TUI River Cruises announces new European ship
TUI River Cruises will deploy a newly refurbished ship on the Rhine and Moselle from Amsterdam, Basel and Frankfurt in summer 2026
The 190-passenger TUI Ria will be the line's highest capacity vessel and offer new flight routes from Newcastle to Frankfurt and Bristol to Amsterdam.
The latest addition to TUI River Cruises' fleet comes after the river cruise operator reported strong demand, with a 17 per cent increase in bookings year-on-year.
TUI Ria will be the latest to join the river cruise line's fleet and fourth in Europe, joining the line's three other adult-only vessels: TUI Isla, TUI Maya and TUI Skyla.
The ship will operate six, seven, eight and nine-night sailings from Amsterdam, Basel and Frankfurt with three new itineraries – making nine itineraries in total.
TUI Ria will be the first TUI River Cruise vessel in Europe to include a pool with panoramic views – which will double as a secondary dining area – sun loungers, a sauna, a putting green and a shuffleboard on the upper deck. There will also be a selection of restaurants, lounges and entertainment spaces.
Passengers will be accommodated across 96 cabins including standard French balcony cabins and superior cabins, housing more travellers than ever before to sail through the European waterways with the river cruise line.
The two new direct flights will depart on selected dates and itineraries. Flights from Bristol to Amsterdam will operate on May 4, June 1, and September 28, 2026. The second new route from Newcastle to Frankfurt will operate on April 4, 11 and 25, 2026.
Katy Berzins, head of 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."
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.
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.
Prices for the Dutch Delta Discovery start from £1,649 per person including flights and is based on two adults sharing a deck one cabin on a full board plus basis.
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About Kaye Holland
Kaye is a London-based wordsmith who has written for a range of publications including The Times, The Independent, The I, Culture Trip, The Sun, and ABTA among others. In June 2022, Kaye joined the Real Response Media where she looks – together with Lucy Abbott – after the World of Cruising website. Want to get in touch? Kaye can be reached at: [email protected]
