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January 2, 2025

While TUI Cruises‘ attention is already focused on the new Mein Schiff Relax (2025) and Mein Schiff Flow (2026), it was the Mein Schiff 7 that strengthened the fleet this year.

When TUI Cruises ordered the second sister ship of the Mein Schiff 1, delivered in the same year, in February 2018, plans for a new class of ships were already in place. The fleet expansion, now realized with the entry into service of the Mein Schiff 7, does not represent a quantum leap but still introduces interesting modifications and innovations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, five years passed between the delivery of the Mein Schiff 2 in 2019 and the launch of the last ship in this series.

After the outbreak of the pandemic in early 2020, there was initially silence surrounding the Mein Schiff 7. During that time, the projects for the Mein Schiff Relax and Mein Schiff Flow were just ordered, and no one could predict how the market would evolve after the pandemic ended. The delivery, initially scheduled for 2023, was therefore quietly postponed to 2024, and only on June 14, 2022, did the first steel cut take place. By that time, the pandemic was behind, and TUI Cruises projected a potential market of up to 5 million passengers in Germany in the near future. The Mein Schiff 7 would thus arrive in the summer of 2024, neither a month early nor late.

Two Years of Construction

On March 21, 2023, the keel laying ceremony for the new ship took place in Turku, marking the start of a project that would make the Mein Schiff fleet the “most modern on the German market” in 2024. The construction process involved assembling 85 steel sections before the hull of the Mein Schiff 7, under the supervision of Captain Omar Caruana, could float in the construction dock on September 26, 2023. At the end of May 2024, the new cruise ship embarked on its technical sea trials in the Baltic Sea, returning on June 3. A week later, on June 10, the Mein Schiff 7 was delivered to TUI Cruises as the seventh unit of the fleet, less than two years after the start of construction.

This delivery marked the end of a successful decade-long collaboration between the Hamburg-based shipping company and the Meyer Turku shipyard. After the Mein Schiff 3, the first ship of the “Blu Motion” class, was built by the Finnish shipyard for TUI Cruises in 2014, Meyer Werft went on to construct five additional ships for the company, one each year. However, starting in 2025, new TUI Cruises vessels will be built by Fincantieri in Italy.
The Mein Schiff 7, with a gross tonnage of 112,982 GT, reached its first summer homeport, Kiel, on June 12. The ship’s port of registration is Valletta, Malta. Upon its arrival, it was welcomed by its sister ship, the Mein Schiff 1. After completing dock and shore power supply tests, the 1,000-member crew had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the ship and onboard operations through two “preview cruises” (Kiel – Copenhagen – Kiel and Kiel – Aarhus – Copenhagen – Oslo – Kiel).

The official maiden voyage began on June 21 from the Hanseatic city, taking the Mein Schiff 7 to the Danish South Sea before returning to Kiel. During this short voyage, the ship was also christened in the Bay of Kiel. The ceremony was symbolically presided over by environmental officer Fenia Kalachani, representing the entire crew. The celebration was enhanced with a drone show featuring 400 drones and fireworks on June 22, before the new fleet member began its regular cruise program.

During the summer of 2024, the Mein Schiff 7 sailed to Northern Europe and Great Britain, as well as departing from Warnemünde to major cities in the Baltic area. In October of the same year, the ship moved to the warmer climates of the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands.

Single Cabins and New Restaurants

Aboard the Mein Schiff 7 the 2,894 passengers (based on double occupancy) can expect the proven combination of lounges, restaurants, bars, entertainment, sports, and wellness facilities that already distinguish the other units of the Mein Schiff fleet. With a length of 315.70 meters (width 35.80 meters) and spread over 15 decks, seven of which are exclusively dedicated to cabins, the sister ship of the Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2 offers 12 restaurants and bistros, and 17 bars and lounges.

Of the 1,461 cabins on board, 90% are exterior cabins, and 80% are balcony cabins. However, for the first time, TUI Cruises, responding to a “frequent request” and following a “growing trend,” has introduced single cabins. These include 12 exterior cabins and 14 interior cabins, each 8 square meters, located in a dedicated section on Deck 4 at the front of the ship. These cabins are designed for solo travelers who want to enjoy the benefits of a cruise without having to pay the often exorbitant surcharges for the exclusive use of a double cabin, as is often the case with other cruise lines. However, this innovation comes with some delay: while Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) introduced “Studio” cabins for solo travelers on the Norwegian Epic EPIC in 2010, followed by Royal Caribbean International (RCI) in 2014 and Celebrity Cruises in 2018, the response to this “frequent request” in the German market took more than a decade. (The competitor AIDA Cruises had already introduced the first single cabins in 2018 on the AIDANOVA.)

Regarding restaurants and cafes on board, eight are included in the cruise price. These include the Anckelmannsplatz Buffet Restaurant, Fischmarkt, Atlantik Mediterran, Atlantik Klassik, Tag & Nacht Bistro, Backstube, Bosporus Snackbar, and Ganz schön Gesund-Bistro. The other four restaurants are chargeable: Hideki, Surf & Turf Steakhouse, Große Freiheit, and La Spezia.

Among the new additions on board the Mein Schiff 7 are Hideki and La Spezia, located at the aft inside the “Glaspalast” Große Freiheit. On the lowest level, on Deck 4, is La Spezia, which offers fine Mediterranean cuisine and “top-quality specialties.” The ambiance is enhanced by the scent of fresh herbs arranged on the tables, inviting guests to explore the “flavors of Liguria.” An exclusive breakfast is also available at this restaurant. One deck above, on Deck 5, is the Asia & Sushi Restaurant Hideki, which has 60 seats. Here, guests can explore the rich culinary variety of Asia, with an open counter in the center of the restaurant allowing diners to watch the chefs at work during meal preparation. Hideki is usually open from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

Champagne, Sandwiches, and Slot Machines

Going up another deck, the Champagner Treff is located on Deck 6 and can be accessed from the Große Freiheit via a spiral staircase. It is an exclusive sun deck with a champagne bar and select lounge furniture. TUI Cruises promotes this new feature with the slogan: “Sometimes, you need something a bit more sparkling,” promising an elegant atmosphere with a selection of fine champagnes. This space offers 30 seats and is open from 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM. On the previous sister ships, this location was still occupied by the X-Panoramadeck, which was reserved for suite guests.

Another “oasis of comfort” is the Café Central, located at the bow on Deck 5. Here, the coffeehouse tradition is celebrated with a wide selection of coffee specialties, pralines, and baked goods. You can enjoy your items on-site or take them to go, making the Café Central not only a café but also a bakery with a coffee-to-go option. Open from 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM, it offers a total of 86 seats in groups of chairs and tables. On the wall behind the counter, you’ll find the phrase “Küss die Hand” (a polite greeting), which replaces the witty drinking sayings that characterized the Ebbe und Flut beer bar on the previous ships.

The popular Abtanz Bar, located at the bow on Deck 5, has been expanded with an area dedicated to slot machines and a table for live games. The bar remains smoke-free, clearly distinguishing itself from the large, nicotine-saturated casinos found on some American cruise ships, which often take up half a deck or more.

The space called the Lagune, located around the indoor pool on Deck 12 at the stern, has also been modified. On the Mein Schiff 7, this area is fully covered and air-conditioned, making it ideal for relaxing moments, even in bad weather. This feature makes the ship particularly well-suited for cruises in northern regions, such as the Norwegian fjords or routes in the North Sea and the Baltic, providing greater comfort compared to the sister ships Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2 in these destinations.

Ready for Methanol

In the five years since the delivery of Mein Schiff 2, technological advancements, particularly in environmental areas, have allowed Mein Schiff 7 to represent a significant step toward zero-emission cruising. It is the first new TUI model equipped with a “Dual fuel” engine, capable of running on both methanol and diesel. Currently, the ship operates on low-sulfur diesel (with a sulfur content not exceeding 0.1%), a first for the TUI Cruises fleet. However, by 2026, once the necessary infrastructure is developed, the ship will be converted to methanol, a fuel that almost eliminates CO₂ emissions.

Later on, bio-methanol could also be used, provided certain requirements are met: the necessary technology is completed, the fuel comes from certified biological production, and it is available in sufficient quantities at affordable prices. If these conditions are fulfilled, climate-neutral cruising would be within reach. TUI Cruises aims to achieve this milestone by 2030, with Mein Schiff 7 leading the way in this transition.

Additionally, the ship is equipped with catalysts that reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by about 75%. It is also fully equipped to use shore power connections in ports that have the necessary infrastructure, enabling the ship to operate emission-free for up to 40% of its operating time. Another innovation on board is the HydroTreat system, an advanced technology that thermally treats organic waste, dries it, and converts it into BioChar pellets the size of a tennis ball. These pellets can be used in agriculture as fertilizers or animal feed additives.

With Mein Schiff 7, TUI Cruises has created a top-tier premium ship that marks the transition of modern cruising into a new era like no other. On one hand, the concept and design are based on the successful series that began in 2014 with Mein Schiff 3, with Mein Schiff 7 representing the final chapter and culmination. On the other hand, many of the innovations introduced on this ship pave the way for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future, an increasingly crucial aspect for international tourism and the shipping industry.

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Kai Ortel

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