Tui AG U-turns on plans for newbuild ships for Marella Cruises

Tui AG has transferred two shipbuilding slots from Marella Cruises to Tui Cruises to “reinforce its strategic realignment and long-term growth ambitions” in the UK and Northern Europe.

The order for two new-builds with shipbuilding firm Fincantieri was originally secured for Marella Cruises in March this year to help expand the UK market.

It marked a first for the Tui UK & Ireland cruise brand to commission a new-build and represented a new strategic partnership for Fincantieri.

Marella Cruises down-payment to Fincantieri for the new vessels will be reimbursed and it will continue operations with its existing five-ship fleet.

The new ships will now be delivered for Tui Cruises, the joint venture between Tui AG and Royal Caribbean, in 2031 and 2033 to aid “gradual expansion” into new markets, such as Northern Europe.

The new ships will be larger than the original order and are expected to be similar to sister vessels, also being constructed by Fincantieri, Mein Schiff Relax, delivered in February 2025, and Mein Schiff Flow, set for delivery for 2026.

A Tui spokesperson said: "We are pleased to order two further newbuild vessels at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. 

“This move strengthens Tui Cruises’ platform for long-term growth and enables us to gradually expand further also into other markets, in particular in Northern Europe.

“We look forward to leveraging our solid financial position and proven market expertise to deliver outstanding experiences for our guests.

“As the delivery of the new ships is scheduled for 2031 and 2033, there are currently no further details to share. Over the coming months, we will work on the next steps for this exciting project and will share updates as soon as they are available."