TUI Cruises has outlined plans to expand its deployment in Southern Africa for the winter 2027-2028 season, placing the vessel Mein Schiff 5 on a programme of roundtrip voyages from Cape Town beginning in November 2027.
The ship is scheduled to remain in the region for the duration of the southern hemisphere summer, operating a series of 14-day itineraries departing and returning to Cape Town. These voyages are expected to link South African ports with destinations across the Indian Ocean, including calls at Gqeberha, Durban and Richards Bay, alongside international stops in Mauritius and Réunion. Additional sailings are expected to incorporate ports in Namibia as part of repositioning voyages and extended itineraries.
The programme reflects the growing role of Cape Town as a turnaround port for international cruise lines, with the city increasingly used as a seasonal base for ships operating in the region. Its location at the southern tip of Africa has positioned it as a convenient hub for itineraries linking Atlantic and Indian Ocean routes.
The South Africa deployment forms part of a broader winter 2027-2028 schedule that will see multiple vessels from the Mein Schiff fleet positioned across several seasonal markets, including the Caribbean, the Canary Islands, Asia and Northern Europe.
In the Caribbean, ships such as Mein Schiff 1 are expected to operate longer itineraries linking North America with the region, including sailings between Miami and Puerto Rico with calls in the ABC islands.
Other vessels, including Mein Schiff 3 and Mein Schiff 4, will remain in the Caribbean on itineraries connecting ports such as Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Saint Lucia, Martinique and Antigua and Barbuda.
Meanwhile, Mein Schiff 2 is expected to begin the winter season in Northern Europe before repositioning to warmer waters. The vessel will operate a mix of shorter sailings and extended itineraries, including a 35-day voyage linking Northern Europe with the Caribbean via the Canary Islands and Madeira.
The company is also continuing to strengthen its presence in Asia. Mein Schiff 6 is expected to reposition via Africa before offering a series of 2-week cruises in Southeast Asia, with itineraries including Singapore and destinations in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.
In the Atlantic islands region, Mein Schiff 7 and Mein Schiff Relax are scheduled to operate 7- to 11-night cruises around the Canary Islands from late October 2027. These itineraries will focus on island-hopping routes calling at Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Madeira, with additional visits planned to Morocco, the Azores and Cape Verde.
Pricing across the winter programme varies depending on itinerary length and region. Entry-level fares are expected to begin at around EUR 729 for a 7-night Canary Islands cruise, while longer voyages such as a 14-night Northern Europe itinerary are projected to start from approximately EUR 2,079 per person.