Key Aspects:
- Diana Ross has unexpectedly pulled out as Star of the Seas‘ godmother and will not appear at the ship’s naming ceremony.
- A new godmother will be selected, but no potential choices have been revealed.
- Star of the Seas will be named in an evening ceremony at Port Canaveral on Wednesday, August 20.
Star of the Seas is just days away from her official debut, but one crucial step remains – the ship’s naming ceremony. This tradition, conducted by the ship’s official godmother, bestows good fortune on a new vessel and all who sail on her.
Royal Caribbean announced in early June that the legendary Motown singer Diana Ross was to be Star of the Seas‘ godmother. Now, however, Ross has unexpectedly pulled out of the honor.
“We are disappointed that Diana Ross is unable to join us to be godmother of Star of the Seas,” a Royal Caribbean representative confirmed.
The singer has cancelled her appearance aboard the new ship at the naming ceremony, scheduled for Wednesday, August 20 in the ship’s iconic AquaDome neighborhood.
The 81-year-old performer was initially thrilled with the honorary title for the second Icon-class vessel.
“Having spent years of creating beautiful music and memories and bringing people together from all over the world, this feels like a perfect continuation of my journey as godmother of Star of the Seas,” said Ross.
The reasons behind Ross’s cancellation and withdrawal from the naming ceremony have not been released. She has just completed a UK arena tour, however, and is scheduled to begin her “Beautiful Love” US tour on August 16 in Saratoga, California.
It is possible that rescheduling tour dates may conflict with Ross’s commitment as the ship’s godmother, though the second published tour date isn’t until August 28 in St. Louis, Missouri.
The singer’s health and family commitments may also have created last-minute changes to her schedule, though no details have been confirmed.
Who Could Be Named as the New Godmother?
Who will do the honors now, with just a week to go before the christening?
“We look forward to announcing our new godmother soon,” Royal Caribbean said, confirming that no new godmother has been immediately chosen.
Still, there could be a fair few choices. Celebrities – actresses, singers, athletes, etc. – are often selected for the honor. Other recipients are often leaders in their respective fields, renowned for charitable work, or otherwise notable for their accomplishments.
And a “godmother” doesn’t necessarily have to be a woman. In recent years, several ships have had godfathers do the ceremonial naming honors instead.
In fact, Star of the Seas‘ sister ship, Icon of the Seas, was named by her godfather, top soccer player Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF.
Given that Star of the Seas is also home to Sailor, the second Chief Dog Officer in the fleet, a godparent with a connection to dog rescues or animal welfare could be a very appropriate choice.
Or, and I’m just suggesting, I do live just a few minutes from Port Canaveral and would happily release that oversized bottle of champagne onto Star of the Seas‘ hull next week! (I mean, if they need a volunteer…)
Cruise Hive will be on hand at Star of the Seas‘ naming ceremony, so stay tuned for in-person updates and perspectives at the very momentous occasion for one of the world’s largest cruise ships.
