TUI Cruises reveals upgrades aboard Mein Schiff 1 following refit

TUI Cruises has revealed a new design for the beer bar, the Ebbe & Flut, aboard Mein Schiff 1 following her 11-day refit and refurbishment in Hamburg.

Other upgrades to the cruise ship include a new art gallery, and upgrades to the travel consultant and shore excursion departments, as well as a range of technical works.

The technical aspects of the drydock included installation of a shore power connection so that the ship can draw power from the shoreside energy grid rather than running its generators.

The wastewater treatment system was also upgraded to meet compliance with the stricter rules in the Baltic (the Baltic Marine Environmental Protection Commission also known as the Helsinki Commission – HELCOM).

A new silicone coat was applied to the hull in order to reduce the flow resistance in the water and thus reduce the fuel consumption and emissions.

Ullrich Voss, director of ship management and hotel refurbishment, said in a prepared statement that some 1,100 crew members, shipyard workers, technicians and engineers worked on the ship.

Mein Schiff 1 will now commence her summer cruise season with sailings from Bremerhaven to Norway and the Baltic, before repositioning to the Canary Islands for the winter season.

The 111,000-ton, 2,900-passenger Mein Schiff 1 was built by Meyer-Turku and entered service in 2018.

She replaced the original Mein Schiff 1, which was the former Celebrity Galaxy and now sails as the Marella Explorer. This was Mein Schiff 1’s first major dry dock since entering service.

Upgrade to the Ebbe & Flut Bar

“The Ebbe & Flut beer bar shines in new splendour: an industrial design, with numerous wood and copper elements, it invites you to linger. In cooperation with the Hamburg Ratsherrn brewery, the focus in the future will be on regionally brewed beers. In addition to the golden barley juice, Mein Schiff 1 offers its guests a range of dishes in the Ebbe & Flut – Beer Bar, in true North German style from a Hamburg restaurant called ‘Altes Mädchen‘,” TUI Cruises.

Cargo and cruise ships alike are typically dry docked at least once during the first five years after their launch in order to maintain class compliance and ensure that all systems are functioning efficiently.

Cruise lines often use the first dry dock after launch as an opportunity to replace any soft furnishings that are showing signs of wear, and to make any changes required based on passenger feedback.