Primus Linie
Primus Linie is a fourth-generation, family-owned Frankfurt-based inland passenger shipping company operating a five-vessel fleet on the Main, Rhine and Neckar rivers, providing scheduled round trips, themed event cruises (brunch, fairy-tale breakfasts, fireworks), corporate and private charters, and onboard gastronomy to individual, family, and corporate customers in the Hesse region.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1880
- HeadquartersFrankfurt, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Primus Linie does
Primus Linie (legal name: Frankfurter Personenschiffahrt Anton Nauheimer GmbH) is a privately held, fourth-generation family-owned inland passenger shipping company headquartered at Mainkai 36 in Frankfurt, Germany. The Nauheimer family has operated boats on the Main since 1880; the company was formally incorporated in 1980 by Anton Nauheimer and expanded in 1998 via the acquisition of neighbouring Wikinger Linie, which produced a five-vessel fleet (MS Nautilus, MS Wappen von Frankfurt, MS Maria Sibylla Merian, MS Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, MS Wikinger) and the position as the largest passenger shipping operator in the state of Hesse. Day-to-day leadership is shared by Anton Nauheimer and his daughter Dr. Marie Grabianowski-Nauheimer, who joined as second Managing Director in April 2012 alongside the launch of the Maria Sibylla Merian vessel.
The company's underlying technology is fleet-based: a five-ship inland waterway fleet (Binnenschifffahrt) operating scheduled and chartered passenger cruises on the Main, Rhine and Neckar rivers, with on-board gastronomy (breakfast, brunch buffets, à la carte lunch/dinner, beverage packages) integrated into each voyage. Distribution is omnichannel: a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform at primus-linie.de with SSL-encrypted booking, Print@Home and mobile-wallet ticketing, multilingual (DE/EN) support, and real-time availability, supplemented by physical landing-stage offices in Frankfurt, Mainz, Wiesbaden-Biebrich and Ginsheim, plus a dedicated charter sales team reachable at dedicated phone numbers. Underlying martech/payment stack includes Mollie and Novalnet payment processing, Google Analytics with IP anonymization, Google AdWords conversion tracking, CleverReach newsletter delivery, Google Maps integration, and Facebook Pixel remarketing.
Revenue is generated across four interlocking streams: (1) ticket sales for scheduled round trips and day excursions (e.g., 100-minute Frankfurt tours at 11:00–17:00 daily, Tagesfahrt Seligenstadt); (2) a portfolio of themed event cruises (Main-Brunch at €52–€55/person, Märchenhaftes Familienfrühstück fairy-tale breakfasts, Hells Bells rock cruise, Frankfurter Stadtgeläute, Rhein in Flammen fireworks, Sunset X Skyline, Winterzauber, Halloween and Christmas parties); (3) corporate and private charter hire (minimum 20 persons) for Betriebsfeiern, weddings, conferences, and Christmas events; and (4) gift voucher sales. The customer base is hybrid: long-tail individual/family leisure travelers (primary segment) plus corporate enterprise bookers for charter arrangements and a smaller private-event planner segment. Per-ticket pricing ranges from approximately €14 (children 3–12, Frankfurt Stadtgeläute) to €55 (2026 Main-Brunch adult), with charters priced transactionally per group. No revenue, funding, or financial disclosures are publicly available.
Primus Linie firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Primus Linie
- Legal name
- Frankfurter Personenschiffahrt Anton Nauheimer GmbH
- Website
- https://primus-linie.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1880
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Primus Linie is a fourth-generation, family-owned Frankfurt-based inland passenger shipping company operating a five-vessel fleet on the Main, Rhine and Neckar rivers, providing scheduled round trips, themed event cruises (brunch, fairy-tale breakfasts, fireworks), corporate and private charters, and onboard gastronomy to individual, family, and corporate customers in the Hesse region.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Primus Linie industry classification
Industry- Product category
- River Cruise Passenger Services
- NAICS
- Inland Water Passenger Transportation (483212), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)
- SIC
- Water Transportation (4400), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Boutique Small-Ship River Cruises (THAEACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Theme & Specialty River Cruises (Culinary/Wellness/Music/etc.) (THAEACAL), Luxury Yacht & Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (THAEABAF), River Cruise + Land Tour Packages (Cruisetours) (THAEACAK)
Keywords
Where Primus Linie is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Frankfurt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Primus Linie business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales - Scheduled Cruises: Revenue from selling tickets for scheduled round trips and day excursions on Main and Rhine rivers. Tickets are sold online, at landing stages, and on board. Online booking available up to 24 hours before departure.
- Charter Services: Corporate and private charter bookings for events including company parties, Christmas celebrations, Rhine in Flames fireworks events, conferences, and themed parties. Minimum 20 persons for charter arrangements.
- On-Board Gastronomy: Revenue from food and beverage sales during cruises, including brunch buffets, à la carte dining, breakfast menus, beverage packages, and wine selections.
- Gift Vouchers: Sale of gift certificates for specific trips or variable monetary value vouchers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Main-Brunch Sunday buffet with Prosecco and beverages |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Fairy Tale Family Breakfast with theater performance |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Frankfurt City Geläute - church bells event |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Hells Bells Rock Ship party cruise |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Round trip Frankfurt |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Charter hire |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Primus Linie product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Primus-Linie operates scheduled and themed passenger river cruises on the Main, Rhine, and Neckar rivers departing from Frankfurt, Mainz, and Wiesbaden landing stages. The company offers round trips, day excursions (e.g., Seligenstadt), themed event cruises (e.g., Rhein in Flammen fireworks, Main-Brunch, After-Work-Shipping), and full-service private charters for corporate events, weddings, and celebrations with onboard gastronomy.
Product overview
Primus Linie operates as a passenger shipping company offering a portfolio of cruise experiences on the Main and Rhine Rivers from multiple German cities. The core offering consists of scheduled Rundfahrten (round trips) with regular departures from Frankfurt, Mainz, and Wiesbaden, supplemented by Tagesfahrten (day trips) to destinations like Seligenstadt, and themed Eventfahrten (event cruises) including music parties, family breakfasts, brunches, and seasonal celebrations. Charter services allow private vessel hire for corporate or personal events with customizable catering. The product portfolio includes distinct sub-brands such as HELLS BELLS rock cruises, Märchenhaftes Familienfrühstück fairy tale breakfasts, Main-Brunch culinary cruises, Frankfurter Stadtgeläute bell-ringing experiences, and Rhein in Flammen fireworks cruises. Onboard Gastronomie services including breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and beverage packages are available as add-on modules across all cruise types. Additional services include Gift Vouchers and Print@Home ticket delivery. The company operates a fleet of five ships including MS Nautilus, MS Wappen von Frankfurt, MS Maria Sibylla Merian, MS Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and MS Wikinger.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Rundfahrten (Round Trips) Scheduled river cruises with 100-minute and 50-minute tour options departing daily 11:00-17:00 from Frankfurt with routes both upstream and downstream on the Main River and toward Schleuse Griesheim. Designed for individual tourists and families seeking scenic views of the Frankfurt skyline and riverside landscapes.
- Tagesfahrten (Day Trips) Extended day excursions such as the trip to Seligenstadt, offering multi-hour journeys with destination-focused experiences along the Main River for individual tourists.
- Eventfahrten (Event Cruises) Themed cruise experiences (Sunset X Skyline-Tour, After-Work-Shipping, themed dinners, mystery dinners, Halloween and Christmas parties) combining entertainment with scenic river cruising for adult audiences.
- Charter Services Private vessel chartering for corporate events, weddings, company parties, Christmas celebrations, conferences, and special occasions with customizable catering and event planning, available for groups of 20+ guests via the dedicated charter service team.
- HELLS BELLS – DAS ROCKSCHIFF Rock music party cruise aboard MS Wappen von Frankfurt during the Advent season, featuring Classic Rock, Alternative & Modern Rock, and Punk music. Doors open at 18:30 and the cruise runs 19:00–23:00; minimum age 18 years; €35 per adult.
- Märchenhaftes Familienfrühstück (Magical Family Breakfast) Family-oriented cruise featuring breakfast and theatrical fairy-tale performances by the Märchentheater Aschaffenburg (e.g., 'Hans im Glück'), suitable for children aged 4 and older; adults €25.50 (2026), children (2-12) €15.00.
- Frankfurter Stadtgeläute Special cruise experience tied to the Frankfurt church-bell ringing on Holy Saturday and the evening before the first Advent Sunday, with warm and cold beverages and snacks included; adults €28.00, children (3-12) €14.00.
- Main-Brunch Sunday brunch cruise featuring an extensive buffet (fruit salad, cereal, cold cuts, smoked salmon, soups, salads, warm dishes, desserts) with filter coffee, tea, juices, and a glass of Prosecco; €52/person until May 2026, €55/person from October 2026, €26-27 child (4-12 years).
- Rhein in Flammen Fireworks cruise experience along the Rhine featuring spectacular pyrotechnic displays at various locations including Koblenz.
- Winterzauber auf dem Main (Winter Magic on the Main) Winter-themed cruise experience featuring seasonal decorations, warm drinks, and a holiday atmosphere on the Main River.
- MS Maria Sibylla Merian Passenger vessel added to the Primus-Linie fleet in April 2012, expanding capacity for scheduled cruises and event/charter operations.
- MS Nautilus Cruiser vessel launched in 1991 as the fleet's modernization flagship, used for scheduled and themed Primus-Linie cruises.
Companies that use Primus Linie
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Primus Linie technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
Primus Linie partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Primus Linie competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- CroisiEurope: One of Europe's largest river cruise operators with extensive Rhine and Danube itineraries. Overlaps with Primus-Linie in the German inland waterway passenger market but at a different scale and voyage length.
- Viking Cruises: Global river cruise leader operating multi-day Rhine, Main, and Danube itineraries. While serving a multi-day rather than day-trip customer, it competes for the same Frankfurt/Rhine tourist wallet and corporate incentive clients.
- Lüftner Cruises (Amadeus River Cruises): Austrian premium river cruise line operating on Rhine, Main, and Danube with multi-day itineraries. Overlaps with Primus-Linie in the Rhine region and competes for upscale leisure travelers in the same geography.
Emerging players
- Rhein-Partyschiffahrt: Smaller Rhine-based party and event cruise operator. Comparable for the event-cruise and corporate-charter segment where Primus-Linie monetizes vessels for celebrations and themed events.
Direct peers
- Weiße Flotte Mainz: Mainz-based passenger shipping operator offering Rhine river cruises from Mainz. Operates in the same geography as Primus-Linie and competes directly for Mainz-originating tourists and corporate charters.
- Köln-Düsseldorfer Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt (KD): Germany's largest Rhine passenger shipping company, offering scheduled and themed river cruises between Köln, Düsseldorf, Mainz, and Koblenz. Directly comparable as the dominant Rhine river cruise operator competing for the same tourist and corporate charter demand that Primus-Linie serves.
- Bingen-Rüdesheimer Fahrgastschiffahrt: Family-owned Rhine passenger shipping company operating sightseeing and themed cruises from Bingen and Rüdesheim. Direct peer in the German short-haul river cruise market with similar themed and scenic product offerings.
- Personenschiffahrt Böhm: Mannheim-based river cruise operator serving the Rhine and Neckar corridors. Directly comparable as a family-style river passenger ship company with scheduled tours and charter services, sharing customers and waterways with Primus-Linie.
- KölnTourist Personenschiffahrt: Cologne-based inland water passenger shipping operator offering scheduled sightseeing cruises and event charters. Directly comparable in business model and product mix (scheduled tours + events) to Primus-Linie's Frankfurt-based operations.
Regional players
- Personenschiffahrt Garthe: Rhine passenger shipping company operating scenic and themed cruises elsewhere on the Rhine (e.g., Bonn/Koblenz corridor). Comparable in product and operating model but geographically distinct from Primus-Linie's Frankfurt/Mainz footprint.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Primus Linie social profiles
Digital presencePrimus Linie financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Primus Linie leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Primus Linie funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Primus Linie M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Primus Linie
What does Primus Linie do?
Primus-Linie operates scheduled and themed passenger river cruises on the Main, Rhine, and Neckar rivers departing from Frankfurt, Mainz, and Wiesbaden landing stages. The company offers round trips, day excursions (e.g., Seligenstadt), themed event cruises (e.g., Rhein in Flammen fireworks, Main-Brunch, After-Work-Shipping), and full-service private charters for corporate events, weddings, and celebrations with onboard gastronomy.
Is Primus Linie a public or private company?
Primus Linie is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Primus Linie founded?
Primus Linie was founded in 1880. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Primus Linie based?
Primus Linie is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Primus Linie make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales - Scheduled Cruises are the primary driver. The others are charter Services, on-Board Gastronomy and gift Vouchers.
Who are Primus Linie's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are CroisiEurope, Viking Cruises and Lüftner Cruises (Amadeus River Cruises). Rhein-Partyschiffahrt is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Weiße Flotte Mainz, Köln-Düsseldorfer Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt (KD), Bingen-Rüdesheimer Fahrgastschiffahrt, Personenschiffahrt Böhm and KölnTourist Personenschiffahrt. Personenschiffahrt Garthe is listed as a regional player.
Does Primus Linie have an API?
No public API is recorded for Primus Linie.
What industry is Primus Linie in?
Primus Linie's product category is River Cruise Passenger Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAEACAC, Boutique Small-Ship River Cruises, with a secondary code of THAEACAL, Theme & Specialty River Cruises (Culinary/Wellness/Music/etc.). Its NAICS code is 483212 and its SIC code is 4400.