TUI River Cruises is upgrading air conditioning systems across its European fleet this winter after complaints from passengers over broken cooling systems during this summer’s heatwaves.
The investment will include ‘significant upgrades and replacements’ designed to improve reliability and customer comfort, TUI said, after technical issues affected air conditioning on both TUI Skyla and TUI Isla.
Dozens of customers complained about faulty facilities, including persistently broken air conditioning, as well as issues with toilets, showers and water supplies, as reported by the BBC.
Some passengers said they faced stifling conditions during cruises on the Danube, with portable fans and temporary cooling units used onboard.
TUI said the problems coincided with prolonged periods of extreme heat, which placed additional pressure on onboard cooling systems, alongside operational challenges caused by exceptionally low water levels on the Danube.
The operator was forced to cancel a seven-night ‘East Danube Delights’ river cruise in July after an air conditioning fault on TUI Skyla during extreme temperatures in Budapest, where highs exceeded 35C.
A TUI River Cruises Spokesperson said: “TUI River Cruises is investing in its onboard air conditioning systems across the European river cruise fleet this winter, including significant upgrades and replacements designed to further improve reliability and customer comfort.”
The statement added: “We want to apologise to customers whose river cruise holidays fell short of the standards we aim to deliver and understand the disappointment this may have caused.
“During a number of sailings on both TUI Isla and TUI Skyla, we experienced various unexpected technical issues affecting air conditioning systems, alongside separate operational challenges caused by exceptionally low water levels on the Danube. These challenges coincided with prolonged periods of extreme heat across parts of Europe, which placed additional pressure on onboard cooling systems and river cruise operations.
“These issues impacted some customers’ river cruise holidays and where disruption occurred, our teams worked hard to minimise the impact through a range of measures.
“We continually monitor our ships and investigate any technical issues reported to us. Throughout this period, our engineering teams and specialist contractors carried out extensive investigations, repairs and maintenance work. This included a range of interventions and temporary measures to support onboard comfort while longer-term solutions were implemented.
“We understand the disappointment and frustration caused to affected customers. Our focus throughout was on supporting those impacted, keeping them updated and offering compensation in line with the level of disruption experienced.”
The operator said affected customers were supported and offered compensation in line with the level of disruption experienced.
