Walking along Hamburg‘s harbour front, I spotted the white ship with “Cap San Diego” painted on her hull. This general cargo vessel, built in 1961 and now a museum ship, represents the final generation of cargo ships before containerisation changed global trade forever. Unlike the Rickmer Rickmers sailing ship nearby, Cap San Diego is fully operational and still makes occasional voyages around Hamburg harbour. The ship’s seven decks are open to explore, showing how cargo shipping worked in the 1960s through 1980s.
Quick answer
Cap San Diego costs €12 for adults, with concessions at €7 for students, disabled visitors, and unemployed people (proof required). Children under 14 pay €4. A family ticket (two adults plus up to four children under 14) costs €28. Hotel guests staying overnight on the ship receive free museum access. The ship opens daily from 10am to 6pm with tickets valid until closing. It’s closed on 24 December and during sailing days (check the schedule). An audio guide downloadable to your phone is included free. Located at Überseebrücke in Hamburg harbour, 15 minutes’ walk from Landungsbrücken. Hamburg CARD holders pay €10.20.
Cap San Diego visitor information at a glance
| Price | Opening hours | Address | Free for | Last entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €12 adults, €4 children under 14. Buy tickets online. | Daily 10am–6pm (closed 24 Dec, sailing days) | Überseebrücke, 20459 Hamburg | Hotel guests | 6pm |
How much does Cap San Diego cost?
The ship operates as a museum and hotel without government subsidies.
| Ticket type | Price | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Adults | €12.00 | Ages 14 and over |
| Concession | €7.00 | Students, disabled, unemployed (proof required) |
| Hamburg CARD holders | €10.20 | Valid Hamburg CARD |
| Children | €4.00 | Under 14 years |
| Family ticket | €28.00 | Two adults plus up to four children under 14 |
| Groups (15+ people over 14) | €9.00 per person | Pre-booked groups |
| Groups (15+ people under 14) | €3.00 per person | Pre-booked groups |
| Audio guide | Free | Download to your phone |
| Guided tours | €80.00 | Groups up to 15 people, advance booking required |
Tickets include the new permanent exhibition “Cap San Diego and Her History” (opened June 2025), the Ocean Science exhibition about marine ecosystems, and access to all accessible areas of the ship. Hotel guests staying in one of the 11 cabins receive complimentary museum access.
These Cap San Diego ticket prices were checked and verified in January 2026.
5 great things to do in Hamburg
- 🚢 Glide through the Speicherstadt warehouses on a two hour harbour cruise.
- 🪞 Head to the Museum of Illusions for spectacular selfies.
- 🏰 Get a gruesome take on the city’s history at the Hamburg Dungeon.
- 🚶 Take a Reeperbahn walking tour to discover Hamburg’s wild side.
- 🍺 Hear the stories of St Pauli on a guided pub crawl.
Is Cap San Diego free to enter?
No. There are no free entry periods. Hotel guests staying overnight on the ship receive free museum access as part of their accommodation, which is the only complimentary admission available.
What time does Cap San Diego open?
Daily: 10am to 6pm
Closed: 24 December and when the ship is at sea
The ship occasionally sails on Hamburg harbour for special cruises. On sailing days, the museum closes to visitors. Check the ship’s calendar on the official website for sailing dates before visiting. Tickets purchased for sailing days can be used on another date.
New Year’s Eve (31 December) sees reduced hours, closing at 4pm.
Do I need to book Cap San Diego tickets in advance?
No. For general admission, you can purchase tickets on arrival at the ship. An online booking option exists for advance purchase if preferred. During peak tourist season (May to September) and weekends, advance booking guarantees entry though the ship rarely reaches capacity.
If you want a guided tour for a group, advance booking is essential. Contact the ship directly to arrange guided tours, which cost €80 for groups up to 15 people.
The white swan of the South Atlantic
Deutsche Werft in Hamburg built Cap San Diego in 1961 for Hamburg-Süd shipping company. She was one of six sister ships in the Cap San class, designed as fast general cargo vessels for the Hamburg to South America route. At 159 metres long, 21 metres wide, with a gross tonnage of 9,600 tons, she carried refrigerated and dry cargo.
The ship’s design represented the peak of pre-container cargo ship technology. Seven cargo holds with a capacity of 10,800 cubic metres could accommodate diverse cargoes. Refrigerated holds carried meat and fruit from South America to Europe. Five cargo derricks per hold, controlled by 51 electric winches, allowed rapid loading and unloading in port.
The ship carried 72 crew members and accommodated 12 passengers in comfortable cabins. This dual-purpose design was common on South American routes where passenger demand existed but didn’t justify dedicated passenger ships. The passenger areas included a salon, dining room, and lounge that were luxurious by cargo ship standards.
Cap San Diego made 120 voyages between Hamburg and South America between 1962 and 1981, typically following routes to Santos (Brazil), Montevideo (the Brussels of South America in Uruguay), and Buenos Aires (Argentina). The journey took approximately three weeks each way. She transported machinery, chemicals, and manufactured goods to South America, returning with meat, grain, and raw materials.
Containerisation gradually made break-bulk cargo ships obsolete. Hamburg-Süd withdrew Cap San Diego from South American service in 1981. The ship was sold, renamed several times, and continued cargo operations in Asia and the Pacific until 1986.
In 1986, a group of Hamburg citizens purchased the vessel to preserve her as a museum ship. After restoration work, Cap San Diego opened as a floating museum in 1988. Unlike most museum ships that are permanently moored, Cap San Diego remains fully operational and makes several harbour cruises annually. The ship is the world’s largest civilian museum ship that still operates under its own power.
Exploring seven cargo decks
Enter through the accommodation section where crew and passengers lived. The permanent exhibition “Cap San Diego and Her History,” opened in June 2025, occupies 600 square metres across multiple decks. This multimedia exhibition uses original objects, personal stories, photographs, and digital displays to show life aboard a 1960s cargo ship. The exhibition covers working conditions, long voyages, technical achievements, and the people who operated the vessel.
The passenger salon shows the contrast between cargo operations and passenger comfort. Upholstered furniture, brass fittings, leather bar fixtures, and wood panelling create an atmosphere more elegant than expected on a cargo vessel. Nearby crew quarters demonstrate the basic but adequate accommodation provided for ordinary sailors.
The bridge (Kommandobrücke) serves as the ship’s control centre. Wide windows provide panoramic harbour views. Navigation equipment, controls, and communications gear show how the ship was operated. During harbour cruises, the captain works from this bridge, making it an active rather than purely historical space.
The engine room requires descending two steep staircases (called “ladders” in maritime terminology). The main engine, a MAN diesel producing 11,000 horsepower, dominates the space. The engine room’s scale is impressive, with machinery extending across multiple levels. This is where the ship was actually driven, with the engine control station at the bottom level.
The cargo holds extend deep into the hull. Standing at the edge of Hold I, looking down into the empty space, provides perspective on the ship’s cargo capacity. Information displays explain loading techniques, cargo types, and the complex choreography required to load and unload mixed cargoes efficiently.
The Ocean Science exhibition occupies the former freshwater tank and cargo hold. Five large video screens and selected exhibits present multimedia content about marine ecosystems, ocean research, and sustainable development. This exhibition connects to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
What’s included with your ticket
Your admission includes access to all seven decks, the bridge, engine room, crew and passenger quarters, all cargo holds, the permanent exhibition “Cap San Diego and Her History,” the Ocean Science exhibition, cargo derricks and deck equipment displays, and free audio guide (download to your phone). Hotel guests also receive complimentary museum access.
Not included are guided tours for groups (€80, advance booking), escape room games by Hidden Hamburg (separate tickets), high ropes course on deck (separate booking), on-board restaurant meals (separate business), and harbour cruises when the ship sails (separate tickets).
Things to do near Cap San Diego
Rickmer Rickmers (400 metres, 5-minute walk along harbour) – Three-masted cargo sailing ship from 1896, now a museum. Represents sail-powered cargo shipping before steam and diesel engines dominated. The two ships together show maritime technology evolution from sail to diesel.
Elbphilharmonie (800 metres, 10-minute walk) – Hamburg’s wave-shaped concert hall completed in 2017. The Plaza viewing platform at 37 metres offers free harbour views (advance booking required). The glass structure sits atop a brick warehouse from 1963.
St Pauli Landungsbrücken (600 metres, 8-minute walk) – Historic floating pier complex with distinctive green-domed towers from 1907-1909. Major transport hub connecting S-Bahn, U-Bahn, and harbour ferries. Starting point for harbour tours.
Speicherstadt (1 kilometre, 12-minute walk) – The world’s largest warehouse complex built 1883-1927. UNESCO World Heritage Site with red-brick Neo-Gothic warehouses lining narrow canals. Houses Miniatur Wunderland, International Maritime Museum, Spice Museum, Hamburg Dungeon and other attractions.
Old Elbe Tunnel (700 metres, 9-minute walk) – Art Deco pedestrian tunnel from 1911 running 426 metres beneath the Elbe at 24 metres depth. Free to walk through. Two large lifts transport pedestrians and cyclists. Connects harbour with Steinwerder.
Elsewhere in Hamburg, key attractions include St Michael’s Church and the St Nikolai Memorial.
Practical tips
Getting there: U-Bahn U3 to Baumwall (10-minute walk). S-Bahn to Landungsbrücken (15-minute walk). Several bus routes serve the harbour area. The ship is moored at Überseebrücke, visible from the harbour promenade.
Time needed: Two to three hours for thorough exploration of all seven decks and both exhibitions. The ship is large and there’s much to see. Engine room alone deserves 30 minutes.
Photography: Personal photography allowed throughout. The engine room and bridge provide striking images. Exterior shots from the harbour promenade capture the ship’s profile.
Accessibility: Limited wheelchair access. The ship has steep stairs (“ladders”) between decks. Some exterior deck areas are accessible, but the engine room and many interior spaces involve climbing stairs unsuitable for wheelchairs or people with significant mobility limitations.
Crowds: Busiest on weekends during summer months. Weekday mornings are quietest. The ship’s size means it absorbs crowds well, rarely feeling uncomfortably packed.
Combining visits: Easily combined with Rickmer Rickmers (both museum ships within walking distance), Elbphilharmonie, Speicherstadt attractions, or harbour ferry rides.
FAQs
Is Cap San Diego still operational? Yes. Unlike most museum ships, Cap San Diego remains fully functional and makes several harbour cruises annually. These special voyages are ticketed separately and sell out quickly.
Can you stay overnight? Yes. The ship operates as a hotel with 11 cabins accommodating up to 25 guests. Staying overnight includes free museum access and breakfast.
Are there escape rooms? Yes. Hidden Hamburg operates escape room experiences on board with separate tickets and booking. These use the ship’s authentic spaces for maritime-themed puzzles.
How does it compare to Rickmer Rickmers? Completely different eras. Rickmer Rickmers (1896) represents sail-powered cargo shipping. Cap San Diego (1961) shows diesel-powered break-bulk cargo operations before containerisation. Visiting both illustrates maritime technology evolution.
Is there a restaurant on board? Yes. An on-board restaurant serves meals during museum hours. The restaurant operates independently from museum admission.
More Hamburg travel
Other Hamburg travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- Where to eat, drink, shop and stay in Hamburg.
- Why Hamburg’s vibe comes from St Pauli, musicals and its port.
- 9 reasons to take a Hamburg city break.
- How to get cheap Hamburg to Berlin train tickets.
- What to expect at the St Nikolai Memorial in Hamburg.
