TUI Cruises to homeport Mein Schiff 5 in Cape Town for 2027/28 season

TUI Cruises is set to homeport Mein Schiff 5 in Cape Town for the 2027/28 season, sailing a series of roundtrip and one-way itineraries linking South Africa and Mauritius.

The deployment begins in November 2027 with a transocean crossing from Palma de Mallorca to Cape Town, positioning the vessel for a winter programme centred on Southern Africa and island destinations in the Indian Ocean.

Following its arrival, Mein Schiff 5 will operate a sequence of 14-night itineraries between Cape Town and Port Louis, Mauritius, running through to March 2028.

The itineraries combine South African ports with calls in Réunion and Mauritius, forming a structured rotation between the region’s primary cruise destinations.

Departures from Cape Town are scheduled at regular intervals, alternating with return sailings from Port Louis, effectively creating a shuttle pattern across the season.

Each cruise includes calls in Port Elizabeth, Durban, and Saint-Denis, Reunion before concluding in Port Louis, Maurtitius.

The deployment concludes in March 2028 with a transocean sailing returning the vessel to Europe, operating from Cape Town to Palma de Mallorca over a 19- to 20-night itinerary.

The Cape Town homeporting reflects a continued expansion of cruise activity in Southern Africa, with the port increasingly serving as a seasonal base for international cruise lines.

The programme also highlights the integration of South Africa within wider Indian Ocean cruise networks, linking regional ports with island destinations that are typically accessed via longer itineraries.

By positioning Mein Schiff 5 in Cape Town for an extended season, TUI Cruises is aligning its deployment with broader winter cruise patterns, where ships operate in the southern hemisphere during the European off-season before returning north for summer itineraries.

Mein Schiff 5 Cape Town season overview (2027/28)

November 2027: Transocean sailing from Palma de Mallorca to Cape Town (18–19 nights)

November 2027 – March 2028: 14-night itineraries between Cape Town and Port Louis

Key ports: Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Richard’s Bay, Saint-Denis (Réunion), Port Louis (Mauritius)

Festive sailings: late December departures from Cape Town

March 2028: Transocean return from Cape Town to Palma de Mallorca (19–20 nights)