Thomson Cruises revealed that it has seen an almost 40 per cent increase in passengers on cruise holidays in the last five years, with numbers in the last year alone rise by nearly 20 per cent. This follows information released in a recent CLIA report that revealed that one in nine package holidays booked in 2015 was a cruise.
With demand for cruise holidays high, Thomson Cruises has invested significantly in its fleet, adding All Inclusive ship TUI Discovery last year, announcing TUI Explorer for summer 2018 and launching its latest ship, TUI Discovery 2 on 14 May 2017 in Malaga, Spain.
This new ship, which has 915 cabins, 40 per cent of which offer balconies, offers All Inclusive drinks as standard with customers able to enjoy the wide range of restaurants and bars onboard alongside a selection of premium drinks and pour-yourself beer and wine taps in Islands, all included in the price of their holiday. Activities and entertainments include an outdoor poolside movie screen, a rock-climbing wall, a mini-golf course and an indoor swimming pool and spa.
Also brand new for TUI Discovery 2 is Virtual Reality Experience, where guests can use HTC Vive headsets to transport themselves into a virtual reality experience where they can play games, make 3D paintings or explore universes; and Green Screen Room, an onboard photobooth that allows passengers to take a picture with a background of their choice. New shows as part of the onboard entertainment include Brexfactor, Chaplin, Festival Live and Steel City.
Based in Malaga this summer, TUI Discovery 2 will visit some of the Mediterranean’s most iconic destinations such as Barcelona, Valencia, Ibiza, Porto, Lisbon and Marseille before repositioning to Tenerife in September, visiting ports in the Canaries, Morocco and Madeira. Come December, TUI Discovery 2 will make its way to Montego Bay, Jamaica where it will begin its winter season in the vibrant Caribbean visiting Central American highlights such as Cuba, Belize, Panama, Costa Rica and Colombia on itineraries such as Cuban Fusion and Pride of Panama.
