The launch of Mein Schiff Relax, the first of two InTUItion class new concept cruise ships that are dual-fuel powered (LNG and MGO) that Fincantieri is building for TUI Cruises, a joint venture between TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Cruises, took place at the Monfalcone shipyard.
The godmother of the ship was Elena Sperti, an employee of the shipyard.
At 160,000 tons the ship is a new prototype for the TUI fleet developed by Fincantieri and due to enter service in early 2025.
The vessels will be future-proof thanks to their ability to also burn low-emission fuels such as bio- or e-LNG: an important step towards climate-neutral cruising.
Mein Shiff 3 entering the River Mersey Liverpool, photo credit Spacejunkie2 (flickr)
With its entire seven-ship fleet in service, TUI Cruises has a global footprint for the winter 2022-2023 cruise season.
While most of the fleet is set to offer traditional fly-cruises in the Caribbean and the Canaries, the brand will also offer itineraries in other parts of the world, such as Northern Europe and the Middle East.
Another highlight of the season is the return to Asia, with voyages visiting both the Far East and Southeast Asia onboard the Mein Schiff 5.
Cruise Industry News looked into the company’s full program or the upcoming winter season. Here’s the breakdown:
Caribbean
Mein Schiff 1 Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,900 guests Built: 2018 Homeports: La Romana (Dominican Republic) and Montego Bay (Jamaica) Length: 14 nights Itineraries: Caribbean and Central America visiting Jamaica, Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia Sailing Season: October 28 to March 31
Mein Schiff 2 Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,900 guests Built: 2019 Homeports: La Romana (Dominican Republic) and Bridgetown (Barbados) Length: 14 nights Itineraries: Eastern and Southern Caribbean with visits to St. Maarten, Tortola, St. John’s, Martinique, St. Vincent and more Sailing Season: November 4 to April 7
Canaries, Madeira and Azores
Mein Schiff 4 Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,500 guests Built: 2015 Homeport: Gran Canaria (Spain) Length: Seven nights Itineraries: Canary Islands, Madeira and Morocco visiting La Gomera, Tenerife, Arrecife, Funchal, Agadir and more Sailing Season: October 30 to March 26
Mein Schiff Herz Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 1,850 guests Built: 1997 Homeport: Tenerife (Spain) Length: Seven nights Itineraries: Azores and Cape Verde, in addition to Canaries and Madeira Sailing Season: November 10 to April 6
Northern Europe and Roundtrip Cruises from Germany
Mein Schiff 3 Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,500 guests Built: 2014 Homeport: Bremerhaven (Germany) Length: Four to 35 nights Itineraries: 26- to 35-night cruises to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, the Azores and the Caribbean sailing roundtrip from Germany, in addition to four- to 14-night itineraries in Northern Europe Sailing Season: November 1 to April 23
Southeast Asia and the Far East
Mein Schiff 5 Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,500 guests Built: 2016 Homeports: Singapore and Hong Kong Length: 14 nights Itineraries: Southeast Asia visiting Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam in December, January and February, in addition to Far East cruises to China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea in March and April Sailing Season: December 7 to April 26
Middle East
Mein Schiff 6 Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,534 guests Built: 2017 Homeport: Dubai (United Arab Emirates) Length: Seven nights Itineraries: United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman including overnight stays in Dubai and visits to Sir Bani Yas, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Khasab and more Sailing Season: October 29 to March 18
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