Thomson Cruises has unveiled its summer 2018 programme which sees TUI Discovery based out of the UK for the first time, as well as the addition of 15 new ports of call, including Monaco, Ancona and Skiathos Town, and 12 brand new itineraries.

TUI Discovery, which joined the Thomson Cruises fleet in summer 2016, will be moving to new homeport Newcastle from May 2018 where it will visit the Norwegian fjords and a range of exciting cities including Stockholm, Sweden; Tallinn, Estonia and Reykjavik, Iceland. Passengers sailing on these Baltic cruises can also make use of their time in the region with an overnight onboard stay in St Petersburg, Russia.

In September 2018 and in a first for Thomson Cruises, TUI Discovery moves to Southampton where it will finish its summer sailing four itineraries; Fantastic Fjords, Baltic Treasures, European Experience and Seeking the Northern Lights. The new European Experience itinerary visits Germany, Belgium and France, with an overnight onboard stay in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Seeking the Northern Lights will take customers to the northernmost city in Norway to spot the spectacular natural phenomenon for the first time.

Firm favourite, Thomson Celebration, will move to Dubrovnik for summer 2018 where it will operate an adults-only programme, which includes no-sea day itinerary. Venetian Vistas now offers customers the chance to wake up in a new destination every day, spending full days in Bar, Montenegro; Korcula, Croatia; Zadar, Croatia; Venice, Italy; Trieste, Italy and Split, Croatia. Thomson Celebration will also sail two new itineraries, Sail Three Seas and Greek Mystique. Sail Three Seas will visit Valetta, Malta; Messina, Sicily; Kefalonia; Igoumenitsa, Greece and Kotor, Montenegro, while customers choosing Greek Mystique can explore Chania, Crete; Piraeus (for Athens), Greece; Kalamata, Greece; Corfu Town, Corfu and Kotor, Montenegro.

Making its debut in Corfu Town in summer 2018, TUI Discovery 2 will sail four itineraries in the Eastern Mediterranean, and Thomson Dream will be based in Palma, Majorca. Thomson Cruises’ newest ship, which is currently sailing as Mein Schiff 1 for TUI Cruises will also homeport in Palma, Majorca. Customers choosing these ships, along with Thomson Celebration, will be able to team their holiday with a beach break as part of the extensive Cruise and Stay programme, offering further chance to explore the destinations.

Managing Director of Thomson Cruises Richard Sofer said: “We’re really excited about our summer 2018 programme. We have a fantastic range of destinations on offer, with a real focus on hidden gems in the Mediterranean and a little closer to home in northern Europe.

“The move to bring TUI Discovery to both the north and the south of the UK also shows our commitment to offering choice and flexibility to our customers, giving them the opportunity to sail from a region close to home, as well as offering flights to other destinations from local airports.”

The summer 2018 programme will be on sale from 20th April.