TUI River Cruises has announced a newly refurbished ship, TUI Ria, with the highest capacity in the fleet, to set sail down two rivers: the Rhine and Moselle from Amsterdam, Basel and Frankfurt for summer 2026.

The new ship will be the river cruise line’s highest capacity passenger ship across the fleet, which will accommodate 190 passengers and will also offer new flight routes from Newcastle Airport to Frankfurt and Bristol Airport to Amsterdam.

This launch comes after the river cruise line has seen strong demand during its third year in action, with an increase of 17% bookings year on year.  

TUI Ria will be the latest ship to join the TUI River Cruises fleet and fourth to hit the European waterways, joining the three other adult only ships: TUI Isla, TUI Maya and TUI Skyla.

TUI Ria
TUI Ria

The ship will operate six, seven, eight and nine-night Full Board Plus* sailings from Amsterdam, Basel and Frankfurt with three new itineraries making nine itineraries in total.  

The ship will be the first TUI River Cruise ship in Europe to include a pool with panoramic views, a sauna, sun loungers, a putting green and a shuffleboard on the upper deck.

The onboard pool will double as a versatile area, serving as a pool during the day. In the evening, the pool floor will rise to close off the water, transforming the space into a secondary dining venue and entertainment area.

The pool has a retractable roof, offering year-round, weatherproof enjoyment – another first for the fleet. The ship will also have modern and spacious interiors with a choice of restaurants, lounges and entertainment spaces. 

The 190 passengers will be accommodated across 96 cabins including standard French balcony cabins and superior cabins, housing more customers than ever before to sail through the European waterways on the river cruise line. 

The two new direct flights will fly on selected dates and itineraries. Flights from Bristol Airport to Amsterdam will operate on the 4th May, 1st June and 28th September 2026. The second new route will be from Newcastle Airport to Frankfurt and will operate on the 4th,11th and 25th April 2026. 

Katy Berzins, Head of TUI River Cruises, TUI River Cruises said: We’re thrilled to be expanding our fleet with the addition of the latest ship to sail the European waterways. This marks another significant step in the growth of TUI River Cruises, following our second newly refurbished ship announcement in just one month.

TUI Ria will provide more customers than ever the opportunity to explore Europe’s stunning rivers, offering new routes and alternatives, all with convenient access from UK regional airports.

Onboard TUI Ria, guests can enjoy a unique all-weather pool with panoramic views and a versatile venue that transitions from a daytime space to an evening dining and entertainment area. These innovative features of TUI Ria, combined with enhanced accessibility from UK regional airports, will strengthen TUI River Cruises’ position in the market, offering customers more choice and flexibility in how they choose to sail with us.”

Like the rest of the European fleet, TUI Ria will be Full Board Plus, as standard with the option for guests to upgrade to all-inclusive and will include a day and night entertainment programme.

TUI Ria - Swimming Pool
TUI Ria – Swimming Pool

The three new itineraries include the Moselle & North Rhine itinerary sailing from Frankfurt, and the North Rhine & Moselle Explorer and Dutch Delta Discovery itineraries from Amsterdam sailing with TUI Ria. 

Itinerary: North Rhine & Moselle Explorer 

Day 1: Frankfurt, Germany 

Day 2: Rudesheim, Germany 

Day 3: Cohem, Germany 

Day 4: Trier, Germany 

Day 5: Bernkastel-Kues, Germany 

Day 6: Koblenz, Germany 

Day 7: Cologne, Germany 

Day 8: Rotterdam, The Netherlands 

Day 9 and 10: Amsterdam, The Netherlands 
 

Itinerary: Moselle & North Rhine 

Day 1: Frankfurt, Germany 

Day 2: Rudesheim, Germany 

Day 3: Cochem, Germany 

Day 4: Trier, Germany 

Day 5: Bernkastel-Kues, Germany 

Day 6: Koblenz, Germany 

Day 7: Cologne, Germany 

Day 8 and 9: Amsterdam, The Netherlands 

 
Itinerary: Dutch Delta Discovery 

Day 1 and 2: Amsterdam, The Netherlands 

Day 3: Rotterdam, The Netherlands 

Day 4: Veere, The Netherlands 

Day 5: Ghent, Belgium 

Day 6: Antwerp, Belgium 

Day 7: Amsterdam, The Netherlands 

The Dutch Delta Discovery on TUI Ria from £1649 per person based on two adults sharing a Deck 1 cabin on a Full Board Plus basis. Price includes flights from London Heathrow Airport on the 1st June 2026, tips and transfers included. To find out more about this holiday or to book go to tui.co.uk/river-cruises, visit your local TUI holiday store or download our app. 

All prices quoted are correct to the particular product package at the time of issuing the price package/packages to the publication. Price was quoted on 21/10/2024. Prices provided are subject to change and have limited availability. Terms and conditions apply.

*Full Board Plus comes as standard, which means you get tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine or beer with meals. There’s the option of house white, red, or rose wine at lunch and dinner, or you can try the specially selected wine from the region at dinnertime. Any other drinks need to be paid for, or you can upgrade to All Inclusive.

TUI River Cruises is offering a £50 shore excursion credit per person for all TUI Ria bookings made between 21st October and 30th November 2024. The credit will be applied to customer’ bookings and will become available to customers closer to the sailing. The offer will be valid for bookings made both in-store and online.

Source: TUI Group PR & Comms

Images: © 2024 TUI AG

TUI River Cruises – My Cruise Blog


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