TUI River Cruises launches its largest-ever ship: meet TUI Aria

TUI River Cruises has revealed a brand new ship, TUI Aria, will be sailing on two European rivers from spring 2026. Having only launched in 2021, TUI River Cruises has quickly become a firm favourite among holidaymakers during its impressive first four years. Hot on the heels of the announcement that a second ship will be sailing the Nile, the new TUI Aria is a testament to the brand’s popularity with UK travellers looking for a new way to explore Europe and beyond.

With a brand-new design that includes a panoramic swimming pool and a much larger guest capacity, TUI Aria joins the cruise line’s three other adult-only ships operating in Europe: TUI Isla, TUI Maya and TUI Skyla. Guests will be able to book six, seven, eight and nine-night ‘Full Board Plus’ sailings from Amsterdam, Basel and Frankfurt, inclusive of return UK flights. It will also offer three new itineraries along the Moselle and Rhine rivers, which TUI will accommodate with two new direct flights.

TUI has now confirmed that Aria will also sail the Main river, and expand into Dutch and Belgian waterways as well, offering more varied options across Northern Europe.

TUI Aria will accommodate up to 190 passengers across 96 cabins. These will include standard French balcony cabins and superior cabins, opening the door to more guests than ever before to sail through idyllic European waterways with the river cruise line. 

The jewel in the new ship’s crown will no doubt be its all-weather pool, complete with a retractable roof for guests to swim to their heart’s content, come rain or shine. The pool’s panoramic views will make for a memorable swimming experience, while the nearby sauna, bar and sun loungers are sure to be a popular spot for relaxing after a day of exploration.

And the retractable roof isn’t the only trick this pool has up its sleeve. In the evenings, the pool floor rises to close off any water, transforming the space into a secondary dining venue and entertainment area. Here, guests will be able to enjoy memorable evenings such as movie nights or silent discos under the stars. Pool by day, party venue by night! 

Other playful amenities include a putting green on the upper deck, as well as a shuffleboard.

This area will be officially known as ‘Reflections’ – a multi-use venue that transitions into an à la carte restaurant and entertainment space at night, with Italian-inspired dishes like arancini and caprese salads, alongside live music and film screenings. Light bites like pastries and smoothies are served poolside during the day, and the space can host up to 36 guests for dinner.

The top deck will also host yoga sessions, BBQs and ice cream parties, weather permitting.

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The main restaurant, Verdastro, will return on TUI Aria – a popular spot across the TUI River Cruises fleet. It will serve buffet and live cooking meals for all guests, plus a six-course gala dinner once per cruise. Menus will spotlight local flavours inspired by the region being visited, to further bring each destination to life.

When it comes to entertainment, The Observatory lounge will be the ship’s hub, featuring vocal productions, music, quizzes, silent discos, and a classic Afternoon Tea with all the classics – from scones and cakes to finger sandwiches.

– READ MORE: What can you expect on TUI’s latest Nile River ship? –

TUI River Cruises has unveiled that the ship will offer three new itineraries along the Rhine and Moselle rivers: the ‘North Rhine and Moselle Explorer’, the ‘Moselle and North Rhine’ and the ‘Dutch Delta Discovery’. Itineraries will stop at popular destinations such as Cologne with its magnificent cathedral or the picturesque canals of Amsterdam, but will also introduce guests to lesser-known gems such as the beautiful village of Cochem – backed by rolling hills and vineyards.

Two new direct flights from the UK will fly on selected dates to complement the new itineraries, making it easier than ever for holidaymakers to access these dreamy pockets and rivers of Europe. Flights from Bristol Airport to Amsterdam will operate on the May 4, June 1 and September 28, 2026. The second new route will be from Newcastle Airport to Frankfurt and will operate on April 4, 11 and 25, 2026.

North Rhine & Moselle Explorer
Day 1: Frankfurt, Germany
Day 2: Rudesheim, Germany
Day 3: Cohem, Germany
Day 4: Trier, Germany
Day 5: Bernkastel-Kues, Germany
Day 6: Koblenz, Germany
Day 7: Cologne, Germany
Day 8: Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Day 9 and 10: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Moselle & North Rhine
Day 1: Frankfurt, Germany
Day 2: Rudesheim, Germany
Day 3: Cochem, Germany
Day 4: Trier, Germany
Day 5: Bernkastel-Kues, Germany
Day 6: Koblenz, Germany
Day 7: Cologne, Germany
Day 8 and 9: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Dutch Delta Discovery
Day 1 and 2: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Day 3: Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Day 4: Veere, The Netherlands
Day 5: Ghent, Belgium
Day 6: Antwerp, Belgium
Day 7: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Like the rest of the TUI River Cruises’ fleet, TUI Aria will be Full Board Plus, as standard. This means you get all meals (including an an afternoon tea on one day of your cruise), a day and night entertainment programme, wi-fi, tea, coffee, soft drinks, and wine or beer with meals. There’s the option of house white, red, or rose wine at lunch and dinner, or you can try the specially selected wine from the region at dinnertime. Any other drinks need to be paid for, otherwise there’s the option to upgrade to all-inclusive.

To celebrate the ship’s launch, TUI River Cruises is offering £50 shore excursion credit per person for all TUI Aria bookings made between October 21 and November 30, 2024, valid for bookings made both in-store and online.

Shore excursions are at an additional cost, however tend to be very reasonable. As a guide, city tours can be as little as £12. 

How much will TUI Aria river cruises cost?

Prices start at £1649pp for The Dutch Delta Discovery on TUI Aria – based on two adults sharing a deck 1 cabin on a Full Board Plus basis. Prices include flights from London Heathrow Airport on June 1, 2026, tips and transfers included. 

To find out more, visit tui.co.uk/river-cruises.

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