Mein Schiff Herz
Marella Voyager (as Mein Schiff 2) docked at Argostoli, Kefalonia
History
Name
  • 1997–2008 Mercury
  • 2008–2011 Celebrity Mercury
  • 2011–2019 Mein Schiff 2
  • 2019–2023 Mein Schiff Herz
  • 2023 onwards Marella Voyager
Owner
Operator
  • 1997–2011: Celebrity Cruises
  • 2011–2023: TUI Cruises
  • 2023 onwards: Marella Cruises
Port of registry
BuilderMeyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany
Yard number639
Launched11 July 1997
Christened27 October 1997[1]
Maiden voyage27 October 1997
In service1997
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics
Class and typeCentury-class cruise ship
Tonnage77,302 GT
Length866 ft (264 m)
Beam105.6 ft (32 m)
Draft25.5 ft (8 m)
Decks12
Speed21.5 knots (39.8 km/h; 24.7 mph)
Capacity1,912 passengers

Marella Voyager (formerly MV Mercury, Celebrity Mercury, Mein Schiff 2 and Mein Schiff Herz) is the second of two Century-class cruise ships operated by TUI Cruises. Built for Celebrity Cruises at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, she was launched on 11 July 1997, and was christened and entered service as MV Mercury on 27 October 1997.

In 2008, after some eleven years in operation as Mercury, she was renamed Celebrity Mercury. In 2011, she was transferred to the fleet of TUI Cruises, a joint venture between TUI AG and Celebrity Cruises' owner Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. At the same time, she was renamed Mein Schiff 2.

In January 2019, she was again renamed, as Mein Schiff Herz.[2] Her sister ship Marella Explorer is the former MV Galaxy, also previously operated by Celebrity Cruises.

In June 2023, the ship was renamed Marella Voyager, joining the Marella Cruises fleet.[3]

History

As Celebrity Mercury in 2006, docked in Seattle being inspected

On 19 May 2006, just prior to Mercury's planned departure for an Alaska cruise, Seattle-based inspectors from the U.S. Coast Guard arrested the captain of the Mercury for intoxication during a routine safety inspection. Celebrity Cruises arranged for a replacement, and fired the original captain.[4][5]

Mercury departing from Cabo San Lucas in 2005

While cruising from Charleston, South Carolina to the eastern Caribbean in February 2010, the ship was struck with a major outbreak of norovirus, affecting nearly 500 people on board, out of a total of just over 1,800. According to Celebrity Cruises, those taken ill were treated with over-the-counter medicine. Additionally, a doctor and two nurses joined the ship midway to assist with the outbreak.[6]

TUI Cruises

Mein Schiff 2 in the Chinese Dock in Valletta (2016)
Mein Schiff Herz in Tenerife in May 2021

In February 2011 Celebrity Mercury left Celebrity Cruises to be renovated by Imtech and join TUI Cruises' fleet as Mein Schiff 2, alongside Mein Schiff 1, her sister ship, the former Celebrity Galaxy. In May 2015, TUI Group announced that as part of their modernization strategy, TUI Cruises' Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2 would be transferred to Thomson Cruises over the next few years.[7]

In March 2018 TUI Cruises announced that Mein Schiff 2 would remain in the fleet and sail under a new name. In October 2018 the name was announced as Mein Schiff Herz. It was also announced that she will be handed over to Marella Cruises in April 2022.[8] A new ship, built in 2019, is now known as Mein Schiff 2.[9]

Marella Cruises

It was announced that the ship would be transferred to Marella Cruises in April 2022.[10][11] Later, the transfer was delayed again to 2023.[12] The ship finished her last voyage for TUI Cruises in April 2023. The ship then underwent a refit at Navantia in Cadiz and was renamed Marella Voyager.[13] The christening ceremony happened on 31 May in Malaga.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "M/S MERCURY (1997)". www.faktaomfartyg.se.
  2. ↑ "Mein Schiff Herz Set for Drydock Upgrades". Cruise Industry News. 19 January 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  3. ↑ "Marella Voyager Drydock Progressing in Spain".
  4. ↑ "Periklis Petridis / Drunk Captain Celebrity Cruise Lines - Mercury". cruisebruise.com. 19 May 2006. Archived from the original on 29 October 2007. Retrieved 29 October 2007.
  5. ↑ Sullivan, Jennifer (23 May 2006). "Lawyer says ship captain arrested, fired over drinking was off duty". Seattle Times. Retrieved 29 October 2007.
  6. ↑ "Cruise ship back in U.S. after 435 get sick". CNN. 26 February 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2010.
  7. ↑ "2001-02-01". Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2010.
  8. ↑ "Mein Schiff Herz: Premierenfahrt mit spektakulärem Programm". Mein Schiffsexperte - TUI Cruises (in German). Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  9. ↑ "MEIN SCHIFF 2 (Passenger Ship) Registered in Malta - Vessel details, Current position and Voyage information - IMO 9783576, MMSI 248956000, Call Sign 9HA4883". www.marinetraffic.com. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  10. ↑ "Johann Lafer ist kulinarischer Botschafter der Mein Schiff Herz - Premierenfahrt des Schiffes mit spektakulärem Programm". 5 October 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  11. ↑ "Mein Schiff Herz: Premierenfahrt mit spektakulärem Programm". 8 October 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  12. ↑ "NEW MARELLA VOYAGER MENUS SET TO TANTALISE TASTEBUDS THIS SPRING". 14 February 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  13. ↑ "Navantia-Cádiz desvía el crucero Mein Schiff Herz a Puerto Real" (in Spanish). 21 April 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  14. ↑ "MARELLA CRUISES REVEALS TWO GODMOTHERS FOR MARELLA VOYAGER". 18 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
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