Info.on The Royal Caribbean International cruise ship 'Navigator of the Seas'?

Question

Received a post card from the above named cruise ship and included in the technical details of the vessel on the reverse of the card it says 'Godmother; Steffi Graf'. I have never seen this before about a ship and wonder how and where it originated.

Answer 1

All Cruise Ships have Godmothers. Other famous names on the Royal Fleet are Lauren Bacall, and Rosalyn Carter.

Answer 2

Maybe the fees aren't exactly "Hidden" or "secret", but there ARE some items that are not widley advertised or talked about, when you go to book the cruise. The main fees, aside from your initial cost of the cruise, would be the tips (gratuities) . Depending on the cruise line, this can average between $10 to $15 a day per person. When you check in for the cruise, they'll open an on-board account for you. Usually they'll tie your room card to a major credit or debit card, OR... if you prefer, they'll have you open the account by leaving a cash deposit. (I don't know what the minimum amount would be, I'm guessing $200). Everything that you buy on the ship, such as drinks, souvenirs, spa treatments, or shore excursions booked at the excursion desk..... all of these items get charged to your room card at the end of the cruise. In addition to that, most cruise lines will automatically add on the gratuities to your room card as well. The last night of the cruise, they'll usually slip the final bill or statement under your door. Those charges will be made to your account, which means either your major credit/debit card, or taken from the cash deposit you made. If it was a deposit, any amount left over is refunded to you. If you owe, you will be expected to pay the balance owed before you leave the ship. (This is why most people use their credit cards.) You don't have to pay gratuities, but it is consisdered poor taste/bad etiquette if you don't. Gratuties, while not mandatory, are more or less expected. The amount can be adjusted up or down, but most people leave them at the default amount. What I like about Royal Caribbean is they give you the option to pre-pay the gratuities. If you wish, you may pay them before you board. That's what I did on my last cruise. It gave me peace of mind, knowing that the cost of the cruise was taken care of. The only things I had to worry about were souvenirs, excursions, and drinks, which is really not much different from any other vacation. I usually plan on spending about $300 above and beyond the initial cost of the cruise to cover gratuities, drinks, shopping, and excursions. My last few cruises, that's averaged out about right, and I've usually had a little bit left over.

Answer 3

Steffi Graf did in fact christen this ship.Navigator is a lovely ship as all of the Voyager class ships.i will be present on her this Nov crossing the Atlantic from Uk.RCCL 43 times the only option in cruise travel.

Answer 4

I think Gloria Estefan is also a godmother of a ship... I think Royal Caribbean??

RC also just had a contest to become the godmother of I believe it was the Liberty, not sure who won it... but thats a pretty cool thing to be, if you are into cruising like I am!

Answer 5

Ship christenings have come a long way since the Viking era, when ships were launched with human sacrifices to appease the gods and protect the new ship and its crew. While good fortune no longer requires human sacrifice, it does seem to require the human touch of the celebrity sort.

Ceremonial evolution
Traditionally, important ships were "christened" by royalty or by the ship's owners as they were launched from their building blocks into the sea. To mark these occasions, bottles of champagne or sparkling wine were broken against the ship's hull. Over time, the ritual duties were passed from high-ranking men to high-ranking women. In either case, the ceremony was meant to bring good luck to the ship and those who sailed on it.

Today's "godmothers," as the modern launchers are called, may no longer hobnob with the queen, but they are certainly high-profile standouts who attract lots of prized media attention for the cruise line. Recent ship godmothers include Rosie O'Donnell, Sophia Loren, Kathy Ireland and Martha Stewart. These women join an illustrious group of earlier godmothers that includes Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Sonja of Norway, Audrey Hepburn, Dame Julie Andrews, Shirley Temple Black, Lauren Bacall and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18542340/

Here are some articles you might find interesting on this subject ...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2006/06/04/TRGKAJ5C1G1.DTL

http://www.frommers.com/articles/3661.html

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16789361&BRD=2256&PAG=461&dept_id=550689&rfi=6

http://www.shippingtimes.co.uk/item598_royal_princess.htm

Answer 6

oooooooooooooooooooo so excited!! I'm going on Navigator this coming Saturday,yippee 10 days off work. The Steffi Graf thing is like a figurehead, don't suppose she has ever been on the ship in her life