From the beginning of navigation, sailors have been coining a series of ceremonies, initially born of superstition, that foretold good fortune for the ship in trade, or a moderate Aeolus, or simply good luck against the elements, or in combat with pirates and corsairs.
Article from CruisesNews magazine, issue 49 – June 2019
Today, passenger ships are heirs to these traditions, which they maintain because they offer considerable media and marketing impact.
The major civilizations of antiquity, such as the Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans, prayed to their gods to keep their ships safe on the water. Almost every culture in the world has a traditional ceremony for launching a new ship. The Turks, for example, sacrificed a lamb, but today it is usually a bottle of Champagne that is sacrificed to the hull.
The History of Godmothers:
A godmother has always been seen as someone who inspires feminine benevolence on a ship and protects it on future voyages. Interestingly, in the Middle Ages, women on board were considered bad luck, and were even forbidden from sailing on merchant or military vessels. Sailors feared that a woman on board would anger the sea gods and cause bad weather and difficult sailing.
This situation began to change in the 17th century. Shipyards for sailing vessels began the tradition of carving a woman's head into the stem. It was believed at the time that women had better eyesight for navigation. However, in 18th-century France, ship launchings and christenings were similar to traditional wedding ceremonies, with both male and female participants. The shipowner chose a godfather and godmother, and together they christened the vessel. This is possibly the first mention of a godmother, but the champagne bottle is not yet mentioned.
According to chroniclers, it wasn't until the 19th century that the first woman in the United States was named as a godmother: Miss Lavinia Fanning Watson, daughter of one of Philadelphia's wealthiest men. Miss Watson broke the water and wine bottle in 1846 on the bow of the Germantown, which became the first U.S. Navy ship sponsored by a woman. From then on, first in the United States, and then around the world, godmothers became increasingly common. Initially, they used bottles of cognac and whiskey, and champagne didn't begin to feature prominently until the late 19th century.
Other historians say it was the British Royal Navy that first began offering the honor of naming its ships after women. By the 20th century, it was a widespread practice, and all ships with a certain legendary status (Queen Mary, Normandie, Rex, etc.) had their godmother.
And from the mid-1980s onward, the role of godmother became more popular. It was no longer just queens, first ladies, or the daughter of the shipowner, but actresses, athletes, musicians, and so on. Shipping companies were no longer public or subsidized entities, but private businesses. And christenings began to take on a more commercial tone. Audrey Hepburn was godmother to the Star Princess in 1989, Lauren Bacall to the Monarch of the Seas in 1991, and Julie Andrews to the Crystal Serenity in 2003.
And their role has expanded: they no longer just break the Champagne bottle, but also help with the shipowner's publicity and the ship's commercial launch. Or they contribute to charitable causes by collecting funds at christenings. There are other perks, beyond the honor of being chosen. They often receive jewelry or other gifts, or free cruises. Audrey Hepburn, the godmother of the Star Princess in 1989, sailed on the ship's maiden Caribbean cruise.
The current duties of a godmother beyond the christening ceremony are virtually nonexistent, and like godfathers with their godchildren, some are more involved with their ships than others.
Different types of ceremony
From the time the contract for the construction of a ship is signed, until its delivery by the shipyard, two or three years, or even longer, can easily pass.
This time is used by shipowners to gradually introduce the ship to the market, usually revealing new details of it in small doses: its cabins, the new chefs who will cook in its sumptuous restaurants, or the dizzying slides on its outer decks.
But the best element for introducing a ship to the market are the partial milestones that mark its construction.
The first milestone in shipbuilding is the signing of the contract, or even the letter of intent before the firm contract is signed. This is the least used marketing tool by shipping companies, although there are some exceptions.
For example, the signing of the letter of intent for the construction of the sister ships MSC Meraviglia and MSC Bellissima on March 20, 2014, between Mr. Aponte and Pierre Moscovici (current European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs), in Paris, received extensive media coverage. The signing of the contract for the Azara, and its sister ship, between Ritz Carlton and the Vigo-based shipyard Barreras, was attended by the President of the Xunta de Galicia, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and garnered significant attention in the local media.
Steel Cutting:
After the final contract is signed, the shipyard begins construction of the vessel. Naturally, the first step is to assemble the hull. A modern mega-ship can require cutting more than 200,000 pieces of sheet metal, all of which must be designed using computer software. Once this design is complete, cutting the first piece of sheet metal is another milestone in shipbuilding.
It's a ceremony held at the shipyard, next to a pool that houses the plasma or laser cutting machine. In this industrial setting, the glamour of a ship's godmother doesn't yet fit, and the ceremony is usually attended by executives from the shipping company and the shipyard, employees, and members of the media. A couple of speeches are typically given, and then the shipyard grants a guest (usually someone connected to the shipowner) the privilege of pressing the start button on the laser cutter.
That tool cuts the first piece of steel sheet used in the ship's production. Often, this piece is the ship's profile and will be a gift for the guests, or it may even be an actual part of the vessel. It's worth remembering that it can still be two years before the ship is delivered after this ceremony. Considering the size of some vessels, this is a considerable timeframe.
Its importance lies in the fact that the shipowner usually reveals the ship's name during this ceremony. For example, on February 1st, Royal Caribbean International took advantage of the cutting of the first piece of steel for its second Quantum-Ultra class ship at the Meyer Werft shipyard to announce that it would be named Odyssey of the Seas. MSC Cruises, on November 26th, announced that the first of its two Seaside EVO ships would be called MSC Seashore, during the steel-cutting ceremony at Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard.
But it's not always like that: on April 24, the cutting of the 400,000 steel pieces for the fifth Oasis-class ship began at Chantiers de l'Atlantique, and Royal Caribbean made no announcement about it.
The coin ceremony, keel laying, or first section placement in dry dock:
This tradition dates back to when sailors used to place gold coins under the base of the mast. This practice was intended to improve the sails' luck, ensuring they would always find wind. If the mast was changed, the coin was replaced. Sometimes, the gold coins weren't simply placed on a ship's frame but were visible to passengers and crew. Gold itself was considered lucky in the days of shipbuilding before the advent of steel.
The coin-laying ceremony can be interpreted in two ways: it generally takes place when the ship's keel is laid on the slipway. Or, in more modern times, when a huge gantry crane places the first section in the construction dock. It is the first rite with a godmother, or godmothers, since one is usually appointed by the shipyard, generally an employee, and another by the shipowner.
Before placing the first block, coins are soldered to it to bring good luck to the ship. These coins are usually the national currency of the shipyard and the national currency of the shipowner: generally euros and dollars, although sometimes coins with significant numismatic value have been used. This tradition is very strong among Latin American shipowners, for example, MSC Cruises or Costa.
Among Scandinavian and British shipowners, the tradition differs: instead of the base of the mast, the coins are placed on the mast itself, which on modern vessels supports radar, antennas, and other equipment. It is the tallest part of the ship, so the vessel must be completed before the coins can be welded on, coinciding with the ship's maiden voyage. The Viking Sun, in December 2016, was christened by Ms. Yi Lou, Vice President of China Merchant Bank Financial Leasing (CMBFL), as it was the company's first ship launched in China. Commemorative coins were welded on, representing her birth year and those of her parents. A coin from 1911, the birth year of the mother of Viking CEO Torstein Hagen, was also welded on. Cunard, for example, follows this second tradition. In this case, the coin ceremony and the ship's launch coincide.
The launching of a ship, which historically coincided with its christening until the cruise boom, is now an almost anonymous ceremony. First, because floating a ship in the construction dock lacks the spectacular nature of seeing it glide down the slipway during its launch. Thus, the Vigo shipyard Hijos de J. Barreras celebrated the launching last October of the luxury cruise ship it is building for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. The ship's bow was adorned with the national flag, and attendees included Mr. Francisco Conde, Minister of Economy and Industry; Mr. Abel Caballero, Mayor of Vigo; Mr. Douglas Prothero of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection; and the president of the Barreras shipyard, Mr. José García, among others. And second, because there can still be months to go before delivery after the launch, and the ship, especially its interior, is not yet "presentable.".
Ship Delivery and Flag Change:
Once the ship is fully completed and sea trials have been successfully completed, the shipyard transfers ownership to the shipowner, who signs the acceptance document. The ship's flag is then changed to the registry where it will be registered. The entire crew is on board, and the ship is fully operational, except for any final touches.
The handover usually takes place at the shipyard, very close to the christening, so it's not typically a media event, although it does have its own godmother. However, there are some interesting exceptions, such as MSC Cruises. On May 31, 2017, STX France delivered the MSC Meraviglia to MSC Cruises in St. Nazaire, with the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, in attendance. He helped Zoe Africa Vago, the ship's godmother and daughter of Pierfrancesco Vago and Alexa Aponte, break a bottle of champagne against the ship's hull. During the ceremony, Macron spoke with the shipyard workers about Fincantieri's acquisition of the shipyard and the long-standing business relationship between the shipyard and the shipowner, which has resulted in the construction of thirteen ships since 2003. The ceremony concluded with the signing of the handover between Laurent Castaing and Gianluigi Aponte, who handed over command of the ship to Captain Raffaele Pontecorvo.
Also in November 2017, the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, presided over the delivery of the MSC Seaside in Monfalcone, and became its first passenger.
Holland America Line, 150 Years of Godmothers:
Holland America Line was one of the first shipowners whose vessels were christened by godmothers. The Rotterdam, launched in 1872, was christened by Mrs. Hus, the wife of its first captain.
The women of the Dutch royal family have christened eleven Holland America Line ships, including the Statendam in 1929, christened by Prince Hendrik, and the Nieuw Amsterdam in 1937, by Queen Wilhelmina. The then Princess Beatrix christened the Statendam in 1957 and the Prinses Margriet in 1964. In 1958, the legendary Rotterdam was christened by Queen Juliana. Princess Margriet is a prolific godmother: she was selected by HAL for this role four times. She began with the Prinsendam in 1973; She continued with the Nieuw Amsterdam in 1983, Rotterdam in 1997 and Oosterdam in 2003. Queen Beatrix served as godmother of the Eurodam in 2008, and the then Princess Máxima was godmother of the Nieuw Amsterdam in 2010, to repeat as queen with the Koningsdam.
But Holland America Line, especially in recent years, has diversified its selection of godmothers, including some commoners—albeit very illustrious ones. Actress Debbie Reynolds was godmother of the Veendam in 1993, and her colleague June Allyson did the same for the Maasdam that same year. The world of journalism is represented by Joan Lunden, godmother of the Zuiderdam in 2002, and by Oprah Winfrey, who was godmother twice for the same ship, the Nieuw Statendam, having that honor both at its launch and its christening. Holland America's only nod to sports occurred in 1999, when tennis player Chris Everett was godmother of the Volendam.
Finally, Janet Lanterman, the wife of former Holland America Line CEO Kirk Lanterman, was the godmother of the Amsterdam in 2000.
Employees as Godmothers
In 2010, Cunard honored its employees by selecting Florence Farmer as godmother at both the coin ceremony at Fincantieri and the christening in Southampton. Mrs. Farmer is the widow of Willie Farmer, who worked for Cunard from 1938 to 1979 as Chief Engineer aboard the first Queen Elizabeth and later the Queen Elizabeth 2.
And on May 5th, the Hanseatic Nature was christened in Hamburg by Isolde Susset, who has been in charge of the shipowner's cruise division for the past fifteen years. More than 200 of the shipowner's employees were present at the ceremony.
And finally, Marella Cruises always chooses its ship godmothers from among its employees and collaborators. Its latest acquisition, the Marella Explorer 2, christened this spring in Málaga, had two godmothers: a cook, Mary Moreno, who has worked for Marella Cruises since 2015, and TUI Airways flight attendant Paula Clark, who has worked for the company since 1975.
In 2011, Disney Cruise Lines chose a special godmother for the Disney Dream: Jennifer Hudson. She began her career in 2003 as a singer on the Disney Wonder. It was the first step in a career that led her to win American Idol and a Grammy Award. Jennifer waved a magic wand to christen the ship before a helicopter broke a bottle on the bow of the Disney Dream.
Cunard and P&O, godmothers of Windsor.
On May 26, 1934, the then Queen Mary became the first reigning monarch to act as godmother of a merchant ship by smashing a bottle of Australian wine against the hull of the Queen Mary during its launch. 250,000 people witnessed the event. Her husband, King George V, made a discreet appearance at the ceremony.
Since then, all the women of the House of Windsor have been closely associated with the launching of ships belonging to major British shipping companies, especially Cunard and P&O. Queen Elizabeth II was the godmother at the christenings of the legendary Queen Elizabeth 2 in 1967, and also of the Queen Mary 2 in 2004. The last time the current British monarch acted as godmother was for the Britannia, P&O's flagship, which was christened in 2015.
As a princess, she was godmother to the Caronia in 1947. Her mother, Queen Elizabeth, had served as godmother during the voyage of the Queen Elizabeth in 1938. Her daughter, Princess Anne, was godmother to the Aurora, owned by P&O.
But the turning point in the popularity of ship godmothers was the selection of Diana, Princess of Wales, to become the patron of the Royal Princess, owned by P&O, in November 1984. Princess Diana brought the necessary glamour to a ceremony held in Southampton. Her words, “I christen this ship Royal Princess. God bless the ship and all who sail on her,” resonated around the world. Interestingly, the woman who succeeded her in her husband's heart, Camilla Parker Bowles, was the godmother of the Queen Victoria on December 10, 2007, also in Southampton.
And in 2013, her would-be daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, was godmother to the new Royal Princess in a spectacular ceremony presided over by the Duchess of Cambridge in Southampton. This ceremony combined nautical traditions with British elements and contemporary touches. That year, the Duchess had been named one of "The 100 Most Influential People in the World" by Time Magazine, and the christening of the Royal Princess was her last public engagement before giving birth to her first child in July of that year. Her image as a modern princess made her an excellent choice for an innovative ship like the Royal Princess. It seems that the next choice to be godmother of a Cunard or P&O ship will be Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex.
P&O, when not selecting members of the British royal family, maintains a certain relationship with the Windsors. For example, the Ventura's godmother was actress Helen Mirren, who starred in the film "The Queen," a biopic of Queen Elizabeth II.
Royal Caribbean, Innovating in the Selection of Godmothers.
In its more than half a century of existence, Royal Caribbean has had several innovative initiatives with its godmothers. With its Sovereign trio, it was relatively conventional: the Sovereign of the Seas was christened in 1987 by Rosalyn Carter, the First Lady of the United States at the time; the Monarch of the Seas was christened by actress Lauren Bacall in 1991; and the Majesty of the Seas was christened by Queen Sonja of Norway a year later. Subsequently, several women from the shipowners' families—Wilhelmsen, Fain, Ofer, etc.—held this role.
Royal Caribbean has subsequently sought to demystify, or perhaps popularize, the role of godmother. It was one of the first cruise lines to nominate a woman of color, Whoopi Goldberg, as godmother of the Viking Serenade in 1991, and then had her repeat the role in 2003 for the Serenade of the Seas. Latinas like Gloria Estefan, the Cuban singer, have served as godmother twice with Royal Caribbean. In 2002, the company chose Rudolph Giuliani, then mayor of New York City, as godfather of the Adventure of the Seas, as a tribute to the city following the September 11 attacks, along with a group of police officers and firefighters. He was one of the first individual (or group) godfathers of a cruise ship.
For example, in 2006, the Freedom of the Seas was christened by Katherine Louise Calder. Royal Caribbean sought a woman whose extraordinary achievements were unknown to the general public. Instead of a celebrity, RCI chose Ms. Calder, who had been an adoptive mother to hundreds of children with special needs. And another first: she was chosen by popular vote across the United States. In 2010, the Oasis of the Seas arrived, and as it was the largest ship in the world, it had seven godmothers.
In 2010, Royal Caribbean chose a fictional princess, Fiona, as the godmother of the Allure of the Seas. This decision capitalized on the popularity of Shrek (the fourth film in the franchise had just been released) and reflected the strength of the agreement between the cruise line and DreamWorks to integrate characters from their films into the cruise fleet. The christening ceremony included a procession of bagpipes and drums, culminating in Princess Fiona smashing a bottle of champagne after a karate chop!
In 2016, Royal Caribbean once again chose a godmother who was unknown to most people, but whose social achievements were undeniable, as godmother of the Harmony of the Seas, the third Oasis ship. Brittany Afolter, a 23-year-old teacher, was chosen after helping low-income students, often facing social exclusion, in her free time. For Michael Bayley, the president of Royal Caribbean International, it was "a life lesson," as he famously smashed a 2-meter bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne against the ship's bow.
And in 2018, another RCI innovation. A family, Carlos and Alexa PenaVega, along with their 17-month-old son Ocean, became godparents of the Symphony of the Seas, the fourth Oasis-class ship. This was another nod to the ship's target audience, families, but also to loyal passengers who had previously taken several cruises with Royal Caribbean. They had even met on a cruise.
Celebrity Cruises, another RCCL group company, also gives its ship godmothers a social dimension. The Celebrity Reflection was jointly sponsored by Jovanka Goronjic, Megan Mathie, Helen O'Connell, and Rosey Rodriguez, all employees who had survived cancer.
Norwegian: The Godparents Arrive!
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) revolutionized the cruise market in 1980 with the launch of the Norway. When this ship was launched in 1960 as the France, it was christened by Yvonne de Gaulle, the wife of French President Charles de Gaulle. However, in its second life, it had no godmother, something unthinkable today. Nevertheless, NCL soon understood the benefits of having godmothers for its ships, and the Seaward was christened in 1988 by Greta Waitz, the legendary Norwegian marathon runner. Diana Ross and Barbara Bush then served as godmothers for the Dreamward and Windward in the early 1990s, following the established pattern of selecting actresses, athletes, and so on. In 2005, the Norwegian Jewel was christened by the current First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump.
But this decade, NCL began to innovate in its christenings. With the Breakaway series, everything started to change. First came themed ceremonies based on the city chosen for the christening, with groups of women serving as godmothers. The Rockettes of Radio City Music Hall were the group of godmothers selected for the Norwegian Breakaway, which was christened in New York. A year later, the Miami Dolphins cheerleaders were the godmothers of the Norwegian Getaway.
The next step was choosing godparents. When Norwegian Cruise Line selected Pitbull to christen the Norwegian Escape in 2015, it attempted to break the mold of the traditional godmother. While not the first to do so, it was perhaps the first with that unorthodox purpose. But Pitbull did a fantastic job, significantly promoting the brand and the ship, and NCL decided to repeat the experience: the Norwegian Bliss was christened by Elvis Duran in Seattle.
Furthermore, NCL seeks to perpetuate the relationship between the ship and its godmother over time. Pitbull has performed several concerts on board the ships and even composed music for advertising campaigns. And the Rockettes have sailed on numerous occasions, offering dance performances and fitness classes to passengers.
Elvis Duran is a radio host who presents a morning show with an audience of five million listeners. NCL wondered if that audience could be a potential market for Norwegian Cruise Line and offered him the role of godfather for the Norwegian Bliss. Following the initial announcement on the show, traffic to the Norwegian Bliss microwebsite skyrocketed by 2,000%; website visits and calls to NCL's call center increased by 575%. Bliss bookings grew by 72%, and overall NCL bookings increased by 27%. Since then, Elvis Duran has continued his relationship with NCL in a way that doesn't feel like advertising.
Costa and MSC Cruises: Two Different Strategies.
MSC Cruises has a clear vision when it comes to choosing the godmother for its ships. Its only option is Sophia Loren, who began her tenure as godmother with the Crown Princess in New York in 2002. The Italian legend started with the MSC Lirica in Naples in 2003 and since then has broken fourteen bottles of champagne on the bow of all the new ships in the Italian cruise line's fleet. Sophia Loren perfectly embodies the Mediterranean grace and elegance that MSC Cruises wants to convey, and she is also recognized on both sides of the Atlantic.
For MSC Cruises, Sophia Loren is an icon of classic beauty, Italian style, and elegance, defining the MSC Cruises brand positioning. She has become an integral part of the MSC Cruises concept.
In contrast, Costa Cruises has opted to diversify its godmothers. As a pan-European shipowner, it has sought to have a godmother from every country that supplies its passengers. Two Spanish women are godmothers of Costa ships: Inés Sastre of the Costa Mediterranea in 2003, and Paz Vega of the Costa Magica in 2004. There are also French women like Marion Cotillard with the Costa Serena in 2007, although naturally the lion's share goes to Italian divas, such as Claudia Cardinale, who was godmother of the Costa Atlantica in 2000, or Maria Grazia Cucinotta with the Costa Fortuna in 2003. The entry into the Chinese market has led to the appearance of godmothers of that nationality, such as Gan Beyge with the Costa Venezia this year.
Other Italian shipowners, such as Silversea, are very traditional and only choose female family members as godmothers. Silversea's first ship, the Silver Cloud, was christened by the CEO's mother, Eugenia Beck Lefebvre; and the most recent, the Silver Muse, by his daughter, Costanza. This practice was used by Costa before its acquisition by Carnival, and by Radisson when they owned Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Combination of ceremonies
To increase media impact, especially on less important milestones, shipping companies thought about improving media penetration by combining ceremonies held in different locations.
The pioneer of this trend was Viking River Cruises, which in 2014 christened seven riverboats (three in Avignon and three in Rostock, Germany), while the previous day it had christened nine in Amsterdam. In fact, Viking set a new world record by christening those 16 vessels. A Guinness World Records employee verified the record; Viking already held the previous record in 2013, with ten vessels christened in a single day.
On February 14th, Princess Cruises, in partnership with Fincantieri, held a triple ceremony. In Castellammare di Stabia, near Naples, steel cutting began on hull 6275, the final ship in the Grand Princess series, scheduled for delivery in 2022. Simultaneously, in Monfalcone, the first block of the Enchanted Princess was laid in the construction dock, accompanied by a coin ceremony. The Enchanted Princess is slated for delivery in 2020. The Sky Princess, scheduled for delivery this year, was also launched. Its godmother at the launch was Kerry Ann Wright, a Princess second officer.
MSC Cruises, for example, held a double ceremony on October 15, 2017. The day began with the cutting of the first steel for the MSC Grandiosa. During this event, PierFranceco Vago announced that the ship would be named MSC Grandiosa. This was followed by the coin placement ceremony on the MSC Bellissima, with godmothers Beatrice Lahaye and Marcia Leite in attendance. Vago emphasized that for a shipping family like the Apontes, “tradition is very important. The coins are a symbol of good fortune, even though they are invisible to the passengers.”.
Shipping companies try to attract media attention with mass baptisms (Viking River Cruises), or with combined ceremonies (MSC or Princess).
Casting the Godmothers:
The ship's christening, whether immediately following delivery or a few weeks later, is now the most important ceremony in the launch of a cruise ship. And its key figure is the godmother.
The selection of a godmother to fulfill the tradition of christening a ship is generally linked to the ship's marketing campaigns. Choosing an influential woman as a mentor and protector of the vessel is a crucial part of its launch. How is a godmother selected? What patterns are used? There's no single rule, as women of all styles, ages, nationalities, and so on can be found. From actresses to beauty queens, athletes to politicians, family members of the shipowner or travel agents, and even some shipping companies opt for "ordinary" women, such as teachers, etc.
For example, in 2016 Royal Caribbean was heavily investing in the Chinese market. They were going to deploy the Ovation of the Seas there and needed a local figure to promote the ship. They chose Fan Bingbing as its godmother, a famous Chinese actress and number one on Forbes China's "Celebrity 100" list. As one of the country's most dazzling artists, winner of several international awards, and a philanthropist, she was the ideal candidate and became the first Chinese celebrity to receive this honor from a foreign cruise line. The same thing happened with Norwegian Cruise Line, which chose Wang Lee Hom, a famous Chinese singer.
The ship's name itself sometimes defines the godmother. For example, Holland America Line, in 2016, selected Koningsdam as the name of its latest ship. In Dutch, "Koning" means king, so the godmother could only be a queen. Thus, Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands was the ship's godmother in Rotterdam on May 20, 2016. When she was a princess, Máxima had already been the godmother of the Nieuw Amsterdam. And it wasn't the first time that women from the Dutch royal family had served as godmothers for Holland America.
