Ship Naming Ceremonies and Shipyard Traditions
How a new ship goes from the first steel plate to her name.
Get Free Cruise QuotesFrom Steel to Ceremony: The Milestones of a New Ship
A naming ceremony is the most public of several milestones in a ship’s life, and shipyards and cruise lines mark each one. Together they form some of the oldest cruise ship traditions still in use.
| Milestone | What happens |
|---|---|
| Steel cutting | The first steel plate for the ship is cut at the shipyard, often with guests present. |
| Keel laying and coin ceremony | Coins, usually chosen by the line and the yard, are placed beneath one of the first blocks of the hull for good luck. |
| Float out | The hull is floated for the first time, out of a building dock or off the slipway. |
| Sea trials | The ship goes to sea to test engines, steering, stability and safety systems. |
| Delivery | Ownership passes to the line; the yard’s flag comes down and the line’s goes up. |
| Naming ceremony | The godmother names the ship and the bottle breaks on the hull, often with a show and fireworks. |
| Maiden voyage | The first sailing with paying guests, sometimes before the naming, sometimes after. |
Inside a Naming Ceremony
The ceremony is usually held with the ship docked at a port that matters to the line, and guests may include travel advisors, invited passengers and the media. It often begins with speeches and a blessing of the ship, sometimes by clergy of the region. Then comes the moment everyone waits for: the godmother speaks the words naming the ship, a bottle swings into the hull and breaks, the ship’s horn sounds, and the party begins. Some lines have held namings at private islands, in famous harbors or even with the godmother joining by video.
Can You Attend One?
Most naming ceremonies are invitation-only, but some lines sell special naming-voyage sailings or invite guests who are on board for the ceremony cruise. Maiden voyages and first-season sailings are much easier to book. If you would like to be on a ship during her first weeks, our sister site New Cruises lists upcoming new ships, and keepsakes from those sailings are exactly what collectors on Cruise Flea Market look for later.
Rededications
When a ship is renamed or rebuilt, lines sometimes hold a smaller rededication with a new godmother. It answers the old sailors’ worry that a renamed ship without a ceremony would be unlucky.
Traditions You Can See on Any Sailing
You do not need to attend a naming to see a ship’s traditions. Listen for the horn as she leaves the berth, and look for the ship’s bell, often displayed near the bridge or in a public space and engraved with her name. Many ships display a portrait or plaque of their godmother in a lobby or library. On longer voyages the captain usually hosts a welcome reception, and an equator crossing brings out King Neptune. Ask the crew about their ship’s own customs, too: officers and crew often keep traditions that guests never see, from celebrating milestone voyages to marking the anniversary of the naming.
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