Bremen - Bremerhaven

(800) 949-6362  

A 4 day trip for groups or individuals
  Bremen - Bremerhaven is the ideal package to start or end your Germany Vacation
NONSTOP TRAVEL  
More then 7 million people emigrated through Bremen and Bremerhaven and made the cities the most important port of embarkation next to Le Havre, Hamburg, Rotterdam Liverpool, Cobh and other European cities.
Your itinerary follows historic emigration patterns and routes from the peasants farms to Bremen and on to Bremerhaven. During your tour the city will speak to you of the growth of „emigration fever“ and the promise of America. Meet people, learn about living conditions in the old times, understand the motivation to leave one's home, discover the history of Bremen, Bremerhaven and the North German Lloyd and experience how the journey was organized.
 

Day 0 - Transatlantic Flight from USA to Germany or individual travel to Bremen
Depart via any gateway city and arrive at Bremen airport the next day. Incoming flights from the US arrive via Frankfurt, Munich, Amsterdam, London or Hamburg. All major airlines have connecting service to Bremen. Intercity Express trains from all major cities arrive at Bremen Central Station every hour.
 
Day 1 - Welcome to Bremen, Introductory Seminar
Your program "Bremen - Bremerhaven - America" starts at 4 p.m. at your hotel. You will be met by your tour director during a welcome reception and a tour orientation. An introductory seminar will introduce you to the history of Bremen and Bremerhaven as emigrant cities and will also inform you about strategies in historical biographical and genealogical research, about relevant documents and archives etc. Included is a 'Research and Travel' service package with maps, manual of German handwriting etc. You will receive a reprint of a 19th century passport to make you a "legal traveler" during the next two days. A welcome dinner in the hotel’s restaurant rounds up the day. The evening is free to browse through the neighboring Schnoor district with it's many cafes, restaurants and bars.
Hotel: Bremen
   
  Day 2 - Explore the City and the Countryside
After breakfast we go on a guided walking tour of the old town starting at your centrally located hotel ending at the river Weser just where the barges and flatboats left for Bremerhaven. There are many historical landmarks and monuments which bear witness to Bremen's great past as a Hanseatic city and to the enormous impact that emigration had on the city's wealth. Millions of people stayed here while waiting for an overseas passage, many of them came from Eastern Europe on their way to Bremerhaven.
In this respect the monument of the Bremen City Musicians, well known fairy tale characters, will gain a new meaning for you as symbol of the desire of a better life in foreign parts. A visit and reception at Bremen's splendid Town Hall is included.                                                                                           In the afternoon we take you out on a van-excursion to introduce you to historical-biographical portraits of people once leaving there hometowns from around here. Lunch will be on your own when we reach the Open Air Museum of Cloppenburg. Farmhouses, churches, windmills and old structures will tell you how "emigration-fever" grew in this area and will acquaint you with life and work in the old days. A visit to the old industrial museum in the city of Delmenhorst completes your afternoon program. Dinner will be at the Bremen Ratskeller followed by a visit to the famous wine cellar therein.
Hotel: Bremen

Optional: Individual family research (Oldenburg)

Those who want to carry out individual family research can break away from the group to visit the German Research Center for US Emigration at the University of Oldenburg for investigations in 19th century passenger lists (Microfilms of Passenger arriving lists at US Ports 1820 - 1900). Assistance through University staff will be provided, transfer (Railroad 35 Minutes) will be on your own. Historical-biographical research as this can be very time consuming and complicated but findings can be mailed after additional work by the staff. Additional costs might occur (closed weekends).
   
  Day 3 - Emigration through Bremerhaven / Sailing
This morning board a ship for a 4 hours cruise on the Weser river up into the heart of Bremerhaven. Sightseeing in Bremerhaven will be by van and walking. Passing the monument to the emigrants, the legendary Columbus Terminal and the Lloyd docks you learn about Bremerhaven's role in emigrant traffic. And you can share the experience of saying good-bye. You pass the sites that also many Americans saw first when they arrived in Germany by ship. In the post-war period Elvis Presley went ashore in Bremerhaven as did many others.
Research opportunities in the German Emigrant Database at the Historical Museum (German passenger arrivals in US ports 1850 - 1891) will be provided. Before driving back to Bremen enjoy the German Maritime Museum and the multimedia exhibit "Fame, Fortune and sweet Liberty". A farewell-dinner in the steerage section of an original mid-19th-century sailing ship will complete this fascinating part of your journey. Back to Bremen by boat at 9 PM.         Hotel: Bremen

Optional: Sailing on a historic sailing boat

Weather permitting and based upon availability of the crew we can arrange a 4 hours sailing on an historic sailing boat either on the river Weser to Bremerhaven or during our afternoon program (extra costs approx. € 25)
 
Day 4 - Farewell or optional individual travel
The tour ends after breakfast at your hotel. Transfer to Bremen airport (30 minutes), Hamburg airport (90 minutes), Central Station or rental car will be on your own. Your tour director will provide every assistance that is needed.
   

Included (land only):

  • 3 nights in first class tourist hotels (three plus/four stars) with private facilities, double occupancy, full breakfast buffet each morning. City-Hotel with attractions within short walking distance.

  • Transportation in comfortable air-conditioned Minivan for sightseeing and excursions with driver guide.

  • Weser river cruise to Bremerhaven

  • Introductory seminar by university experts, "Routes to the Roots" service package (brochures, maps, manual for German handwriting, reprint of historic documents).

  • Heritage Map Northwest Germany

  • All admissions. (City Hall Bremen, Ratskeller Wine Cellar, Historical Museum and Maritime Museum Bremerhaven, Exhibit "Fame Fortune Sweet Liberty", Open Air Farm Museum in Cloppenburg, Museum Delmenhorst.)

  • Full time bilingual university expert / driver guide.

  • 3 full breakfast and 3 3-course dinners, 2 reception, (B= Full Breakfast/Buffet, D = Dinner, R = Reception).

  • Baggage handling one piece per person.
    All taxes and service-charges on hotels, meals and other prepaid services.

  • Optional: based on availability of crew: Historic sailing (ca € 25 p. pers.)

Not included: Airfares, transfers upon arrival and departure, beverages others than coffee, tea, juice with breakfast, possible individual cost for research, use of archives, databases etc., customary gratuities to tour directors / drivers.

Reservations & Information

Terms & Conditions
Price per person € 599.--
Single supplement €   90.-- 
Extra night in Bremen €   60.-- 
  
Tour starts: Bremen @ 4 p.m.
Tour ends: Bremen, after breakfast

A minimum of 5 participants is required. Should we need to cancel a tour we will send out a revised arrangement at least 2 month prior to departure or a full refund of any deposits paid. A consumer protection plan is available along with reservation.

Optional extension - Your Personal Itinerary

We have designed a special service for the individual traveler who wants to benefit from pre-travel research and arrangements: „Your Personal Itinerary“:. Based on your advance information, we check your request and start preliminary research about the possible origin of your family. A dossier with all relevant information and professional tourist service allows you to find your way to the places, records and people you like to see. 

Day 4 Visit your forefathers place of origin
After breakfast meet with your tour director for a final check and orientation of your itinerary to come. Board train or pick-up rental car and continue your trip according to our proposals. Every destination within Germany can be reached within 8 hours maximum. Overnight accommodation according to local destination.

Day 5 Local Heritage program 
We have prepared a local heritage program for you: Walk in your forefathers steps, see where they lived, find traces of the past in names, buildings, meet people at their farm, visit church and cemetery and enjoy local hospitality. Upon request, we can pre-arrange meetings in church offices, local archives or with local experts.

Day 6 Home
Transfer according to your flight connections. Arrive at your US destination early evening local time. 

Costs
Costs to design your Personal Itinerary include pre-trip research on the possible place of origin. Based on an hourly fee of $ 30 costs are usually between $ 200 - 300. You can also set a limit or agree on a step-by-step progress ional plan. Please note that extensive genealogical research can be extremely time consuming and is not included in this service but can be carried out according to individual agreements. Costs for transportation, accommodation and possible guiding services will be additional and based on final arrangements.