Mein Schiff 3 Sails Again November 28 After Collision Repairs Scrap Fortnight-Long Cruise

TUI Cruises has pulled Mein Schiff 3 off its November 14-28 sailing after repair work on the damaged ship ran long. The vessel has been docked at Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven since November 1, undergoing inspection and fixes following a collision in the port on October 25. By November 5, the operator confirmed the job would take longer than expected and cancelled the voyage outright.

The news will frustrate passengers who had a two-week trip booked, and TUI's statement didn't shy away from that: the company apologised for the disappointment while stressing that safety comes before schedules, and that all necessary work would be finished properly before the ship returns to service.

How bad is the damage? TUI hasn't detailed the full extent, but German authorities classified the incident as a "serious casualty" — the second most severe rating on the country's five-level scale for maritime incidents. That hints at more than cosmetic dents, even if the ship is expected back relatively quickly.

The good news for anyone booked beyond mid-November: Mein Schiff 3 is currently slated to resume normal operations on November 28, 2026, with a four-night cruise from Bremerhaven to Kiel that calls at Oslo along the way. TUI says that itinerary is going ahead as planned, though anyone with a booking on the affected November 14 sailing should watch for rebooking or refund details from the operator.

If you're cruising out of Bremerhaven or Kiel in the coming weeks, it's worth confirming your ship's status directly with TUI before travelling — repair timelines can slip, as this case shows. Travellers affected by the cancellation should hold on to booking confirmations and contact the cruise line about compensation or alternative sailings.

For now, the takeaway is simple: one cancelled voyage, a ship expected back by late November, and a reminder that even modern cruise ships aren't immune to port mishaps. If you were booked on the affected sailing, wait for TUI's rebooking options; if you're sailing after November 28, the itinerary currently stands.