Thomson Cruises is claiming an almost 40% increase in passengers on cruise holidays in the last five years.
Numbers in the last year alone rose by nearly 20%, according to the company, which introduces former Royal Caribbean International ship Legend of the Seas as Tui Discovery 2, this weekend in Malaga.
Tui Discovery 2 is the second ship to join the Thomson Cruises fleet in the last 12 months, following the arrival of Tui Discovery last June.
The move to name this latest addition to the fleet Tui Discovery 2 is part of a re-brand which will see the whole of Thomson transition to Tui later this year. Also joining the fleet from May 2018 is the newly announced Tui Explorer.
Tui Discovery 2 includes 915 cabins, 40% of with balconies, and offers all inclusive drinks as standard.
Features include an outdoor poolside film screen, a rock-climbing wall, a mini-golf course and an indoor swimming pool and spa.
A new onboard app ‘Navigate’ will enable passengers to view their onboard accounts, information about facilities and entertainment schedules, and book extras such as spa treatments, excursions and dining room tables.
The app will be hosted on the ship’s network and will open on any browser, meaning passengers do not have to download it or purchase wi-fi packages.
Also new is Virtual Reality Experience, where passengers can use HTC Vive headsets to create a virtual reality experience where they can play games, make 3D paintings or explore universes.
Meanwhile, Green Screen Room is an onboard photobooth that allows passengers to take a picture with a background of their choice.
New shows as part of the onboard entertainment include Brexfactor, Chaplin, Festival Live and Steel City.
Based in Malaga this summer, Tui Discovery 2 will visit Barcelona, Valencia, Ibiza, Porto, Lisbon and Marseille before repositioning to Tenerife in September, visiting ports in the Canaries, Morocco and Madeira.
The ship will then reposition to Montego Bay, Jamaica for a winter season in the Caribbean visiting Cuba, Belize, Panama, Costa Rica and Colombia.
Thomson Cruises managing director, Richard Sofer, said: “We’re delighted to be launching Tui Discovery 2, the second in our pipeline of four new additions to our fleet.
“We’re committed to delivering unforgettable holidays that are personalised for each of our customers and Tui Discovery 2 will play a key role in that for us.
“There is so much for our guests to do onboard and our brand new app ‘Navigate’ makes it all even easier, whilst they spend their time sailing between some of the world’s most exciting and exotic destinations.”