The Choice JournalHow we choose
Travel

TUI Buying Guide 2026: The 6 Best Holidays

TUI’s own hotel brands and cruises are where the biggest package operator is at its best. Six to book, from TUI BLUE and Sensatori to Marella and the river ships, with the deposit and cancellation small print.

By The Choice Journal deskUpdated 6 picks

We may earn a commission if you buy through our links. It never decides what we recommend. Disclosure · How we choose

Stock photograph setting the scene for the TUI guide
Stock photo, not supplied by TUI

TUI runs more of the holiday than any other British operator: its own airline, its own hotel brands, an ocean cruise line, river ships and a chain of high-street shops. That makes it a good fit for families and first-time cruisers who want one company answerable for everything from the flight to the kids’ club.

This guide picks six holidays built on TUI’s own products rather than the thousands of third-party hotels it also sells. The headline advice is simple. Book TUI’s own concepts on TUI Airways flights where you can, because that is where the company controls the most, and read the deposit terms carefully: a £0 deposit is a payment plan, not a free option.

Our top picks

  1. Best overallTUI BLUECheck price
  2. Best upgradeSensatori by TUI BLUECheck price
  3. Best for familiesHoliday VillagesCheck price
  4. Best valueTUI SUNEOCheck price
  5. Best for first cruisesMarella CruisesCheck price
  6. Best for adults onlyTUI River CruisesCheck price
In this guide
  1. The picks, one by one
  2. Side by side
  3. Working out which one is yours
  4. Why buy from TUI?
  5. The ones we passed over
  6. Delivery, returns and the small print
  7. Quick questions
  8. Alternatives worth a look
  9. What we read

The picks, one by one

1Best overall

TUI BLUE

TUI’s flagship hotel brand, with BLUE Guides, local food on the menu and activity programmes tuned to adults-only, family and discovery hotels.

Stock photo

From the product page

Type
TUI’s own flagship hotel brand
On site
BLUE Guides and BLUE app
Variants
Family Fun, Adults Only, Discovery
Extras
some speciality dining charged
Check price at TUI

TUI BLUE is the brand to start with because it is the most TUI of TUI holidays: the company’s own flagship hotels across Europe, Asia, North Africa and the Middle East, each with BLUE Guides, a BLUE app for activities and restaurant bookings, the BLUEf!t fitness programme and food that mixes regional dishes with international buffets. Hotels carry labels such as Family Fun, Adults Only and Discovery, which tell you who each one is built for.

The weakness is that the label covers a wide spread. The page itself notes that charges may apply to speciality restaurants and some activities, so the all-inclusive does not include everything. And a brand is not a hotel: read recent reviews of the specific property, since TUI’s one-star reviews are full of tired rooms and poor food at hotels of every kind.

Suits you if

  • You want TUI’s own standards and staff on site
  • You like a label telling you who the hotel suits

Look elsewhere if

  • You expect every restaurant and activity to be included
2Best upgrade

Sensatori by TUI BLUE

Five-star all-inclusive resorts with separate family and adult zones, at least three included à la carte restaurants and kids’ clubs run by certified staff.

Stock photo

From the product page

Rating
five-star, all-inclusive
Dining
buffet plus at least three à la carte
Kids’ clubs
babies to teens, certified staff
Zones
separate family and adults areas
Check price at TUI

Sensatori is TUI’s premium collection: five-star all-inclusive resorts with dedicated zones for families and adults, swim-up and private-pool suites, one buffet and at least three à la carte restaurants included, premium drinks at the bars and kids’ clubs from babies to teens led by childcare teams certified to UK standards. A Sensatori Experience hub lets you message an expert before and during the stay.

Five stars does not guarantee five-star upkeep. Recent Trustpilot reviews of Sensatori Biomar in Majorca describe a tired, badly deteriorated family room, worn towels and too few sunbeds, and a Sharm el Sheikh guest was served raw steak. Some luxuries are extra, including cabanas, the Chef’s Table and private beach dinners at selected resorts.

Suits you if

  • You want adult space without leaving the children behind
  • You value à la carte dining over a buffet

Look elsewhere if

  • You will be upset by any wear at a five-star price
3Best for families

Holiday Villages

All-inclusive TUI family resorts with more than 200 activities, an Aerial Adventure course at every one and clubs from creche to teenagers.

Stock photo

From the product page

Board
all-inclusive as standard
Activities
more than 200
Clubs
creche to teenagers
Extra charge
creche and academies
Check price at TUI

Holiday Villages are TUI’s family resorts, all-inclusive as standard, with at least two à la carte or themed restaurants, splash parks and shallow pools, and more than 200 activities. Every one has an Aerial Adventure course for ages six and up, and the clubs run from the HV Creche through HV Club and HV Crew to The Zone for teenagers. Pair one with a Free Kids’ Place, one per two full-paying passengers on selected rooms, and the sums improve.

Read the asterisks. The creche, the Football Academy (for ages 4 to 15, with UEFA and FA-certified coaches) and the Swim Academy are marked as extra charges, and only a handful of Holiday Villages have on-site waterparks. Recent Trustpilot reviews naming Holiday Villages were positive, but there were few of them.

Suits you if

  • Your children range from toddler to teenager
  • You want activities planned for you all week

Look elsewhere if

  • You want a quiet pool
  • You assumed the academies were included
4Best value

TUI SUNEO

Three- and four-star hotels in popular beach resorts, every one with an all-inclusive option, light entertainment and some adults-only properties.

Stock photo

From the product page

Hotels
three- and four-star
Board
all-inclusive option at every hotel
Entertainment
up to six nights a week
Check price at TUI

TUI SUNEO is the budget end of TUI’s own hotels: handpicked three- and four-star properties from Spain to Thailand, all with an all-inclusive option covering three meals, snacks and local drinks, and entertainment up to six nights a week. Some hotels are adults-only with low-key activities such as darts and boules; others are family-focused with splash areas.

Budget all-inclusive is where package complaints concentrate, and SUNEO is no exception. Recent Trustpilot reviews mention a room that stank of mould and a green-tinged pool in Tenerife, a cockroach in a wardrobe, a restaurant that could not cater for allergies in Lanzarote, and two reviewers who judged a four-star Tunisian hotel at best three-star. Others praise staff and food. Read the specific hotel’s reviews, and if you have allergies, check before booking.

Suits you if

  • You want to fix a family budget in advance
  • You do not need a five-star finish

Look elsewhere if

  • Someone in your party has a serious food allergy
5Best for first cruises

Marella Cruises

TUI’s ocean cruise line, all-inclusive as standard with flights, transfers, tips, luggage, at least six eateries and a broad drinks list in the price.

Stock photo

From the product page

Included
flights, transfers, tips, luggage
Dining
at least six eateries
Drinks
standard all-inclusive, premium upgrade
Extra cost
Wi-Fi, speciality dining, spa
Check price at TUI

Marella sells cruising the way TUI sells beach holidays. Every package includes flights, transfers to the ship, tips and luggage, and the standard all-inclusive covers meals in at least six eateries plus beers, ciders, wines, cocktails, mocktails and soft drinks. Premium All Inclusive adds better spirits and cocktails; Wi-Fi, speciality restaurants and spa treatments cost extra.

Reviews of the crew are warm, but the ships draw complaints. Recent Trustpilot reviewers on Marella Discovery and Discovery 2 describe sewage flooding a bathroom, blocked toilets, a leaking shower and inedible main-restaurant meals; others found menus repetitive over two weeks and noted that steak now costs extra. One reviewer’s complaint was refused because she was not the lead passenger, which the terms allow.

Suits you if

  • You want to know the full cost before you sail
  • You would rather fly to the Mediterranean or Caribbean than sail from Southampton

Look elsewhere if

  • You do not drink and resent paying for it
6Best for adults only

TUI River Cruises

Adults-only river ships with no more than 155 guests, sailing the Rhine, Danube, Douro, Nile and more, with flights, meals, drinks and tips included.

Stock photo

From the product page

Guests
adults only, maximum 155
Included
flights, meals, drinks, tips
Rivers
Rhine, Danube, Douro, Nile and more
Check price at TUI

TUI’s river ships are small and adults-only, with a maximum of 155 guests. The package includes flights, transfers, three meals a day with drinks, tips and a luggage allowance, and itineraries cover the Rhine, Main, Moselle, Danube, Nile, Douro and the Dutch and Belgian waterways, from Budapest and Vienna to smaller stops such as Cochem.

The Danube is the problem this year. A long run of Trustpilot reviews from summer and autumn 2026 describe low water turning cruises into coach trips, itineraries changed five days before departure or only on arrival in Budapest, and TUI replying that no refund or compensation was due under the terms. Nile sailings drew praise. River Cruise bookings are excluded from the Price-Match Promise.

Suits you if

  • You want a small ship and no children on board
  • You prefer cities and culture to sea days

Look elsewhere if

  • You would mind a sailing turned into a coach tour

Side by side

AwardProductBest forPriceKey detail
Best overallTUI BLUECouples and families wanting consistencySee siteType: TUI’s own flagship hotel brand
Best upgradeSensatori by TUI BLUEA five-star all-inclusive treatSee siteRating: five-star, all-inclusive
Best for familiesHoliday VillagesActive families with mixed agesSee siteBoard: all-inclusive as standard
Best valueTUI SUNEOBudget all-inclusive in the sunSee siteHotels: three- and four-star
Best for first cruisesMarella CruisesCruisers who hate extra billsSee siteIncluded: flights, transfers, tips, luggage
Best for adults onlyTUI River CruisesCouples wanting culture, not crowdsSee siteGuests: adults only, maximum 155

Prices as shown on TUI's UK site in October 2026, before any discount code.

Working out which one is yours

1Prefer TUI Airways and TUI hotels

The Price-Match Promise excludes holidays on third-party airlines, and the amendment rules are stricter for them. Recent one-star reviews include an easyJet cancellation in Mallorca where the family say TUI referred them to the airline, and changing a flight not operated by TUI Airways is treated as a cancellation from 28 days out. Where the search offers a TUI Airways flight and a TUI concept hotel for a similar price, take it.

2Read a £0 deposit as a payment plan

TUI advertises deposits from £0 per person with Direct Debit. The deposit is still owed, and the package terms say it is not refunded even when the cancellation fee would be lower. Cancel 70 days or more out and you lose the deposit; from day 69 you pay 30% of the holiday, rising to 100% in the last fortnight. Book only what you are fairly sure you will take.

3Check when the balance is due

The package terms say the full balance is due at least 12 weeks before departure, with a temporary exception: packages booked from 23 June 2026 and travelling by 31 October 2026 needed paying only four weeks before. TUI’s own all-inclusive page says full payment is usually due 30 days before departure, which does not match. Go by the date on your booking confirmation.

Why buy from TUI?

TUI’s advantage is control. On a TUI BLUE or Sensatori holiday it can own the flight, the transfer, the hotel and the kids’ club, and its homepage states that all flight-inclusive holidays on the site are financially protected by the ATOL scheme, with non-flight packages protected through ABTA bonding (accommodation-only bookings are not). It has shops, a 24-hour Guest Experience Centre, and a Price-Match Promise on packages with TUI flights. Trustpilot rated it Excellent on more than 200,000 reviews when we checked.

Jet2holidays has a tighter reputation for service and simpler deposits. loveholidays offers far more hotels. And TUI’s one-star reviews cluster where it controls least: packages on easyJet or Ryanair, absent reps, and complaints answered with vouchers.

The ones we passed over

Packages on third-party airlines

TUI will build a protected package around an easyJet, Ryanair or British Airways flight, which widens the choice of times and airports. We would avoid it when a TUI Airways version exists: these holidays are excluded from the Price-Match Promise, changing the flight is treated as a cancellation from 28 days out, and recent reviewers describe being sent back to the airline when flights were cancelled.

Delivery, returns and the small print

Protection
All flight-inclusive holidays on the site are ATOL protected, the homepage says; non-flight packages are covered by ABTA bonding, but accommodation-only bookings are not. Check your ATOL certificate lists everything. Read October 2026
Deposit and balance
Deposits from £0 per person by Direct Debit, varying by holiday and date. The package terms set the balance at 12 weeks before departure; check your confirmation. Read October 2026
Cancellation
Loss of deposit at 70 days or more, then 30%, 50%, 70% and 90%, rising to 100% within 14 days. The deposit is never refunded on a customer cancellation. Read October 2026
Changes
Name changes are £25 per person; changing duration or flight time £50 per person. Changing hotel or airport within 28 days is treated as a cancellation. Read October 2026
Contact
Holidays, flights and cruises on 0203 451 2688: 9am to 7pm weekdays, 9am to 5pm Saturday, 10am to 5pm Sunday. In resort, the Guest Experience Centre runs 24 hours a day. Read October 2026
Complaints
Tell TUI staff or the hotel at once while away. If it is not resolved, contact TUI within 28 days of returning home. Read October 2026

Go to TUI's UK site

Quick questions

Are TUI holidays ATOL protected?

TUI’s homepage states that all flight-inclusive holidays on its website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme, that some flight-only bookings are not, and that non-flight packages are protected through ABTA bonding while accommodation-only bookings are not. Its booking terms page uses the standard wording that many, not all, bookings are protected. Check the ATOL certificate you receive. This is not legal advice.

How do TUI Free Kids’ Places work?

One child can go free for every two full-paying passengers sharing a selected room, apartment or villa, on new bookings and in school holidays where available. The free place includes the flight, transfers and the hotel’s standard board, all-inclusive where that is the board. TUI says places are limited per hotel and sell out early, and promo codes can still be used on top.

Does the TUI Price-Match Promise cover cruises?

No. Marella Cruises, TUI River Cruises and Crystal Ski bookings are excluded, as are holidays on third-party airlines and prices from other TUI-owned brands such as First Choice. For other packages, you have 72 hours from booking to find the same holiday cheaper elsewhere, matching flight, hotel, board, room, nights and baggage.

Are tips included on Marella and TUI River Cruises?

Yes. TUI’s Marella page says every cruise package includes flights, transfers, tips and luggage, and the river cruise page lists tips alongside flights, transfers and three meals a day with drinks. Premium drinks, Wi-Fi, speciality restaurants and spa treatments on Marella cost extra.

Alternatives worth a look

  • Jet2holidays is the nearest rival, with fewer long-haul and cruise options but a tighter reputation for service and transfers.
  • loveholidays offers a far wider choice of hotels and flights, as an online agent rather than an operator with its own airline.

What we read

  • TUI UK pages for TUI BLUE, Sensatori, Holiday Villages, TUI SUNEO, Marella All Inclusive and TUI River Cruises, read October 2026.
  • TUI package holiday and Marella cruise booking terms, Price-Match Promise terms, Free Kids’ Places and Contact us pages, read October 2026.
  • TUI homepage, All Inclusive and Hotels pages for protection statements and deposits, October 2026.
  • Trustpilot page for tui.co.uk, filtered to one- and two-star reviews and searched for Sensatori, SUNEO, Holiday Village, TUI BLUE, Marella and river cruise mentions, October 2026.

Desk research only: we read these pages and reviews; we did not test the products. How we choose.

Also from the Travel desk