The vessel will be fully refurbished in preparation for seven-night, all-inclusive round-trip sailings from Luxor with UK-based passengers in mind. Two flights per week will make their way from London Gatwick and Manchester airports to the Egyptian city, home to the Valley of the Kings.
Nonstop to Luxor
TUI said it will be the only tour operator to offer direct, nonstop flights from the UK to Luxor which will run weekly on Thursdays from November 7, 2024 until April 24, 2025.
The vessel has capacity for 145 passengers and offers 74 cabins, including singles, standard cabins and suites. Chris Hackney, MD, TUI River Cruises, delivered an exclusive media briefing on July 19 in London where he said ‘We're taking the the best elements in terms of our product, and really bringing this to the ship.' The vessel is currently in drydock and cabin design is ‘pretty much complete.
‘TUI River Cruises is going from strength to strength, and we are so excited to introduce this latest offering on the Nile which we are confident our customers will love,’ said the MD.
‘A cruise along the Nile offers a serene and unforgettable experience with lush landscapes, traditional villages, and other iconic landmarks such as the Luxor and Edfu Temples. With year-round sunshine, Egypt is the perfect destination for exploring ancient history and allowing guests to immerse themselves in a once in a lifetime opportunity.’
TUI Al Horeya
Hackney explained the name TUI Al Horeya was chosen 'to ensure we kept local connection to Egypt, as it is our only TUI River Cruise ship which will stay in the one country.'
The name means ‘freedom’ in Arabic, 'signifying the freedom the water brings to explore which is a great representation of what river cruising is all about,' Hackney said.
The vessel will come from Travco Group, a travel and tourism company in Egypt that has a long relationship with TUI.. 'We've really crafted something with our partner out there in terms of a ship that I think will work really well for the UK market ... We're working with our partner in terms of our vision and what we're trying to achieve. That's coming along really well at the moment. By the time [the ship] operates next winter, we'll have some softer touches around the branding, the menus, the softer furnishings, to give it the look and feel we've got across the ships.'
Contemporary in style, the vessel will be equipped with a top deck swimming pool, two whirlpools, an entertainment area, restaurant, alfresco dining, lounge bar, wellness studio and a boutique. It will feature the Observatory - a venue that appears on TUI’s other river vessels. The massage and wellness area will have floor to ceiling windows for extensive views, and host fitness classes and meditation. ‘We're trying to bring some new things onto this ship, as well, to really give a full encompassing experience,’ noted Hackney.
Katy Berzins, head of TUI River Cruises, said the ship will be like a ‘home away from home’ while continuing the line’s practice of serving up some dishes that resonate with the destination visited.
Itinerary and highlights
The first ‘Legends of the Nile’ itinerary will set sail on November 7, 2024. The itinerary includes Luxor for days one and two, Edfu on day three and Kom Ombo on day four. Days five and six will be dedicated to Aswan with the following two days centred again on Luxor.
Additionally, there will be two set excursions included within the sailing package price, this includes the Temple of Horus in Edfu and the temple of Kom Ombo. Other excursions will be on offer in Luxor and Aswan for passengers to choose from. These include: the Temples of Karnak and Luxor with the Sphinx Avenue; experiencing a sound and light show at Karnak Temple, which recounts the history of Thebes and the lives of pharaohs; visiting the Nubian Village, located on an Island, and sail on a traditional felucca; touring the High Dam, Obellsk and Phllae Temple.
Licensed Egyptologists will be on hand throughout the sailing to answer passengers’ questions relating to ancient Egypt. Like the rest of the fleet, TUI Al Horeya will also comprise a day and night entertainment programme.
The cruise is priced starting at £1399 per person based on two adults sharing a Deck 2 Superior French Balcony cabin on an all-inclusive basis, with flights from London Gatwick airport on December 5, 2024, and transfers.
More fly-cruise options are yet to be announced and options to visit Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh.
Meeting customer demand
The unveiling of the new Egypt itinerary and fourth adult only ship in the TUI River Cruise fleet comes on the back of strong customer demand, with bookings increasing by 40% compared to last year.
To meet demand for winter 2024, all three European ships will operate festive voyages with two new seven-night itineraries over New Year’s Eve: the ‘New Year Sail Away’ itinerary on TUI Isla, with New Year's Eve spent in Cologne, and the ‘Sail into the New Year’ itinerary on TUI Maya, with New Year’s celebrations in Frankfurt. This is in addition to the existing ‘New Year on The Rhine’ itinerary from TUI Skyla.
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