[ 05-16-2009: Message edited by: Carlos Fernandez ]

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Originally posted by Carlos Fernandez:
[...]The combination of blue hull and white funnel look great [...]

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I visited "Mein Schiff" yesterday. A series of interior pictures has been posted here.

Best,

Thanks for sharing Raoul, very good photos by the way.

[ 05-16-2009: Message edited by: Vaccaro ]

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Originally posted by eroller:
Wow, she looks amazing! I wish she was still sailing with Celebrity. I would be on her in a minute.

Ernie

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TUI Cruises CEO Richard Vogel said yesterday that the company continues to expected to have three ships by 2012.

And these won't be newbuilds.

Best,

I like her livery better now. But I don't like the writing all over it.

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Originally posted by Waynaro:
If I were fluent in German, I'd go on her now!

Celebrity, please do a similar refit for MERCURY. Please?

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So Ernie and Wayne, go! I have done three German ships - ASTOR, DEUTSCHLAND and COLUMBUS and the crew do English very well (a lot of them are Filipino anyway). ASTOR was fun as the menus and programs were in German and we sometimes had to get them translated. Put it this way - would you dare travel to Germany on your own? Well this is easier.

quote:

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Originally posted by Waynaro:
Celebrity, please do a similar refit for MERCURY. Please?

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this has been a running gag here in Germany from the minute TUI Cruises announced the "Mein Schiff" name.

However, Richard Vogel confirmed on Friday that upcoming ships will be named "Mein ...".

Best,

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Originally posted by Kevin Griffin, London:

Put it this way - would you dare travel to Germany on your own? Well this is easier.

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If I decide to head to Europe for vacation next year, I will definitely look into it.

[ 05-17-2009: Message edited by: Waynaro ]

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Originally posted by Pascal:

I really like the interiors, very tasty...
She seems 100% in the inside, perhaps those who sailed
Anyway, I've the feeling that RCCL refits are 100 times more elegant than Carnival Corp ones (uglification of Vistas, Veendam butchering, Sensation massacre...), at least exterior wise...

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Originally posted by r.fiebig:
I visited "Mein Schiff" yesterday. A series of interior pictures has been posted here.

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But: the interiors look stunning!

Mind you, this was already a beautiful ship, and probably did not need anywhere near as much work as it got, but I do think the end result looks magnificent.

I do have one question though, has TUI stuck with the bizarre hammock idea? Does it look like it will work? It sounded crazy to me when it was announced.

quote:

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Originally posted by r.fiebig:
TUI Cruises CEO Richard Vogel said yesterday that the company continues to expected to have three ships by 2012.

And these won't be newbuilds.

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Seriously, MERCURY will I guess need the same type of refit GALAXY has got, while CENTURY will not need nearly as much as work as some of it (notably the balconies/cabin refurbishment) has been done already.

Celebrity does not really need these ships since it has got four more SOLSTICE-class ships coming between now and then and I do not think it could absorb all that capacity without shedding some anyway. Not that I am thrilled to see these ships leaving the Celebrity fleet, but they have got a good home and it does not look like they are going to be butchered.

I think TUI Cruises should be a success - there is no really "modern" mid-market German cruise line out there and it seems to me there is surely a place in the market for something like it.

quote:

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Originally posted by Pascal:
Anyway, I've the feeling that RCCL refits are 100 times more elegant than Carnival Corp ones (uglification of Vistas, Veendam butchering, Sensation massacre...), at least exterior wise...

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Originally posted by Waynaro:
The only Carnival refit I can think of that was good was the TROPICALE to COSTA TROPICALE refit.

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i'm NOt impressed by this "superschiff",
to me the interiours are very BORING to say the least, how can you all be so enthausiastic about
almost a blank canvas????

i acknowledge it's a matter of taste, but the
latest NCL / MSC ships were definitely a bit
above the mark there

the good thing about this ship is it's size
alas they ruined it's profile through that horrible
paint ("design") job

the name is probably the most disappointing thing but then again not the most significant

for me this whole project breaths äverage...

may-be crew and ship can turn this in a goldmine for TUI cruises

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Originally posted by Waynaro:
Thanks Kevin. Besides the restaurants, how are announcements made...and onboard activities?

If I decide to head to Europe for vacation next year, I will definitely look into it.

[ 05-17-2009: Message edited by: Waynaro ]

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The interior redesigns seem nice and clean; unlike the butchering of the QM2's Chart Room.

The Galaxy was a little scuffed at the edges, the Savoy lounge needs an ax. For the most part the ships layout both inside and out is very good and the interiors were among the best of the modern ships.

Photos:

http://www.travelserver.net/travelpage/aspgallery/view_ad.asp?Ad_ID=3219

my review:

I've been on Galaxy twice so I was very interested in these pictures. Looking through them, it was hard to recognise the locations in many cases. It certainly looks as if they've done a good job.

Other ships: while I agree that Mercury's days with Celebrity are numbered, I'm not so sure about Century. She's well liked with Celebrity regulars, and she's gaining compliments for her 'intimate scale'! I'm also beginning to read more & more positive suggestions that Century represents the best of 'the old Celebrity'. As the Solstice ships get delivered I think Celebrity can gain from having such a different and smaller ship in the fleet, but still with a lot of amenities. I have a feeling they'll keep her.

[ 05-18-2009: Message edited by: Tom Burke ]