Tattoo at Sea (Cruise)
Our Old Dragon Ink Tattoo Studio (Dinkelsbühl) travels worldwide on cruises (TUI Mein Schiff fleet) with our artists, tattooing guests on the cruise ships.
Borderless art: Dimi’s tattoo journey through Asia’s metropolises
There are moments in an artist’s life that broaden the horizon—not just figuratively, but very literally. For Dimi, the heart of Old Dragon Ink, exactly such a chapter has just begun. While our studio in Dinkelsbühl remains the familiar home port for top-tier tattoos, Dimi has packed up his needles to conquer the seas. As a guest tattoo artist on the TUI Mein Schiff fleet—in an exclusive collaboration with Wildcat—he proves that first-class craftsmanship works perfectly even in gale-force winds and far from home.
Heading East: A journey full of inspiration
The trip Dimi is currently documenting is a route of superlatives. Before the Asian sun kissed the rail, he had already gathered impressions in Europe—from the Canary Islands to Portugal’s rugged coasts and the glamorous flair of Palma de Mallorca. But the leap to Asia marks a whole new dimension.
The journey began in the vibrant heart of Singapore. Anyone who sees the photos from there can practically feel the heat and the city’s futuristic energy. Singapore is a melting pot of cultures—just like tattoo art itself. From there, the ship glided on toward Vietnam. In places like Phu My and the world-famous Ha Long Bay, you’re met with landscapes that look like they’ve been painted. The majestic limestone cliffs rising from emerald-green water offer a visual calm that’s also reflected in Dimi’s work. Whether in Nha Trang or, finally, in the mega-city Hong Kong—every stop lets new cultural influences flow into his artistic vision.
For TUI Cruises & Wildcat, Dimi travels as a tattoo artist and tattoos guests on the TUI Mein Schiff fleet. Previously, Dimi was in Gran Canaria / Spain & Portugal, France, Palma Mallorca, and now currently in Asia! From Singapore heading to Vietnam: Phu My, Halong Bay, Nha Trang & China Hong Kong.
Analysis: The floating studio—professionalism on the ocean
If you look at the footage from the onboard studio, one thing is immediately clear: nothing is left to chance. Many people might imagine getting a tattoo on a ship as something improvised, but the opposite is true. The studio on the Mein Schiff fleet is a stronghold of hygiene and precision.
The setup: Dimi works with state-of-the-art equipment. The workstations are ergonomic and sterile—exactly what you’re used to from Old Dragon Ink.
The atmosphere: The photos show pure focus. While outside the waves crash against the hull or Hong Kong’s harbor sparkles in the evening light, inside the studio there’s concentrated silence, broken only by the instructive hum of the machine.
The interaction: You see Dimi connecting with a completely new clientele—travelers who, in a relaxed vacation mood, decide to take home a lifelong souvenir.
Tattoos at sea: Why this concept is booming
Why do people get tattooed in the middle of the ocean? It’s the feeling of total freedom. A tattoo is often an emotional release or an anchor for a particular phase of life. On a cruise through Asia, far from the stress of everyday life back in Germany, people open themselves up to new experiences.
Dimi covers the full spectrum that we stand for at Old Dragon Ink. Especially in demand on this trip are:
Micro Realism: Small, highly detailed artworks that often pick up maritime or Asian symbols.
Fineline & Mandalas: Delicate pieces that combine elegance and longevity.
Black and Grey Realistic: Portraits or landscapes brought to life by Dimi’s masterful shading technique.
It’s a technical challenge to integrate the ship’s vibrations and the sea’s gentle motion into a steady hand—a level of mastery Dimi has perfected over the past few months.
Lights, camera: Behind the scenes with the TUI film crew
One very special highlight of this trip was the completely spontaneous visit from the official TUI Mein Schiff camera crew right in my onboard studio. What started as a normal workday suddenly turned into a film-worthy project: the team followed me and one of my clients for an entire day to capture the fascinating process of getting tattooed at sea for posterity. It wasn’t just the needle and ink in focus, but the whole process—from the first, often very personal consultation and adjusting the stencil to the concentrated execution under the unique conditions of a cruise ship.
The resulting footage captures the unique atmosphere perfectly: you see the intense exchange between me and the client, the precise craftsmanship, and of course the ultra-modern, sterile environment of the onboard studio, which also showed its best side on camera. Because it all happened completely unposed and by chance, the images carry an authenticity you rarely find in professional productions. The finished documentary was later sold to guests as a permanent part of the official trip DVD—a lasting keepsake of an unforgettable tour through Asia. I’m incredibly happy that I’m allowed to publish a short section of this video here on my site as well, so you can get an exclusive look at what it feels like to have a piece of freedom made permanent under my needle while the ocean glides by outside.
A piece of Asia for Dinkelsbühl
What does this trip mean for our customers back home? Every time Dimi returns from a “guest spot” like this, he brings back a suitcase full of new techniques, inspiration, and stories. Asian aesthetics—from the clean lines of Japanese influences to Vietnam’s detail-rich depictions of nature—enrich his style in a lasting way.
This trip is proof of the quality of Old Dragon Ink. The fact that TUI Cruises and Wildcat trust Dimi’s expertise underlines our commitment to being one of the top addresses in the industry. We’re proud that a piece of Dinkelsbühl is now ending up in vacationers’ photo albums all over the world—made permanent in ink on their skin.
Conclusion and outlook
Dimi’s adventure in Singapore, Vietnam, and Hong Kong is more than just a blog post; it’s a testament to the passion that drives us. We invite you to take a close look at the photo gallery on this page. Pay attention to the details, the light, and the motifs. It’s art created where the sky meets the sea.
We’ll keep you updated here on the blog about Dimi’s next stops. Who knows where the wind will take him next? One thing’s for sure: when he’s back, our doors in Dinkelsbühl will be open for you to turn your own travel stories into ink.
It was an absolutely awesome trip! A variety of tattoos and cool activities came together! Happy Mein Schiff guests and a dream trip with memories that get under your skin!
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