TUI River Cruises Reveals Biggest-Ever Winter 2027 Season

TUI River Cruises has revealed its winter 2027 program, describing it as the largest winter season the cruise line has ever launched.

The schedule features 37 sailings between October 2027 and April 2028, offering three-, four-, five-, and seven-night itineraries and bookings open on July 2, 2026, with fares starting from £869 per person for the “A Taste of Christmastime on the Rhine” cruise.

“Winter 2027 marks an exciting step forward for TUI River Cruises as we expand both our fleet and our offering,” said Katy Berzins, Head of River Cruises at TUI River Cruises.

With the addition of TUI Elara for her first winter season, new Rhine itineraries, winter Douro itineraries and calls to new Belgian ports, we’re giving customers more choice and flexibility than ever before from festive Christmas market sailings to solo cruises and a wider range of regional flight options.”

The 2027-28 season will be the first winter deployment for TUI Elara, which enters service in March 2027 and increases TUI River Cruises’ Rhine fleet to three vessels.

Marketed as the cruise line’s smallest and most intimate ship, the *Elara *will operate the “An Enchanting Christmas Journey” itinerary, calling at several Belgian Christmas markets. The itinerary introduces three new Belgian ports: Maastricht, Liege, and Roermond, where the ship is scheduled to be docked on Christmas Day.

Meanwhile, TUI Luzia will begin its first winter season on Portugal’s Douro River after launching in summer 2027. The ship will operate four departures of its “Douro Discovery” itinerary. Beginning on November 5, 2027, the voyage will sail from Porto to Entre os Rios, Peso de Regua, Vega de Terron, Barca d’Alva, return to Peso de Regua, and finish back in Porto.

TUI said these cruises will be supported by third-party flights from London Stansted and London Gatwick to Porto during the winter season.

On the Danube, both TUI Maya and TUI Isla will offer winter itineraries. Among them is the “New Year on the Eastern Danube” cruise aboard Maya, departing December 30, 2027, with the ship spending New Year’s Eve in Budapest.

The cruise line is also expanding its regional flight program by adding a third TUI Airways service from Birmingham to Dusseldorf. The route will complement existing departures from London Gatwick and Manchester for guests sailing aboard Skyla, Aria, and Elara. These flights will support cruises including “Mistletoe & Rhine” on TUI Aria and “A Christmastime on the Rhine” on TUI Skyla.

The winter schedule also includes two sailings designed specifically for solo travelers on the Rhine.

TUI Elara will operate the seven-night “Rhine Chateaux & Gateaux” itinerary from October 31, 2027, visiting Basel, Mannheim, and Koblenz along the southern Rhine, while TUI Aria will offer the four-night “Northern Rhine Highlights” cruise from November 17, 2027, featuring calls at Amsterdam, Cologne, and Mainz.