Maria, the mother of television presenter Lisa Wartberg, has an accident with memory loss. All she can remember is that she has never been to New York. Without further ado, the elderly woman smuggles herself aboard a cruise ship.

Lisa Wartberg's television-presenter job is the most important thing in her life, but this changes when her mother Maria loses her memory after an accident and only knows for sure that she has never been to New York. The feisty lady escapes from the hospital and smuggles herself aboard a cruise ship as a stowaway to finally experience the city which never sleeps, up close. Her daughter has no choice but to go on the search for her mother with her makeup artist Fred. They do find her, but the ship leaves before Lisa and her mother can disembark. On the chaotic journey across the Atlantic, not only does Lisa get to know passenger Axel and his son, but her mother also makes an exciting acquaintance.