At its first welcome ceremony of the 2023/24 cruise season, the West Indian Company Ltd., along with USVI cruise tourism stakeholders, welcomed Mein Schiff 6 on her inaugural visit to the territory on Tuesday.
The $620-million German cruise ship, with Captain Todd Burgman at the helm, arrived at the WICO dock with 2,498 passengers and 1,175 crew.
The ship is on a repositioning cruise that includes exploratory stops to Puerto Rico and St. Thomas as TUI Cruises seeks to expand its itinerary to accommodate three cruise ships under construction.
“We are pleased to welcome Mein Schiff 6 to the USVI,” Anthony A. Ottley, WICO president and CEO, said of the visit. “We are introducing the territory to a generation of German travelers who might not be aware of their country’s historic interest in and ties to our islands.”
During the World War I era, ships from the Hamburg-America Line, a German transatlantic shipping company made frequent stops to St. Thomas as a part of Germany’s efforts to establish a foothold in the Caribbean.
America’s interest in purchasing the Danish West Indies was heightened as early as 1899 on rumors of Germany’s desire to purchase the islands.
Mein Schiff 6 is the last of TUI Cruises four Blue Moon class ships, known for their high environmentally friendly standards as well as new technologies to enhance fuel efficiency.
TUI Cruises is a relatively new cruise line created in a partnership between German tourism company TUI and Royal Caribbean Group.
