Tui River Cruises aims to have full fleet sailing next spring
Tui UK and Ireland managing director of cruise Chris Hackney has “ambitious” plans for the company’s river cruise fleet after a long-awaited launch into the market.
Even though only one of the line’s three ships is currently sailing due to the uncertainty around travel, Hackney is confident about the product, which is aimed at the UK market.
Occupancy levels are around 50% for Tui Maya’s sailings this autumn, and the line plans to be at full strength next spring when all three ships will be sailing in Europe.
Speaking at the line’s launch last week, he said: “We have ambitious plans for the three ships as we bring them to the market and they will sail all of the five main rivers in Europe. The river cruise market had been growing pre-pandemic and it’s great for us to now be part of that with our ships.
“The ships were largely designed for the UK customer in mind, particularly when we were thinking of the product proposition with our stand out service, excursions and great entertainment acts. It’s been a long time coming and I can’t wait for customers to be onboard.”
All three of the 155-passenger adult-only river ships – Tui Maya, Tui Skyla and Tui Isla – were given multimillion-pound refits after previously operating with Werner-Tours and Reisebüro Mittelthurgau Fluss.