The blessing ceremony took place onboard the river ship with a traditional ‘Prayer to Hapi’, the god of the River Nile, blessing the ship on safe and prosperous voyages. The ship’s pool was decorated with rose petals and LED candles, with guests of the blessing being given locally sourced commemorative engraved plaques made from traditional alabaster, to signify the start of its first season.

Throughout the night, TUI Bahareya had a wave of activity including canapes and cocktails, traditional Egyptian acts of Whirling Dervishes, a saxophonist and live entertainment from TUI River Cruises’ entertainment team.

TUI River Cruises’ second newly refurbished ship, TUI Bahareya, will now sail on its maiden voyage along the River Nile. The exciting expansion along the river Nile with this second river ship means that the river cruise line will operate two seven-night, all-inclusive round-trip sailings from Luxor.

TUI Bahareya will accommodate 142 passengers and offers 72 cabins including French Balcony Cabins and Superior French Balcony Cabins. The ship’s new venues onboard bring together the cultural immersion from the destinations it sails through and modern Arabic inspired décor, with each venue having a flare of Egypt. To enhance the customer experience onboard, there will be licenced Egyptologists on hand throughout each cruise that will bring to life the rich history of Egypt.