By
Alex Smith |
TUI River Cruises has floated out TUI Luzia, the brand’s first purpose-built ship, marking a major construction milestone as the vessel touched water for the first time.
The float out took place at Kladovo Shipyard in Serbia, a partner yard of Concordia Damen, and signals the ship’s move into its final stage of construction. TUI Luzia is scheduled for delivery in June 2027 and will spend its inaugural season sailing itineraries on the Douro Valley in Portugal.
The ship will accommodate 111 passengers across 56 cabins, including Super French Balcony cabins, Balcony cabins, French Balcony Suites and a single cabin. Guests will have access to four decks, including a top deck with a shallow pool and sun loungers.
Onboard venues include Novo, the main lounge bar; Retreat, a hybrid juice bar and secondary lounge; Sorriso, the main restaurant serving breakfast through dinner; Vinha, a Portuguese-inspired alfresco dining space for a la carte dinners and daytime relaxation; and Cinder, a bar and dining area open daily for drinks and self-serve lunches.
“The float out of TUI Luzia marks another significant milestone for TUI River Cruises and our longstanding partnership with Concordia Damen,” said Katy Berzins, head of river cruises at TUI River Cruises. “As our first purpose-built ship, TUI Luzia represents an exciting new chapter for our brand. Her arrival on the River Douro in summer 2027 will not only extend our portfolio into one of Europe's most sought-after river cruise destinations, but also open up new experiences for both existing and new TUI River Cruises customers.”
“We are proud to be partnering with TUI River Cruises on its first purpose-built river ship, TUI Luzia," said Chris Kornet, CEO at Concordia Damen. “The new vessel embodies our shared ambition to bring innovative, future-ready ship designs to the European river cruise market. By combining Concordia Damen's engineering expertise with TUI River Cruises’ clear vision for expanding the brand, we look forward to delivering the vessel that will support the river cruise brand's growth.”
Credit: TUI River Cruises