The new ship will be called TUI Alma. It will operate seven-night round trips from Porto, with stops in Entre-os-Rios, Peso de Regua, Vega de Terron, and Barca d'Alva.
Special attention will be given to daytime sailing and shore excursions. Guests will also have access to a TUI Flying service from London Gatwick to Porto.
The four-deck ship will be able to accommodate 123 guests in a total of 62 cabins, which will include six standard cabins with balconies, two suites and one room for solo travelers.
Onboard there will be a main restaurant, a Portuguese-inspired outdoor dining area and an upper deck with a pool, seating areas, sun loungers, a bar and food service.
“The upper deck is going to be one of the most beautiful places and very different from what our competitors offer,” said Katy Berzins, director of TUI River Cruises. “We want to make the most of the good weather, so we’ll have an outdoor bar and dining area, as well as cabanas where guests can sit and admire the scenery.”
“We've poured our hearts and souls into this product. The opportunity to bring to market a new boat that we can design with our customers in mind is an incredibly exciting step forward for us on our journey.”
The TUI Alma will also feature hybrid spaces that will offer different experiences throughout the day.
“We are designing the ship with flexibility and choice in mind, making the spaces different by day and night so that the customer can choose how to spend the day or night on board,” Logan said.
The TUI Alma will be the fifth ship to join the TUI River Cruises fleet. It launched in 2021 with three other ships (TUI Isla, Maya, and Skyla), all of which are marketed primarily to British customers and sail the Danube, Rhine, and Moselle rivers. The brand will also begin operating Nile River cruises with the TUI Al Horeya in the winter of 2024.
“This is a huge moment for TUI River Cruises and a pivotal moment in our journey,” said Chris Logan, Managing Director of TUI Specialist Business. “Considering we only launched in 2021, it’s a testament to our customers’ response that we are able to deliver a newly built ship. We are very excited to create something amazing for our guests.”
TUI River Cruises has also unveiled its program for summer 2025, which includes 21 itineraries across 12 countries.
The program includes three new itineraries, including a five-night “ Windmills and Waterways ” cruise in the Netherlands in April 2025, a six-night “ Sail South of the Rhine ” trip in Germany and Switzerland, and the seven-night “ Jewels of the Danube ” cruises , which stop at some smaller ports along the Danube.
TUI Maya and TUI Skyla will sail along the Danube, while TUI Isla will sail along the Main, the Moselle and the Rhine, offering trips of between three and 15 nights in all cases.
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