Which cruise ships have royal godmothers?

_{Queen Elizabeth II at the launch of Queen Elizabeth 2 in 1967}

The tradition of blessing a ship before its maiden voyage dates back to ancient times when gods were called upon to bring the ship luck and keep them safe on the water. Now, the ship’s godmother takes on these duties. Typically, the godmother attends the launch ceremony to bless and officially name the ship by breaking a bottle against its hull and declaring, “I name this ship [insert name]. May God bless her and all who sail in her.”

The Royal Family plays a huge part in maritime history. What better way to honour the connection than by requesting members of the family to bestow luck? Here, we take a look at which cruise ships have royal connections:

The now-retired Queen Elizabeth 2 was operated by Cunard as both a transatlantic liner and cruise ship from 1969 to 2009. Queen Elizabeth II (that’s Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith no less) named the ship in 1967. Interestingly, she used the same pair of gold scissors her mother and grandmother had used to launch Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary.

In 2000, Her Royal Highness Princess Royal made waves when she launched P&O Cruises' much-loved ship Aurora. Anne holds her own place in maritime history, adding to her godmother kudos - she holds the honorary position of Admiral and Chief Commandant of the Women’s Royal Naval Service. She also christened Oceana in 2003 when she transferred from Princess Cruises to P&O.

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge named Princess Cruises’ ship Royal Princess in 2013. The ceremony, which was held in Southampton, United Kingdom, featured ship-naming traditions such as the blessing, a performance by the Royal Marines Band and the pipers of the Irish Guards. Funnily enough, Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales was godmother to the original Royal Princess in 1984.

When Britannia launched in 2015, she was the biggest ship ever built for the British market. Because of this, P&O Cruises knew they had to find an icon who represented the best of Britain. And who better than the Queen? Britannia’s naming ceremony came nearly 62 years after Her Majesty launched Royal Yacht Britannia. The Queen launched Britannia in front of a cheering 1,500-strong crowd before enjoying a tour of the Atrium, meeting crew members, visiting the bridge and dining on board.

In 2019, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall named Spirit of Discovery in a special ceremony at the Port of Dover. Taking place on the redeveloped quayside, The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Collingwood began the ceremonies, followed by speeches from the Captain. Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall, was given a short tour of Saga Cruises’ ship and unveiled a commemorative plaque before she joined the celebrations.