In the run-up to the scheduled commissioning of the cruise vessel Mein Schiff Flow, TUI Cruises has opened a campaign to identify a woman from among its own passengers to act as the ship’s godmother at the christening ceremony planned for June 20th, 2026 in the port of Trieste, Italy. This represents a departure from past practice, where godmothers have tended to be public figures or members of the ship’s personnel; for Mein Schiff Flow the selection process will instead draw from the community of travellers who have previously sailed with the fleet, underscoring the operator’s intent to link the vessel’s introduction to the experience and narratives of its own clientele.
The christening of a ship is a long-established maritime tradition in which a designated individual bestows the vessel’s name and conveys symbolic wishes for safe and prosperous voyages. In this case, candidates seeking to fulfil that role must be at least of legal age and hold a personal connection to the Mein Schiff fleet, having sailed at least once on one of its vessels, and must present a short written statement, a brief video and recent images that articulate their association with the brand. Applications are to be submitted electronically by March 16th, 2026, after which an internal jury will make a preliminary selection and the Mein Schiff community will participate in a subsequent voting phase to determine the final choice of godmother.
The Mein Schiff Flow is the second in the new InTUItion class of cruise ships, built alongside its sister ship Mein Schiff Relax and under construction at the Fincantieri yard in Monfalcone; she is expected to enter service in mid-2026 following her launch and fitting-out. The christening and attendant voyages will take place in the Adriatic and western Mediterranean, with 8-day sailings framing the naming event. The initiative to engage the passenger community in the selection of a godmother reflects an unusual emphasis on customer involvement in what is otherwise a formal maritime rite marking a vessel’s entry into operational status.