Thomson Spirit will sale from the UK in 2012, as Thomson Cruises returns to the UK.

The ship will split its time between two ports, based in Newcastle from May to July 2012 and Harwich in August and September.

Spirit will sail 15 different ex-UK itineraries, taking in 29 destinations on three to fourteen night cruises.

Phil Gardner, commercial general manager for Thomson Cruises explained: “As a British cruise company we are very excited to be back cruising from the UK. We have widened the portfolio of destinations we offer on our cruises to give customers even more choice. 

“We have also listened to our customers who have requested the return of our UK programme and responded.”

Thomson is also introducing a new British Isles Cruise, taking in Guernsey, Dublin, Isle of Man, Isle of Mull, Orkney Islands and Edinburgh.