TUI Aria will include the river cruise operator’s first pool, along with other new features
TUI River Cruises has unveiled the new venues on board its highest capacity ship across the fleet, TUI Aria, which is due to set sail on its maiden voyage in March 2026 on the River Rhine.
TUI Aria, an adults-only cruise ship, will sail along the Rhine, Main, Moselle, Dutch and Belgian waterways from summer 2026, equipped with 96 cabins to accommodate 190 guests per sailing.
Reflections is the new multi-use venue on board, featuring the fleet’s first pool. The space includes showers, a sauna and a retractable roof for year-round use. During the day, Reflections operates as a poolside area with sun loungers offering light breakfast and lunch options such as yoghurt pots, granola, pastries and smoothies. In the evening, the pool floor rises to create a dining space for up to 36 guests. Reflections then serves as a secondary à la carte restaurant with Italian-inspired dishes such as arancini, caprese salads, charcuterie and pasta dishes. The venue also hosts live music and film screenings.
The Top Deck will host the fleet’s first putting green while providing customers with a range of activities such as sun-loungers, a shuffleboard and various deck games. The main restaurant, Verdastro, will also feature on TUI Aria. It can seat 190 for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The waiter-service restaurant will be open to all customers and will offer a buffet mix and live cooking prepared by the ship’s chef. It will have a daily changing menu spotlighting local flavours, so customers can get a taste for the region they’re sailing through while on board. The gala dinner for each sailing will take place in Verdastro, where customers will be served a six-course meal which takes them on a European culinary journey with every course.
The Observatory will be the ’heartbeat’ of the ship as it will host nightly entertainment from TUI River Cruises’ resident entertainment team who will provide a programme of day to night entertainment such as vocal productions, music, quizzes, film showings and a silent disco. The versatile space will also host the river cruise’s Afternoon Tea.
TUI River Cruises head of river cruises Katy Berzins said, “TUI Aria marks a bold new chapter for TUI River Cruises, reflecting our commitment to innovation and guest experience. As our highest capacity ship to date, it’s been designed to offer more flexibility for our customers – whether they’re seasoned river cruisers or new to river cruises. Reflections, our new multi-use innovative venue, transforms from a poolside area by day to a stylish dining venue by night, offering more choice for our customers. Alongside new itineraries, additional regional flight options, and thoughtfully designed onboard experiences,TUI Aria opens up even more ways for customers to explore Europe’s rivers in style.”
Its itineraries include the Moselle and North Rhine itinerary sailing from Frankfurt, and the North Rhine & Moselle Explorer and Dutch Delta Discovery itineraries from Amsterdam.
