Now that the dust has settled on the full merger of TUI Travel and TUI AG, the time has come to rationalise and build on the existing structure to create what CEO Friedrich Joussen described as ‘a leading cruise company in Europe’. The group currently consists of TUI Cruises in Germany, a joint venture with Royal Caribbean, Hapag-Lloyd, Quark Expeditions and Thomson Cruises. Thomson has an ageing, largely chartered fleet of five ships and it is here that changes are expected to be announced in May.