Thomson Cruises is upping its passenger capacity for 2018 and said that the Thomson Spirit will remain in the fleet for the 2018 summer season.

This boosts the company’s market capacity as previous plans had the British brand moving on from the Spirit after the 2017 cruise season.

According to a Cruise Industry News estimate, the Thomson Spirit staying in the fleet will add around 10.5 percent in potential passenger capacity for the company in 2018. Thomson is now poised to carry around 400,000 passengers at double occupancy, according to the 2017-2018 Cruise Industry News Annual Report. 

Operated on a charter agreement, the Spirit was built in 1984 as Nieuw Amsterdam for Holland Ameirca Line and has been part of Thomson’s fleet since 2002.

The ship will be based out of Malaga from May through October, with an April season offered out of Palma.

Thomson cited customer demand for the decision to keep the ship for an additional summer season.

Thomson and the TUI Group are placing bets on building up UK passenger sourcing. New-to-Thomson ships are being added on an annual basis through 2019. The Mein Schiff 1 and 2 join the fleet in 2018 and 2019, respectively.