Germany has remained Europe’s leading source market for multiple consecutive years, according to research from Cruise Lines International Association. Its latest Europe Market Report indicates 2.57 million German nationals took a cruise in 2024.
Two of Germany-based company TUI Cruises’ three cruise brands primarily cater to this source market: Mein Schiff and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Targeted at the premium market, Mein Schiff sails to multiple regions around the world with its eight current ships and has three newbuilds on the way – Mein Schiff Flow in 2026 and two yet-to-be-named ships in 2031 and 2032. Meanwhile, its Hapag-Lloyd Cruises brand provides luxury and expedition cruises for both the German and international markets onboard its five vessels.
Both brands face a common challenge when planning itineraries and shore excursion programmes: finding ways to adapt them to meet ever-changing guest preferences and travel habits. We ask Marcus Puttich, director of destinations, and Maria Tauschke, head of shore operations, how TUI Cruises is overcoming these hurdles and what new opportunities it is opening up for ports and destinations in different regions around the world.
How is guest behaviour changing the way you plan itineraries for both Mein Schiff and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises?
Puttich: We continuously adapt itineraries for both brands to meet evolving guest expectations by diversifying our products, extending seasonality and exploring new regions. We always maintain a focus on creating meaningful experiences and sustainable growth.
Changing consumer behaviour has become a key driver of deployment planning. Guests increasingly seek either long, immersive journeys that allow for extended time away from home, or active itineraries focused on experiencing unique seasonal highlights. This trend accelerated after the pandemic, when Mein Schiff successfully attracted new segments with 30-day-plus voyages from Germany to the Caribbean or Canary Islands cruises lasting over 20 days. At the same time, we launched 14-day winter cruises to Norway reaching the North Cape – opening an entirely new category of winter experiences for German-speaking guests.
There is also growing demand for cruises starting and ending in Germany, as well as for itineraries that extend traditional seasons. Our new seven-day Christmas Market cruises in the Baltic are a prime example, adding guest appeal well into December and establishing Northern Europe as a near year-round destination. In fact, fewer Germans go to the Mediterranean than Germany’s overall market size would suggest. This is because Germany’s main homeports are in the north of the country and Germans like their cars.
We follow a similar approach at Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Winter expeditions in Northern Europe, including sailings through the frozen Gulf of Bothnia, demonstrate how even familiar regions can offer extraordinary experiences when curated differently.
Beyond Europe, Asia is emerging as a key growth market. In spring 2026, Mein Schiff will operate two itineraries between Hong Kong and Tokyo in Japan, focusing strongly on Japanese ports. This reflects both growing market demand and our ambition to expand into new geographies with differentiated products.
Tropical islands like Bora Bora in French Polynesia are popular with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ guests
How are you evolving your shore excursion programmes?
Tauschke: We are moving towards offering more in-depth guest experiences. Longer port calls and overnight stays – for example in Shanghai, China – allow for genuine cultural immersion, while evening calls open opportunities to explore nightlife and the chance to experience destinations in a different way than daytime visits allow.
What steps should ports take to ensure they can cater for these new itineraries?
Puttich: In most cases, ports only need to adapt in practical, operational ways. For example, ports hosting winter sailings from Germany to Northern Europe must have heated terminals and clear their access routes – these adjustments are relatively easy to implement.
More crucial, however, is that destinations as a whole adapt to these evolving products. Understanding guest demographics and working closely with cruise lines ensures they can deliver a seamless and high-quality onshore experience. For example, tour uptake for German nationals is high (60 to 80 per cent) but many do not speak English, so the availability of German-speaking guides and bus capacity are key factors for our brands. Shore excursion offerings must also reflect the season and fulfil guest expectations.
The main challenge in long-haul regions, particularly when extending seasons, is airlift, not infrastructure. For our Mein Schiff brand, this means ensuring sufficient flight capacity, while Hapag-Lloyd Cruises focuses on premium business-class arrangements to meet guest expectations.
Ultimately, it is the destinations, tour operators and wider cruise networks – rather than the ports alone – that play the decisive role in adapting successfully to new cruise concepts.
Can you share any examples of especially effective destination partnerships?
Tauschke: We see excellent cooperation in regions such as the Baltic and Norway, where associations like Cruise Baltic, Cruise Norway and Cruise Europe actively foster exchange and collaboration. Local shore excursion agencies and cruise networks add further value through tailored programming.
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ expedition guests expect unique excursions, such as being able to see seals up close in Antarctica
Are there any particular ports that are well placed to take advantage of TUI Cruises’ changing approach to itinerary planning?
Tauschke: From a TUI Cruises perspective, ports and regions close to our main German source market are especially well positioned. The Baltic, Norway and Northern Europe offer the proximity and flexibility our guests value, while the Canary Islands and the Caribbean appeal for longer cruises or seasonal escapes.
Success, however, depends on understanding one’s source markets. For example, summer itineraries in the Middle East may be attractive from an airlift perspective but are less suitable for German-speaking guests due to high temperatures. Conversely, winter cruises in the Gulf of St. Lawrence can thrive when targeted at the right market.
What advice would you give to ports and destinations that want to increase their appeal to cruise brands?
Puttich: Destinations should first focus on building a strong seasonal product for their most natural source market – based on geography, accessibility and guest expectations – and then gradually expand to others.
Overall, the cruise industry holds significant untapped potential. At TUI Cruises, we see great value in collaborating closely with the destinations, local networks and our shore excursion partners to think creatively, monitor market trends and shape new opportunities to drive growth together.
Discover more insights like this in the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of Cruise & Ferry Review. Don’t miss out – subscribe for FREE and get the next issue delivered straight to your inbox.