TUI River Cruises has announced that the TUI Luzia was floated out at Concordia Damen’s partner yard Kladovo Shipyard in Serbia. 

This is seen as a milestone for the river brand’s first purpose-built ship because it means that the vessel is moving into its final stage of construction, according to a company statement. 

Scheduled for delivery in June 2027, the ship will spend her inaugural season sailing itineraries on the Douro Valley in Portugal. 

“The float out of TUI Luzia marks another significant milestone for TUI River Cruises and our longstanding partnership with Concordia Damen,” said Katy Berzins, head of river cruises at TUI River Cruises.  

“As our first purpose-built ship, TUI Luzia represents an exciting new chapter for our brand. Her arrival on the River Douro in summer 2027 will not only extend our portfolio into one of Europe’s most sought-after river cruise destinations, but also open up new experiences for both existing and new TUI River Cruises customers.”  

The TUI Luzia will accommodate 111 passengers in 56 cabins, including Super French Balcony cabins, Balcony cabins, French Balcony Suites and a single cabin.  

It will have four decks, including a top deck complete with a shallow pool and sun loungers and Cinder, a bar and dining area open every day for drinks and self-serve lunches. 

Other venues on the ship include Novo, the main lounge bar; Retreat, a hybrid area offering a juice bar and a secondary lounge bar for drinks at night.  

The dining offer will entail Sorriso, the main restaurant serving breakfast through to dinner, and Vinha, a Portuguese inspired alfresco dining space where guests can enjoy a la carte dinner, as well as unwind during the day. 

Chris Kornet, Concordia Damen CEO, added: “We are proud to be partnering with TUI River Cruises on its first purpose-built river ship, TUI Luzia. The new vessel embodies our shared ambition to bring innovative, future‑ready ship designs to the European river cruise market. By combining Concordia Damen’s engineering expertise with TUI River Cruises’ clear vision for expanding the brand. We look forward to delivering the vessel that will support the river cruise brand’s growth.”  

Bookings are open for the seven-night “Douro Discovery” cruise flying from London Gatwick or Manchester to Porto via third party airlines, starting from £1,219 per person.