Monday, 18 February 2013 - 01:05 pm (CET/MEZ) Berlin | Author/Destination: Yachting and Spa Category/Kategorie: General, Cruise ShipsReading Time: 4minutes
Mein Schiff 1 is a Century class cruise ship owned and operated by TUI Cruises. She was built in 1996 at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg as Galaxy for Celebrity Cruises, and renamed Celebrity Galaxy in 2008. In May 2009 she transferred to the fleet of TUI Cruises, a joint venture between Celebrity Cruises’ owner Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and TUI AG. The ship was renamed Mein Schiff (English: my ship) on 15 May 2009. In November 2010, she was renamed to Mein Schiff 1. In May 2011, the Celebrity Mercury has been restarted as Mein Schiff 2 for TUI Cruises. Her home port is Valletta on Malta.
The primary dining area on board the Mein Schiff 1 is the two deck Atlantic restaurant, located in the aft area of the ship. It can host 1,088 diners on a single seating, and is decorated in the art deco style utilized on ocean liners from the 1930s onwards. Other dining options on the ship include the Anckelmannsplatz Buffet, which serves three meals a day and ice cream between lunch and dinner. There is also a casual dining “boulevard” featuring sandwiches, pizza, and hamburgers. Room service is available 24 hours a day on board. The menu is limited for much of the day, but during lunch and dinner hours suite passengers can order a full menu.
The primary entertainment venue is the Theater, which offers two nightly shows. There is also a dedicated cinema with 200 seats that also doubles as a lecture room. The Fortunes casino features gambling, ranging from five-cent slot machines to blackjack tables. The Mein Schiff 1‘s duty-free shops sell jewelry, perfumes, and liquor. A merchandise shop offers inexpensive jewelry, watches, and formal wear. There are multiple discos and clubs, including the Rendezvous Lounge, a Lounge, a cigar bar, and the Nightclub.
Activities are provided daily, with fewer options available while the ship is in port. The activities staff offers bingo, computer classes, among other things. There are three pools – two saltwater pools outside, and a freshwater pool under a greenhouse-like roof. Near the saltwater pools are five hot tubs. A gymnasium, with cardiovascular equipment, is available. The Japanese-style AquaSpai has its own rock garden and offers many personal services, from massages to thalassotherapy.
