Douglas Ward
This stylish ship has it all for youthful German-speaking families
The Ship. Mein Schiff 3 is aimed at German-speaking families. Larger than Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2, this ship incorporates the best of the previous two ships, and has added more facilities and tailored the design to its passengers’ needs. Its new-generation propulsion system is stunningly quiet in operation, with absolutely no vibration anywhere.
A superb 82ft (25m) lap pool (long by cruise ship standards and half the length of an Olympic-sized pool) is featured outdoors, together with a large-scale movie screen and sports area for basketball and volleyball, while a second, indoor, pool and adjacent hot tubs provide plenty of choice for families with children.
High up on Deck 14 is what’s known as the Blue Balcony, a 118.4-sq-ft (11-sq-m) glass-floored platform some 121.3ft (37m) above the sea, which gives the sensation of floating over the ocean.
Public rooms are plentiful, and include a superb music academy-style concert hall (auditorium), which has been designed to the highest acoustic specifications.
What makes a cruise aboard Mein Schiff 3 really user-friendly for families is the inclusive pricing, though this excludes spa treatments, excursions, and the extra-cost restaurants: Richards Feines Essen, Blaue Welt Sushi Bar, Gosch Sylt, and a Surf ’n’ Turf Steakhouse, among others. The dress code is smart casual. But the real diamond in the crown is the two-deck-high glass enclosure, which houses two restaurants – with great views over the ship’s stern – and an outstanding barista-style coffee lounge.
Mein Schiff 3 has a really comforting feel, and boasts a number of outstanding passenger-friendly features, including: the joint-longest swimming pool of any cruise ship; an ocean-connect museum (I call it an ‘oceano-quarium’); water-dispenser units on each accommodation deck (special quartz crystals are provided in each cabin to add to the water pitcher for negative ion purification); vertical walls of living plants; a large meat-ageing (proving) cabinet adjacent to the Surf ’n’ Turf Restaurant; smartphone food ordering for waiters (sent electronically to the kitchen, so the waiter is always at his/her station to attend to passengers); a Nespresso coffee machine in every cabin; large spa and wellness facilities; a large choice of (included and extra-cost) dining venues and eateries; and a completely enclosed shore-excursion information and booking lounge. Plus there’s Captain Sharky to appeal to the kids.
Accommodation. About 82 percent of all cabins feature private balconies, and each one features a hammock. Likewise, every cabin comes with a Nespresso coffee machine.
Combination balcony cabins allow for interconnecting balconies, and a ‘holiday home’ package provides a Mein Schiff 3 chef to prepare a barbeque on the balcony grill.
Spa accommodation is located near the spa and part of a package that includes a massage for two in one of the most extensive wellness spa environments at sea.
A Captain’s Suite, at 581.2 sq ft (54 sq m), is the largest suite aboard ship; appropriately, it’s located near the navigation bridge. Meanwhile, each of the spacious Sea & Sky Suites has its own large 312 sq ft (29 sq m) roof terrace and private sunbathing and shaded areas, including a large hammock and upscale sunbeds. Premium veranda cabins offer large, diagonal terraces. Family-friendly suites sleep up to 6 (they come in three different types). One example measures about 452 sq ft (42 sq m), but there’s also a huge balcony measuring 506 sq ft (47 sq m). The total adds up to a delightfully large 958 sq ft (89 sq m). All come with Xbox game consoles.
Dining. With a choice of 11 dining venues, there really is plenty of choice. The Atlantik Restaurant is the ship’s main restaurant. It is divided into three sections, and focuses on three styles of food: Classic – for dishes such as steak with roasted shallots and a chili-chocolate reduction; Mediterranean – for choices including homemade pasta, grilled fish, and lamb with Provençal herbs; and Eurasian – for items such as sweet-and-sour vegetables with fried jasmine rice. Five-course menus include antipasti, homemade pasta, grilled fish, and Asian dishes, and are part of the inclusive offering.
Aft is a 1,798-sq-ft (167-sq-m) multifaceted glass structure, nicknamed the ‘diamond’ and spanning two decks. Inside it are two restaurants: Richards Feines Essen for fine dining and the Surf ’n’ Turf Steakhouse, which features a superb glass-enclosed meat dry-ageing cabinet.
Hanami (it means flower-watching – particularly cherry blossom) is a Japanese restaurant (try the shabu-shabu beef), which incorporates a sushi bar. The venue offers sushi creations and other specialties of Japanese cuisine, at an additional cost.
A real bakery, an adjunct of the self-serve buffet restaurant Anckelmannsplatz, features freshly baked crispy rolls, paninis, and cakes all day long. Already appearing aboard Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2, the popular informal Gosch Sylt now has about 130 seats aboard Mein Schiff 3 (versus 88 seats aboard Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2), and offers fresh fish and well-prepared seafood dishes, with daily specials listed on a blackboard.
The Day & Night Bistro provides regional and international snacks, including Currywurst, around the clock, while in a modern coffee lounge a barista brews international coffees and presents Mein Schiff’s own hand-crafted pralines and chocolates.
Entertainment. The Theater is the ship’s showlounge. It is a three-deck venue with 949 seats, and features colorful, razzle-dazzle production shows and major cabaret acts.
What is really innovative, however, is a stunning concert hall/movie theater called Klanghaus, which was developed in conjunction with renowned acoustics experts from leading opera houses and concert halls. It provides a really fine setting for live classical and jazz concerts, theatrical readings, lectures, and movies with surround sound.
Numerous bands, small musical units, and solo musical entertainers provide live music in several of the lounge venues throughout the ship.
Spa/Fitness. The Spa and Meer wellness and fitness facilities are really extensive, and include a large (mixed-gender) sauna, steam rooms, and several body-pampering treatment rooms. They also include a private (rentable) spa room for couples, with integral sauna, massage tables, shower, and relaxation areas. Sports facilities include a large arena in the aft section of the ship for volleyball, basketball, and football.