TUI Cruises has announced that German beach volleyball stars Kira Walkenhorst and Laura Ludwig will be godmothers and christen the new Mein Schiff 1 on May 11.
Walkenhorst and Ludwig won Olympic gold medals in Rio two years ago. According to Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises, they are a perfect fit as the Mein Schiff 1 is a sports and wellness ship, with a 438-meter long running track, a covered multiplex sports arena, a 25-meter outdoor pool and approximately 2,000 square meters of fitness area.
The venue for the event will be the HHLA Container Terminal Burchardkai in Hamburg. The ceremony will get underway at 10 pm, crowned by a firework display in front of the industrial backdrop at around 10:30 pm. After sailing “a lap of honor through the harbor,” TUI said, the ship then leaves Hamburg.
The new Mein Schiff 1 introduces a new generation of ships for the Hamburg-based cruise company. With a length of approximately 315 meters, she is some 20 meters longer and one deck higher than the previous Mein Schiff newbuildings and will accommodate nearly 2,900 passengers.
The Mein Schiff 1 was handed over to TUI from the Meyer Turku shipyard on April 25 and is currently on her way to Germany.
Walkenhorst and Ludwig followed their Olympic gold medals in 2016 with a world title last year, and both have won several European championships, World Cups and twice the World Tour Final.
