WHEN 51,044 tonne cruise ship Crystal Symphony glides into Cairns tomorrow morning, one family will greet it like a long-lost friend.

Five-year-old Cairns girl Crystal Symphony Mann is named after the ship, after her father Matthew saw it on the water nine years ago.

"We were having breakfast in the morning and Crystal Symphony was swinging around in front of Trinity Wharf, it was a beautiful morning, the sun was shining on the boat," he said.

"I thought it was the most beautiful ship I'd seen and when I saw the name, I thought it was a beautiful name as well.

"My wife was pregnant at the time and I told her it would be a nice name for a girl.

"We had a girl four years later."

The ship's arrival will be its first visit to Cairns since Crystal Symphony was born, so The Cairns Post arranged for the family, including Mr Mann's wife Tracy and two sons Deejay, 9, and Byron, 7, to meet the captain and have a look onboard.

Mr Mann said he thinks Crystal will be thrilled with the special events.

"I think she will be overawed by the size of the ship," he said.

"She's very at home anywhere near the water and on boats. We're over the moon with excitement.

"It's part of our family, it will be a very special occasion for us."

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