Hamburg, 29 September 2020

False alarm on board the Mein Schiff 6

Confirmation for health and hygiene concept of TUI Cruises

  • Greek authorities confirm: No cases of COVID-19 on board
  • Cruise of Mein Schiff 6 continues as planned

After a successful start with cruises from German ports with satisfied guests and without incidents, the German shipping company TUI Cruises is the first cruise operator to offer cruises in Greece since 13 September. This was preceded by close coordination of the hygiene and safety concept with the Greek authorities involved. The handling of the unclear test results of crew members reported yesterday now once again confirms the processes agreed with the authorities for the resumption of the cruise business and proves that cruises are possible in times of Corona. Following a false alarm caused by a report of 12 positive test results on crew by a land-based laboratory, three further tests, including two PCR tests and one antigen test, have confirmed the results: There are no cases of COVID-19 on board Mein Schiff 6. This was confirmed by the Greek authorities this afternoon.

“The safety of the guests, the crew, but also the Greek population is the top priority for TUI Cruises. I would like to thank all the responsible authorities for their good and professional cooperation in connection with the unclear test results on board Mein Schiff 6 and I am pleased that the voyage can be continued for all guests tomorrow with shore excursions in Piraeus” said Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises.

About the hygiene- and health concept of TUI Cruises

For the resumption of cruise operations in times of Corona, TUI Cruises has developed a health and hygiene concept together with medical experts and adapted all processes before and during the cruise (including mandatory health questionnaire, mandatory PCR test before the cruise, daily temperature checks for guests and crew), at check-in (including mandatory digital check-in, staggered check-in times) and in the guest and crew areas to comply with hygiene and distance regulations. In order to comply with the distance regulations on land, the passenger capacity on board is limited to a maximum of 60 percent; only balcony cabins and suites will be occupied. Already existing and very high hygiene standards were supplemented by additional cleaning and disinfection measures. TUI Cruises is also prepared for emergencies.

Existing structures and already very strict measures to prevent the spread of viral diseases have been further tightened and adapted to the current situation. Each ship has always had its own on-board hospital with trained personnel. All precautionary measures are based on the medical standards of renowned institutions such as the German Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the World Health Organization (WHO) and comply with the guidelines of the Greek authorities for resuming cruise operations.

The Mein Schiff 6 is currently sailing in Greece with 922 guests and 666 crew members. The cruise started on Sunday, September 27th in Heraklion/Crete and will continue after shore excursions in Piraeus tomorrow with a planned stop at Corfu.

About TUI Cruises

TUI Cruises GmbH is one of the leading cruise operators in German-speaking countries. The joint venture between TUI AG and the US cruise company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. employs around 750 people in Hamburg and Berlin. A fleet of seven ships sails for the Mein Schiff brand. Since the end of 2020, the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises brand has also been part of TUI Cruises GmbH with a fleet of currently five ships. The Mein Schiff fleet offers contemporary holidays at sea in the premium segment (Mein Schiff 1 to Mein Schiff 6 and Mein Schiff Herz / bed capacity: 17,800). Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is one of the leading cruise brands in the German-speaking world in the luxury and expedition segment with a 130-year history. TUI Cruises operates one of the most modern and environmentally and climate-friendly fleets in the world. In the course of sustainable growth, three more new ships are planned until 2026.