Stifling heat and broken toilets: TUI River Cruise passengers tell of their holiday hell

Numerous TUI River Cruise passengers have alleged that their vessels suffered from malfunctioning facilities such as faulty air conditioning and plumbing issues, following their expensive European cruises. On the Skyla, a ship operated by TUI, passengers were stranded in Budapest during a heatwave with limited air conditioning. More complaints surfaced about similar problems on both the Skyla and its sister vessel, the Isla.

TUI apologized for the subpar customer service and meager refunds. Passengers expressed frustration over stifling conditions and plumbing problems, paying thousands of pounds for their holidays. Andy Peach, whose family faced these issues, paid nearly £4,000 for a seven-day trip, yet received only £300 in refunds and was told to accept it within 72 hours.

Joan Craven, who was scheduled to sail on the same ship, felt misled when informed by customer service that the air conditioning was working. Similarly, Wendy Charnley and her husband reported that their trip on the Isla in April 2025 was like being in a tropical house with no air conditioning. Kevin Darvill, who boarded the ship in Frankfurt, experienced unbearable heat with no relief, as the toilets and shower alternated between freezing cold and scalding hot.

John Welsh, whose cruise on the Isla began in June, described the ship as a "sweat box" with some passengers resorting to sleeping on the roof due to the lack of windows. Problems with the Isla persisted into July when low river levels due to the heatwave severely affected European cruises. Tony Harper faced issues with sewage smell, water dripping through the ceiling, and malfunctioning public toilets.

Despite these challenges, TUI River Cruises acknowledged unexpected technical issues affecting air conditioning systems and other challenges due to low water levels on the Danube. They invested in upgrading their air conditioning systems across their European river cruise fleet.