transport from Hamburg to Kiel Cruise Terminal
 

We are cruising from Kiel in September and our flights arrive in Hamburg. We will have 1 night in Hamburg before going to the cruise. Any advise on the best way to go from Hamburg to the terminal. I know there is a bus from Hamburg Airport to Kiel but I don't know where it terminates. As we haven't been to Hamburg before we thought we would like to explore the city so would probably stay in a city hotel. Any advice greatly appreciated

Train.
Check www.bahn.de for schedules.

There is a bus connection that connects Hamburg Airport with Kiel Main Station.
The bus departs every hour at 5 past the hour, except for 10 h and 11 h a.m., when the bus departs at 20 min. past the hour. The departure at 11.20 h will also stop at Norwegenkai (connecting with the Norway ferry to Oslo) and the departure at 16.05 h will stop at Schwedenkai (connecting with the Sweden ferry to Gothenburg). Find the full schedule here:
http://www.autokraft.de/docs/4550_beide_NEU.pdf

In general you may be better off to take the train. Depart from either Hamburg Main Station or Hamburg Dammtor - they are the most central stations.
http://www.bahn.de/i/view/USA/en/index.shtml

Hotels in Hamburg: You don't state your budget, which would help as there are a lot, very good choices. I will post a few obvious candidates, but if you want to be more specific with your needs, I may be able to add to the list:

5*:
The Fairmont Vier Jahreszeiten is a traditional hotel that often tops rankings. It is an institution in the city as it has been around for ages and is very old school.
http://www.hvj.de/en/index.php

Alternatively, the Park Hyatt is a newer, very discrete option in a good location and it has a pool - I might prefer it.
http://hamburg.park.hyatt.com/hyatt/...index.jsp?null

4*:
The Sofitel is located just behind city hall convenient to upscale shopping in a bit of a bland building, but has strikingly modern interiors.
http://www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-5395...ll/index.shtml

The Grand Elysee is owned by local German steak house magnate Eugen Block and is a decent choice in a very pleasant location steps from Dammtor station, across from the university, facing a small park, adjacent to a posh residential neighbourhood, minutes from the Outer Alster Lake and not far from the downtown shopping. Think Marriott style. As far as I am aware, if you want a full bath with a tub, you'd have to request a room in the older part of the building, the newer part just features large showers.
http://www.grand-elysee.com/en/

3.5*:
The George features pleasantly modern British design (Hamburg is very anglophile) in the cool Britannia fashion in a decent location in St. Georg, just steps from the Outer Alster (although the Western shore of the Lake is quieter). Parts of St. Georg can still be dicey (generally East of Lange Reihe, away from the Lake), the rest is being gentrified - to a large part thanks to attracting the gay community. This one is in the better part and only a short bus ride from Main Station.
http://www.thegeorge-hotel.de/english/

The Madison is an apartment hotel with decent rooms and good access to the port (a true sight) and the new HafenCity area, Europe's currently biggest urbanisation project that's also home to the fascinatingly playful and detailed Miniature Wonderland (the world's largest model railway cum landscaping exhibition - sounds strange, but comes highly recommended: http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/).
http://madisonhotel.de/en/welcome.ht...ba8a811bf2e2dc

Thanks J62 will check out the hotels you mentioned.

Sorry hsv it was you who gave me the hotels. Thanks for the info. will check them out.

Hi
We are also taking the cruise from 11 - 22 May. Did you manage to find out the best way to Kiel port? We would also like to know if anybody can help:

Where can we leave our luggage, since we would like to explore Hamburg after the cruise and before our flight that evening at 19:00. Are there big enough lockers at the train station? Any other advise?

Thanks