A ship sponsor, by tradition, is a female civilian who is invited to "sponsor" a vessel, presumably to bestow good luck and divine protection over the seagoing vessel and all that sail aboard.
[Eyers, Jonathan (2011). ''Don't Shoot the Albatross!: Nautical Myths and Superstitions''. A&C Black, London, UK. .] In the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
and the
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and Admiralty law, law enforcement military branch, service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight Uniformed services ...
, the sponsor is technically considered a permanent member of the ship's crew and is expected to give a part of her personality to the ship, as well as advocate for its continued service and well-being. For passenger ships the sponsor is called a godmother if the sponsor is female, or a godfather if the sponsor is male.
See also
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Ceremonial ship launching
Ceremonial ship launching involves the performing of ceremonies associated with the process of transferring a vessel to the water. It is a nautical tradition in many cultures, dating back millennia, to accompany the physical process with ...
(christening)
References
#Carnival Cruise Lines News." Carnival Cruise Lines News Ship Fact Sheets Category. N.p., 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2013.
#"Godmothers of Princess Ships." Www.princess.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013.
#Princess Cruises Ship Christeners : Princess Cruises." Www.princess.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013.
{{Superstitions
Maritime transport
Superstitions