Luka Kotor

Today in our port sailed the cruise ship Mein Schiff 3 with onboard 1022 crew members and 2289 passengers.

Mein Schiff 3 is a cruise ship owned by TUI Cruises. She was delivered from STX Finland Turku shipyard on 22 May 2014 and will be followed by an identical sister ship, Mein Schiff 4, in 2015. Both ships are built with environmentally friendly power plants and energy efficient solutions that reduce emissions by 30 percent in comparison to other cruise ships of similar size. By using pioneering technologies on Mein Schiff 3 to promote the environmentally friendly operation of ships, TUI Cruises is setting new standards in the cruise industry.

The so called Advanced Emission Purification system (AEP) consists of an NOx elimination catalyzer. The catalytic converters being used reduce nitric oxide emissions from auxiliary engines by 75 per cent to the limit that will be required by law for newbuilds from 2016. The desulphurization plant reduces toxic sulphur emissions by up to 99 per cent, while particulate emissions will decrease by 60 per cent. Using this technology, requirements of the MARPOL Annex VI ”IMO Resolution MEPC.202 (62)” for Type “Continual monitoring scrubber systems” as well as TIER III requirements regarding the NOx emissions and 2012/33/EU directive regarding SOx/CO2/CO emissions in EU ports are fulfilled.

Mein Schiff 3 measures 295m in length and 35.8m in width. The depth to keel below the surface is 8m and the gross tonnage capacity is 99,700t.

Wilson Butler Architects is the master planner and main designer of the cruise liner. It has outlined the design of the common areas, public spaces, open decks, main theatre and the concert hall. CM Design designed the interiors and all of the public areas, including passenger cabins, restaurants and entertainment areas.

The cruise ship features 15 passenger decks comprising 1,253 passenger cabins, which include more than 80% balcony cabins.
The cabins are categorised into 123 inside cabins including two accessible by wheelchair, 97 outside cabins including four accessible by wheelchair, 957 balcony cabins including four accessible by wheelchair, 67 junior suites and 12 suites.The vessel is capable of accommodating a total of 2,506 guests in double-bed configuration.

The Great Freedom, one of the main highlights of the vessel, is a diamond-shaped glass exterior at the stern over two decks covering an area of approximately 167m².

The cruise ship features an entertainment zone, the Grosse Freiheit and other restaurants, bars and lounges. It also have aboard the world's first chamber music Philharmonic at sea, the Klanghaus, which is a 270m² room with a seating capacity for 300 guests. The vessel also features an in-flight entertainment zone, which will feature shows from international artistes of all types.

Additional facilities onboard the vessel are an indoor pool with hot tub, a children's nursery named Nest and onboard services including reception, cruise guide and shore excursions. A hospital is located behind the theatre on deck three.

The new cruise liner offers a variety of dining options in restaurants including the Atlantic, which offers a rich breakfast and a five-course gourmet menu, buffet restaurant Anckelmannsplatz, GOSCH, which serves fish and other sea foods, Backstube bakery and Hanami, which serve Japanese cuisine.

It also features a fine dining restaurant named Restaurant Richards, a steak house named Surf & Turf, Tag-und-Nacht bistro and an ice-cream parlour. At the rear end of deck 14 is the Alster Bar & Grill. Other options onboard the ship include Abtanz bar, Diamant bar, himmel-und-meer-lounge, Café lounge, TUI bar, Ueberschau-bar, Indispensable Bar and Champagnertreff.

The vessel have 12,000m² of open sun area with hammocks, spa and sea sauna area, and a sports and health arena with personal trainers, jogging tracks, pools and outdoor sports. The ship features a Paul Mitchell hair salon and offer beauty treatments by experts Reviderm and Dermax. Decks four and five feature duty-free shops for garments, accessories, perfumes and jewellery.

Also in Kotor today are three other ships: Msc Armonia with 2091 passengers and 679 crew members, Azamara Quest with 397 crew members and 691 passengers and Celeberity Silhouette with 1223 crew members and 2974 passengers.