Dundee mum cruises to boat-naming win

A Dundee woman was “totally shocked” when she won a competition to name a new cruise ship.

Gillian Crooks suggested her daughter’s name, Iona, to christen P&O’s biggest-ever ship as part of a competition that saw more than 7,000 names suggested by 30,000 entrants.

The new 180,000 ton vessel is said to be the most environmentally-efficient ship in the company’s history and was designed specifically for the British market.

Gillian lives in Broughty Ferry with her husband David, son Shaun and Iona.

Gillian and David named their 12-year-old daughter after the Inner Hebrides island as it holds a special place in the hearts of Gillian’s parents.

The 48-year-old said: “I was totally shocked. We’ve been cruising for quite a few years after my dad gave us a cruise holiday as a gift about eight years ago. My father got us into cruising.

“I was thinking of names and thought it should end in an A because so many other famous boats seem to do that so I thought ‘nobody I know has a ship named Iona’.

“My parents have been to the island a couple of times. It was quite sentimental to them. My dad was quite emotional when he heard my suggestion had won.”

As she was not the only person to choose Iona, Gillian’s name was pulled out of a hat to be declared winner of the competition and will attend the ship’s naming ceremony in May 2020.

A spokeswoman for P&O said no joke names, such as the notorious Boaty McBoatface, were submitted.

She said some of the most common names entered were Diana and Canberra.

P&O’s latest cruise ship will now be named Iona.