Melbourne solo traveller Kate McIntosh will christen Trafalgar Reverie when it launches on the Danube in April 2026, beating out celebrity-style tradition to become the public face of the company’s first move onto Europe’s rivers.
For Trafalgar, the decision to elevate a repeat guest rather than a public figure frames how the brand wants this new category understood from the outset.
McIntosh is one of two past guests appointed as godmothers for the company’s debut river fleet, alongside Southern California-based Cassandra Estrella-Roca, who will represent Trafalgar Verity on the Rhine.
Damien O’Connor, Vice President of River Cruises, said the godmother appointments reflected how the river program had been developed.
“Our river cruise product has been built around the idea that travel should feel personal, joyful, and shaped by the people who experience it,” O’Connor said.
“Cassie and Kate reflect everything our brand stands for, including warmth, connection, and a genuine love for discovery. Having them bless Trafalgar Verity and Trafalgar Reverie is a meaningful way to begin this new chapter on the rivers of Europe.”
Which sailings will launch the company’s first river ships?
Trafalgar Verity will debut on the Best of the Rhine and Amsterdam itinerary from 12 to 21 April 2026. Trafalgar Reverie will launch on the Best of the Danube itinerary from 11 to 18 April 2026.
The Rhine and Danube are Europe’s highest-volume river cruise corridors and form the commercial backbone of the sector. Launching on these rivers places the company directly into the industry’s most competitive, most established market lanes.
Both McIntosh and Estrella-Roca will sail on their respective inaugural voyages and participate in selected launch season activities.
Why did Trafalgar choose everyday travellers as godmothers?
Both women were selected through Trafalgar’s Travel Unlocked Awards program, which recognises guest stories across the brand’s global customer base. The company said the move was designed to refresh the traditional godmother role by grounding it in real travel experience.
McIntosh, godmother of Trafalgar Reverie, is based in Melbourne and is known within the brand for travelling regularly as a solo guest and using the room share program and regularly travels solo. The company says her travel style aligns with the onboard experience planned for Trafalgar Reverie.
“I am so excited to be the new godmother and so proud to be part of an amazing brand, Trafalgar,” she said.
Estrella-Roca, godmother of Trafalgar Verity, has travelled extensively with Trafalgar and sister brand Costsaver across Europe, the Middle East and South America. She said the company had become a consistent choice for her guided travel.
Together, the two profiles reflect two of river cruising’s most commercially reliable demand segments: repeat guided travellers and high-frequency solo guests.
How does river fit inside TTC’s wider portfolio?
Trafalgar forms part of The Travel Corporation portfolio of brands. Within TTC’s river cruise offering, Trafalgar will sit below Uniworld Boutique River Cruises in price positioning, expanding the group’s coverage across guided touring and river without brand overlap.
For agents, this introduces a new river option inside a supplier ecosystem that already spans value, premium and luxury across land-based touring.
KARRYON UNPACKS: Trafalgar is introducing its first European river ships with a traveller-led launch strategy anchored by an Australian guest.
