Thomson Cruises has announced that it will re-introduce ex-UK cruising with customers able to sail out of Newcastle from summer 2017.

There are ten new itineraries and durations from four to 14 nights, visiting ports in the Norwegian Fjords, Scandinavia and the Baltics, including Copenhagen, Stockholm, St Petersburg and Reykjavik on board Thomson Celebration.

In addition to this, the cruise line has announced that customers on board new ship Thomson Discovery will have an enhanced selection of on board facilities at their disposal, including new dining and entertainment options, and family-friendly facilities.

There are four breakfast venues, seven lunch venues and seven dinner venues, with only two restaurants requiring an additional charge. It has introduced celebrity chef and restaurateur, Ian Pengelley, to the team. One of the world’s leading Pan-Asian chefs, Ian will oversee the menu at Kora La, the on board Pan-Asian restaurant and sushi bar. Ian previously held the role of Executive Head Chef at Harrods and has appeared on a variety of prime time cookery TV shows.

Discovery will also see the introduction of a new entertainment programme, with everything from innovative virtual bands to interactive quizzes and music from the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. A team of big names will also join the ship to create 11 new West End-style shows, including choreographer and dancer Tara Wilkinson, who has worked on hit shows, Motown and The Full Monty, and Martyn Ford, a musical arranger and conductor who’s worked alongside musical legends Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

The latest ship in the Thomson Cruises fleet will also have a range of family-friendly facilities, including The Wall, a climbing wall with sea views; mini golf; The Hideout, a teen room with karaoke booth; and Baby Centre, a space equipped with changing facilities, a food preparation area and somewhere safe to play. A new children’s show, ‘Splash Live!’, which sees animated characters come to life to take children on a journey under the sea, will also be added to the entertainment line-up.

Those choices, coupled with a luxurious spa, casino and exclusive adult-only sunbathing area called The Veranda, ensure Thomson Cruises can offer a contemporary experience for the whole family.

Managing Director of Thomson Cruises, Helen Caron, said: “I’m excited to reveal the re-introduction of ex-UK cruising to our programme in 2017. This will open up even more destinations for our customers, giving them the opportunity to create truly memorable experiences.”

“I’m also thrilled to unveil the new family-friendly and adult-only dining and entertainment options on board Discovery, which is key to delivering passengers’ personalised experience. I’m delighted at the calibre of talent involved with bringing this to life and I’m sure it’s something our customers will really value.”