TUI agent Paula Burgess and TUI River Cruises Senior Commercial Manager Mark Sage have been selected to be godparents for TUI Aria, the river cruise line’s newly refurbished, highest-capacity ship.
Paula has been given the godparent duties for the 190-passenger ship as she is a top-selling agent in the south-east region.
TUI said Paula ‘has shown her dedication to TUI River Cruises since it launched five years ago and TUI Hempstead Valley, with 34 years under her belt working at TUI.’
Paula said: “I still can’t believe I have been chosen to be a godparent for TUI Aria – I feel so proud and honoured. I love sharing with customers who come into the TUI Hempstead Valley store on where they can river cruise from the European waterways of the Rhine and Danube to the Egyptian River Nile. It’s brilliant to see how my hard work has resulted into an honourable title for TUI River Cruises.”
Mark, who has been at TUI for 25 years and has worked on TUI River Cruises since its inception, will also be godparent to TUI Aria, which will set sail down the Rhine and Moselle from Amsterdam, Basel and Frankfurt for summer 2026.
Mark said: “I am really grateful to be given the role as godparent to TUI Aria. I have worked at TUI River Cruises since the brand launched five years ago, and I am pleased to see my hard work has been recognised by TUI River Cruises with the honour of being a godparent to the largest capacity ship in the fleet.”
TUI Head of River Cruises Katy Berzins said: “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.
TUI Aria will be the first TUI River Cruise ship in Europe to include a pool with panoramic views in the multi-use venue, Reflections. The onboard pool will double as a versatile area, serving as a pool during the day with the space being transformed into a secondary dining venue and entertainment area in the evening.
It will sail three new itineraries, including the Moselle and North Rhine itinerary from Frankfurt, and the North Rhine and Moselle Explorer and Dutch Delta Discovery itineraries from Amsterdam.
