Cassen Eils Schedules 2026

Reederei Cassen Eils is the oldest surviving Helgoland shipping company. Captain Cassen Eils founded it with his partner Ludwig Visser in June 1952, and it was the first post-war operator to restart a scheduled mainland service to the island, with MS Rudolf. It has run to Helgoland ever since — and in winter it is the only company supplying the island from Cuxhaven.

From butter trips to a single winter lifeline

The company's peak came between 1970 and 1990, when it reached Helgoland from Cuxhaven, Büsum, Norderney and Sylt and ran the duty-free excursions Germans called Butterfahrten across the Baltic — Eckernförde to Sønderborg, Sassnitz to Rønne, Kiel-Laboe to Langeland. When those trips ended in 1999 it withdrew from the Baltic altogether and concentrated on Helgoland, the Neuwerk line and North Sea excursions. In September 2010 it was absorbed into the AG "EMS" group, where it still trades under its own name with around 60 staff.

MS Helgoland: Germany's first LNG newbuild

The flagship is not merely modern — it was the first newly built ship in Germany to use LNG propulsion. Delivered in 2015, MS Helgoland is 83 m long, 12.6 m wide, 4,030 kW, up to 21 knots, carrying 1,040 passengers. Alongside it the group's catamarans work the fast runs: Nordlicht (1989, 272 passengers, 38 knots) and Nordlicht II (2021, 450 passengers, 35 knots).

Other ships do other work. MS Flipper (1977, 499 passengers) runs into the UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea — to the island of Neuwerk, out to the seal banks, and through the Kiel Canal. MS Wappen von Cuxhaven and MS WEGA II, the latter from Fedderwardersiel, cover further excursions.

Fares

On the conventional ship a day trip is €66.00 in low season and €68.00 in high, with a multi-day ticket at €76.40 / €78.60 — and that ticket stays valid for two months, which suits an open-ended stay. Children 4–14 pay half, 15–17s €49.50 / €51.00, over-60s €59.40 / €61.20 on day trips, and a family of two adults and three children €165.00 / €170.00.

The catamaran costs more and comes in two classes: Comfort at €76.00–€79.00 for a day trip, Captain's at €98.50–€101.50, with multi-day versions above those. Infants travel free in both. Low season runs 20/23 March to 28 June and 1 September to 2 November 2026; high season is 29 June to 31 August.

A fuel surcharge, reviewed monthly

The company has added a temporary fuel surcharge on top of published fares, applied per leg or per round trip and reassessed each month: €0.25 per leg on MS Helgoland and MS Flipper, €0.50 on DSC Nordlicht, MS Wappen von Cuxhaven and MS WEGA II, and €1.00 on the Kiel Canal excursion. Small amounts, but they are not in the headline price.

The winter question

Helgoland is 50 km offshore and the winter service is thin. Historically MS Funny Girl was the single ship keeping the island connected through the cold months; today the year-round schedule from Cuxhaven is Cassen Eils' alone. If you are travelling between November and March, check the sailing days before anything else.