TUI River Cruises has chosen two employees as godparents for its new ship, the TUI Aria, the company said in a statement.

They are TUI agent Paula Burgess and Senior Commercial Manager at TUI River Cruises Mark Sage.

Working at TUI for 34 years, Burgess has been given the godparent title due to being a top selling agent, in one of the top-selling stores in the Southeast region, according to the statement.

Sage has been at TUI for 25 years and has worked on TUI River Cruises since its inception.

“We’re thrilled to be announcing Paula and Mark as our godparents for TUI Aria. Paula is an exceptional TUI Travel Agent and Mark has been integral to the brand since its inception – both of the godparents work has not been unnoticed and that’s why we’re giving them the godparent role for the latest river ship,” said Katy Berzins, head of TUI River Cruises.

“As we enter our fifth year of sailing at TUI River Cruises, we cannot wait to launch the latest river cruise ship down the European Waterways early this Summer 2026 season and celebrate the talent we have at TUI and TUI River Cruises alike.”

The 190-passenger TUI Aria, said to be the company’s highest-capacity vessel, is set to sail on its maiden voyage on the Rhine this month.

Its three new itineraries include the “Moselle & North Rhine” itinerary sailing from Frankfurt, as well as the “North Rhine & Moselle Explorer” and “Dutch Delta Discovery” itineraries from Amsterdam.