Clear the decks: clean solutions on board

Clear the decks: neat solution on board – with made-to-measure shower gulleys from Gutjahr

Sail from one port to the next in a relaxed way and discover a lot of new things on the way: cruises are popular with German holidaymakers. Every year new ships come onto the market, one more modern and more comfortably equipped than the next. At the same time, shipping companies are renovating their existing fleets in order to continue competing on the cruise market. TUI Cruises ordered a complete overhaul of their first ship, Mein Schiff 1, including new bathrooms. The people in charge relied on the ultra-flat Gutjahr IndorTec FLEX-DRAIN shower gulley in the showers of 16 junior suites.

Originally launched as the Celebrity Galaxy, Mein Schiff 1 was taken over by TUI Cruises in 1999 and completely rebuilt. In 2014, the 260-meter-long “colossus” returned to the dry dock at Lloyd Shipyard in Bremerhaven. The employees there checked the rudder, the sea valves, the anchor chains and the bow and stern thrusters. At the same time, a group of tradespeople started the renovation: they laid new carpets, polished planks and furniture and renovated the bathrooms.

Tailor-made solutions - because every centimetre counts

In the bathrooms of the junior suites, the bathtubs were removed and replaced with showers. The Grabowski specialist tiling company from Amelinghausen was one of the specialist companies that was commissioned with the renovation during the 8-day stop time. The employees tiled a total of 16 bathrooms and installed the new showers there.

However, showers on a ship are a particular challenge for installers, since the materials are different because there are many metal substrates, for example. Special adhesives must be used for this. With a size of around 2 x 1.50 meters, the amount of space in the bathrooms is also limited. The ceiling height is also often a problem, so every centimetre counts. The structure must not be too high. After all, the guest still has to fit underneath the shower head. That is why the installer decided to use the Gutjahr IndorTec FLEX-DRAIN shower gulley, which is one of the flattest systems on the market. With normal installation, the system only requires an installation height of 62 mm. With just 147 x 68 cm of room on 'Mein Schiff 1', individual special lengths were also required. Special adaptations to the installation situation such as this occur time and time again – in which case Gutjahr delivers made-to-measure.

Always fits

The Gutjahr IndorTec FLEX-DRAIN shower gulley is not only ultra-flat, but individual special lengths are also possible.

Reliability from two drainage levels

Another decisive factor in the planning was the appearance. The master tiler wanted to avoid having a strip of tiles between the shower and the wall. Because of the sealing flange, which is just 11 mm wide, and the factory-fitted seal collar, IndorTec FLEX-DRAIN can be reliably fitted directly to the wall. Another plus point for Mr. Grabowski.

But the reliability was also impressive. Because the special thing about the system is the second drainage level. With conventional shower gulleys, seepage water can accumulate in the connecting area between the tile and the gulley. In order to prevent this, IndorTec FLEX-DRAIN has a special drainage frame, which forms the second drainage level.

By the way, the Gutjahr shower channel is very quiet. The company had the sound insulation values of the system examined by the renowned Fraunhofer Institute. The result: IndorTec FLEX-DRAIN significantly reduces both installation noise and footfall noise – and even achieves better values than those required by the standard.

Bathroom renovation in just 8 days

The Grabowski tiling company was on board with 10 men to carry out the work as quickly as possible and make room for the other trades. Because after eight days in the Kaiserdock, Mein Schiff 1 set sail again on schedule. And the next holidaymakers could enjoy their dream trip including a refreshing shower in the new bathroom.

About TUI Cruises

The company, which was established in April 2008, is a joint venture between TUI AG and global cruise company Royal Caribbean Ltd. After the successful market launch of Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2, the fleet was consequently expanded with two new ships. Mein Schiff 3 was put into service in June 2014, followed by Mein Schiff 4 in June 2015. With 962 cabins, Mein Schiff 1 can accommodate 1,924 passengers. 40 cabins are junior suites