Cruise Ship Spotting on the Kiel Canal 2026
The Kiel Canal which connects the North Sea with the Baltic Sea is a great place for shiplovers. It offers various spots for shipspotting. Both the Grünental High Bridge and the Holtenau High Bridges are accessible to pedestrians and offer excellent viewpoints. In addition, several small ferries cross the canal and can be used free of charge. With good timing, you can get fantastic views of ships traveling on the canal from the ferries, for example, directly from the front.
Ships on the Kiel Canal are subject to the following size restrictions: maximum length 235 meters, maximum width 32.5 meters, maximum height 40 meters. Therefore, the Kiel Canal is not an option for most modern cruise ships. However, a number of smaller cruise ships still use the canal. Here is our overview for 2026.
| Date | Vessel | Direction | Time of day |
| 04.01. | HANSEATIC nature | Brunsbüttel | Night |
| 21.01. | HANSEATIC nature | Kiel | Day |
| 18.02. | HANSEATIC nature | Brunsbüttel | Day |
| 17.03. | HANSEATIC nature | Kiel | Night |
| 31.03. | HANSEATIC nature | Brunsbüttel | Day |
| 19.04. | NORDSTJERNEN | Brunsbüttel | Day |
| 30.04. | NORDSTJERNEN | Kiel | Day |
| 30.04. | HAMBURG | Kiel | |
| 10.05. | HANSEATIC spirit | Kiel | Day |
| 21.05. | SEADREAM II | Kiel | |
| 04.06. | HAMBURG | Kiel | |
| 10.06. | AMADEA | Brunsbüttel | |
| 12.06. | EUROPA 2 | Kiel | Day |
| 25.06. | EUROPA 2 | Brunsbüttel | Day |
| 27.06. | HAMBURG | Brunsbüttel | |
| 28.06. | AMADEA | Brunsbüttel | |
| 07.07. | AZAMARA JOURNEY | Kiel | Day |
| 30.07. | BALMORAL | Brunsbüttel | Day |
| 01.08. | AMERA | Kiel | |
| 07.08. | SEVEN SEAS NAVIGATOR | Brunsbüttel | Night |
| 29.08. | LE CHAMPLAIN | Brunsbüttel | |
| 05.09. | EUROPA | Brunsbüttel | Night |
| 16.09. | AMADEA | Brunsbüttel | |
| 18.09. | HANSEATIC nature | Kiel | Day |
| 23.09. | HAMBURG | Kiel | |
| 16.10. | AMERA | Brunsbüttel | |
| 11.12. | AMERA | Brunsbüttel | |
| 11.12. | HANSEATIC nature | Kiel | Day |
| 19.12. | HANSEATIC nature | Brunsbüttel | Night |
| 20.12. | AMERA | Brunsbüttel | |
| 21.12. | HANSEATIC nature | Kiel | Day |
Subject to change without notice. All information is provided without guarantee.
The data has been compiled with due diligence and care. No free reprint of our text .





