South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Singer, TV host and now Kelly Clarkson is a Miami ‘godmother’
Singer Kelly Clarkson is joining a maritime tradition that has included celebrities from Pitbull to “The Love Boat” cast in the South Florida cruise industry.
Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line named the “American Idol” winner as the godmother to its 17th ship, the Norwegian Encore.
NCL’s president and chief executive officer Andy Stuart formally made the announcement on Clarkson’s new daytime talk show “The Kelly Clarkson Show’’ which launched this week.
Clarkson will be aboard the ship for its christening ceremony Nov. 21 at PortMiami when the ship makes its debut. At 1,100-foot-long and weighing 169,000-gross-tons, the Encore is largest of the cruise line’s fleet. The ship, which will have a capacity of 4,000 passengers, will feature more than 20 dining options including an elevated Italian dining experience, Onda by Scarpetta. The ship will also house the world’s longest go-kart racetrack at sea, extending 13 feet over the side of the ship.
“Kelly is a role model who is passionate about family and community, as well as music and entertainment,” Stuart said. “These are our passions too! We are honored to have her join our family of godparents and look forward to celebrating Norwegian Encore’s debut in Norwegian Cruise Line has named singer Kelly Clarkson as the godmother to its 17th ship the Norwegian Encore.
Miami with her, this November.”
On her show, Clarkson gushed with surprise about her new role with the cruise line.
“I am so honored to be named the godmother to Norwegian Encore, and to get to be a part of such a special ceremony to christen the new ship in Miami,” she said. Additionally, 20 music educators who appeared on her show were awarded a seven-day cruise from Norwegian.
Appointing a godparent to a new ship is a maritime tradition celebrated with the smashing of a champagne bottle against the side of the ship for good luck. In recent years, there have been several christenings in South Florida, home to cruise ship capitals Fort
Lauderdale and Miami.
Last year, as Royal Caribbean welcomed the Symphony of the Seas to its new terminal at PortMiami, the company named its first godfamily. Carlos and Alexa PenaVega, who starred in the The Hallmark Channel movie “Love At Sea” which was filmed aboard Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas, were ushered in as the Symphony’s godparents along with their son, Ocean.
Norwegian also named Miami rapper Pitbull as the godfather of the Norwegian Escape in 2015 in PortMiami. And in 2014, the original cast of ABC’s “Love Boat’’ reunited to christen the Regal Princess with a star-studded gold carpet celebration at Port Everglades.