German cruise ship Mein Schiff 3 will be making its inaugural visit to Gibraltar on Monday May 2 2016. The vessel is part of the German TUI Cruises fleet, which is a joint venture operation with the American firm Royal Caribbean Cruises. 

The Mein Schiff 3 was built in 2014, has a gross tonnage of 99,526 tonnes and a length of 293.2 metres. It can carry some 2,500 passengers and a crew of 1,000. 

It is the identical sister ship of the Mein Schiff 4 which paid its inaugural call to Gibraltar earlier this month. 

The company which specialises in tailor-made, premium cruise vacations for German speaking customers started operations in 2009. 

Meanwhile the MS Koningsdam, a Dutch cruise ship belonging to the Holland American Line currently on its maiden voyage, will also be in port on the same day. 

Minister for Tourism Samantha Sacramento said: “We are pleased to be welcoming a second vessel from the TUI Cruises Fleet, the Mein Schiff 3 to Gibraltar, so soon after the inaugural visit of its sister ship the Mein Schiff 4. It will be a busy day for the port as we will also be receiving the Dutch cruise ship Koningsdam, once again highlighting the Rock’s importance as a major port of call in the Mediterranean for the international cruise industry. 

“Once again, it is thanks to the vision and hard work of our administration and the Gibraltar Tourist Board and other stakeholders in the private sector, that the success of the local cruise industry continues unabated. We will be welcoming over 5,000 tourists into town on the day, with all that this means for Main Street shops and commerce generally in Gibraltar. 

“We will continue to support the tourist industry as we have been doing since first elected in December 2011. We recognised its importance to our economic development and sustained prosperity from the outset, and our political commitment to continue supporting its growth, remains as solid as the first day.”