Newbuilds
TUI and STX Finland announced a contract on 27 September 2011 to build a 97,000-GT vessel named Mein Schiff 3, first of the Blue Motion class, which was delivered in 2014.[8] The vessel is approximately 295 m long and approximately 36 m wide. The ship has 1,250 staterooms, most of which have balconies, with a capacity of 2,500 passengers and a crew of 1,000. The ship includes several restaurants, a theatre, spa and nightclub. The contract included an option to build a second ship, dependent on the approval of TUI Cruises shareholders.[9] It was announced on November 5, 2012, that TUI had taken up the second option for the sister ship to the Mein Schiff 3, to be named Mein Schiff 4.[10] On April 22, 2014, Mein Schiff 3 entered service. In March 2015, Royal Caribbean International announced that they had agreed to sell MS Splendour of the Seas to TUI Cruises in the second quarter of 2016, and that TUI would lease the ship to Thomson Cruises to replace the Island Escape.[11] In May 2015, TUI Group announced that as part of their modernization strategy, Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2 would be transferred to Thomson Cruises over the next few years, as a result, 2 replacement ships neue Mein Schiff 1 and neue Mein Schiff 2 were ordered.[12] On January 15, Mein Schiff 5 was launched.[13] On April 28, Mein Schiff 6's was laid down.[14]
The new Mein Schiff 1 debuted in 2018, followed by the Mein Schiff 2 in 2019. These were both enlarged version of the previous ships, and included modification in the layout of the open decks, with an enclosed sport court, expanded forward suite area, an infilled aft deck, and a new elevated jogging track.[15] In July 2018,[16] TUI Cruises announces th order of two new 160,000 ton LNG InTUItion class ships at Fincanteri.[17]
In February 2020 TUI announced the purchase of Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten.[2] The take over was completed in July 2020.[18]
The Mein Schiff Herz left the fleet in April 2023.[19]
In 2023 it was announced the new InTUItion class would introduce a new naming convention, with the first ship named Mein Schiff Relax.[20] The ship was floated out in November 2023 at Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard in Italy.[21]
The final ship of the Blue Motion Class, Mein Schiff 7 debuted in 2024, and will be one of the first methanol ready ships.[8][22]
On February 7, 2025, the Mein Schiff Relax was delivered to TUI Cruises. The first new prototype design for the line in over 11 years, it is also the first LNG powered and largest ship in the fleet.[23][14]
