Tui has appointed Peel Entertainment Group to provide entertainment for Discovery when it begins seven-night cruises from Palma, Majorca next summer.
Peel already produces the entertainment for Thomson’s other ships but is being given the brief to come up with a programme for Discovery that appeals to a younger cruising audience.
Thomson Cruises’ managing director Helen Caron told TTG: “We are investing in a whole new programme of entertainment and we’re looking at how we can appeal to a younger market – young couples aged from their 30s to 55s, and families.
“Technology will be driving some of that entertainment such as virtual bands and interactive gameshows. Virtual bands are beamed on to screens so it looks like the band is playing live.”
Thomson has also appointed the Apollo Group as its hotel provider onboard Discovery, which is currently sailing as Royal Caribbean’s Splendour of the Seas before Thomson takes delivery in April 2016.
Caron added that the operator would be “making considerable investment” in its dining options, which number eight outlets.
These will include a beach hut-style outlet on the pool deck serving festival-type food such as burgers and nachos, while Gallery 47 will be a contemporary Italian establishment, upstairs from the main restaurant.
Caron said that details of the other three dining outlets would be released later, including two restaurants where a charge will apply.
Discovery, which has a capacity of 1,800 passengers, will also be the first Thomson ship to feature a new wave-shaped design, based on the livery of the operator’s aircraft.
This design will also be used on Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2 when they switch to the Thomson fleet in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
Discovery will also feature more facilities for children, including concepts from Thomson’s beach resorts, as well as the existing rock-climbing wall and mini-golf.
“It’s a step change for us and this is what our customers are telling us they want,” she added. “The concept has quite broad appeal as it has to be successful for a long time.”
Discovery will spend winter 2016-17 sailing from Barbados where it will operate two seven-night itineraries, which can be combined back-to-back. Dreamliner flights will also operate from the UK to the island to link up with the ship.
