By
Rebecca Gibson |
Thomson Cruises’ TUI Discovery embarked on her maiden cruise on 11 June following her christening in Palma, Majorca on 9 June.
Named by Thomson Cruises employees Mimi Kasomwoshi Ragui and Hazel Ceguera, the vessel formerly sailed as Royal Caribbean International’s Splendour of the Seas and underwent a six-week renovation and rebranding at Navantia Shiprepairs’ yard in Cadiz, Spain.
The celebration ceremony was coordinated by Black Skull Creative’s Dan Shipton and Ross Nicholson, who produced the opening and closing ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Highlights of the ceremony included theatrical performances and keynote speeches from Helen Caron, managing director of Thomson Cruises; Nick Longman, managing director of TUI UK and Ireland; and John Westgarth-Pratt, captain of TUI Discovery. The ceremony concluded with a performance from Grammy Award-winning artist Jess Glynne and a fireworks display.
TUI Discovery then set sail for Barcelona to prepare for her 11 June inaugural voyage, which will take guests to Mediterranean destinations such as Rome and Florence in Italy, and Corsica, France.
“The launch of TUI Discovery marks an exciting time for Thomson Cruises, so it was an honour to have Jess Glynne join us to celebrate what has been a fantastic night for everyone involved,” said Helen Caron, managing director of Thomson Cruises. “TUI Discovery is a real game-changer for us and shows our commitment to delivering unforgettable holidays that are personalised for each of our customers. We’re incredibly proud of being able to offer truly memorable experiences in some of the world’s most exciting and exotic destinations and tonight has given a real taster of that.”
TUI Discovery is part of an initiative for Thomson Cruises transition to TUI over the next 18 months. Thomson Cruises recently revealed it had acquired Royal Caribbean International’s Legend of the Seas, which will be renamed TUI Discovery 2 and start operating as part of the fleet from May 2017.