TUI Cruises: Ships, Prices & Deals

Who TUI Cruises suits

TUI Cruises is a German big-ship cruise line built for the German-speaking market. Its ships all carry the name Mein Schiff ("my ship"), and everything about them is designed for guests from Germany, Austria and Switzerland: the language, the food, the timing of meals and the style of entertainment.

The company is a 50/50 joint venture between TUI Group and Royal Caribbean Group, and it is run from Hamburg. That parentage shows in the hardware: the ships are modern and well equipped, with large spa areas, several pools and a long list of restaurants.

The line suits couples and families who want a relaxed, near-all-inclusive holiday at sea. There are no formal nights and no required evening dress, so you can sit down to dinner in smart-casual clothes every night. The fare covers most food, a wide choice of drinks and tips, which means few surprises on the final bill.

Watch out: The onboard language is German. Announcements, shows, activities, daily programs and most printed information are in German. Many crew members speak English, but if you do not understand German you will miss much of what makes the ship lively.

The Mein Schiff fleet

Our data holds sailings for nine Mein Schiff ships. The fleet table above shows each ship's size, age and current position; here is what sets each one apart. Where we do not yet hold measurements for a ship, the row says so.

The four sisters, Mein Schiff 3 to 6, share one design, so cabins and public rooms feel much the same on each. If you want the newest-generation hardware, start with Mein Schiff Relax and check the ship pages for Flow, 7, 1 and 2 as we add their facts.

Where TUI Cruises sails from and to

TUI Cruises splits its year in two. In summer, ships sail from Germany's North Sea and Baltic ports to Norway, the Baltic, Western Europe and the British Isles, so most guests drive or take the train to the terminal. In winter, much of the fleet moves to warm water and sells fly-cruises: you fly from Germany to the ship and join it in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands or the Caribbean.

Of the 180 sailings we track in the next 12 months, these ports have the most departures:

Together the German ports (Kiel, Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Rostock-Warnemünde) account for 50 departures. Further down the list are Heraklion on Crete, Trieste, Bridgetown, Montego Bay and a few long voyages from Singapore, Hong Kong and Cape Town.

By region, the Mediterranean leads with 58 sailings, followed by the Canary Islands and the Caribbean with 32 each, and Norway, Iceland, Svalbard and Great Britain with 27. The Baltic has 16 sailings. The regions table above has the full split.

Most voyages are a week long: 81 of the 180 sailings are 7 nights, 37 are 14 nights and 19 are 9 nights. Only 14 sailings are shorter than a week, and short breaks like the Kiel trips in the cheapest-sailings table below are the cheapest way to try the line. The ports you call at most often are Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Civitavecchia (for Rome), Funchal on Madeira and Barcelona.

What is included and what costs extra

Mein Schiff fares are sold as Premium Alles Inklusive, which goes much further than the cruise-only fares of most big-ship lines. The exact list changes from time to time, so check the booking terms for your sailing, but the split works like this:

Tip: When you compare a Mein Schiff fare with a line that charges for drinks and adds daily tips, add those costs to the other line's fare first. For guests who drink wine with dinner and have a cocktail or two, the gap often shrinks a lot.

How expensive is TUI Cruises

All prices here are fares captured from the German TUI Cruises booking site, in euros, for the cheapest cabin, per person, on the date shown on the page.

Across 180 sailings in the next 12 months, the median Mein Schiff fare is €178 per person per night. That can look high next to mass-market lines, but remember what it buys: drinks, most dining and tips are already paid for. On a line with cruise-only fares, those extras are added on board.

By month

January is the cheapest month to sail, with a median of €134 per night, followed by December and February at €143 and April at €148. Those are the winter and spring fly-cruise months in the Canaries, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Early summer is the most expensive: June has a median of €204 per night and May €194, the heart of the season from the German ports. The price-by-month chart above shows every month.

By region, the Canary Islands are the best value at a median of €128 per night, while the Baltic is the most expensive at €225.

By cabin

Suites carry a median of €386 per person per night and balconies €207. Inside and oceanview cabins sit close together, at €178 and €174, so an oceanview cabin is often worth checking before you settle for an inside one. The price-by-cabin table above has the minimum fares too.

Cheapest sailings right now

The two January weeks from Palma de Mallorca are the standouts: a full 7 nights, with drinks and tips included, from €629 per person.

Booking TUI Cruises from outside Germany

TUI Cruises sells mainly in German-speaking markets. Its website, brochures and booking process are aimed at German speakers, and most guests book directly or through travel agents in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Our prices come from the German booking site, in euros.

English-speaking travelers can book, and some do, often to join a Mediterranean or Canary Islands fly-cruise at a good price. Before you do, be honest about the language. The ship runs in German from embarkation to the final announcement, and English support on board is limited. If you speak some German, or you mainly want a comfortable, well-fed week in the sun, that may not matter.

Do not confuse TUI Cruises with Marella Cruises. Marella is TUI's separate brand for British travelers, with different ships, prices and an English-speaking product.

If you want a similar style of ship in English, look at TUI Cruises' co-owner Royal Caribbean, or use find a cruise to compare sailings by port, month and price across lines.

How to catch TUI Cruises price drops

Mein Schiff fares move with demand. Prices on sailings with unsold cabins can fall as departure gets closer. For the latest moves:

• the TUI Cruises deals feed lists current price drops, the same ones you see in the current price drops block above
• the TUI Cruises fleet tracker shows where each Mein Schiff is now
• find a cruise filters every sailing by ship, port, month and price
• a price alert from the plans page watches the sailing you want and emails you when the cheapest fare falls

Plans start at $0.99 a month. Every sailing page shows 30 days of price history for free, Basic extends that to 90 days, and Pro shows 12 months.

If you have already booked and the fare drops before final payment, ask TUI Cruises or your travel agent whether the new price can be applied to your booking.