TUI Cruises is planning a unique christening event for its newest ship, involving not only a superstar singer who will entertain but also two sister ships serving as godmothers to the new-build.
The 4,100 Mein Schiff Relax is under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, and will be named in Malaga, Spain, on April 9, 2025. British singer/songwriter Robbie Williams will perform at the event, while sister ships Mein Schiff 5 and Mein Schiff 7 participate as godmothers.
Each of the two older ships are marketing the christening cruises as special voyages, where guests can watch the naming ceremony unfold. All told, some 15,000 guests are expected to be part of the event, with Williams performing an outdoor concert visible to all passengers at the port of Malaga.
Along with the music show, the naming event will include the traditional smashing of a champagne bottle across the ship’s bow as well as a light show. There is no extra entertainment cost for guests of Mein Schiff 5 and Mein Schiff 7 who wish to watch the singer’s performance.
Williams became a singing sensation when he performed with the music group Take That from 1990 to 1995 and then embarked on a solo career.
He has 14 studio albums and has won many awards, including Best British Male Artist, Icon Award, Echo Award, and MTV European Music Award, and was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame.
Guests who wish to participate in the christening of Mein Schiff Relax can book a 10-day cruise aboard Mein Schiff 5 that departs April 3, 2025 and sails from Santa Cruz to Palma de Mallorca.
Called the “Atlantic Islands & Christening Event Mein Schiff Relax in Málaga” voyage, the itinerary includes calls at Madeira, Lisbon, Tangier, and Valencia. Mein Schiff 5 launched in 2016.
Mein Schiff 7 will arrive at the christening port during her 14-day “Canary Islands & Christening Event Mein Schiff Relax in Málaga”cruise, sailing roundtrip from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, on March 30, 2025. Besides Malaga, the ship will call at Agadir, Arrecife, San Sebastián, and Santa Cruz.
A 7-day option aboard Mein Schiff 7 is available, since the ship returns mid-cruise for a call at Las Palmas. The shorter voyage is from April 6 to 13, 2025. Mein Schiff 7 is the line’s newest ship; she entered service in June 2024 following an at-sea christening.
New Ship Will Be Based in Western Mediterranean
Mein Schiff Relax is the first in TUI Cruises’ InTUItion class. The vessel will be the eighth in the line’s fleet and the first to have a name that does not include a number. A second ship in the class, Mein Schiff Flow, is under construction and due to enter service in 2026.
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Both ships will be powered by LNG (liquified natural gas), which substantially reduces emissions, and will be equipped with wastewater treatment systems and shore power connections.
Construction of Mein Schiff Relax began in 2022, and TUI Cruises in August 2024 released a set of photos of the vessel being built in Italy.
Mein Schiff Relax has successfully completed two sets of sea trials, where propulsion, maneuverability, safety, and other systems are tested and evaluated.
The first set was done in October 2024, and in mid-December 2024 the ship’s LNG Sea Trial was completed. Sea trials are among the final steps taken before a shipyard hands over a vessel to its owners.
The ship will offer multiple stateroom categories, a two-story theater, indoor and outdoor sports and fitness areas, a large pool deck, and several dining venues, including Fugu, where 5-course Japanese meals will be featured, and Sur-mer-Bistro, serving classic French cuisine.
Following her naming ceremony, the ship will sail 7- to 10-night cruises between Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, and roundtrip from Palma de Mallorca.
