TUI River Cruises has announced the signing for two new 188-guest river ships at the TUI Aria’s Christening in Frankfurt.

The company said the move signals its continued commitment to growing its river brand.

The two vessels will grow TUI River Cruises’ fleet from six ships in 2026 to a program that expands the fleet to 10 ships in by 2028, operating across Europe, the Rhine, Nile and the Douro.

These two new build ships have been designed and built from the outset with the foundations in place for the next generation of alternative fuels, particularly methanol, the company said.

Katy Berzins, Head of River Cruises at TUI River Cruises said: “Announcing our new-build ships marks a major milestone for TUI River Cruises and signals our continued investment in the future of our fleet. These new ships, purpose-built for our customers, reflect our ambition for growth and our commitment to delivering an elevated, modern river cruising experience. They will embody the flexibility and choice TUI River Cruises’ represents in modern river cruising, allowing culturally immersive holidays to come to life on the river.”

This announcement came off the back of TUI Aria’s Christening, the largest capacity refurbished ship to join the TUI River Cruises European fleet.

The christening took place on the river Rhine in Frankfurt where there were speeches from Head of River Cruises, Katy Berzins and Managing Director Expansion Businesses, Mircea Tudose.

Celebrations for the Christening included a ceremonial breaking the bottle, the official naming of TUI Aria and the celebrations of the godparents – TUI Agent, Paula Burgess and Senior Commercial Manager, Mark Sage at TUI River Cruises. The night concluded with a live DJ set from Frankfurt’s DJ Duka, a seven-piece band B*Spoke and a saxophonist, Dima.

The ship order, according to the company, underlines a clear phase of growth and expansion for the brand, with the new ships increasing the fleet from six vessels in 2026 to a program that expands the fleet to 10 ships in by 2028, operating across Europe, the Rhine, Nile and the Douro.

The ships will be designed specifically for the UK market and will continue to include flexibility and choice in mind for their customers.