By
Rebecca Gibson |
TUI Cruises is to homeport its first ship at Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore (MBCCS) from November 2015.
Mein Schiff 1 is to offer three different cruises to Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand.
Among the highlights of the cruises is the Thai capital of Bangkok, Ho-Chi-Minh City, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
“We are very excited about our new cruise routes and in Singapore, we have found the ideal embarkation and disembarkation port for our cruises,” said Richard Vogel, the line’s CEO, indicating that short transfer times from the airport to the harbour and port’s central location were key factors in the decision. “Many guests will surely take the opportunity of spending a few days in Singapore either before or after a cruise.”
Mein Schiff 1 will sail an ‘Asia with Malaysia’ cruise from 2-9 December, followed by an ‘Asia with Thailand’ itinerary from 6-13 January 2016, and an ‘Asia with Vietnam’ cruise from 20-27 January 2016.
“We warmly welcome TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 1 to the family of homeported ships in Singapore,” said Lionel Yeo, chief executive, Singapore Tourism Board. “TUI Cruises has a strong presence in German-speaking markets and these new routes will allow more travellers to use Singapore as a hub to discover the amazing diversity and cultures of Southeast Asia. We look forward to a long-term partnership with TUI Cruises to introduce more cruise experiences in this part of the world.”
From 24 April to 3 May 2014, Mein Schiff 1 is to undergo renovation work at Bremerhaven-based shipyard Lloyd Werft. Signed by Vogel and Lloyd Werft board member Carsten Haake and managing director Rüdiger Pallentin at Cruise Shipping Miami, the contract will see the German yard refit stabilisers and five side thrusters, as well as review all sea valves, shafts and rudder. In addition, Lloyd Werft will repaint the hull, carry out steel repairs to the tanks and replace two chilled water units in the air conditioning system, which will involve work on their foundations and the piping system.
In May 2009, Lloyd Werft converted the former Celebrity Galaxy into Mein Schiff 1, which according to Pallentin, will be advantageous when the team begins the eight-day drydock.
“Extremely tight deadlines are nothing new for us and as we carried out an extensive conversion on Mein Schiff 1 five years ago, we are well prepared,” said Pallentin. “We are particularly excited about this order, we were able to complete against tough competition. It’s great that after almost exactly five years, we will work on the TUI Cruises’ ship, which enjoys high popularity among the guests.”