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TUI River Cruises has announced a brand-new River Nile cruise set to commence in Winter 2024 with exclusive TUI charter flights to Luxor from London Gatwick and Manchester Airports.
The exciting expansion means that the river cruise line will add a fully refurbished five-star ship, to be named TUI Al Horeya, which means ‘freedom’, to operate seven-night, all-inclusive round-trip sailings from Luxor. TUI Al Horeya can accommodate 145 passengers and offers 74 cabins including singles, standard cabins and suites.
Two flights per week will operate from London Gatwick and Manchester to Luxor; a city which encompasses a mesmerizing blend of history, architecture, and culture. The new routes is exclusive to TUI, which will be the only tour operator to offer direct, non-stop flights from the UK to Luxor which will operate weekly on a Thursday from 7th November 2024 until 24th April 2025.
Chris Hackney, managing director of TUI River Cruises said: “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.
“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.”
He continued, “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. TUI Al Horeya in Arabic means ‘freedom’, signifying the freedom the water brings to explore which is a great representation of what river cruising is all about.”
Dedicated licenced Egyptologists will be on hand throughout the trip to enhance the customer experience to be on hand to answer any questions. The modern and contemporary ship will boasts a top deck swimming pool, two whirlpools, an entertainment area, restaurant, Al Fresco dining, lounge bar, wellness studio and a boutique shop.
Like the rest of the fleet, TUI Al Horeya will include a day and night entertainment programme, as well as offering customers a wide range of excursions which have been curated by industry experts, guaranteed to transport visitors back in time to the era of pharaohs and dynasties.
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. To ensure that customers have as much flexibility within their cruise, a range of excursions will be on offer in Luxor and Awan for them to choose from. Options include:
- Discovering the Temples of Karnak and Luxor with the Sphinx Avenue, a strikingly graceful piece or architecture on the banks of the Nile;
- 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, a canvas-sailed boat;
- Touring the High Dam, Obellsk and Phllae Temple, which was built in 1960
TUI Al Horeya is the latest addition to the TUI River Cruise fleet, which currently has three adult only ships. The announcement of this new destination comes on the back of strong demand from customers, with bookings increasing by 40 per cent compared to last year. To meet demand for Winter 2024, all three European ships will be going on sale for festive sailings and will include two new seven-night itineraries over New Year’s Eve; the ‘New Year Sail Away’ itinerary on-board TUI Isla, with New Year’s Eve spent in Cologne and ‘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 on Skyla.
The first Legends of the Nile itinerary will set sail on the 7th November 2024:
Day 1: Luxor
Day 2: Luxor
Day 3: Edfu
Day 4: Kom Ombo
Day 5: Aswan
Day 6: Aswan
Day 7: Luxor
Day 8: Luxor
Available from £1399 based on two adults sharing a Deck 2 Superior French Balcony cabin on an All-Inclusive basis. Price includes flights from London Gatwick airport on the 5th December 2024, and transfers. To find out more about this holiday or to book go to tui.co.uk/river-cruises, visit your local TUI holiday store or download our app.
