maiden voyage

noun

1. the first voyage of a ship after its acceptance by the owners from the builders.

maiden voyage

noun

1. nautical the first voyage of a vessel

Word History and Origins

Origin of maiden voyage¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Idioms and Phrases

The first experience, as in This tennis tournament is my maiden voyage in statewide competition . This term, originally meaning the first voyage of a ship, was first recorded in 1901, but the use of maiden to signify “the first time” dates from the mid-1500s.

Example Sentences

The closest vessel was the Disney Treasure, which was travelling from Europe to the US to prepare for its maiden voyage and was 80 miles away when it responded.

From BBC

The 340m Disney Treasure was crossing the Atlantic from Europe, where it was constructed, to Florida, where it will embark on its maiden voyage in December.

From BBC

The Titanic was on her maiden voyage, travelling from Southampton to the US, when she hit the iceberg.

From BBC

The Oscar-winning ballad was on the soundtrack of the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as two lovers who meet on the doomed ship's maiden voyage in 1912.

From BBC

Safety issues with the Boeing Starliner, which marked its maiden voyage with this mission, have delayed the return home.

From Salon