Day 6 Hamburg, Germany

Saturday 27th April 2019

Hamburg, a major port city in northern Germany, is connected to the North Sea by the Elbe River. It's crossed by hundreds of canals, and also contains large areas of parkland. Near its core, Inner Alster lake is dotted with boats and surrounded by cafes. The city's central Jungfernstieg boulevard connects the Neustadt (new town) with the Altstadt (old town), home to landmarks like 18th-century St. Michael’s Church.

This morning already in Hamburg.  Clear skies, looking good.  Lots of changes in passengers today, folk with cases and coats all over the place.  After breakfast collected up bits and pieces for a trip ashore.

Not taking advantage of the ships tours, not much on offer as MSC concentrating on “end of cruise” rather than “in transit”.

So it’s a walk down to the Old Elbe Tunnel to cross the river into the city.  About an easy 30 minute walk to the tunnel through a not too inspiring industrial area.

Mainly pedestrians and cyclists passing through, though the lifts and tunnels do accommodate cars, none today.  The tunnels are deep below river/ground accessed by lifts and stairs, over 130 steps down - and then up again!

The tunnels well lit and clean as well as decorated with various reliefs depicting marine life, all very nice except maybe the reliefs of what appear to be rats!

Spent a bit of time viewing the river and it’s busy traffic.  Lots of local river ferries, tour boats, commercial traffic and cruise ships as well as ships in dry dock and floating dry docks.

Then the return to the ship for some quality time sitting in the sun on deck whilst all the new passengers arrive, and continued to arrive into the evening.

Weather stayed delightfully warm and sunny until a little after 3pm when the clouds rolled in and brought a little drizzle.

Luckily good internet in the cruise terminal which overspilled as far as our stateroom, a good opportunity to update everything.

Dinner in the buffet, lots of new passengers boarded today, mainly German and many of more senior years, they certainly seem well practised wandering around and in getting in the way, feels more like a proper cruise now.

Late sailaway off down the River Elbe.  Lots of lights on the bank and lots of shipping on the river - very close!  Shame we never seem to get a trip down the river during daylight.