Fincantieri and TUI AG have entered into a contract for the construction of two cruise ships, to be delivered in 2031 and 2032. Initially, these vessels had been ordered for Marella Cruises under an agreement made earlier in 2025; under the new arrangement, they will instead be reallocated to the Mein Schiff fleet of TUI Cruises.
Each ship will measure approximately 160,000 gross tons and will belong to the InTUItion class, sharing design lineage with Mein Schiff Relax and Mein Schiff Flow. They will be powered by dual-fuel engines, using liquefied natural gas (LNG) and marine gas oil (MGO), in order to meet contemporary environmental regulations.
Pierroberto Folgiero, Chief Executive Officer of Fincantieri, described the contract as evidence of mutual trust and effective partnership between Fincantieri, TUI, and Royal Caribbean. This redirection of the newbuild slots signals a strategic emphasis by TUI on strengthening its Mein Schiff brand in German-speaking markets.
As a consequence, Marella Cruises will not receive a new ship under its formerly planned timetable. Its fleet will continue to consist of older, second-hand vessels — among them Marella Discovery (1996), Marella Discovery 2 (1995), Marella Explorer (1996), Marella Explorer 2 (1995), and Marella Voyager (1997).