On the evening of Sunday, October 25, 2026, the TUI Cruises ship Mein Schiff 3 was leaving Bremerhaven, Germany, when it hit two moored container ships. No passenger or crew injuries were reported.[1] The ships themselves didn’t get off so lightly, and a three-week holiday ended before it began.
This article draws on police statements, the cruise line’s comments and regional reporting from the first days after the incident. Some details are still changing, and investigators haven’t finished their work. Where accounts differ, we’ve said so.
What Happened as Mein Schiff 3 Left the Dock
The collision happened while the ship was leaving Bremerhaven, just after 5 p.m. on Sunday, October 25, 2026.[2] It was leaving the Columbuskaje terminal, bound for a 20-night Canary Islands voyage.[3] Police said a gust of wind caught the vessel and made it drift while the two container ships stayed moored.
Early accounts were confused about how many ships were involved. At first it was believed Mein Schiff 3 had touched only one container ship.[2] Police and a later statement attributed to TUI Cruises both confirmed it was two.[4] Passenger footage helped show what happened. In one clip the starboard side of the cruise ship nears the MSC Victorine, and the lifeboats along its side hit the container ship.[5]
The Storm Behind the Gust
Weather was clearly a major factor. AccuWeather described very strong winds across the North Sea into coastal Germany and Denmark that Sunday, with reported gusts of around 74 mph near Germany’s northwest coast.[6] The same source linked those winds to a storm passing near the Shetland Islands.
Outlets haven’t agreed on the storm’s name. AccuWeather’s account refers to Storm Boelo, while one other report names Storm Manja. We’ve avoided settling that question here. What matters for this story is that the wind was strong enough for the ship to need help. According to police, five tugboats were assisting during the manoeuvre because of the weather.[7]
Damage to the Cruise Ship
Bremen Police were direct about the cruise ship’s condition. They said it sustained considerable damage to its lifeboats, their cranes and its hull.[1] Images from German outlet NEWS5 showed severely crushed lifeboats, and glass barriers along the ship’s edge were shattered and displaced.[8]
Repairs can’t be done at sea. TUI Cruises said its technical teams inspected the ship right away and concluded the damage needed urgent work that couldn’t be finished while sailing and had to be done in a shipyard.[2] One report says the ship was towed back to the cruise terminal for inspection.[3] Lifeboats are core safety equipment, which helps explain why the damage mattered so much.
A Cancelled Voyage for Thousands of People
The human side of the story is the cancelled cruise. Mein Schiff 3 was carrying 2,428 passengers and 922 crew, a total of 3,350 people, when the collision occurred.[4] TUI Cruises then cancelled the 20-night Canary Islands sailing.[9] For many guests that meant a long-planned trip simply stopped.
It isn’t yet clear how far the disruption will spread. It is unknown whether any additional voyages will be affected, and TUI Cruises says it is keeping guests informed as details are confirmed.[10] The ship had been scheduled for a series of routes to the Canary Islands, Portugal and Morocco in the coming weeks.[3] Passengers on those later sailings will be watching for announcements.
