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

Dozens of people have accused TUI River Cruises of operating vessels with faulty facilities including persistently broken air conditioning, after they spent thousands of pounds on holidays.

Earlier this year passengers on the Skyla, a ship operated by TUI, contacted BBC Your Voice to say they had been stranded in Budapest during a heatwave with little to no air conditioning.

Following that report more people got in touch to say they faced similar problems on both the Skyla and its sister vessel, the Isla. They criticised TUI’s customer service and said the refunds offered were inadequate.

TUI apologised to customers where trips “fell short of the standards we aim to deliver”.

A spokesperson for TUI, said: “We understand the disappointment and frustration caused to affected customers.”

Passengers described stifling conditions as well as problems with plumbing after paying thousands of pounds for European cruises, including on the Danube River.

Andy Peach and his wife booked a seven-day trip on the Skyla in June, travelling through Budapest, Vienna and Linz.

It turned out to be “the worst TUI holiday we’ve ever been on”, he said.

Instead of air conditioning, Peach said there were “big blowers” on board, expelling hot air.

“One was in the middle of the corridor, blocking the exit,” he said. “It didn’t seem to cool the place down.”

Temperatures onboard climbed as the holiday went on leaving him “exhausted”, he said. By the end of the week, Peach said the air conditioning in cabins had broken too.

On the second-to-last day passengers were transferred to hotels, which Peach said were “really basic”.

He and his wife had paid nearly £4,000 for the holiday but they were offered only £300 as a refund and given 72-hours to accept it.

He said: “TUI know there’s problems on these boats, but continue to sell them to people as a full luxury cruise.”