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TUI defended cruises to crisis area
TUI Cruises has defended its Middle East cruise with the 'Mein Schiff 4' and 'Mein Schiff 5', that were stranded for weeks in the contested Persian Gulf straits after the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq War. The German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) had showed little understanding for tourists in the region after the outbreak of the war on Feb 28, stating that warnings had been issued weeks beforehand. "Until the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq War, there were definitely no travel warnings for the region. We are certainly not being reckless; I categorically reject that. We are not endangering our passengers, our crew, or our ships. Two weeks before the attacks, we had a delegation in the region; this escalation was unforeseeable for us. Had there been any indication of a dangerous situation, we could have immediately moved elsewhere", replied TUI CEO Wybcke Meier. The “Mein Schiff 4” and “Mein Schiff 5” were situated in the Persian Gulf with 5,000 passengers and crew when the Iran-Iraq War broke out. After 50 days, both ships escaped the Strait of Hormuz in mid-April during a ceasefire that lasted only a few hours. Psychological support was offered to crew and passengers from the very first day. “We tried to do everything possible and ultimately even flew all passengers out at our own expense.” In addition to regular flights, the company also organised its own charter flights. The two ships ultimately sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz with a minimum crew of 60 volunteer crew members each. Prior to this, negotiations had taken place with the IMO and all authorities in the Gulf region to "explore whether our seafarers could be granted safe passage for humanitarian reasons." Once the necessary clearances were granted, the captains were able to cast off. "We were neither threatened nor fired upon. There was a designated and inspected waterway for the passage, which we adhered to." The company had no contact with the Iranian authorities at any time, and no customs duties were demanded or paid for the ships' passage.
Mein Schiff 5 arrived in Heraklion after 27 days
After a journey of 27 days, the 'Mein Schiff 5' arrived in Heraklion on Crete on May 15, after previously having being stuck in the Persian Gulf. Captain Ioannis Anastasiou has been working towards the restart for several weeks. When the ship left the Middle East in April, only a minimal crew of approximately 50 people was on board. The crew's return began with a logistical port call in Cape Town and was recently completed with a stopover in Gibraltar. Operations on board should return to normal in the coming weeks. The 'Mein Schiff 4' has its restart is scheduled for May 17, 2026, to coincide with the start of Adriatic cruises from/to Trieste.
TUI ships underway with skeleton crew
Set to welcome guests back in Europe in early May, the 'Mein Schiff 4' and 'Mein Schiff 5' were sailing with reduced staffing. Only a skeleton crew was aboard the vessels. Out of its regular 900 team members, the 'Mein Schiff 4' was sailing with only 59 crew members, who were responsible for the essential functions. While other vessels in a similar situation were repositioning to Europe through the Suez Canal, the TUI ships were sailing around Africa. The 'Mein Schiff 5' was expected in arrive at Cape Town on April 28, while the 'Mein Schiff 4' had an ETA as of April 29. The vessels were now scheduled to welcome guests back in the Eastern Mediterranean in mid-May, kicking off summer seasons in the region. Sailing from Italy, the 'Mein Schiff 4' offers itineraries to the Adriatic Sea, while the 'Mein Schiff 5' sails from Greece for itineraries to the Aegean Sea, Malta and Egypt.
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