A dream cruise to the Canary Islands ended before it began when Tui Cruises' Mein Schiff 3 slammed into two moored container ships while leaving the German port of Bremerhaven on 25 October.
According to Bremen Police, the ship was being guided out of port by tugboats when a gust of wind pushed it towards two container ships berthed near the quay — one of them the MSC Victorine. Passengers filmed the hull scraping along the larger vessel as the ship, at the start of a 20-night voyage, lost its battle with the weather.
The damage was substantial on both sides. Police said the smaller container ship got off lightly, but the collision tore open several metres of the larger ship's port side and bent its container guides. The cruise ship itself suffered considerable damage to its lifeboats, the cranes that launch them, and its hull. Germany's maritime safety authority has slapped a sailing ban on all three vessels while water police investigate.
The good news: no passengers or crew were hurt. The Mein Schiff 3 carries up to 2,506 guests plus around 1,000 crew, so a clean getaway injury-wise is genuinely fortunate. Tui Cruises told UK media that guest and crew safety is its top priority and expressed relief that nobody was hurt.
The bad news for the passengers on board: the Canary Islands sailing was cancelled outright on safety grounds. Anyone booked on the cruise suddenly found themselves with a broken holiday and the logistics of getting home from northern Germany — a reminder that even big, modern cruise ships are at the mercy of port weather.
For cruisers, the incident is a useful reality check. Gusts in confined ports can move ships weighing tens of thousands of tonnes, which is exactly why departures in stormy conditions rely on tug assistance — and why things can still go wrong. It's also a nudge to check your travel insurance covers a cancelled cruise, since itinerary changes and cancellations tied to weather or damage do happen, even on established lines. Tui Cruises customers affected by this sailing should watch for the line's communications on refunds and rebooking.
No word yet on when the Mein Schiff 3 will be back in service, as the sailing ban and investigation run their course. Travellers with upcoming sailings on the ship would be wise to keep an eye on Tui Cruises' updates before heading to the port.
