NEWS SPECIAL REPORT


At the launch of Tui Aria are, from left: Lynsey-Ann


Forward, Tui; godparent Paula Burgess, Tui; Katy Berzins, Tui River Cruises; and godparent Mark Sage, Tui River Cruises


Tui’s rapid river rise T


d


Tui River Cruises confirms order for two more vessels to sail in Europe as it names T as the sixth ship in its full fleet. Ella Sagar reports from christening ceremony in Frankfurt


ui River Cruises revealed ambitions to launch “more ships on more rivers” as it christened its sixth and


largest ship to date, Tui Aria. The operator, which is celebrating


five years in business, confirmed an order for two new-build ships to sail in central Europe, increasing its fleet to 10 vessels by the end of 2028. Head of river cruises Katy Berzins


said the anniversary was “a real milestone”, adding that for the next five years the company was eyeing “continued and considered growth every year”. Berzins said: “These new ships


show our continued commitment to river cruising and the ambition we have for this fantastic product to continue to grow in the UK market and beyond. We want to bring more ships, more destinations and more rivers to more customers.


“We have two new ships [due] next


year, and two the year after, and we will continue to review that phased growth that is right for our brands while staying true to the Tui DNA. “We want to do it properly rather


than scale up too big and we will see what the opportunities are like.” Berzins said new vessel Tui Aria


represented “the next step for the fleet” with multi-purpose venues and more dining options. She said there would be a focus


on “enhancing end-to-end customer experience” with more pre and post-cruise land programmes in tandem with the Tui portfolio. She also emphasised Tui River


Cruises’ commitment to the trade, saying she wanted to get “as many agents as possible” onto the line’s ships as she believed it was “the best product” and “a great entry point for people that are new to river cruising”.


Tui Aria in Frankfurt On trading, Berzins said


demand was “really strong” across all ships and destinations. While Europe is “the heartland”


for the brand, she said Nile cruises had been performing well, despite uncertainty due to the Middle East conflict. Asked about concerns around


overcrowding on European rivers, Berzins acknowledged there was “a lot of growth” in the sector but insisted cruise ships make up “a small percentage of river traffic”.


Nile cruises to continue as planned until end of April


Tui River Cruises will continue its season until the end of April as planned on the Nile in Egypt. The operator has had two ships,


Tui Al Horeya and Tui Bahareya, operating in the region since November last year.


10 2 APRIL 2026 Berzins said there had been no


cancellations since the beginning of the conflict involving the US, Iran and Israel, with occupancy at “expected levels”. She said there had not been “a


huge amount of impact at this point


in time”, adding: “Our occupancies are pretty full for the rest of the season. “Whether we start to see an


impact with future bookers as we go into next winter is unknown at this point in time.”


ui Aria


Line promises ‘twist’ for ships


The operator said it had confirmed orders for new-build ships for 2028 in light of sales for its first vessel on the Douro River “surpassing expectations”. Berzins (pictured)


said she was “so excited” to design and build the brand’s first ships. She vowed the


vessels would provide “a refreshing twist on river cruising” with more multi- purpose venues and modern design, adding that features needed to “add value, rather than being a gimmick”. “There are a lot of


things we’ve looked at, like extendable balconies, which look amazing, but the reality is you can never use them.” Tui Luzia and Tui Elara


are due to launch in 2027 on the Douro and in central Europe. Itineraries for two as-yet-unnamed vessels for 2028 are still to be revealed.


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURES: Tui River Cruises


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52