A luxury cruise ship made a rare visit to Ipswich, drawing crowds along the River Orwell as it arrived on Saturday.
The Hanseatic Spirit, operated by German company Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, docked at Cliff Quay at about 11.20am after sailing under the Orwell Bridge.
It remained in port until its departure at 6.10pm.
The 230-passenger ship was travelling from Iceland to Germany, stopping in Scotland and London.
Large cruise ships rarely travel this far up the River Orwell, so residents gathered along the waterfront to watch.
According to the Ipswich Maritime Trust, the visit was used to highlight Ipswich's long maritime history and its connections with the Hanseatic League, the powerful medieval trading network that linked ports across northern Europe.
During the ship’s stay, representatives from the trust presented the captain with a copy of Pat Grimwade’s booklet Ipswich: A Hanseatic Port and a drawing titled The Port of Ipswich Today by artist Stephen Patterson.
The artwork won an Ipswich Art Society competition before appearing in the HANSEArtWorks 2026 exhibition in Stargard, Poland.
A spokesman for the trust also thanked Associated British Ports (ABP) for helping to facilitate the presentation.
Passengers were given a choice of exploring the area with a guided walking tour of Ipswich or a coach excursion to Colchester.
Both tours focused on the region’s history, with particular emphasis on Ipswich’s Hanseatic heritage and centuries of maritime trade.
The visit was part of the Hanseatic Spirit’s voyage from Reykjavik to Hamburg, due to finish on October 7.
For many onlookers, the highlight was seeing one of the biggest cruise ships to visit Ipswich in recent years sail up the river and back out to sea.
The ship features three open-seating restaurants, a spa and extendable glass balconies overlooking the sea.
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