By
Rebecca Gibson |
TUI River Cruises’ latest river cruise ship, TUI Al Horeya, will boast five new venues – including the brand’s first multifunctional top-deck area with a swimming pool – when it debuts on the River Nile in Egypt in November 2024.
The vessel, which is owned by Egyptian travel company Travco and will be chartered to TUI for an unspecified length of time, is currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment in dry dock at a shipyard in Cairo, Egypt. Following the refit, TUI Al Horeya (‘freedom’ in Arabic) will be able to accommodate 145 passengers in 74 single and standard cabins and suites. The most notable new venue is Top Deck, which will be divided into relaxation and activity zones and boast a swimming pool, two hot tubs, sun loungers and an alfresco dining space where guests can enjoy light bites or afternoon tea during the day. At night, Top Deck will be converted into reservation-only dining venue Felucca, which will have capacity for 30 guests. It will offer locally inspired cuisine served by waiting staff dressed in traditional galabaya clothing.
Guests will also be able to dine in the new main restaurant, Lazeeza (‘delicious’ in Arabic), which will host the seven-course gala dinner during each cruise.
Lazeeza, the main restaurant, will have capacity for 141 guests and offer waiter service
Other new venues include the Wellness Area, which will have both a massage room and a fully equipped exercise space, and The Observatory, which will host traditional entertainment from Egyptian Whirling Dervishes and local Nubian acts every night. It will also serve as a space for live quizzes, musical performances, film showings and more.
“We have focused on TUI Al Horeya having quality venues, with flexibility in mind for all our customers,” said Katy Berzins, head of TUI River Cruises. “The design of each of these venues gives choice to our customers from the intimate Felucca dining space to the traditional Lazeeza main restaurant.”
TUI Al Horeya will sail seven-night, all-inclusive roundtrip cruises from Luxor, Egypt, between November 2024 and April 2025, visiting destinations along the Nile including Aswan, Efu and Kom Ombo. As part of the inclusive package, TUI will operate two exclusive charter flights per week from London Gatwick and Manchester airports in the UK to Luxor.
“We’ve gone from the European waterways of the Rhine, Danube, Main and Moselle and now our first North-African cruise ship down the Nile, which will offer our customers the chance to experience Egypt in a whole new light,” said Berzins. “Coupled with the option of TUI flying means that we can truly ensure a seamless end-to-end customer experience.”