Mein Schiff 4

The 2015-built TUI Mein Schiff 4 cruise ship is owned by TUI Cruises and was built by Meyer Turku Shipyard (Finland). TUI Schiff 4 has five sisterships from the same series – Schiff 3 (2014), Schiff 5 (2016), Schiff 6 (2017), Schiff 1 (2018), and Schiff 2 (2019).

The vessel (IMO number 9678408) is currently Malta-flagged (MMSI 229678000) and registered in Valletta.

History - construction and ownership

TUI Cruises is a UK-based joint venture (50/50) between TUI Group (a British-German travel and tourism corporation) and RCG-Royal Caribbean Group (RCCL-Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, USA-based passenger shipping company).

TUI began cruise operations in 2009, targeting primarily the German-speaking market with a premium vacation product. German and English are the main onboard languages on all TUI ships. TUI’s sister brands include Marella Cruises UK and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

The 2500-passenger Mein Schiff 4 is a sistership of Schiff 3. She is the second TUI liner in the company’s “wellness ships” series, featuring a modern design by CM Design, Tillberg, and Wilson Butler Architects. Four more identical vessels were later built in Finland (2016–2018), all equipped with next-generation, environmentally friendly engines and energy-efficient power plants. Around 80% of passengers onboard are typically German-speaking.

TUI Schiff 4 cruise fares are all-inclusive and cover:

• 24-hour dining and snacks
• over 100 brand beverages and cocktails (excluding premium alcohol brands)
• children and teen programs
• free access to the SPA’s sauna area
• complimentary gym and wellness classes
• onboard entertainment (shows, concerts, theatrical and musical performances)
• gratuities (all onboard tips included)

Decks and Cabins

TUI Schiff 4 staterooms (1253 in total) include 89 Suites, 957 Balcony (80% of all cabins), 97 Oceanview, and 123 Interior cabins across 23 categories. Six wheelchair-accessible cabins are located on Deck 3, each featuring wider doors, an emergency phone, special handrails, and proximity to elevators. Suite guests enjoy added perks such as free Internet, Xbox console, complimentary minibar, concierge service, priority check-in, in-room dining, and exclusive access to the X-Lounge and private sundeck.

All cabins feature two single beds (convertible to double), bedside cabinets with reading lamps, a sofa bed or Pullman beds, smart HDTV (satellite reception, infotainment system, on-demand movies, Internet access, ship information channel), direct-dial phone, wardrobe, electronic safe, minibar, Nespresso machine (two capsules daily), water carafe, dressing table with mirror, en-suite bathroom (shower, sink, WC, hairdryer, bathrobes, slippers, toiletries), individually controlled air-conditioning, and 24-hour room service.

The ship has 15 decks, of which 12 are accessible to passengers and 9 contain accommodations.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Complimentary dining venues on Mein Schiff 4 (included in the cruise fare) are Atlantik (Mediterran, Brasserie, Klassik), Anckelmannsplatz, Backstube, GOSCH Sylt, Tag & Nacht, and Eis Bar. Specialty restaurants Surf & Turf, Hanami, and Richards incur a surcharge. Most bars and restaurants offer free beverages. TUI Cruises pioneered the “Dynamic Dining” concept, later adopted fleetwide by Royal Caribbean.

Full list of Mein Schiff 4 restaurants and food venues:

• “Atlantic Classic” – 530-seat complimentary main restaurant for buffet breakfast and waiter-served lunch and dinner (some items at extra cost)
• “Atlantik Brasserie” – 256-seat dining room offering French specialties and healthy à la carte options
• “Atlantik Mediterran” – 266-seat Mediterranean-style restaurant with “family meal” menu items
• Hanami – 62-seat Japanese restaurant serving sushi and traditional dishes (surcharge)
• Tag und Nacht – 24-hour, 88-seat bistro
• “Richards Fine Dining” – 70-seat dinner restaurant (reservations required, surcharge applies)
• Surf und Turf – steakhouse and seafood restaurant (extra charge)
• Backstube/Bakery – 120-seat complimentary venue
• Anckelmannsplatz – 745-seat buffet restaurant with covered outdoor dining area
• GOSCH Sylt – 133-seat complimentary seafood restaurant with à la carte menu and outdoor seating
• Alster Bar und Grill

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Mein Schiff 4 features a unique Sound House (the first chamber music philharmonic at sea), a 3-tier theater, and a 25-meter swimming pool. The evening entertainment program includes musicals, operas, variety shows, Beatles tributes, acrobatic acts, and magic performances. The theater boasts eight LED screens and a revolving stage.

The Sound House (Klanghaus) features a concert hall with acoustic simulation for opera, cabaret, chamber music, classical concerts, and films. It includes an Acoustic Control System (ACS) and convertible seating for ballroom events.

Mein Schiff 4 also houses the world’s first maritime museum at sea – “Meerleben – Entdecken & Erleben” – operated in cooperation with the International Maritime Museum Hamburg. The project was supported by the Ministry of Education and Research, Hamburg University, Bremen University, and private foundations.

Complete list of Mein Schiff 4 lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues for all ages:

• Theatre (1000-seat main show lounge with revolving stage and eight LED screens)
• Sturmfrei (Teens Lounge with gaming consoles, dance floor, karaoke, movies, and parties)
• The Playground area (Internet corner, gaming consoles; free Internet for Suite guests; paid Wi-Fi shipwide)
• “Meerleben – Entdecken und Erleben” (Sea Life – Explore & Experience interactive maritime museum, 300 m²)
• Atelier (art studio for painting workshops)
• Klanghaus (Sound House – 300-seat chamber music hall with acoustic simulation and performances)
• Neuer Wall shopping arcade
• TUI Bar, Coffee Lounge, Diamant Bar, Abtanz Bar (disco), Rauchersalon (Cigar Room), Schau Bar (Show Bar), Champagner Treff (Champagne & Wine Bar), Uberschau Bar (wellness drinks), Unverzicht Bar (pool bar), Eis Bar (Ice Bar)
• Casino (20-seat, open during sea days)
• Grosse Freiheit (aft section with restaurants and a 167 m² glass facade over two decks)
• SPA Sauna area (Finnish, Herbal, Salt saunas, Tea Lounge)
• Himmel und Meer Lounge and X-Lounge (Suite guests only)
• SPA & Meer (spa complex with Rasul room, treatment rooms, Zen garden, beauty salon)
• Sport & Gesundheit (fitness center with optional personal training)
• Aussenpool (25 m outdoor pool, sun deck, Aussenalster Bar & Grill)
• Innenpool (indoor pool area with pool and whirlpool)
• Outdoor LED movie screen
• Insel der Seerauber (Pirates Island Kids Club)
• Nest (baby room with paid babysitting)
• Arena (open-air sports court); spinning and fitness rooms; jogging track
• Blauer Balkon (Blue Balcony) – 11 m² glass-floor platform 37 m above sea level

TUI Schiff shopping experience

TUI Schiff SPA and Sport

TUI Schiff sundeck and pool areas

Itineraries

On May 14, 2015, Mein Schiff 4 arrived at her first homeport, Kiel (Germany). Her winter schedule included roundtrips to the Canary Islands, Morocco, and Madeira from Gran Canaria. During summer, she operated Northern Europe roundtrips from Kiel.

Currently, the ship repositions via the Suez Canal between Europe and Asia and alternates between Mediterranean and Baltic itineraries.

• 7-day Dubai roundtrips visiting Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and UAE (Abu Dhabi), with overnight stays in Dubai. 14-day back-to-back cruises are also offered, including a 2019 special voyage to India (Mormugao, Cochin, Mumbai).
• Germany roundtrips from Kiel visiting Baltic and Norwegian ports (Fjords, Spitzbergen), Scandinavia, Russia, and Iceland.
• Mediterranean cruises from Palma de Mallorca visiting ports in France, Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands, and Morocco.

Schiff 4 is TUI’s second newbuild vessel, constructed in Turku, Finland. In 2015, the STX shipbuilding company was acquired by Meyer Werft GmbH. All new TUI cruise ships were built with energy-efficient technologies and eco-friendly powerplants, reducing emissions by around 30% compared to other vessels of similar size. The design teams behind the new TUI ships include Wilson Butler Architects, CM Design, and Tillberg Design. An interesting fact is that each ship in this series generates nearly 5,000 person-years of labor at the Turku shipyard, involving 800 of its 1,400 workers. Approximately 80% of passengers on TUI ships are German travelers.

The vessel was launched (floated out from drydock) on October 10, 2014, and delivered to TUI on May 8, 2015. The christening ceremony took place on June 5 in Port Kiel, with godmother Franziska van Almsick (born 1978) – a German Olympic swimmer and medalist at the 1992 Barcelona Games.

During her inaugural 2014 season, TUI Schiff 4 operated Northern Europe itineraries (Norwegian Fjords, Baltic, Scandinavia, and Russia). In winter, she was deployed on 7-day roundtrip Canary Islands cruises from her homeport in Las Palmas (Gran Canaria).

TUI Schiff 4 Refurbishments Review

The ship’s most recent drydock took place in 2025 (February 23–March 9) at DP World Drydocks in Dubai, UAE. The 14-day project included routine maintenance, classification and safety inspections, technical overhauls, installation of new propellers, underwater hull cleaning and repainting, as well as interior upgrades. Renovations included approximately 9,000 m² of new carpeting in public areas and venues (stairwells, corridors, Atlantik Restaurant, Schaubar), new flooring in the Anckelmannsplatz Lido Buffet, a new steam sauna, and refreshed outdoor areas (sundeck, pool, and Jacuzzis).

During her earlier drydock in February 2020 (at Chantier Naval de Marseille Shipyard), Schiff 4 was upgraded with shoreside power capability. This system enables the ship to shut down her diesel engines while in port and draw electricity directly from the local grid, significantly reducing emissions and noise.

The USD 20 million drydocking project (February 3–13, 2020) also included extensive refurbishments of major onboard venues such as restaurants, lounges, bars, and the pool deck. Fully redesigned and modernized were La Spezia (Italian restaurant), Hanami (Japanese restaurant), Cafe Lounge (French bistro), and Diamant Bar. The Lobby Hall (Reception and Tours Desk) and Sturmfrei (teen lounge) were also updated.

The project was managed by Trimline UK (a Southampton-based interior outfitting company) in collaboration with CM Design (project management) and Studio Aisslinger (led by furniture designer Werner Aisslinger). Alongside scheduled maintenance (hull cleaning, coating, and repairs), the vessel also received custom-designed furniture and over 40 joinery pieces, including booth seating and a wine chiller cabinet.