MEIN SCHIFF 5 is a modern German-market cruise ship operated by TUI Cruises, built at Meyer Turku in Finland and delivered in June 2016.
The vessel was the third newbuild constructed by Meyer Turku for TUI Cruises and belongs to the company's Blue Motion generation, closely related to MEIN SCHIFF 3, MEIN SCHIFF 4 and MEIN SCHIFF 6.
With a gross tonnage of 98,785 GT, a length of approximately 295 metres and accommodation for 2,534 passengers at double occupancy, MEIN SCHIFF 5 was designed around TUI Cruises' Premium All-Inclusive concept, with unusually high levels of open deck space, balcony accommodation and passenger space for a ship of her size.
Ten years after entering service, she remains fully operational in 2026 and has again become a frequent visitor to Piraeus and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Vessel Details
Name: MEIN SCHIFF 5
IMO: 9753193
MMSI: 256235000
Call Sign: 9HA3858
Type: Cruise Ship
Operator: TUI Cruises GmbH
Flag: Malta
Port of Registry: Valletta
Built: 2016
Builder: Meyer Turku Oy, Turku, Finland
Delivered: 20 June 2016
Christened: 15 July 2016
Godmother: Lena Meyer-Landrut
Entered Regular Service: July 2016
Class / Series: Blue Motion / Mein Schiff 3 generation
Classification: DNV
Gross Tonnage: 98,785 GT
Length Overall: approx. 295.3 m
Beam: approx. 35.8 m
Draught: approx. 8.05 m
Passenger Capacity: 2,534 at double occupancy
Cabins: 1,267
Crew: approximately 1,000
Total Engine Power: 48,000 kW
Propulsion Power: 28,000 kW
Propulsion: Diesel-electric
Speed: approx. 21.7 knots
Current Status: Active.
Built at Meyer Turku
MEIN SCHIFF 5 was constructed at the famous Turku shipyard in Finland, today operated by Meyer Turku.
She became the third ship in a series of four closely related newbuildings:
MEIN SCHIFF 3 – 2014
MEIN SCHIFF 4 – 2015
MEIN SCHIFF 5 – 2016
MEIN SCHIFF 6 – 2017
Meyer Turku delivered one vessel of the series in each successive year, an unusually intensive shipbuilding programme that rapidly transformed the TUI Cruises fleet.
Delivered Ahead of Schedule
MEIN SCHIFF 5 was formally handed over by Meyer Turku to TUI Cruises on:
20 June 2016
The delivery took place approximately ten days ahead of the contractual schedule.
Following handover, the vessel left Turku for Germany and undertook several introductory cruises before entering full commercial service.
Christening at Travemünde
The ship was officially christened on:
15 July 2016
in the Bay of Lübeck off Travemünde.
German singer Lena Meyer-Landrut served as godmother.
Unlike a traditional ceremony alongside a cruise terminal, the naming took place with the vessel positioned offshore in the bay.
The following day, MEIN SCHIFF 5 departed on her maiden voyage.
Passenger Accommodation
The vessel was designed for:
2,534 passengers at double occupancy
in:
1,267 cabins.
One of the most important characteristics of the Blue Motion design is the high proportion of outside and balcony accommodation.
TUI Cruises' original fleet data listed:
127 inside cabins
97 outside cabins
963 balcony cabins
64 junior suites
and
16 suites.
This means the overwhelming majority of passengers have direct natural light, and most cabins include a private balcony.
Designed Around Space
TUI Cruises developed the ship around its German-market “Wohlfühl” – feel-good – cruise concept.
Rather than attempting to maximise passenger numbers, MEIN SCHIFF 5 was designed with substantial passenger space and large outdoor areas.
The original ship data lists approximately:
17,895 m² of outdoor deck space
along with a large sports and fitness area.
A distinctive feature of the class is the 25-metre outdoor swimming pool, exceptionally long by cruise-ship standards.
The Diamant
One of the vessel's most recognisable design features is the glass structure at the stern known as:
Der Diamant – The Diamond
The large two-deck glass façade creates a bright entertainment and lounge area overlooking the wake.
The design had first appeared within the Blue Motion family and became one of the visual signatures of the Mein Schiff newbuild series.
Studio and Holographic Entertainment
MEIN SCHIFF 5 also introduced a dedicated entertainment venue called:
Studio
TUI Cruises used the venue for productions incorporating holographic technology.
The company promoted the installation as an innovative form of cruise-ship entertainment, allowing digitally recreated appearances by well-known performers to become part of live onboard productions.
Machinery
MEIN SCHIFF 5 uses diesel-electric propulsion.
Meyer Turku quotes:
48,000 kW total engine power
and
28,000 kW propulsion power.
The machinery supplies both hotel and propulsion electrical requirements.
The vessel's normal maximum operating speed is approximately:
21.7 knots.
This is considerably lower than a high-speed ferry, but appropriate for a modern cruise vessel where fuel efficiency, passenger comfort and long port stays are more important than maximum transit speed.
First Visit to Piraeus
MEIN SCHIFF 5 developed an important connection with Piraeus less than a year after entering service.
On:
2 May 2017
the vessel made her first-ever call at the Port of Piraeus.
Because she was still one of the newest cruise ships operating in the Mediterranean, the Piraeus Port Authority organised an official welcome ceremony.
Honorary plaques were exchanged during the visit, with Greek captain Ioannis Anastasiou representing the ship.
The Port Authority also noted that MEIN SCHIFF 5 would make further Piraeus calls during the 2017 summer season.
A Regular Piraeus Visitor in 2017
The inaugural visit was not an isolated call.
MEIN SCHIFF 5 returned repeatedly to Piraeus during May 2017, with recorded calls including:
2 May
9 May
25 May
and
31 May
as part of the vessel's Mediterranean programme.
The ship therefore became one of the notable new-generation cruise vessels regularly appearing in Piraeus during the 2017 season.
PiraeuShips Record
PiraeuShips recorded MEIN SCHIFF 5 during this first season of Piraeus operations in May 2017.
The footage is particularly useful because the vessel was less than one year old.
At the time, MEIN SCHIFF 5 represented one of the newest generations of cruise ships to begin making regular calls at Piraeus, and her first arrival was important enough to receive a formal Port Authority welcome.
Worldwide Cruise Career
During the following years MEIN SCHIFF 5 was deployed across a broad variety of cruise regions.
Her programmes have included:
Mediterranean
Northern Europe
Caribbean
Middle East
and other warm-water cruise regions.
The vessel has remained under TUI Cruises operation throughout her career and continues to sail under the Maltese flag.
Still Active in 2026
MEIN SCHIFF 5 remains fully active in 2026, ten years after entering service.
TUI Cruises' official 2026 programme gives the ship a capacity of:
2,534 passengers
and approximately:
99,800 GT
and assigns her extensively to the Eastern Mediterranean.
Her 2026 itineraries are centred largely around:
Heraklion, Crete
with combinations of calls including:
Piraeus
Istanbul
Mykonos
Souda
Corfu
Taranto
Alexandria
Rhodes
Marmaris
Santorini
and
Nafplio.
Back in Piraeus in September 2026
MEIN SCHIFF 5 has again been a regular visitor to Piraeus during the 2026 season.
Her September programme included Piraeus calls on:
2 September
16 September
23 September
and a further scheduled call on:
30 September 2026.
On 23 September 2026, the vessel arrived at Piraeus at approximately:
05:30
and remained until:
22:00
before continuing toward Nafplio on 24 September.
This means that almost a decade after PiraeuShips filmed her during the ship's first Piraeus season, MEIN SCHIFF 5 remains a regular presence in the port.
Ten Years in Service
By 2026, MEIN SCHIFF 5 has reached the tenth anniversary of her entry into service.
Despite the subsequent arrival of significantly larger and newer TUI Cruises vessels, she remains a relatively modern cruise ship.
Her moderate passenger density, extensive balcony accommodation, large open decks and relatively compact size compared with today's largest 200,000+ GT cruise ships make her particularly suitable for itineraries involving traditional Mediterranean ports.
Piraeus Connection
MEIN SCHIFF 5 has a stronger Piraeus connection than a simple one-off cruise call.
Her relationship with the port began with her official inaugural arrival on 2 May 2017, less than a year after completion.
She returned repeatedly during that first Mediterranean season and was documented by PiraeuShips in May 2017.
Nine years later, the ship returned to an intensive Eastern Mediterranean programme in 2026, once again making repeated Piraeus calls.
The result is an interesting continuity: PiraeuShips recorded MEIN SCHIFF 5 when she was almost brand new, while the vessel continues to visit the same port a decade into her operating career.
PiraeuShips Record
MEIN SCHIFF 5 was recorded at Piraeus by PiraeuShips during the cruise ship's first season of visits to the port in May 2017. Built by Meyer Turku in Finland and delivered to TUI Cruises on 20 June 2016, the 98,785-GT vessel had been in service for less than a year when she made her inaugural Piraeus call on 2 May 2017, an occasion marked by an official welcome from the Piraeus Port Authority. Since then, MEIN SCHIFF 5 has developed an extensive international cruise career while remaining an active member of the TUI Cruises fleet. In 2026 she returned to the Eastern Mediterranean for a programme based largely around Heraklion and once again became a frequent visitor to Piraeus. The PiraeuShips footage therefore preserves the vessel at the very beginning of a Piraeus connection that continues almost a decade later.
Original video footage © PiraeuShips. All rights reserved.
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