Mein Schiff 6 is the fourth in a series of vessels built in Turku for the German cruise operator. It has 1,267 cabins, 82% with balconies. There are 13 restaurants and bistros, and 13 lounges and bars. Scrubbers are among the ship's environmental systems, and Meier said the company has decided to use this exhaust gas cleaning system continuously, not just in Emission Control Areas.
The nightclub Abtanz has been redesigned into a multifunctional space that can host lectures during the daytime. An escape room for team challenges is a new entertainment feature.
Meyer Turku ceo Jan Meyer stressed the importance of continuous improvement in technology, ship design, production processes and the shipbuilding team.
'Every one to two years we develop a new ship type and then we further refine it in the following sister ships,' Meyer said.
With Mein Schiff 6 the goal was to improve with some tweaks based on passenger feedback and to build in less time than before. Simultaneously, he noted, Meyer Turku is ramping up its production volume to meet the demands of its orderbook, which stretches into 2024.
'We are rebuilding the shipyard with heavy investments exceeding €100m for a further increase in output,' Meyer said. This also allows the yard to strengthen its team of shipbuilders; until the end of 2018 it is recruiting 500 workers. During the following years Meyer Turku's direct employment effect, together with its suppliers, will increase from 7,000 to more than 20,000 people.
'This is a great opportunity for a whole cluster of specialized suppliers to develop their technologies and processes and to grow with us,' Meyer added.
Following its hand-over, Mein Schiff 6 set sail for Kiel. In the next weeks the ship will operate several cruises for the trade and welcome its first passengers. The naming festivities are set for June 1 near the waterfront Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg's spectacular concert house. The ship's godmother is the acclaimed Latvian organist Iveta Apkalna.
Mein Schiff 6 will sail in northern Europe and the Baltic until mid-August. Then it will cross from Hamburg to New York to begin cruises in the US and Canada, followed by the Caribbean and Central America starting in November.
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