Once upon a time, sailors used to get through long days at sea by singing rhythmic work songs known as “shanties” that told tales about living life on vessels.
TUI Cruises plans to laud this old tradition by officially bringing them aboard in 2025, along with more modern-day homages to internationally acclaimed music by The Beatles and ABBA.
The German-based cruise line recently announced it will be launching a series of three themed cruises that will bring melodies to sea beginning in May 2025.
The special voyages will blend historical and pop culture music experiences aboard Mein Schiff 3 and Mein Schiff 5 as they journey through the UK and Greek Isles.
“The Shanty, known as the work song of the sailors, also plays a major role on the Mein Schiff fleet,” said TUI Cruises. “The crew of the ships regularly sings the most famous shanties together with the guests.”
“The enthusiasm is so great every time that TUI Cruises has now decided to devote a whole journey to the popular genre with “Shanty Ahoi” with its traditional sailor songs,” it continued.
Launching on Mein Schiff 3, the vessel will also host “Mein Schiff in Beat Fever” in August and September to celebrate The Beatles.
Its “Take a Chance at Sea” voyage on Mein Schiff 5 will honor ABBA during Grecian journeys in October.
Musical Tributes at Sea
The first melody-filled voyage will be aboard the 2,506-passenger, 99,526-gross-ton Mein Schiff 3 on May 14, 2025, and will feature Scottish singer-songwriter Nathan Evans along with Kimber’s Men and local Shanty choirs for a shanty-filled sailing.
The 10-night roundtrip cruise from Bremerhaven, Germany, will sail to the UK isles and call in Invergordon and Glasgow (Greenock), Scotland; Belfast, Northern Ireland; and Liverpool and Southampton, England.
The next journey will feature the tunes of John, Paul, George, and Ringo as Mein Schiff 3 sails another 10-night adventure from Bremerhaven during “Mein Schiff in Beat Fever.”
This cruise, embarking on August 24, 2024, will be led by the Swedish tribute band, Pepperland, and the English-based Love The Beatles, along with other acts and highlights.
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Finally, up to 2,534 passengers can “Take a Chance at Sea” on 98,785-gross-ton Mein Schiff 5’s ABBA tribute voyage departing from Iraklion, Greece, on October 17, 2025.
Guests can expect the greatest hits of ABBA – Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, and Anni-Frid – as well as Disco-inspired outfits and sets.
The 7-night journey will visit Limassol, Cyprus, as well as the Greek ports of Rhodes, Piraeus (Athens), and Nafplion before returning to Iraklion on October 24.
Both vessels feature a three-story theater space with main and stage curtain areas, with Mein Schiff 5 also offering a state-of-the-art 3D hologram stage known as The Studio.
TUI Cruises has a lot more to look forward to in 2025. The cruise line, which is a joint venture between TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Group, is debuting its newest ship, Mein Schiff Relax, in April 2025, sailing from Malaga, Spain, to the Canary Islands.
Its christening, in which Mein Schiff 5 and sister ship Mein Schiff 7 will serve as godmothers, will include performances by award-winning British singer and songwriter Robbie Williams.
Its sister ship, Mein Schiff Flow, also under construction at Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, will be introduced in 2026.
