Mein Schiff 6

Background

Due to a bad camera at the time, the picture is not up to the standard I would like it to be. But shown here, besides the bird, is Mein Schiff 6 after her first arrival in the port of Rotterdam at the 4th of may in 2022. To the left, you can also spot the point of the bow of Mein Schiff 4, also in port that day.

The fourth ship in the Blue Motion-class of TUI Cruises, the first newbuild class of the 2008-formed company, followed her sisters Mein Schiff 3, Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5. So her name would not be a surprise. With these four almost 100.000-ton ships, the new company seemed eager to attract a huge chunk of the German and mainly European cruisemarket.

Construction and general statistics

The letter of intent for the order for the two last Blue Motion-class liners was placed at the 4th of august in 2014 with the STX Yards in Turku, Finland in quite a difficult time. The wharf was in dire financial straits and a plan was there from the German based wharf of Jos L. Meyer in Papenburg to buy the Finnish wharf from the Finnish govenment. This take-over was approved in september and then it became possible for TUI to make a firm order out of the intentional one as the wharf now seemed secure. So Mein Schiff 5 and Mein Schiff 6 would become the first cruiseships built at the wharf under the new name of Meyer Turku.

The keel for the then officially as NB1390 known ship was laid at the 25th of april in 2016 after the first steel had been cut at the 23rd of june in 2015. Construction went smoothly and at the 3rd of january in 2017, the ship was ready to be undocked, ready for her first seatrials starting in the following april. 

The ship measures some 98.811 tons and has a lenght of 295,26 meters, a width of 36,20 meters and a draft of 8,27 meters. Based on a two-per-cabin capacity, some 2534 passengers are able to sail the ship (maximum of 2794) cared for by 1030 crewmembers on 15 decks. The ships normal sailingspeed is around 21,7 knots, provided for by two Wärtsilä-designed diesel-electric motors driving two fixed propellers. Her manouvrability is helped by the installation of three bow thrusters and two stern thrusters also. She will fly the Maltese flag, homeported in Valetta although she is a German ship in every other aspect.

After succesfull seatrials, the ship was handed over to her owners at the 8th of may in 2017 after which she set sail for the German port of Kiel where she would be fitted out.

 Design

Mein Schiff 6 interiour designs were mostly dome by CM Design, Wilson Butler Designs and Tillberg Design. Ralf Claussen was as head of design responsible for many spaces aboard and he created a ship that looks very natural, with not too many contrasting colours. One of his inspirations was the old boatdecks of the former oceanliners,in his own words where weather and sun had left their marks. He tried to get the style of a beachclub aboard, even a little vintage. It was the goal to give the ship not too much of an American (mostly quite loud and colourfull) or Asian (mostly casino) style. For TUI the more intimate spaces and well-being are more important then new entertainmentoptions. At the side of the ship, in large letters the  word 'Wohlfühlen' is printed (next to many others) and this word, meaning something like 'feeling complete' sais a lot about the style of the TUI ships. That said, you really do not have to be bored aboard. There are a lot of outdoor spaces and a large midships pool, next to a big space devoted for wellness and health. Within the also huge theater, shows will be performed every night. There are also 16 bars and lounges next to 12 restaurants and bistro's so the inner person can be spoiled easily. These include a day & night bistro, a buffetrestaurant, a mediterranean restaurant and of course a classic reataurant and snackbar. In the restaurants, there are no fixed times so you can eat whenever you want, spending the day to your own liking.

As environmental technology also developped, the ships emissions output is again lower then that of her earlier sisterships Mein Schiff 3 and Mein Schiff 4, comparable to Mein Schiff 5. that were also made eco-friendlier then earlier ships. Before emissions are exhausted, they are treated with a desulfurization unit with catalytic converters to significantly reduce harmfull particles to be spilled into the air. With this technology, sulfur emissions are reduced by 99% and nitrogene oxide emissions are reduced by 75% also. Also the energy usage aboard is 4 percent lower then that of Mein Schiff 3 and Mein Schiff 4.

Aboard, a premium all-inclusive concept is used so you will not recieve a large bill for extra expenses at the end of your cruise.

Career

At the 1st of june in 2017, the ship was named in Hamburg, Germany by Iveta Apkalna, the main organ player of the Elbphilharmonie in the same city. After the ship was named, she did a short shakedown cruise to Kiel, after which her real Maiden Voyage began towards the Northcape departing Hamburg at the 3rd of june. The ship wasn't sailing cruises in one particular region afterwards, she can be spotted in the baltic, the America's, in the Middle East as well as the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.