosperous time. We’ll spend the afternoon cruising to Wolfsburg, and we’ll arrive in the evening.

Day 4
Join us for an optional visit to the Autostadt theme park, dedicated to German automobile design. Opened during Expo 2000 in Hanover, the Autostadt is every car-lover’s dream—a huge campus full of museums, games, restaurants, and a five-star hotel. After our excursion, we’ll return on board the ship. We’ll spend the afternoon cruising to Magdeburg, and we’ll arrive in the evening.

Day 5
This morning, take an optional guided tour of Magdeburg—situated midway on the Elbe River and also on the historic Roman Roads. This former Hanseatic League city is a melting pot of cultural and architectural riches. We’ll return on board and continue cruising to Potsdam.

Day 6
We’ll leave on an optional visit to the beautifully landscaped gardens of the Sanssouci Palace, once the residence of Frederick the Great. This afternoon will be dedicated to an optional guided tour of Berlin, the capital that once illustrated the division of the world into East and West. Tonight is our festive gala evening.

Day 7
Enjoy breakfast on board this morning before disembarking. End of our services.

Built in 2016, this ship features a Nordic and contemporary interior style accented by lighthued woods and sleek graphics reflecting the architecture of the capitals of northern Europe. A bright warm light in all private and public areas are the elements that will turn first time passengers into returning ones. The main deck cabins have large windows, and the upper deck cabins have French balconies. All meals during the cruise are served in the restaurant on the main deck, which can be accessed directly from the lounge and bar. The restaurant is surrounded by large panoramic windows that give fantastic views of the scenery as it flows by. The lounge and bar on the stern of the upper deck are where cocktails, games, dancing, and other fun-filled evenings take place. The lounge has outdoor access so you can have a drink while enjoying the feel of the open air. The sun deck, with chairs and sun loungers, is the best place on the ship for an unobstructed view of the sites.

CroisiEurope has a fleet of Prestige category boats with cabins, which ply the most beautiful rivers in Europe. Spacious and light, they offer a welcoming and refined setting. Accommodation capacity varies from 100 to 180 passengers depending on the boat's design. At the cutting edge of technology, their facilities offer comfort and safety.

Carefully maintained and partially renovated each year, the CroisiEurope fleet is largely made up of recently built vessels, less than five years old, all with Veritas certification. The leading European river tour operator, our company owes its international reputation to its seriousness, its dynamism, its sense of innovation and its recognised value for money of long standing.

Vessels are rated four-star and food is superb – as you’d expect on a French-owned cruise line, staffed by French chefs and with top French and German wines aboard. One cruise of the Rhone and Saone Rivers in France concentrates on gastronomy and traditional French cusine, visiting Collonges Abbey, renowned for its great French chef, Paul Bocuse.

CroisiEurope is a family-owned and operated firm, with brothers and sisters running different aspects of the company and keeping a close eye on all operations to ensure excellence.

River cruising offers much free fun. Wake in the morning and observe the passing riverside scenery through your cabin window – perhaps from your bed. Gaze upon village churches or a patchwork of fields sparkling in the morning sun.

CroisiEurope’s network traverses a phenomenal number of European rivers and waterways. They range from the Guadalquivir and Guadiana (flowing through Spain and Portugal respectively); the Douro in Portugal, the Po and Venice Lagoon in Italy; the Rhone in Provence, plus the Seine from Paris to the Normandy Coast. And there’s more: the Moselle, the Neckar, the Saar, the Oder, the Havel, the Baltic Sea, the Camarge, the Rhine, the Main and the mighty Danube; the Tisza and the Black Sea; the Belgian and Dutch waterways. Everything from tulip time in Holland to Christmas Markets in Germany.

Drinks included with on board meals: mineral water, house wine, beer, fruit juice, and tea or coffee.