ZDF Documentary "Die Insider": TUI Fights Back Against "Mein Schiff" Accusations

A central point of TUI's criticism concerns the methodology of the show's creators. The company is publicly questioning ZDF and the responsible production company about whether claims from a previous program about competitor AIDA Cruises from 2023 were knowingly recycled. This approach calls the journalistic integrity of the documentary into question.

Allegations of Improper Waste Disposal Declared False

A key allegation in the program related to the handling of food waste aboard the "Mein Schiff" fleet. It was claimed that food scraps were disposed of directly overboard and that overall food waste amounted to 30 to 40 percent.

TUI firmly refutes this depiction. The implication that all food waste ends up unsorted in the sea is false and does not align with either corporate standards or actual practices. The company explains that a sophisticated waste management system is in place on board, where waste is separated into as many as 40 different categories. Organic waste undergoes a special process: it is pressed, dried, and then either incinerated on board or transferred ashore for environmentally sound disposal. The separated liquid is processed in the ship's own wastewater treatment plant, disinfected with UV light, and only discharged into the sea at a distance of more than three nautical miles from the coast, or alternatively disposed of in port.

An exception is made only under special circumstances where ports in certain destinations cannot accept food waste. In such cases, macerated food scraps (without bones or shells) may be disposed of at sea. TUI Cruises also emphasizes that it has significantly reduced food waste in recent years by optimizing buffet procedures and implementing other measures.

Controversy Over Sun Loungers on Outer Decks

Another topic addressed by "Die Insider" is the alleged, deliberately created shortage of sun loungers. The documentary insinuates that fewer loungers are provided than there are guests on board in order to make the paid relaxation areas more attractive.

TUI describes this insinuation as just as baseless as an identical claim made against AIDA Cruises back in 2023. The standard for "Mein Schiff" is to offer passengers a multitude of retreats and relaxation opportunities. Within the bounds of all safety regulations, every available space is utilized to create diverse seating and lounging options on the outer decks. Furthermore, the company points out that over 80% of the cabins feature private balconies with their own furniture, serving as a personal outdoor space for guests.

Statement from TUI: ZDF Die Insider: The correct answers to the program broadcast on June 10, 2025

Quote

ZDF devoted its program “Die Insider” on June 10, 2025, to TUI. Over the past few years, the Berlin-based production company Filmfee has contacted many former employees on behalf of “Die Insider” in order to find particularly dramatic stories about TUI. These included cases in which employees had not been employed by TUI for many years. From ex-tour guides to former board members, many employees who were contacted by the production company approached us but politely declined. A fee of €800 was offered for the interviews. Four anonymous alleged former employees ultimately made claims on the program that are shockingly false. We would like to comment on some of them here.

After we learned about the research in 2024, we immediately contacted the editorial team. Our request for clarification and support was rejected. We were put off until a later date. Instead, “Die Insider” decided to wait until May to ask TUI for brief statements. The questions immediately suggested that the research was not comprehensive or comprehensible, that connections were not understood, or that they must have been fabricated. We therefore suspect that “Die Insider” was less interested in a truthful representation than in sensationalism. After all, they had obviously been looking for insiders for almost two years – in our view, this length of time speaks for itself.

In the past, episodes of “Die Insider” have misrepresented content, and an episode about Deutsche Bahn had to be changed retrospectively. We wonder why ZDF, as a public media institution, exercises so little quality control. Is this really a public service mandate? What does balance mean? Is it right that contributors' fees are used to offer and finance fees for anonymous, unverified statements? It is not for us to judge – but the committees of a fee-financed broadcaster should ask themselves some questions.

TUI has been working professionally with journalists from all over the world for decades, providing a transparent look behind the scenes of the strictly regulated travel industry in a wide variety of formats. The topic of travel affects all sectors of the global economy and has a decisive influence on the economic situation in almost every country in the world. As an international tourism group, travel provider, cruise company, and airline, we are aware of our responsibility in our cooperation with the media. Furthermore, the business success of TUI and our products depends directly on customer satisfaction. Unfortunately, there seems to be strong editorial pressure at “Die Insider” to uncover the next scandal, even if it may not exist.

The most important claims about TUI on “Die Insider”:
Claim: TUI uses a sun rating system instead of a star rating system to evaluate hotels, thereby deliberately creating a lack of transparency.
This is incorrect. Our goal is to provide a transparent and comparable rating system for hotels. The problem is that there is no international hotel classification system. Each country classifies hotels/accommodations according to different criteria in its own star rating system. Furthermore, the “stars” in Germany are protected trademarks of DEHOGA, and their use must be licensed.
Like other tour operators, we use our own symbols to create comparability across national borders as far as possible. We use suns, while our competitors use numbers, diamonds, hands, etc.
Claim: TUI formulates or photographs offers in such a way that they sound better than they really are. Travel agency employees recommend based on commission, not quality.
TUI's goal is to have satisfied and loyal customers. Every travel agency wants customers to book their next vacation with them. That is why we continuously measure satisfaction before, during, and after the trip and are proud of the results. Many customers look forward to their TUI vacation every year, and there are many regular guests at our hotels. Accordingly, our offers are designed to provide accurate information about the accommodations and to inform customers about possible experiences based on the hotel data. In addition, we encourage all our customers to look at the reviews of other guests before their trip. Anything else would not be in our interest, nor in the interest of the travel agencies and their employees.
Claim: TUI advertises with the promise that children up to the age of 15 travel free of charge. However, this offer only applies to standard double rooms with extra beds – while family rooms with separate bedrooms can only be booked at an additional cost.
This is incorrect. The offer mentioned does not only apply to standard rooms. The respective price is also not based on the number of people per room, but on the room size, amenities, and location. TUI offers a very wide selection of hotels, room types, and occupancy rates from which customers can choose. Our advertisements provide transparent information about the respective room size and possible occupancy rates. Ultimately, the customer makes the choice.
Claim: TUI pretends to be friends with its guests.

Our entertainment staff are hosts and hostesses who enrich club life with their professionalism, expertise, creativity, and approachability. Especially when it comes to club vacations, we pursue a holistic, experience-oriented entertainment concept that goes far beyond classic animation. Our teams create experiences, whether through sports, workshops, or evening shows, thereby making an important contribution to the well-being of our guests. We also attach great importance to fair working conditions. Our employees work within clearly regulated time models and in compliance with all labor law requirements.
Claim: Food waste is disposed of overboard on the Mein Schiff® fleet. 30 to 40 percent of the food produced on board is disposed of.
This claim is false. “Die Insider” implies that all food waste is disposed of overboard into the sea. This is not true and does not correspond to the actual handling of food waste on board or our own company standards. All waste, including organic waste such as food waste, is separated into up to 40 categories on board, processed and, wherever possible, disposed of, recycled or further processed in an environmentally friendly manner at the next port. We have integrated a system on the ships of the Mein Schiff® fleet that presses and dries food waste on board and then either incinerates it on board or disposes of it ashore – the liquid from the food waste is fed into the wastewater treatment plant, where it is treated in a multi-stage process with all other wastewater on board and finally disinfected by UV. Only then is the wastewater discharged into the sea outside three nautical miles from land or delivered ashore at the port. The environmental officers on board monitor and control all these processes on a daily basis. Under certain circumstances, food waste (without bones, shells, etc.) is disposed of overboard, which is stricter than international legal requirements such as the MARPOL Convention. For example, if food waste cannot be disposed of by ports in certain destinations. It is not true that the discharge of shredded food waste into the open sea has negative ecological consequences.
In addition, TUI Cruises has implemented extensive measures to reduce food waste in recent years, including in the buffet restaurant: a key project in this regard is educating our guests. Another goal was to avoid excessive quantities on plates and buffets from the outset. Among other things, buffet processes were optimized so that food can be offered for longer instead of being thrown away. For example, buffets are reduced in size and rearranged between meals instead of disposing of food.
Claim: Cruise ships in the Mein Schiff® fleet provide significantly fewer sun loungers than there are guests on board. The shortage is deliberately calculated to make paid relaxation areas more attractive.
This allegation is as unfounded as it was two years ago when it was criticized by “Die Insider” at our competitor. Our aim is to create as many places of retreat and opportunities for relaxation as possible. In compliance with safety regulations, especially with regard to evacuation, we use every opportunity to place a variety of seating and lounging areas on the outer decks. Our crew ensures that unattended loungers are vacated after a reasonable amount of time so that all guests can use them. In addition, more than 80% of our cabins have their own balcony with balcony furniture. In addition, all ships have many different relaxation areas available free of charge, which offer space for retreat and relaxation. Visiting the relaxation areas, such as the pools and saunas, is also free of charge.
Overall, this issue of “Insider” leaves us perplexed. We ask ourselves: Can these claims be the claim of an investigative magazine? A magazine that is financed by public funds? Is this really about the – undoubtedly extremely important – task of the fourth estate to expose abuses? Or are false claims and entertainment being carried out at the expense of a reliable, well-known, and popular brand like TUI? A public broadcaster is expected to provide truthful and honest reporting. Reports like this destroy trust in public broadcasters – in this case, ZDF. How long can ZDF continue to allow such a program to air false claims during prime time?

Finally, we ask the production company Filmfee and ZDF:
Is it true that you approached a large number of former TUI employees who refused to make any further statements due to the way the interviews were conducted?
Is it true that you offered interviewees money for certain statements?
Is it true that TUI was only confronted with the issues described at the end of the process?
Is it true that the production team knowingly made false claims in order to make their production more interesting?
Is it true that claims from the 2023 AIDA broadcast were knowingly recycled?
Our customers continue to place their trust in TUI and our employees worldwide every day and want to spend the best weeks of the year with us – we are very grateful for that.

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