TUI Cruises has just confirmed the contract for a 97,000 gt newbuild, to be delivered by STX Finland (Turku) in March, 2014.

Best,

Looks like a cross between DISNEY DREAM, CELEBRITY SOLSTICE, and the new NCL and Princess new builds.

A little bit of everything but certainly nothing radicle in the exterior design.

not really something to be jubilant about
alas they come up with something better
than Mein Schiff 3

but for the people in Finland it will mean
some relief

best regards,
b. Joe

quote:

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Originally posted by buddhaJoe:
hi there

not really something to be jubilant about
alas they come up with something better
than Mein Schiff 3

but for the people in Finland it will mean
some relief

best regards,
b. Joe

by the way this ship is 50% Royal Caribbean isn't it?

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Yes, TUI Cruises is still a joint venture between TUI and RCI.

I agree it looks a litle booring, but those are first images and it might change a litlebit on the way.

[ 09-27-2011: Message edited by: AKer builder ]

Even the Solstice class has a more "powerful" looking bow, which seems much shorter than her RCI "sisters"

And the first of the "genre"

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Originally posted by Thad:
I find it interesting how all the new builds that have been recently announced seem to shy away from the cruising "clipper" bow that was so prevelant on almost all cruise ships built from the '70's until the '00's. There is a bluntness to the bow of this ship that reminds me of the Pride of America, which stems somewhat from the shorter forecastle, but even more from the "workman-like" bow. [...]

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I disagree with that.

Some ships in the 1970ies indeed had (rather exaggerated) bows imitating a clipper bow (at least they looked like that from some directions) but in the 1980ies and to a certain extent also in the 1970ies rather blunt bow shapes were actually pretty common.

In fact, all the examples you posted above are actually much sleeker bows than what was common these days (of course there were exceptions).

Just compare these bows to Finnjet, Europa, Zenith and even Horizon, Jubilee, Song of America (look at them from the front) etc. etc.

Don't be confused by the (often ugly) superstructure - the forecastles indeed became rather short and the superstructures are rather high these days. However, the hulls and in particular the bows of the ships you mentioned above are actually rather sleek.

[ 09-27-2011: Message edited by: Ernst ]

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Originally posted by Thad:
[...]

They all seem less blunt than by a great amount than the TUI ship.

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They are more raked and in some cases this hides a bit how stubby these bows actually are. The bow of the TUI ship has definitely much finer lines.

e.g. compare that photo of Tropical to the view of her posted above and to e.g. the new TUI ship.

Another example that would come to my mind is Viking Serenade - 'revealing' how 'stubby' her bow actually is in this photo as Stardancer.

Zenith's stubby bow in motion - in her can one see it from the side too but of course it's not nearly as 'bad' as from the front.

[ 09-27-2011: Message edited by: Ernst ]

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Originally posted by Thad:
[QB]Well Viking Serenade actually received a new bow from RCCL, so it should look different than she was as Scandanavia / Stardancer. [...]

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That's true, it has been altered but I could give you many more examples of bows that look 'pointy' from the side which are in fact rather blunt - and of even more for 'blunt' bows of ships built in the 1980ies.

e.g. even (!) Song of America reveals from some angles that her bow is not nearly as 'gentle' as one might think - her bow looks 'pointy' from the side but it is actually 'rounded down' too and her forecastle converges at a larger angle than the TUI ship.

Song of America as Thomson Destiny

quote:

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Originally posted by Thad:
Well Viking Serenade actually received a new bow from RCCL, so it should look different than she was as Scandanavia / Stardancer.

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Overall she's an interesting looking ship, a bit of Solstice and Disney Dream. The forward structure seems rather steep though and reminds me of NCL Pride. She looks bigger than 90,000+ though, wonder if that will transfer to the interior feel as well.

[ 09-28-2011: Message edited by: DEIx15x8 ]

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TUI isn't the wealthiest line around.

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What leads you to believe that? RCL owns 50% of TUI Cruises, while the other 50% are owned by TUI AG, which is one of the largest travel companies in the world. Actually, RCL is the (considerably) smaller partner in this joint-venture. TUI AG's annual revenue is about the size of the combined revenue of Royal Caribbean Cruises and Carnival Corporation & plc.

Best,

quote:

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Originally posted by lasuvidaboy:
As seen in those altered images, this ship would look far more elegant and sleek w/a more raked bow. Very nice!

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Of the two I prefer the version with the inclined superstructure.

Thanks BTW for the altered pictures - I hope that you both don't mind that I took the liberty to further alter them.

I wanted to see whether it's possible to 'cheat' or to enhance the appearance avoiding too drastic changes (and my 'quick and dirty' approach is in line with that). For comparison I also changed the version with the longer forecastle and the more raked bow. I am not entirely convinced about the result and I wonder what could be achieved with a different livery.