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TUI Cruises’ first captain retires ashore

After going to sea for 50 years, kjell holm, “father of the fleet” at tui cruises, will retire in august.

Thousands of passengers travelling with TUI Cruises have met him – and many of them have instantly been impressed by his charisma: calm, friendly, open, experienced – come what may, you simply feel that Kjell Holm will fix it. The Finn will be turning 70 in September. He has been going to sea for more than 50 years. After nearly ten years as captain for TUI Cruises, he will go ashore in August. Holm, named the “Father of the Fleet”, will retire. “It’s time for me to do other things in my life,” he says.

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From his early childhood in his native city of Helsinki, his grandfather taught him everything you need to know about the sea and ships. Although his parents initially did not support his aspiration to go to sea, he asserted himself and received a master mariner certificate in 1977. In 1982, he took command of the first ship, and when TUI Cruises was founded in 2009, he immediately joined the company – as the shipping line’s first captain. “I have commissioned all new ships”, he proudly remembers. He did not only launch all newbuilds – from Mein Schiff 3 to Mein Schiff 2 – basically from their “birth”, but was also instrumental in designing them. The ships’ bridges, for instance, have been completely designed according to his proposals – and his expertise has also been incorporated in other areas.

At the beginning of the year, he again played a key role in managing an extensive launch procedure when the new Mein Schiff 2 was handed over to TUI Cruises by Meyer Turku shipyard as the eighth and latest ship in the fleet this far. Commissioning a new ship is always a very special experience, he said at the handover ceremony in Kiel. “It’s like getting a new car – but a whole lot more. A ship has an enormous number of different systems, and you have to check them all. It is always a bit exciting before everything is up and running.” When asked whether it was not possible that something could go wrong, he replies with the calmness typical of the Finn, reflecting the many decades spent travelling the world’s seven seas: “No, it isn’t, because we start training long before the passenger arrive. When they get on board, we are ready.”

The new Mein Schiff 2 could be regarded as the culmination of his professional life: “She is a great ship,” he enthusiastically commented at the launch. “We have actually thought for a long time that these ships could not possibly get any better – but this ship once again takes it to the next level.“ Holm lives in Australia – but, of course, the sea will continue to play a crucial role in his life even after his retirement. Apart from cycling, his hobbies include sailing, and he will now have more time to pursue this leisure activity. At the handover of the new Mein Schiff 2, Dirk Claus, Managing Director of Kiel’s maritime port, said: “Kjell, you will always be welcome here – even with your own private boat.” “Don’t promise too much,” Holm replied, tongue in cheek. “I might be coming”. He is not likely to be put off by the many nautical miles to cover to arrive in Kiel.

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TUI Discovery 2 Christened by the Captain and His Crew

The British cruise line Thomson Cruises has welcomed to its fleet the latest cruise ship TUI Discovery 2. The christening ceremony was held in the Port of Malaga, which will also be a homeport of the vessel during the summer season. After complete refurbishment and rebranding at the shipyards in Cadiz, the former Royal Caribbean cruise ship Legend of the Seas reemerged as TUI Discovery 2.

The christening ceremony was held at the Cruise Terminal A, where the captain of the ship Jason Ikiadis, welcomed a delegation of representatives including Port Authority, Tourism Area of the city council of the capital, Tourism and Planning Costa del Sol, Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Government of Andalusia, and Delegation of the Government in Malaga. During the meeting on board, the traditional exchange of commemorative plaques was held, with the participation of the entourage, as well as the captain of the ship and its crew.

Subsequently, Thomson Cruises proceeded to the  christening  of its new ship, with the godmothers Rechelle de la Vega and Cecily May who are members of the crew. They, together with the Captain Jason Ikaidis had the honors of breaking the champagne bottle. This is a rare occasion when the crew is given the honors to christen a cruise ship. Usually, cruise lines use celebrities for this ceremony to attract more PR. The event was broadcasted live to nearly 1,000 guests on board, among which were representatives, employees, and associates of the cruise company. TUI Discovery has 264 meters in length and a maximum capacity to accommodate 1,800 passengers.

I had a pleasure to meet and work with Captain Ikaidis when he was at the helm of Azamara Club Cruises cruise ship, Azamara Journey. He is one of the best captains not only in technical terms but also as a captain of his crew with a warm and friendly attitude towards the guests. I wish him calm seas and success at the helm of TUI Discovery. You are true captain of the ship and your crew.

Photo by: Thomson Cruises

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Marella Cruises Formal Nights – Everything You Need To Know

If you are considering a cruise with Marella you may be wondering if formal nights are part of the cruise experience. I’ve been on two cruises with Marella and was surprised by how relaxed the atmosphere and dress codes were. That said, many guests do dress up and if you wish to, you won’t look out of place.

Do Marella Cruises Have Formal Nights?

Cruises with Marella have 1 formal night per week. Marella calls their formal nights are called ‘dress to impress’ nights and the dress code does not apply in all restaurants.

Marella have a fairly relaxed approach to dress codes but there is a dress code in place for the main dining room on all nights of the cruise. During this post we explore:

• When the formal nights happen
• Where it applies
• Dining dress codes for non-formal night

How Many Formal Nights Do Marella Cruises Have?

Marella has one formal night on every 7 night cruise. A 14 night cruise would include 2 formals nights and cruises shorter than a week may not have any formal nights.

If you are taking a cruise which is less than 7 night there will usually still be one formal night.

On Which Day Do Marella Have ‘Formal Nights’?

If your cruise has sea days:.

If your cruise has any sea days the formal night will be on a sea day. If you cruise has multiple sea days it could be any of these although it’s more likely to be mid way through the cruise.

If your cruise doesn’t have sea days:

If your cruise doesn’t have sea days the formal night could be almost any day of the cruise. It’s very unlikely that the formal night will be on the first day as guests haven’t had a chance to unpack yet and some may not have their bags. Formal nights also rarely happen on the last night of the cruise as guests may have already started packing.

Dress to Impress Nights

On Marella Discovery/Discovery 2, Explorer, and Explorer 2 Marella have removed the name ‘formal night’ and replaced it with a dress to impress night. This is more of an encouragement to wear something nice rather than a hard and fast rule.

On Marella Discovery, Marella Discovery 2 and Marella Explorer, our Dress to Impress nights are also a great chance to get dressed up, but how dressy you go is completely up to you. – Source

What to Wear on Marella’s Dress to Impress Nights:

Men should wear a collared shirt or polo shirt, paired with chinos or trousers. As far as cruise line dress codes go the ‘dress to impress nights’ on Marella are quite relaxed. You wouldn’t be allowed to dine in the main dining room wearing a shirt with a big logo/writing on the front but as long as you look like you’ve made some effort you’ll be fine.

Some men do like to make an effort and wear bow ties/regular ties, suits/tuxedos. You definitely won’t look out of place for embracing the dress code. You might even get a few compliments from strangers!

Women should wear a dress, skirt or trousers paired with a blouse or top. Heels, flat shoes or smart sandals would be okay.

The dress code for children is generally relaxed a little but teenagers should follow the same dress codes as the adults. Small children don’t really have to wear anything special and as long as they are wearing clean clothes and look relatively presentable you won’t have any problems dining in the main dining room.

What Not To Wear:

For ‘formal’ nights and ‘dress to impress’ nights there are a few things that are not allowed:

• Swimwear/Beachwear of any kind

Where Does The Formal Night Dress Code Apply?

On some cruise lines the dress code for formal night applies ship wide, this is not the case on cruises with Marella.

The dress codes for the formal/dress to impress nights apply only in the main dining room. One of my favourite things about cruising with Marella is that there are always LOTS of restaurants included in the cruise fare. If you don’t want to take part in formal night you can dine in one of the other restaurants or head to the buffet.

To learn more about what is included in Marella’s cruise fare, check out this post:  Marella Cruises, what does ‘all inclusive’ include?

Main Dining Room Alternatives on a Marella Cruises:

If you don’t want to take part in the formal nights there will be a number of different dining options onboard where you don’t have to. Each Marella ship does have slightly different restaurants but most have some in common. The following list is based on my cruise on the Marella Discovery:

• The buffet is perhaps the most obvious choice but it isn’t the only one. The buffet provides quick grab and go food and can be a great option if you want to grab something light. Equally, if you want to pile your plate high the buffet is a great option for that too.
• On Marella Discovery the glasshouse is a restaurant by the inside pool which serves pizza, tapas and dishes cooked on hot stones. The glasshouse has a ‘smart’ dress code in the evenings and a casual dress code for lunch. This is much more relaxed than the formal night dress codes and as long as you’re wearing long trousers you’ll be fine.

• Kora la is a specialty restaurant onboard and the dress code is also smart.
• Surf and Turf is a specialty restaurant and the dress code is also smart.
• The snack shack is a grab-and-go area by the pool which serves hot dogs, burgers, chicken wings and most importantly, cookies! The dress code for the snack shack is always beachwear so anything goes. It is important that you are wearing shoes for health and safety reasons but this is the only dress code.

The snack shack and glass house were two of my favourite places to eat during my cruise on the Marella Discovery. To learn about the other things that you shouldn’t miss onboard check out this post: Marella Discovery: 8 free must do activities (TUI)

What is The Dress Code on Non-Formal Nights with Marella?

On nonformal nights the dress code in the main dining room is usually ‘smart casual’. Shorts are not allowed and guests are encouraged to wear open-necked shirts or dress/trouser combinations.

During our cruise on Marella Discovery we never got changed for dinner. If you are wearing shorts during the day changing into trousers before dinner is advised but apart from that you are free to dine in your normal clothes. I’ve cruised with 13 cruise lines to date and Marella are one of the most relaxed.

A MASSIVE thank you to all members of our Facebook group who shared photos for this post. We are a gorgeous bunch if I do say so myself! If you’re not already in our Facebook group, join us here: Emma Cruises Facebook Group.

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We power an impressive fleet of 16 cruise ships spanning three dynamic brands – TUI Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, and Marella Cruises. But that’s not all as we’ve just introduced five River Cruise vessels, ready to navigate the scenic waters of European rivers. From action-packed family getaways and vibrant city breaks to luxury cruising, our guests embark on enjoyable holidays around the globe.

Picture this: Teams of passionate individuals not only setting the stage on board, ensuring our guests have seamless sailing experiences but also behind the scenes at our vibrant head offices where we craft unforgettable memories for our guests. We have careers available with Marella Cruises , based in the UK with an international crew, and with Hapag-Lloyd and TUI Cruises. This is your ticket to excitement, join our Cruises team today!

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With TUI’s focus on sustainability, we’re committed to making our holidays more sustainable and reducing the impact on the environment. By 2030 at the latest, we want to offer the first climate-neutral cruises. At the same time, our fleet is reducing CO 2  emissions by 27.5 percent in absolute terms by 2030. Currently, no other cruise line worldwide commits to an absolute reduction target. We’re also the first in our industry to have our reduction target verified and confirmed by the independent Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).

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Tui Cruise Reviews

1 - 10 of 40 Tui Cruise Reviews

Sail Date: March 2024

Review for a Canary Islands Cruise on Mein Schiff

Having been on various cruise lines (Holland America, AIDA, Princess, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean) this was our first experience with Tui Mein Schiff aboard the Mein Schiff 1. To sum up the cruise in one word: carefree. I have never had such an easy booking process to start with, having filled in the details via app, you basically have the boarding pass on your mobile before you even arrive at ... Read More

Review for a Baltic Sea Cruise on Mein Schiff

It may have been somewhat of a gamble to cruise on Mein Schiff 3, from a German port (Bremerhaven) that isn't even listed on CruiseCritic ... but we sure enjoyed it and would do it again in a flash. My wife and I are Belgian, so we understand German and speak it a little - but we are far from fluent. Then again, we reasoned that a lot of the staff- and crewmembers would not exactly be native ... Read More

Sail Date: December 2023

Review for a Africa Cruise on Mein Schiff

No problem about being a German ship at all, it's the second time we take it, the first one was a pretty cool experience, not amazing but it was pretty ok, now the food is terrible, the international crew seems unhappy but they are really helpful, when you need something from the check in or you have to necessarily go to some of the European stuff, you're automatically lost, we had a loot of ... Read More

Review for a Caribbean - Eastern Cruise on Mein Schiff

No problems with it being a German speaking ship. Despite a good hard product with comfortable cabins (including Nespresso machines), a 25 metre pool, expansive included sauna facilities, a choice of restaurants and a broadly inclusive package, unfortunately the soft product means it will be a no go line in the future. 1. The included wines are undrinkable and the ones for purchase are ... Read More

Sail Date: February 2023

Review for a Europe - All Cruise on Mein Schiff

Perhaps one thing in advance. This is not the first time we have travelled with TUI, and so far we have spent about 150 days on board various ships and shipping companies - but we do not belong to the TUI fan club that lives on Artisan Bread and cannot live without the departure anthem and makes this known in the evenings at the bar by slandering Aida - so much for parts of the crowd. But from ... Read More

Sail Date: September 2021

Review for a Europe - Eastern Mediterranean Cruise on Mein Schiff

Hi folks, two weeks ago i went for my first cruise after the corona-break. The german-market-focussed cruise line TUI cruises offers 7-night cruises from Heraklion(Crete) to Piraeus and Corfu. As the price for these cruises are very attractive for solo travellers i could not resist. Due to the current Covid-19 situation there were some changes in the usual processes. First of all it was ... Read More

Sail Date: September 2020

Right now, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic there isn't much of a choice. I live in Dusseldorf, Germany. Started cruising in 2013 and just celebrating my 50th cruise. The well-known cruise line AIDA failed due to lack of permission of its registry country Italy and Corona positive crew members. It seemed that TUI Cruises was doing better. The planned itinerary - from Hamburg (Mein Schiff ... Read More

Sail Date: August 2020

TUI Mein Schiff Cruises is a nice cruise line, but not for everyone. I had the pleasure of participating in a historic event. The July 24 2020 cruise aboard the Mein Schiff 2 was the first large ship cruise after the coronavirus lockdown in the world. Here I must admit that the TUI did a great job with the new safety measures. Muster Drill was conducted in small groups, the crew checked the ... Read More

Sail Date: July 2020

Just came back from our first ever Mein Schiff cruise, and my first German speaking ship experience (my partner has been once on the AIDA). This was our 28th cruise. I, a non-german, but German speaking person, give this ship a 3 out of 5. My partner, German born and raised, gives it a 4. Both of us liked a few things, and disliked a few others. All in all, we found the "Premium All Inclusive" ... Read More

Sail Date: January 2020

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Azamara Promotes Two Captains

• February 21, 2022

Azamara Cruises has announced the promotions of two captains – Captain Mikael Palmroos and Captain Jonas Lyddby. Both previously served as staff captains.

Serving aboard the Azamara Pursuit, Palmroos is from Finland and started his seagoing career in the Finnish navy. Joining the cruise industry in 2004, he sailed as second in command with Royal Caribbean, the former parent company of Azamara.

Having sailed on big and small ships, Palmroos said in a company interview that he preferred the smaller-sized vessels able to dock in prime locations and deliver the destination experience to the guests.

Lyddby is from Sweden and joined the Swedish navy as a cadet at the age of 19. He was introduced to the cruise industry in 2009 aboard the Azamara Quest, before also spending 10 years with TUI Cruises. He now serves aboard the Azamara Quest.

According to Azamara, Lyddby said that big and small ships are not so different in the sense that he always makes sure to treat every cruise member with friendly respect, and that a well-treated and happy crew will take good care of the guests and elevate the onboard experience.

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• Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

TUI Discovery - formal wear query

By Anne B - Glasgow , July 5, 2016 in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

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Anne B - Glasgow

Hi. We're going on the TUI Discovery later this month and have been reading the reviews. Been on several Thomson cruises so far and always enjoyed the formal nights. I see on this ship that there's no captain's dinner which we always loved cos love to get dressed up - butthat there's a "dress to impress" evening instead although the reviews are saying it wasn't worthwhile taking formal wear. Not sure if that's because it's only had a few sailings and hasn't settled down yet. Can anyone tell me if they saw some passengers wearing dinner suits and evening dresses at this event or are we better not to trek it all across on a plane? Gutted cos really like to get all dressed up sometimes but don't want to be the only people there in "formals". :eek:

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As I understand it, there are no formal nights, just the so called 'dress to impress'. Quite who you are trying to impress is beyond me! We sail on the 23rd of this month and I won't be taking a DJ or Tux. First time ever on a cruise. If you read the discovery review on here, it's all confirmed. However, you can dress up if you want, it's your holiday.

Thomson shop are checking with other passengers due back this weekend so if we have any different info, we'll put it on here.

Bit of a shame if no formal nights at all. We may just dress up anyway of course but it would be nice if other people were too. We on the week before you so won't have time to post anything before you sail. Have a great time.

Pensioncruiser

We have friends returning this Saturday they will give me a honest report which I will post ASAP. We personally would be disappointed if we are the only guest's in formal attire but if we are so be it as it's all part of our holiday enjoyment 😎 but we don't go till next year so things may have changed 😉

Many thanks, I'll look out for that and will post here if I hear anything else. ;)

Katomerikaf

I think it would be a shame if everyone leaves their finery at home :(

We don't sail until next year but will be getting dressed up for the dress to impress night - the more people who make the effort the better it will be.

Maybe TUI will re-introduce their formal night......

I must agree and as I said we will always dress as we have always done and if I am the only one in a DJ

Continuing 😚 then so be it I don't believe that everyone who at the moment dresses up will suddenly disappear, they must enjoy that part of the cruise or why do it?

Continuing then so be it I don't believe that everyone who at the moment dresses up will suddenly disappear, they must enjoy that part of the cruise or why do it?

Totally agree Pensioncruiser - dressing up is part of the cruising tradition and we would be very sad to see it go. Hubby will have his DJ and I'll be in a long dress in October and again next year whatever anyone else wears.

It's something of a relief that this time around I am not obligated to wear a dinner suit. Due to weight restrictions when flying with Germania I would have had a problem. We will still make an effort though and I am sure Mrs S2B will carry on dressing up regardless!

stevedeccaman

comments from FB on captains cocktail night :)

none are mine as not offski till October :(

------------------------------------------

We're on the 6 week count down now, and although we've cruised many times with various lines...our family hasn't so, lots of questions!

The formal night is called Dressed to Impress, for those who've been on Discovery, did many people go the whole hog, tux/long dress etc? For those yet to sail, how many are going to take full-on evening gear? We will be taking ours, and intend to wear them, whatever the situation, but some inside info would be appreciated!

-------------------------------

Yes we dressed up for the Captains cocktail night as did quiet a few which was lovely. .I feel it's all part of the holiday ...enjoy its a beautiful ship. .we loved every minute

------------------------------

Yes we dressed up, lots of people did, it was lovely to see that so many did..

-----------------------------------.

We've just come back and I would say it was 50 50 we dressed up because it's only for one night and it makes the. Night special

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To be honest few if any wore dinner jackets on the cruise,most wore smart causal long trousers,shirt,with or without ties.Dress what you feel comfortable in ,or want you want its your holiday

-----------------------------------

We were on the Discovery two weeks ago and there were lots of guys in tux's and some in kilts. Almost all the women had posh frocks on.

jimb98, any good or bad thoughts or your cruise and the ship in general ?

Overall I liked the ship but the air conditioning problems over-shadowed the cruise. The Live room was absolutely freezing the whole time and they obviously couldn't fix it. Such a shame as it is a nice space and they had some good entertainment on there. Because it was so cold people gravitated to the Atrium which meant you could rarely find a seat in there.

The aircon in our cabin never worked the whole week and they lied to us at least three times about getting it fixed; just like the old Thomson days where they treat you like imbeciles and expect you will just take it. They have a shock coming.

The entertainment was very good, shows excellent and the comedian very, very funny.

Staff, apart from a very officious woman at reception, were very good and friendly.

Food was good but not as good as I was expecting. Waiter service was very good in the restaurants if you drank wine but not so good if you wanted a beer.

Always able to find a sun lounger, even on sea day.

Had an inside plus cabin on Deck 7 which was spacious, unfortunately the clinging shower curtain, poor toiletries and no fridge let it down.

Had a problem with my bill over a measly, fictitious charge which I had a real problem resolving, again smacks of the old Thomson approach. Seems like the customer is still always wrong.

Apart from the aircon all the other things are pretty minor and we had a great time. If they'd fixed the temperature in the Live Room it would have been much better as people would have had much more choice.

One last thing; the casino has virtual roulette; what a shame!

Thanks jimb98 for taking the time to post this

happy cruising :)

Huddersfieldtourist

We were on the first cruise and can advise that there were quite a number of male passengers wearing DJ / tux etc if that helps on the Dress to Impress night.

Just back and had 2 dress to impress evenings. Yes, a fair percentage of people wore formal wear and many others 'dressed to impress'. however if you are of the persuasion that would be horrified if the next table were wearing evening casual maybe the ship is not for you ;)

As promised 'second hand' report on our friends experience on the Discovery, firstly they are seasoned cruisers with Thomson and other lines, they like basic cabins and like to dress smart not posh and eat in the main restaurant.

They absolutely loved the ship and found the food very good, staff was not up to normal bit slow in some areas they say because not so many Philippians they did see a few old faces felt they would improve with time:rolleyes: Had most of the sport, sorry ladies, on the big screen on deck which they loved,, they are in there seventies so were not worried that the climbing wall was not operational. Dress they found as normal for Thomson with most people dressing up and the normal amount of DJs and kilts. Found the theater had plenty of space and they did not need to get in early to find seats as with the sun loungers. The bar menu, which I have a copy of, is vastly improved for the AI from the other ships you have a selection of 3 white and 3 red wines, ALL international btl/caned beers , bub/peroni/becks/Guinness, all liqueurs lots more whiskies inc Jameson, back after a short break, and even Mrs PCs favourite BAILEYs which I have had to pay the extra for since the last century:p. Just hope they change the other ships as we have three cruise before we go in Sep 2017:eek:

I'm just back from a fortnight on the discovery. Lots of men in tux's and a few kilts. I'd say on average that most were smartly dressed every night. I always ate at the waiter service restaurants and spent every night in the live lounge so I'm not sure what the buffet was like in terms of dress.

Did you enjoy our Texan friend singing? There were mutterings about maybe he would break his foot :eek:;)

The aircon in there was fun, allegedly RCI may not have handed over a user manual :D

an authorative onboard source informed me they are carrying some extra crew as it will take some time to ascertain the correct manning levels.

ps - the crew show should be back once they settle things down. Hazel? is aboard

Thanks to everyone for getting back to us on the question of formal wear and for all the other info on the ship. We're sailing on Saturday and very much looking forward to it. Will def pack the DJ and posh frock - and a couple of shrugs to combat the overactive air con :p. Will post a review on return. Thanks again everyone. :)

Have a good one 😁 😁 😁

He sure loved those boots.

It's very odd as I've seen the comments about the air con but didn't feel cold at all. I'm always cold at home & the coldest in work. I always have the heating on and have extra layers with me! but I was absolutely fine everywhere onboard in sleeveless tops. I tended to be at the bar or the high stools at the side never sat in the soft low seats. It was always around 8/9pm too so perhaps it had heated up by then. On my last night it was too warm in the live room, the casino manager was given a fan by one of the guests! He was on the case though and had requested they turn on the air con.

He sure loved those boots.   It's very odd as I've seen the comments about the air con but didn't feel cold at all. I'm always cold at home & the coldest in work. I always have the heating on and have extra layers with me! but I was absolutely fine everywhere onboard in sleeveless tops. I tended to be at the bar or the high stools at the side never sat in the soft low seats. It was always around 8/9pm too so perhaps it had heated up by then. On my last night it was too warm in the live room, the casino manager was given a fan by one of the guests! He was on the case though and had requested they turn on the air con.

The aircon switched off in my cabin twice, each time early evening for about 2 hours. I reported it the second time and an engineer arrived within 20 minutes, 2 minutes after the aircon started again :p The cabin maintained a lovely coolish constant temperature the rest of the time.

Of course everything will take time to reach their desired level of reliability, after all, they are learning the ship as they go along.

CRUISIN LINDA

Had most of the sport, sorry ladies, on the big screen on deck which they loved

I know quite a few men who hate football, while I love it :D

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• 140 passengers evacuated from stranded Danube River cruise amid...

140 passengers evacuated from stranded Danube River cruise amid historic flooding

~140 passengers were evacuated from an unidentified river cruise ship on the Danube River in Southern Germany earlier this week. Concurrently, Austria has closed the waterway to all traffic amid historic flooding that prompted Germany to declare a state of emergency on Monday.

Reports indicate that passengers from the USA, the UK, and Australia were removed from the boat, which had been stranded since Sunday.

Southern Germany has experienced persistent heavy rainfall for several days, resulting in severe flooding in regions such as Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg . Tragically, several lives have been lost, including a firefighter involved in a rescue operation.

According to DPA International (press agency), Austria has shut down the entire 350-km stretch of the Danube within its borders, from Passau in Germany to Bratislava in Slovakia. This closure has forced several cruise ships to dock in Linz . On Tuesday, the Danube overflowed its banks in Linz.

A spokesperson for the state waterway company, Via Donau, stated that safety cannot be guaranteed above a certain water level.

Hungary is also bracing for flooding, with the mayor of Budapest issuing a first-degree (lowest level) flood alert on Tuesday. The lower embankment of the river in Budapest is expected to close to traffic from 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 6.

Viking issued the following statement:

"Currently, sections of the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers are experiencing high water levels. To varying degrees, these conditions may affect select itineraries. Our Switzerland-based nautical team is continually monitoring the situation and will make any necessary adjustments to accommodate the conditions. Guests and their Travel Advisors will continue to be notified directly if we think that their itinerary might be impacted."

As we remember D-Day, let’s not forget the quiet heroes under hypersonic threat in the Red Sea

Eighty years later, the name ‘Eisenhower’ still stands for the same values

General Dwight D Eisenhower is in the news today as we mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings , executed under his orders as supreme allied commander in 1944.

The US Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier which bears his name – the mighty “Ike”, launched almost 50 years ago and on active combat ops in the Red Sea today – is not getting much ink … but she should be, and for a few reasons.

First, Ike has just been extended on tour in theatre, again. Her new return date isn’t confirmed but the carrier and her strike group are now staring down the barrel of a nine-month deployment. Some salty sea dogs will say that’s nothing, but it isn’t – and how many of them have done a nine-monther in the heart of a shooting missile war?

Second, Ike is the only hope of the Red Sea re-opening to world trade. So far the big ship and her air wing have flown more than 12,100 sorties and launched more than 400 missiles on top of the 100 launched from the ships of her strike group. These efforts have been the central part of Operation Poseidon Archer, the US-led effort to smash Houthi missile and drone capabilities inland before they can be fired. 

The Houthis have not been suppressed, but that’s not down to lack of effort. It’s because the Houthi weapon systems are mobile, concealed and numerous and therefore impossible to neutralise entirely without employing a (much) heavier weight of fire or ‘boots on the ground’, both of which remain politically unacceptable. In turn, this means that Poseidon Archer’s defensive sibling, Operation Prosperity Guardian , can’t guarantee safe passage for shipping. 

The third reason this remains relevant is because overall shipping numbers remain down by 50 per cent and for high-value ships such as gas carriers and container ships, over 90 per cent. This no longer captures the headlines as it is being perceived as the new normal, but it shouldn’t be. Prices continue to climb, fleets continue to be stretched and shipping companies, despite being able to profit in the short term, say going around Africa isn’t sustainable in the long term and want to go back through Suez.

For now though, they are right not to be running the gauntlet. Just three days ago the Houthis struck a ship loaded with grain heading for Iran proving that they can still out-manoeuvre Poseidon Archer – but also proving that they have no real idea who they’re aiming at. 

The fourth reason to keep an eye on events there is because things just got worse with the Houthis adding an Iranian-supplied “hypersonic” missile to the mix of drones, cruise and ballistic missiles already used. This isn’t the first time they’ve made bold claims –  indeed only the other day they claimed they had hit the Eisenhower so we know that much of what they say is false, but now a “Palestine” hypersonic has been tracked in flight between Western Yemen and the Israeli port of Eilat. It missed, but this is still a significant development. 

Hypersonic is strictly defined as travelling over Mach 5. The “Palestine” missile as it’s being called may be able to go this fast, but it probably isn’t massively dangerous. A dangerous hypersonic can not only beat Mach 5 but do so in certain flight regimes – for instance beating Mach 5 while also manoeuvring aggressively in the upper atmosphere, making it hard to track and hit. A missile which could go at Mach 5 close to sea level – while also managing somehow to receive information through its self-generated cloak of superhot plasma – would also be a very dangerous thing. It’s highly unlikely that the “Palestine” can do anything like this: but either way, the ships stationed down there on constant high alert for missiles have yet one more threat to deal with. 

And it is always possible that the Iranians have supplied their Houthi pawns with something tricky. Given the US Army Patriot missile’s success against the Russian hypersonic Kinzhal missile, there is an assumption that the US Navy’s top-end SM-6 interceptor could defeat lower-end hypersonics but that’s all it is, an assumption. And we know for sure that none of the other international warships there could beat a true hypersonic. Having just three ships who ‘might be able’ to defeat this new threat is not going to reassure the shipping companies. 

To make matters worse, analysis of the launch also showed plumes of white exhaust smoke which missile experts say indicates a solid-fuel missile. These are more reliable and much faster to get ready to shoot than their liquid-fuelled equivalents, making Poseidon Archer’s job of detecting and smacking them before launch even harder than it was already.

Between running an outstanding personal X-was-Twitter account, handing out cookies and reassuring everyone that they have not been sunk, Captain Chowdah Hill – captain of the Ike – will be putting a lot of effort into scouring the mountains and plains of Western Yemen for evidence of these launchers. 

Maybe – probably – the Palestine missile isn’t a true, dangerous hypersonic. Maybe its control and guidance aren’t very good and maybe the Houthis won’t be good at aiming it. But, as has been the case since last October when they started firing missiles up the Red Sea, they can keep rolling the dice until they get lucky. The thousands of sailors aboard the Ike, her group, and the international warships of many nations deployed to those waters are living with that deadly reality every minute of every day. The Royal Navy is there: HMS Duncan has just headed out to relieve HMS Diamond on station. So too, in an echo of World War II, are many merchant seamen as they carry their cargoes through dangerous waters.

We should keep an eye on the Red Sea because success in warfare is rarely guaranteed. Captain Chowdah said so in his message to his crew today. General Eisenhower also knew this, writing two memos 80 years ago, one for if the D-Day invasion was successful and one for if it was not. 

For the latter he wrote, “Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy, did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt, it is mine alone.”

The handwritten note is interesting as initially he writes “the troops have been withdrawn” before crossing it out and replacing it with “I have withdrawn the troops”. This is what leadership looks like and a large part of the reason this memo wasn’t needed. 

As we remember not just his leadership but also the exemplary bravery and commitment of those he led 80 years ago, we should spare a thought for the leadership his namesake is providing in the Red Sea. The scale is different: the requirements to provide calm assurance, clear and accurate guidance and inspire sustained bravery in a place of grinding, everyday danger are not.

• Israel-Hamas War,
• Royal Navy,
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