As this year’s cruise shipping season draws to a close, Dirk Claus, the Managing Director of the Port of Kiel (SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG), reported that it has been a positive one. The season ends on Monday September 21st with the visit of Marco Polo. Dirk Claus said at the Seatrade Europe Trade Fair in Hamburg that “this year Kiel has been visited by many especially big cruise ships. We were able to well exceed our passenger target of 250,000 passengers.” During the season, 21 different cruise ships called a total of 117 times and more than 290,000 passengers boarded or left a cruise ship in Kiel, compared to 222,000 in 2008. The biggest ship to call this season was the 102,600 GT Costa Magica, followed by the 92,400 GT MSC Orchestra and the 86,000 GT Eurodam.