Cruise news

TUI will showcase its new boutique river cruises in late autumn with a short season of Main and Rhine fly-cruises to European Christmas markets.

The travel giant’s TUI Isla cruise ship debuts on November 26 for five-night itineraries from Frankfurt including Mistletoe & Rhine, Yuletide Wonders and Rhine Gems.

Then in April she’ll be joined by sisters TUI Skyla and TUI Maya for a full European summer season.

The trio have all had a three-month, multimillion-pound makeover and passengers will have the choice of a fine dining and a casual restaurant and two bars.

Drinks will be included with meals and passengers can buy local wines onshore and have them served during their meals with no corkage charge. Seven grades of cabin will be on offer, all with a sustainability focus, such as carpets made from fishing nets.

For 2021, Isla will sail from

Basel and Amsterdam, with Skyla based in Frankfurt, and they will sail the Rhine, Moselle, Main and Dutch and Belgian waterways. Maya will be sailing from Budapest and Vienna to explore the Danube.

TUI’S UK cruise chief Chris Hackney said: “With so much to discover on a river cruise, we’ve put exploration at the heart of our offer.” River cruises are not included in UK Covid-19 restrictions for ocean trips and extensive health and safety measures will be in place.

Fly-cruise prices for the five night pre-christmas trips start at £609pp with £85 excursion credit, and from £1,100pp for seven nights next summer (excursion credit: £120). tui.co.uk/river-cruises