Kiel Canal Transit

Connecting the North Sea, at the mouth of the Elbe River, to the Baltic Sea at Holtenau, the Kiel Canal is one of the world’s busiest and most important shipping routes. Slicing a man-made path through the German countryside, this 61-mile-long marvel of engineering allows vessels to avoid 250 nautical miles of sea sailing on average, ensuring a faster and safer passage through Europe.

As picturesque as it is important, the Kiel Canal is a popular route for ‘pleasure’ crafts and smaller-sized cruise ships such as those in the Fred. Olsen fleet. Sailing slowly along the canal presents an opportunity to take in gorgeous scenes of lush-green countryside and a collection of interesting villages and towns flanking the still waters, and marvel at several impressive bridges. Maritime enthusiasts will delight at the various shapes, sizes and sheer volume of the ships and vessels navigating this busy waterway too.