As cruise ships are moored or anchored in this port, you will be tendered ashore to the center of Sassnitz.

Printable map to take along.

Cruise calendar for this port.

Watch a destination video.

It is a well-known resort town, and is a gateway to the nearby Jasmund National Park. Sassnitz is home to Rügen's only zoo. The decommissioned British submarine HMS Otus was purchased by a German entrepreneur and towed to Sassnitz to be a floating museum.

The growing attractiveness of the Island of Ruegen is making the Port of Sassnitz increasingly popular with German and international cruise operators. From here cruise participants can explore the island – Germany's largest and in terms of landscape also the most diverse – by bus tour, flight over the island or individual excursions. Discovering the Island of Ruegen is just like discovering Germany in one day!

Rügen is Germany's largest island (976 square kilometres). More precisely, it is an archipelago of around 30 small islands and peninsulas in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Take a stroll round the newly resplendent, former imperial spa resorts and you will definitely sense the noblesse of the Belle Epoque. Rügen is a remarkably diverse island of genteel seaside resorts, quiet little fishing villages, mile-long beaches, dead straight tree-lined avenues, wild sea buckthorn hedges, ancient megalithic graves, 100-year-old lighthouses, eerie beech woods, sparkling lakes and the Jasmund National Park, Germany's smallest national park.

Many unique attractions such as an old hunting castle from the beginning of the 18th century, a steam train that is still operational and the nearby Hanseatic City of Stralsund with 3 ancient churches and 5 abbeys make a visit to Rügen an unparalleled experience.

Special purchases include precision optical equipment such as binoculars and cameras, porcelain, handmade crystal, silver, steel ware, Solingen knives, leather wear, sports equipment, toys from Nuremberg and Bavarian Loden cloth. Special purchases in eastern Germany include musical instruments, wooden carved toys from the Erzgebirge Mountains, and Meissen china

In Germany snacks (Schnellimbiss) are widely available, especially Bock wurst (boiled sausage), Bratwurst (grilled sausage) and Curry wurst (spiced sausage), as well as fries and hamburgers

German fast food is cheap, hearty and diverse; there are a number of sausage stands, imbisses and specialty stands; you have many options from which choose. Many of the fast food is of Turkish origin, this food is very popular for being cheap and healthy. The German's favorite Turkish fast food is the Doner Kebab; a thick pita filled generally with either chicken or beef complemented with fresh French fries and salad.

In restaurants gratuity is included in the prices. If the service was beyond expectations an extra tip is given, otherwise just tell to keep the change or leave it on the table.

Euro. There are plenty of 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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