Mein Schiff 5 interiors, 20 June 2016

Mein Schiff 5

IMO 9753193
Built 2016, Meyer Turku, Finland
Tonnage 99 526 GT
Length 293,20 m
Width 35,80 m
Draugth 8,05 m
2 534 passengers (lower beds)
4 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 28 00 kW
2 propellers
3 bow thrusters
Speed 21,7 knots

The Mein Schiff 5 is, of course, both the most recent ship built in Finland, delivered two days ago from Meyer Turku, and the newest ship in the TUI Cruises fleet – so new, in fact, that the ship is not yet in service. It will undertake the first in a series of four short "anticipatory cruises" on 29 June, and will only be officially named on 15 July. I was onboard as a press representative for Cruise Business Review when the ship was shown to Finnish and German media on 20 June, coinciding with the delivery to TUI Cruises.

I was, in fact, also onboard Mein Schiff 4 last year when she was delivered. For some reason, I've never put up the photos taken on that occasion here. Those wanting to compare the Mein Schiff 5 with its older sibling can take a look at a short piece I wrote about that ship's delivery press showing for MaritimeMatters.

All photos were taken on 20 June 2016, while the Mein Schiff 5 was at the Meyer Turku shipyard. As per the usual, this will be a deck-by-deck tour.

Deck 15 (Brise) consists exclusively of sun decks, the forward areas being exclusive for suite passengers.

Deck 14 (Horizont) has the suite-only X-Lounge forward, followed by penthouse suites, sun decks, children's playrooms, a sports deck and the Außenalster – Bar & Grill outdoors restaurant right aft.

X-Lounge seating areas.

X-Lounge serves complimentary buffet-style breakfast and lunch, but morphs into a waiter-service restaurant in the evening.

The Arena aft of deck 15 has a "floating" floor construction, as it is located directly above the buffet restaurant. Supposedly little to no sound is carried down to the restaurant.

Arena artwork.

Deck 12 (Aqua) – there is no deck 13 – features a spa complex forward, pool areas amidships and buffet restaurants aft.

The forward (main) pool is unusually long for a cruise ship at 25 metres. This is not one of those play pools you have on cruise ships built for the English-language markets, but a proper swimming pool.

The Lagunen pool area ahead of the funnel is more conventional as far as cruise ship pools go. On the previous ships in the class, it was an indoors area, but has been opened up onboard the Mein Schiff 5.

Deck 11 (Krabbe) has extensive sauma areas forward – as a Finn I approve – with the rest of the deck filled with cabins.

Deck 10 (Perle) has the navigation bridge forward, followed by cabins and suites.

Decks 9-6 (Koralle, Muschel, Hanse and Boje) are all given over entirely to cabins.

Deck 5 (Pier) is public room territory, with the three-deck-high theatre forward, with the rest of the deck filled by various shops, bars and restaurants. Right aft is the Große Freiheit extra cost dining complex.

The Theater on Mein Schiff 5 has a different colour scheme from the previous sisters (personally I liked the blues and yellows of the MS4 better).

Artwork on the Neuer Wall shopping arcade.

Tag und Nacht is – as the name indicates – the ship's 24-hour eatery. On the Mein Schiff 5 it was given a neat Nordic decor.

Located across from Tag und Nacht is Osteria, a new italian-style dining venue added on the Mein Schiff 5.

Schau Bar.

Located within the Große Freiheit complex, Surf & Turf is the Mein Schiff 5's extra-cost steakhouse.

On the other side of Große Freiheit from Surf & Turf is Schmankerl – Entspannt genießen, a new Austrian-style eatery introduced onboard the Mein Schiff 5.

The last restaurant in the Große Freiheit complex is Hamami. Technically it is down on deck 4, but since it's only accessible via deck five I'm including it here.

On the older sisters Hamami was located amidships in smaller premises, but it proved so popular amongst passengers that it was moved here on the Mein Schiff 5.

An additional positive feature of the relocation is the fact that passengers can enjoy rather excellent views over the ship's wake from Mein Schiff 5's Hamami.

Deck 4 (Seestern) had  the middle-level of the theatre forward, with the rest of the deck given over to further restaurants, bars and shopping opportunities.

Lumas Bar is another new venue, which gives passengers the chance to buy art photography prints from Lumas.

The proper bar seating area of Lumas Bar.

Off Lumas Bar there is also a games lounge. Amusingly, it seemed only members of our small youngster's department photographed the space. If I have understood correctly, this space is open for all passengers, not just teenagers, which I consider a huge improvement.

TUI Bar is one of TUI Cruises signature spaces, found onboard all of their ships.

Big, multi-storey dining rooms seem to be on the way out; on the Mein  Schiff 5, this has been solved by breaking the main dining room into three distinct areas, spread over two decks. Here is the somewhat oddly named Atlantik – Mediterran which, as the name suggests, serves mediterranean fare.

I really like the decor of this restaurant.

On the other side of the ship is Atlantik – Brasserie.

Deck 3 (Atlantik) is primarily given over to cabins, but with the Theater forward (but not actually accessible via this deck) plus the reception and main dining room midships.

On the Mein Schiff 5, the reception area doubles as a reading lounge, operated in collaboration with the German bookstore chain Thalia, and a coffee bar.

There's also a faux fireplace, which is not one of my favourite design elements on an otherwise very attractive ship.

Another view of the reception area, showing the Nespresso bar. (At least) one of the people who designed the ship's interiors can also be seen in this photo, though I was so intent in taking photos that I only noticed him afterwards.

Atlantik – Klassik is the main level of the Atlantik dining complex, serving – as the name suggests – classic cruise ship fare.

For those interested in more detailed information about the Mein Schiff 5 and how it differs from the earlier ships in the series, my article on the subject will be published in the next issue of Cruise Business Review.

Kships will return.