First look at TUI River Cruises’ new ship, TUI Ria

As the fourth ship in TUI River Cruises’ fleet to hit the European waterways, TUI Ria isn’t simply a carbon copy of her sisters, she has the highest capacity in the fleet and is the first to include a pool with panoramic views.

In fact, this is a river cruise ship to rival your favourite ocean vessel, with bright, modern décor, a glitzy staircase in the entryway and an exciting entertainment schedule.

TUI Ria will sail down the Rhine and Moselle from Amsterdam, Basel and Frankfurt for summer 2026, so you can explore historic water routes featuring storybook castles as well as cosmopolitan cities.

What’s more, if you book a sailing onboard TUI Ria, you can receive a £50 discount per person on shore excursions.

Read on to discover everything you need to know about TUI River Cruises’ latest ship, TUI Ria.

Let me entertain you

For all your entertainment needs, head to the lounge bar in the evening – a glass of wine in hand, of course.

The lounge bar is the ship’s main bar and offers nightly entertainment. Embrace the bright and modern décor before sinking into a plush seat to watch live music and admire local acts gracing the stage to give you a further insight into the destination you’re visiting.

Alongside the live music and local acts, you can get lost in a film or allow your competitive side to shine in a quiz. There’s never been a better time to swot up on your general knowledge.

The pool will double as a secondary entertainment venue – as the pool floor rises to close off the water in a fleet-first for TUI River Cruises. The retractable roof offers year-round weatherproof enjoyment – another first for the fleet.

During the day, it’s a tough choice between soaking up the panoramic views from the pool, taking a steam in the sauna, trying your luck on the putting green or bonding with your new-found friends over a game of shuffleboard.

Rest your weary head

Accommodating 190 guests across 96 cabins – including standard French balcony cabins and superior cabins – you have a choice of four fresh staterooms.

But no matter which you opt for, all cabins possess air-conditioning, a hairdryer, a flatscreen TV, a safe and tea and coffee making facilities (Brits rejoice).

Standard cabins are on deck one and measure 15 metres squared with a porthole window. You’ll get a desk, lounge chair plus a double bed that can be converted to twins.

At the price level above, the superior cabins are also located on deck one and come with a slightly bigger window. At 16 metres squared, you get a little more space, and the double bed converts into twins, like the standard cabins.

Deck two features only superior French balcony cabins – and as the name alludes to, these staterooms come with a French balcony so you can soak up maximum views as you sail. Like the superior cabins on deck one, they are 16 metres squared and feature a double bed that splits to twins.

And deck three also houses superior French balcony cabins of the same standard – but benefits from a higher viewpoint than the rest of the rooms.

Solo travellers are well-catered for with a single cabin located on deck one. These single rooms are the same size as the superior cains, which is a nice touch, with a single bed.

Foodies welcome here

The main restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and all meals benefit from waiter service so you don’t have to lift a finger (or battle for the last sausage at the breakfast buffet).

Free seating means you can enjoy special moments with your fellow guests as stunning scenery sweeps past you through the panoramic windows, and bond over your love for travel.

And the cuisine? You can indulge in a mix of local and international dishes – so you don’t have to step a foot offboard to savour a Frankfurter sausage.

Another bonus – flexible dining times mean you don’t have to plan your explorations around your mealtimes.

Like the rest of the European fleet, TUI Ria offers full board plus as standard. This includes meals, drinks and various onboard activities. You also have the option to upgrade to the all-inclusive drinks package so you can enjoy a tipple outside of mealtimes. Prices start from £21 per person, per night.

When and where can you sail onboard TUI Ria?

TUI Ria is due to launch in the summer of 2026 and joins three other adults-only river cruise ships – TUI Isla, TUI Maya and TUI Skyla.

She will operate six-, seven-, eight- and nine-night itineraries sailing from Amsterdam, Basel and Frankfurt with three brand-new itineraries included in the nine total.

These 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.

And that’s not all. TUI River Cruises will be offering new flight routes from Newcastle airport to Frankfurt and Bristol Airport to Amsterdam – it’s never been easier to cruise.

It’s only right to celebrate a new ship with a cheeky offer. TUI River Cruises is offering a £50 per person credit on shore experiences. Just make sure you book your cruise before November 30, 2024, for any departure dates between March 28 and October 26, 2026, to redeem this offer.

Book something to look forward to in 2026, and what better than a sparkling new ship with the amazing value of TUI River Cruises?