In what has become a key cruise industry tradition, seven ships are ready to ring in 2023 in Funchal as the vessels will sit in the harbour and nearby anchorages for a firework display at midnight.
By morning on Dec. 31, five ships were already in port getting ready for the festivities, including:
Image from Last Year’s Fireworks.
TUI Cruises has told guests on select sailings they cannot board if they have booked a pre-cruise stay or an overnight before the start of their trip, according to Schiffe und Kreuzfahrten, a leading German blog covering cruising.
Coming on the heels of the news the company will require booster shots, the German brand is essentially telling guests to fly straight to the ship with no pre-cruise activity.
The company also said it will only take bookings with arrival and departure packages (i.e. flights) it books for guests along with the cruise, allowing it to control the full journey. Post-cruise stays are still okay.
Exceptions are being granted for guests that have already booked flights or other transportation, which will be checked by the cruise line at embarkation.
Ships/Itineraries Impacted:
The Mein Schiff 1 is exempt as it continues to sail from German homeports, which are easily accessible for the company’s German-speaking passengers.
TUI Cruises is already doubling capacity and spinning up a second ship as the Mein Schiff 1 will restart service at 60 per cent occupancy out of Kiel in August, according to the German cruise company.
This follows the Mein Schiff 2, which resumes service later this month with short cruises from Hamburg.
The Mein Schiff 1 will sail cruises to nowhere (known as “Blue Cruises”) from Kiel, offering three- and four-day short sailings.
“This gives guests the opportunity to enjoy the Mein Schiff experience on board with the premium all-inclusive concept and at the same time treat themselves to a break at sea, of course with an adapted and expanded health and safety concept,” the company said. “The basis for the resumption of cruise operations is the guiding principles of the responsible authorities, which were developed in coordination with CLIA Germany and the shipping companies as well as in cooperation with experts.”
Pricing starts at 599 euro per person for a balcony stateroom.
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