TUI brings book club and stargazing to its river vesselsTUI brings book club and stargazing to its river vessels

‘Wellness continues to be a global trend, so we’ve decided to incorporate more elements of relaxation and mindfulness into our on board activity programme,’ explained Katy Berzins, head of TUI River Cruises.

‘These new activities will help to ensure customers have time on the ship to enjoy their hobbies or take part in activities they’ve been looking to try after a day of sightseeing some of Europe’s iconic destinations.’  

She added, ‘Whether it’s arts and crafts, stargazing or reading the latest thriller, we want to give our customers the opportunity to spend a relaxing break on board and immerse themselves in the truly unique river cruise experience.’  

TUI River Cruises recently increased capacity for winter 2023 with an additional seven festive sailings. The boost to the program comes off the back of strong results for the river cruise line, with bookings up more than 30% year on year.  

Popular book titles and stargazing 

The on board Book Club gives passengers the chance to read and discuss a bestseller, and connect with other passengers. A number of copies of each book title will be made available on board for them to read, with three Book Club sessions held during the cruise. Current titles include ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ and ‘The Keeper of Stories’ both by author Sally Page. 

Bespoke stargazing is available when conditions allow. Using telescopes and binoculars, passengers can spot constellations, pointed out by the on board activity host. 

Mindfulness activities 

According to TUI River Cruises, following the popularity of on board winter crafts, activities such as jewellery making, card making and seasonal wreath making have been added to the summer daytime activity line up to allow passengers to create something for themselves, or a gift.

The summer season will also see a silent fitness class available for passengers, with passengers given headphones to choose music that suits their tastes for participating in a dance class. 

Guided meditation involving relaxation techniques, deep breathing exercises and mindfulness mediation will also be offered.