TUI Discovery on maiden voyage
Thomson Cruises newest ship, TUI Discovery, set sail on its maiden voyage last weekend.
Following a glittering ceremony in Palma, the ship started its first Mediterranean cruise on Saturday, calling at Rome, Barcelona, Corsica and Florence.
Read our review of the ship here.
It will be the first in the fleet to offer all-inclusive drinks packages as standard from summer 2017.
The move to name the ship TUI Discovery is part of a re-brand which will see the whole of Thomson switch to the TUI name over the next 18 months.
Thomson Cruises has recently bought Legend of the Seas from Royal Caribbean International (RCI) and will operate it as TUI Discovery 2 from May 2017.
At the opening ceremony on Thursday, Grammy Award winning artist Jess Glynne performed.
Fireworks lit up the city to close the show as Jess finished her set with her smash hit ‘Hold My Hand’, before the ship set sail for Barcelona.
Thomson Cruises managing director Helen Caron said: "TUI Discovery is a real game-changer for us and shows our commitment to delivering unforgettable holidays that are personalised for each of our customers."
There are now five ships in the Thomson Cruises fleet – Thomson Dream, Thomson Majesty, Thomson Celebration, Thomson Spirit and TUI Discovery.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026