Production starts for new generation of Mein Schiff cruise ships

The new Mein Schiff 1, NB-1392, will be about 20m longer than the previous Mein Schiff (German for "My Ship") ships and have space for an additional 180 cabins.
Based on double occupancy, this means the 111,500gt vessel – with 1,447 cabins in all – will have a passenger capacity of 2,894. About 315m long, 36m wide and with 15 decks, it will feature various "guest-experience" and technical improvements, according to TUI Cruises. Mein Schiff 1 is to be delivered in 2018 and replace the existing Mein Schiff 1, and Mein Schiff 2 will replace its older namesake in 2019. The first two TUI Cruises ships will be handed over within the TUI Group to the UK's Thomson Cruises.
“The new Mein Schiff 1 will more than ever be built around the wishes of our guests,” commented Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises.
“For Meyer Turku, the new design also shows how real improvements can be achieved even within a long series of ships," said Jan Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku, which is wholly owned by the German shipbuilder Meyer Werft.
TUI Cruises operates as a joint venture between Miami-based Royal Caribbean Cruises and Germany's TUI AG. It took delivery of Mein Schiff 5 this summer, and Mein Schiff 6 is scheduled for completion in 201