Fresh from the Dock: Mein Schiff 5 Launches with Environmental Upgrade and New Shine

Bild von Bernd Hildebrandt auf Pixabay
Right on schedule on January 20, 2026, Mein Schiff 5 reported back for duty. After twelve days of intensive work at Dubai Drydocks, the feel-good ship has picked up speed again. For guests on board, this means not only a fresh look but, above all, a technical upgrade that you can't see, but is enormously important for our oceans.

All news also on X formerly Twitter

The most exciting detail of this shipyard stay is hidden deep in the belly of the ship, far from port and starboard. TUI Cruises has retrofitted the laundry facilities with a new filter technology called INDIKON. Why is this important? With every wash of towels or bed linen, tiny synthetic fibers come loose.

Until now, these microfibers could often enter wastewater unhindered. The new high-tech filters from the Cleaner Seas Group are now changing this radically: they catch up to 99 percent of these particles. According to estimates, Mein Schiff 5 alone prevents the entry of around 500 kilograms of microplastic into the sea per year. The collected material is not simply disposed of but recycled. With this, the fleet is taking on a real pioneering role in environmental protection.

But a lot has also been done for the eye. Ten years after commissioning, the ship has received a rejuvenation cure so as not to lose connection with the new builds. In the popular main restaurant Atlantik, thousands of square meters of carpet were replaced. This not only ensures a modern look but also improves acoustics during dinner.

Tech fans can look forward to the theater and the arena. In the theater, a new, huge LED wall ensures spectacular stage sets, while a new scoreboard was installed in the arena on Deck 14, which is easily readable even in the brightest desert sun. The suites were also attended to: new upholstery and curtains ensure the accustomed premium feeling here again.

The decision for the shipyard in Dubai was purely logistical: instead of a long empty voyage to Europe, the ship was serviced directly in the cruising area ("In-Situ"). This allowed operations in the Persian Gulf to be maximized. Currently, the ship is traveling on the "Magic of the Orient" route.

It gets exciting in the spring: for the return to Europe, TUI Cruises is currently planning the route around Africa. Due to the security situation in the Red Sea, the Suez Canal is being avoided. For you, this means: more sea days and exotic stops on the way to the Mediterranean.

Mein Schiff 5 is therefore not only visually refreshed but also technically made fit for the future – an important signal for more sustainable holidays at sea.