TUI River Cruises further accelerates growth with two next generation new build ships for 2028

TUI River Cruises has announced the signing of two new build ships for the next generation of river cruise ships at TUI Aria’s Christening in Frankfurt. The move signals TUI’s continued commitment to growing its River Cruise brand. The two new‑build vessels will grow TUI River Cruises’ fleet from six ships in 2026 to a programme that expands the fleet to 10 ships in by 2028, operating across Europe, the Rhine, Nile and the Douro.  

These two new build ships have been designed and built from the outset with the foundations in place for the next generation of alternative fuels, particularly methanol. Each ship will have 94 cabins, 188 guest capacity and will continue to define and set new standards for modern river cruising through fresh innovative features, high-quality interiors and a variety of spacious venues whilst keeping the TUI service at the heart of the river cruise product. 

This represents a major step for TUI River Cruises, marking its move into two new‑build vessels for the next generation of its river cruise fleet. The investment underlines a clear phase of growth and expansion for the brand, with the new ships increasing the fleet from six vessels in 2026 to a programme that expands the fleet to 10 ships in by 2028, operating across Europe, the Rhine, Nile and the Douro. 

The ships will be designed specifically for the UK market and will continue to include flexibility and choice in mind for their customers.  

The river cruise line is continuing to deliver strong performances year on year** with high customer satisfaction and growing occupancy levels. TUI Group is committing to building its river cruise business in response to rising consumer demand and desire for culturally rich experiences on the river waterways. 

Katy Berzins, Head of River Cruises at TUI River Cruises said: “Announcing our new-build ships marks a major milestone for TUI River Cruises and signals our continued investment in the future of our fleet. These new ships, purpose-built for our customers, reflect our ambition for growth and our commitment to delivering an elevated, modern river cruising experience. They will embody the flexibility and choice TUI River Cruises’ represents in modern river cruising, allowing culturally immersive holidays to come to life on the river.  

It has also been a pleasure to share this news at the same time as welcoming TUI Aria into operation—another important step in the evolution of our brand. We look forward to introducing guests to these new ships when they enter service in 2028, and to TUI Aria from Summer 2026.” 

TUI Aria Christening Katy Berzins, Mark Sage, Paula Burgess and Lynsey-Ann Forward

This announcement came off the back of TUI Aria’s Christening, the largest capacity refurbished ship to join the TUI River Cruises European fleet. The Christening took place on the river Rhine in Frankfurt where there were speeches from Head of River Cruises, Katy Berzins and Managing Director Expansion Businesses, Mircea Tudose.  Celebrations for the Christening included a ceremonial breaking the bottle, the official naming of TUI Aria and the celebrations of the godparents – TUI Agent, Paula Burgess and Senior Commercial Manager, Mark Sage at TUI River Cruises. The night concluded with a live DJ set from Frankfurt’s DJ Duka, a seven-piece band B*Spoke and a saxophonist, Dima.