Cruise vacation comes to crashing halt as ship slams into 2 cargo vessels
The Mein Schiff 3 cruise ship collided with two cargo vessels while leaving Bremerhaven, Germany, in stormy weather on Sunday. No injuries were reported, but the ship’s planned voyage to the Canary Islands was cancelled, disrupting passengers’ holiday plans.
After returning to port, the ship was inspected and technical teams determined it needed shipyard repairs. Police are investigating the collision and have reportedly opened an administrative offence investigation into the captain; the cause and extent of the damage have not been established. TUI Cruises said passenger and crew safety was its priority and that it would support guests with next steps.
In short
- Mein Schiff 3 hit two cargo vessels in stormy weather.
- No injuries were reported, but the Canary Islands cruise was cancelled.
- The ship needs repairs as police investigate the collision.
Explained simply
Mein Schiff 3 is a cruise ship operated by TUI Cruises, a holiday company jointly owned by TUI Group and Royal Caribbean Group. Bremerhaven is a major port in northern Germany, on the North Sea coast, and ships leaving it can encounter rough conditions in stormy weather.
Cruise ships and cargo vessels share busy sea routes and port approaches, where safe navigation depends on crews, visibility and weather. When a ship is damaged, it may need inspection and repairs before it can sail again, affecting passengers’ plans; investigators examine what happened and whether any rules were breached.