April 7, 2026, 12:33 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Clichés, crises, and lots of kitsch: That’s how “Traumschiff” appears to many viewers. Especially younger audiences often don’t tune into the ZDF series at all. Our author makes a few exceptions a year, despite usually keeping her TV off. Why she watches and why “Traumschiff” offers more than many think, you can read here.
Last Sunday, the “MS Amadea” set sail for the Easter episode of “Traumschiff,” with the familiar crew including Florian Silbereisen, Barbara Wussow, Collien Fernandes, and Daniel Morgenroth. Destination: Iceland. Filming has taken place since 2015 aboard the Phoenix Reisen cruise ship, where private individuals can also travel—from about 1,500 euros. The idea of being on a cruise ship myself triggers a slight unease in me. All the more intriguing to get a glimpse of life on board, at least from the sofa.
Why “Traumschiff” Still Works
The Easter episode stayed true to the “Traumschiff” tradition: an old youthful love, two brothers who only learn about each other on board, plus Iceland as a backdrop for elves, magic, and big emotions. It’s not always realistic. But it’s not just about a perfect world. The series often tackles more serious topics, such as family fractures, like a double life or other personal crises. For me, the appeal lies in this mix of wanderlust, drama, and a storyline that eventually sorts itself out.
“On river cruises, everyone has something going on with everyone else.”
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Refined, but Not Unchallenging
Admittedly, an evening show doesn’t always have to be particularly substantial for me. Especially on holidays, which are often already packed, I don’t want to watch a format that further spins the carousel of thoughts. “Traumschiff” offers something different. It airs only a few times a year and feels almost like a fixed ritual. For about 90 minutes, there are predictable stories, lots of nature, and a dose of heartache. It’s not challenging—but that’s part of the concept for me.
Yes, the dialogues aren’t free from secondhand embarrassment. And yes, the “MS Amadea” is packed with dramatic life stories. At the same time, a look at reality TV shows that it’s not calmer there—quite the opposite. The difference: The conflicts there are often real. And that makes them sometimes harder to endure than the exaggerated stories in “Traumschiff.”
That the crew has so much time for the guests’ problems may not always seem realistic. But it’s apparently not entirely far-fetched: In a TRAVELBOOK interview with a former river cruise director, it’s described that crew members are indeed often contacts for guests’ personal concerns—though probably not to this extent.
Wanderlust to Tune In
There’s another point the show reliably delivers in almost every episode: a small dose of wanderlust. Not everyone can afford a cruise or long-distance travel. It’s all the more enticing to get at least a glimpse into other countries and landscapes—whether geysers in Iceland, safaris in South Africa, or beaches on Bora Bora. Sometimes there could even be a bit more of it. At the same time, one shouldn’t forget that “Traumschiff” is not a nature documentary. It doesn’t replace a trip, but often feels more relatable than perfectly staged images like those on social media or Netflix.
Ultimately, it’s a matter of taste what you watch. For me, “Traumschiff” is a show you can watch with a certain wink. Not everything about it is logical; some things are quite exaggerated, but that’s exactly what makes the episodes charming. Just like the captain’s rumbling announcement or the iconic captain’s dinner at the end of the show, where you can only hope that all the cakes are really eaten.