You will be tendered ashore.

The main reason cruise lines use this port is to get a tax-excempt status, which is often a worth 1000's of Euros, VAT and other taxes do not have to be paid during the entire cruise and tax free stores onboard can remain open. Heligoland is now a holiday resort and enjoys a tax-exempt status, as it is part of the EU but excluded from the EU VAT area and customs union, and consequently, much of the economy is founded on sales of cigarettes, alcoholic beverages and perfumes to tourists who visit the islands.

Printable map to take along.

Cruise Schedule.

Watch a destination video.

Germany has got many islands, however there is one high sea island only. About 70 km off mainland the red sand-stone rock with its green land steeples stands out against the German Sea. (German Sea = Nordsee) Helgoland – an oasis of quietude and a unique natural monument.

The island of Heligoland is a geological oddity; the presence of the main island's characteristic red sedimentary rock in the middle of the German Bight is unusual. It is the only such formation of cliffs along the continental coast of the North Sea.

A feature of the island is the almost total absence of car traffic, which makes it a safe and quiet location. Helgoland consists of a rather large sand stone island and a smaller island build from sand nearby. Both are worth strolling around. Not even bikes ae allowed.

Visit the satellite island of Heligoland, Düne. Its beaches are very beautiful and often you can find seals lying on the sand.

Helgoland is a duty-free zone. Tobacco and alcohol may be purchased as well as electronics and other high-duty items.

Euro. There are some ATM machines around.

Credit Cards are not well liked and accepted in Germany, because of the high commissions retailers, hotels, restaurants have to pay. Please pay in cash whenever possible. Visitors are advised to have their traveller's cheques exchanged at bureaux de change as banks often refuse to change them and they are not accepted as payment in stores.

Currency Converter

German spoken. Germans are regarded as being punctual, disciplined and last but not least, a little formal. In German there are two forms of you: "Du" and "Sie." "Du" is less formal, "Sie" is more so. You almost always should use the "Sie" form and someone's last name with people you don't know.

110 -- Police Emergency
112 -- Fire Emergency or Ambulance Call

Internet cafes are mostly found around railway stations. Often large bookstores have internet terminals. German keyboards are awkward: it might take a few minutes just to find the @-sign. (use Ctrl and Alt, with Q)

All stores must close no later than 8 p.m. Some close as early as 6:30 p.m. On Saturdays stores lock up at 1 or 2 p.m.; although in big city centers most stay upon until 2 or 4 p.m.

Sundays all stores are closed, except some bakeries which are open on sunday morning.

January 1 New Year's Day
January 6 Epiphany
varies - Good Friday
varies - Easter
varies - Easter Monday
May 1 Labor Day
varies - Ascension Day (usually in May)
varies - Whit monday (usually mid-May)
October 3 Unity Day
December 25 Christmas Day
December 26 St. Stephan's Day

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