TUI Cruises would position the Mein Shift 1 in Las Palmas and the Mein Shift 2 in Tenerife, with weekly itineraries around the islands and flights from Germany.
Each ship will sail at 60% capacity with strict onboard safety protocols that will continue on land. Each itinerary, one weekly from Las Palmas and one from Tenerife, will visit the islands before returning to their home port and flying back to Germany.
Despite the express prohibition of cruise ships docking on our coasts, the Ministry of Transport has opened avenues for the start of operations such as cabotage or European cabotage, being able to authorize operations for ships with a European flag first only in Spanish ports and later authorizing the inclusion of other European ports.
TUI Cruises, which is already successfully operating nonstop cruises from Germany and expanding its itineraries to Norway and the Baltic in September, formally submitted its application with robust health protocols that have been well received by local authorities. Both the Canary Islands government and the port authorities of Santa Cruz and Las Palmas have welcomed the application and expect to receive and review similar proposals from various cruise lines with European-flagged vessels. Companies such as Marella, Aida, and Azamara could begin cruises to the islands during the third quarter of 2020. The river cruise line Croisi Europe, which recently acquired the ocean-going vessel "La Belle des Oceans," plans to begin cruises to the islands in October.
TUI Cruises is awaiting the final decision from the Canary Islands' Directorate General of Public Health, and a favorable ruling is expected this month. Europe already has a reference guide of protocols for cruise ships, published by EMSA (European Maritime Safety Agency).
