Cruise Line Unveils New Features for Its Largest-Ever Ship

TUI Cruises has revealed outstanding new features for the upcoming Mein Schiff 8, which will be a new class of vessel for the German cruise line and the largest ever built for their fleet.

Deliberately designed for a sense of openness and well-being, the ship will offer never-before-seen spaces and plenty of options for travelers looking for a comfortable, relaxing vibe.

New Spaces for Mein Schiff 8

The upcoming Mein Schiff 8 from TUI Cruises promises that guests will experience freedom in a new way onboard, with outstanding new spaces carefully designed for well-being without a sense of crowds, despite the fact that the 161,000-gross ton ship will be the largest ever built for the cruise line.

Extensive outside deck spaces will be interconnected for easy flow, with wide promenades and deluxe seating and lounging options in a variety of unique seating areas and cozy niches. Cushioned sunbeds, classic loungers, Adirondack chairs, and other seating styles invite guests to relax and enjoy their cruise.

Of special note is the unique, first-of-its-kind “shadow roof” designed in an open wicker style to provide shade while still promoting air flow and dappled sunlight, similar to a natural shade canopy with flecks of light.

“The iconic roof, which seems like a light-flooded grotto, will not only be visible from afar, it also offers guests a very special retreat. A unique place that probably doesn’t exist on any other ship,” said Björn Asmussen, architect at 3Deluxe, who helped design the roof.

The roof is supported by graceful arches that offer a soft vibe but with a height to permit ample breezes. Parts of a pool, jogging track, and plentiful seating are all under the cooling shade of the roof.

Another stunning space onboard is near the ship’s stern. A terraced “sun landscape” with ample seating and lounging spaces leads up to a luxury infinity pool overlooking the deck and offering premium views of the surrounding seascape.

Construction Well Underway

Construction on Mein Schiff 8 began in June 2022 at the Fincantieri Monfalcone shipyard near Trieste, Italy. The vessel will be the first ship in TUI Cruises’ fleet to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), and has a variety of efficiency updates over the line’s older ships.

“The investment in LNG-powered ships is an important milestone on the way to emission-free and climate-neutral cruising. LNG serves as a bridging technology here. In perspective, we will use BIO LNG, which is produced either from biogenic sources or synthetically from renewable energy,” Wybcke Meier, TUI Cruises’ CEO, said when the ship’s construction began.

The cruise line has some of the most ambitious goals for emissions-free cruising in the industry, with the intent of sailing completely emissions-free by 2030.

While not many exact details of the ship are yet confirmed, Mein Schiff 8 will be able to welcome approximately 4,000 passengers, with roughly 1,100 crew members onboard. The ship will be a German-speaking vessel, with all onboard communication, announcements, shows, and newsletters primarily provided in auf deutsch.

Mein Schiff 8 is scheduled to debut in late 2024, having been slightly delayed from the planned mid-2024 debut due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on shipyard productivity. A sister ship, Mein Schiff 9, is planned for 2026.

Stay tuned to Cruise Hive for further updates on this unique upcoming vessel as additional features, itineraries, and other information is announced.