TUI River Cruises finally have finally set sail after months of delay and uncertainty caused by Covid travel regulations.
TUI Maya – the first of the three ships to launch for the adult-only line – embarked on a seven-night sailing in the Moselle Valley after an 18-month hold-up.
The ship, along with and sister vessels TUI Skyla and TUI Isla, have been given a multi-million-pound refurbishment in seven cabin types and will carry up to 155 passengers with two restaurants, two bars and a wellness area.
Passengers will enjoy a radically different cruise experience with the safety of holidaymakers the main priority for the company.
This is what passengers can expect on board one of the new-cruise line's trips:
Vaccine requirements
All guests will need to have had both doses of a UK government approved vaccine at least 14 days before travelling. It doesn’t matter which vaccination you’ve had, as long as it’s on the UK government’s list of currently approved Covid-19 vaccines.
Boarding the ship
When you arrive at the port, a member of the TUI River Cruises team will be there to welcome you onboard, and talk you through the embarkation process.
Before you board, you’ll need to complete a pre-boarding health screening and have your temperature checked.
If you fail the initial pre-boarding health screening, you’ll have a secondary medical screening, which will include testing for Covid-19.
If you fail both checks, you won’t be able to board the ship, and we’ll work with the local authorities to support you. Your close contacts may also be unable to board.
Wearing a face mask and social distancing
You’ll only need to wear a face mask in areas where social distancing isn’t possible, like corridors and some walkways. If you’re medically exempt from wearing a face mask, you’ll need to wear a face shield.
Ships only carry a maximum of 155 guests at any time, while layouts of bars and restaurants have been redesigned to help with social distancing.
Dining
Flexible dining times will be offered with waiter service for lunch and dinner. Waiter service is also available for breakfast, or crew can help serve from the buffet.
You should only dine with the people in your travelling party – you won’t be able to share a table with people you’ve met on your cruise.
Bars will be open and will operate with waiter service, so you don’t have to queue at the bar. Social distancing measures will be in place.
Entertainment
Passengers will still be able to enjoy live music, guest acts and special events onboard. TUI has adapted all entertainment to meet social distancing and safety guidelines.
Contactless payment
There’ll be a cashless system onboard, so you can pay for everything contact-free using your cruise card.
Trips ashore
Regulations around wearing a face mask, as well as social distancing vary from one country to the next. You may be required to wear a face mask in all public areas.
In Germany, it’s a requirement to wear a medical-grade face mask, so make sure you pack enough for all destinations, we recommend you bring enough face masks to last your entire cruise, just in case.
The status of beaches, bars, restaurants and other attractions is also different in every country. You can find out more about the procedures in each country by visiting the Foreign Office’s website.
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