A Cruise Ship Drifted Into Two Container Ships, and 2,428 Guests Lost Their Trip

TUI Cruises has cancelled a three-week Canary Islands cruise after Mein Schiff 3 collided with two container ships while leaving Bremerhaven on Sunday, October 25. The ship was bound for La Coruña, Spain, when gale-force winds overpowered the tugboats assisting it. German media reported 2,428 guests and 922 crew on board. No injuries were reported, and passengers disembarked on Monday morning.

Cruise Industry News reports the ship first struck a smaller vessel, causing minor damage, then drifted into the MSC Victorine, a 2023-built container ship of 16,520 TEU. The port authority said the Victorine’s hull was cracked for about ten metres. Seatrade Cruise says the crack was well above the waterline and describes the second ship as unnamed.

On Mein Schiff 3, the lifeboats, their cranes and the outer hull were damaged. There was no water ingress, and the ship returned to the pier under tug assistance. TUI cancelled the voyage, which was due back in Bremerhaven on November 14, because the vessel needs urgent repairs, calling the decision extremely difficult. Built in 2014 and registered in Malta, the ship had a two-week overhaul in Rotterdam this spring.

Police are investigating. Bremen’s water protection unit is examining the collision, and German media, relayed by Cruise Industry News, say coastal police are looking at the captain over a possible regulatory offence. The reports do not describe compensation for passengers, so affected guests should watch for direct communication from TUI Cruises about refunds or rebooking.

Sources: Seatrade Cruise, Cruise Industry News