VESSEL REVIEW | Mein Schiff Relax – First in new LNG-powered ship series for Germany's TUI Cruises
TUI Cruises, a joint venture between German shipowner TUI and Royal Caribbean Cruises, took delivery of a new cruise ship in a ceremony in Monfalcone, Italy, on Friday, February 7.
Mein Schiff Relax is the first in a series of two vessels that Italian shipyard Fincantieri is building for TUI Cruises. The Intuition-class, as the ships will be known, are powered by dual-fuel engines that can run on LNG and MGO in line with TUI Cruises’ dual goals of optimising energy consumption and minimising environmental impact.
The propulsion can also be configured in the future to accommodate lower-emission fuels such as bio- or e-LNG.
Designed to ensure minimal environmental impact
The ship has a length of 333 metres (1,090 feet), a beam of 42.1 metres (138 feet), a gross tonnage of 160,000, a service speed of 22 knots, and space for 3,984 guests and 1,100 crewmembers across 10 decks.
There are also emissions-reducing features such as a system for recovering waste heat from the generators, a shore power charging system, and catalytic converters that ensure compliance with EU Stage VI regulations. Fincantieri said all these features guarantee almost emission-free operation while in port, or about 40 per cent of operating time.
The ship is also equipped with a waste treatment system capable of transforming organic substances into charcoal through a thermal process.
Enhanced manoeuvrability even with considerable dimensions
The propulsion also delivers enhanced manoeuvrability. Sea trials conducted in the Mediterranean late last year also included a 360-degree turning circle manoeuvre and the Williamson Turn (wherein the ship turns 60 degrees in one direction and then turns hard in the opposite direction in order for its crew to rescue a person who had fallen overboard).
Extensive selection of amenities
The onboard facilities include restaurants, indoor and outdoor bars and lounges, spas, saunas, a fitness area, a cryotherapy chamber, a casino, theatres, whirlpools, and an infinity pool.
The stateroom options meanwhile include inside and outside single cabins of 11 square metres (120 square feet) each and suites with areas ranging from 25 to 88 square metres (270 to 950 square feet). Many of the outside cabins and suites come with balconies while there are two six-person suites that are split between two decks and have private saunas and living rooms.
Mein Schiff Relax's initial operational sailings will be in the Mediterranean and will include stops at Rome, Barcelona, Marseille, Gibraltar, and the Balearic Islands. Its formal naming ceremony is scheduled for April 9, 2025, in Malaga, Spain.
Construction of the Intuition-class ships was undertaken at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone facilities and at Vard Tulcea in Romania. The second vessel in the series is scheduled to debut in the middle of 2026.
