The Mein Schiff 1 cruise ship just made a call at Pier 4 in Old San Juan — marking the vessel’s first-ever visit to the island. The ship, part of the TUI Cruises fleet, carries up to 2,894 passengers and 1,000 crew members.
“This inaugural visit of Mein Schiff 1 to Puerto Rico’s main tourism port is excellent news for our visitor economy,” said Willianette Robles Cancel, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. “In addition to contributing approximately $213,000 to the local economy, it helps attract more travelers from Germany — one of our most important European markets. We continue working with cruise industry partners to increase ship visits and include all ports of the island in new itineraries, in line with Governor Jenniffer González Colón’s tourism development policy.”
Norberto Negrón, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Ports Authority, emphasized the agency’s efforts to modernize and expand the island’s cruise infrastructure. “Since January, we have worked tirelessly to carry out the governor’s public policy of modernizing and developing port infrastructure,” he said. “We take pride in welcoming every new cruise ship that arrives on our shores, and we reaffirm our commitment to continue advancing projects that drive economic growth for the benefit of our people.”
The ship’s captain, Georgios Dimou, and his officers welcomed Puerto Rican officials and private-sector representatives for the traditional plaque exchange ceremony, which commemorates a vessel’s first visit to port.
Mein Schiff 1 is operated by TUI Cruises, a joint venture between TUI AG, the world’s leading tourism group, and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the second-largest cruise line globally, headquartered in Miami. Based in Hamburg, TUI Cruises caters primarily to the German market, offering cuisine, entertainment, and onboard programming designed to suit German travelers.
The vessel is currently sailing a 15-day itinerary from New York to La Romana, Dominican Republic, with calls at Port Canaveral, Miami, St. Thomas, Tortola, St. Maarten, and St. Kitts.
