Silver Nova - Still no naming ceremony/godparent?

[voyager23]

The Silver Nova is almost approaching 6 months in service, so has anyone seen any recent mention of a naming ceremony or godparent? I know some ships have been delaying the naming ceremonies either to be in their homeport or in an iconic backdrop like Antarctica. There was a brief mention in one article in August when the ship first came out: "Silversea Cruises' Silver Nova embarked Monday on its maiden voyage from Venice (Fusina), with the ship's naming festivities set for Jan. 4 at Port Everglades", but have yet to see any recent press on this, or who would be conducting the ceremony.

[ronrick1943]

I think I read it was going to be in Fort Lauderdale on January 4th when the hip comes into port.  I think it’s in the evening.

[david63]

I thought that naval superstition was that it was bad luck to sail on a ship that did not have a godparent looking over it.

[voyager23]

Yes that is the usual superstition. These days it has usually been an opportunity for a cruise line to get some added publicity, either by making a new corporate partnership, or recognize someone with a charitable/destination related connection to carry out the ceremony.

 

Past Silversea naming ceremonies:

 

Silver Cloud: unknown?

Silver Wind: unknown?

Silver Shadow: Janet Burke(Silversea VP)

Silver Whisper: Marzia Lefebvre D'Ovidio (chairmans wife)

Silver Spirit: Silvia Lefebvre D'Ovidio (chairmans sister)

Silver Muse: Costanza Lefebvre d'Ovidio (chairmans daughter)

Silver Moon: Gaia Gaja (Italian winemaker)

Silver Dawn: Nilou Motamed (Food & Travel writer/personality )

Silver Origin: Johanna Carrión (Galápagos conservationist)

Silver Endeavor: Felicity Aston (British adventurer/climate scientist)

Silver Nova: ????

[voyager23]

I'm guessing those disembarking in Fort Lauderdale tomorrow haven't heard any updates for a Jan 4 naming ceremony. Guess Nova will be an unchristened ship for a bit longer, or in a rare chance Silversea is doing away with the maritime tradition.

[mancunian]

We received a glossy brochure on all the luxury lines from a UK travel agent which said 4 Jan in Fort Lauderdale.   Must be going to be a very low key event.

[lincslady]

Maybe disembarking guests would not be told about any ceremony which was to happen today?  I see she is just about to arrive in Port Everglades.

[mancunian]

Agree as they would not be directly involved but would have thought they would have seen some start in preparations.  As I said possibly very low key celebrations!

[seaver]

Doing it today,just posted on Facebook.

[voyager23]

Thank you, saw Silversea's press release:

 

https://www.silversea.com/about-silversea/press-releases/2024/january/silversea-officially-names-silver-nova.html

 

Talk about low key for not only a new innovative class of ship, but also the 30th Anniversary! Someone in their PR and marketing really dropped the ball on this one. Missed opportunity.

[LTCOP]

When we boarded the Nova yesterday, I asked our butler and he said it was going to be a private ceremony.  I did notice groups of professionally dressed people walking through the ship in the afternoon who I assume were invited for the ceremony.  As guests, the only thing that we saw that I assume was related to this was 2 tugs put on an impressive water canon show we could enjoy on our balcony.  It was fun to see and went for quite a while. Other than that, we did not know a thing until I saw pictures on Facebook.

[voyager23]

Thanks for the update. I wonder why Silversea was so secretive about it? 

 

Maybe they didn't want to compete with Royal Caribbean Groups press later in the month for Icon? It is mostly odd that they would wait 6 months for such a low key ceremony in Ft Lauderdale, and not just have done it in Trieste, Italy when the ship first came out.

 

 

[lincslady]

I certainly had never heard of Nina Compton - is she famous in the USA?  I would guess maybe not very, which might  account for the low key ceremony.

[DavyWavey70]

1 hour ago, lincslady said:

I certainly had never heard of Nina Compton - is she famous in the USA?  I would guess maybe not very, which might  account for the low key ceremony.

Anything to do with Comptons in Soho?

[Texas Tillie]

7 hours ago, lincslady said:

I certainly had never heard of Nina Compton - is she famous in the USA?  I would guess maybe not very, which might  account for the low key ceremony.

 

A google search reveals that she is a James Beard Award winning chef, originally from St. Lucia, now living in New Orleans. Still never heard of her!

[david63]

3 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:

Still never heard of her

You have now😂

[Lois R]

9 hours ago, lincslady said:

I certainly had never heard of Nina Compton - is she famous in the USA?  I would guess maybe not very, which might  account for the low key ceremony.

Hi Lola, I have never heard of her either.....she is certainly not famous to me.

[Tothesunset]

8 hours ago, DavyWavey70 said:

Anything to do with Comptons in Soho?

Or a descendant of Denis? 

[safarijm]

You missed! All big wigs came on delayed embarcation!

[flyers]

 

[drron29]

And if was nice to receive an email from Silversea yesterday about the naming ceremony. Just a week after it happened.

[ronrick1943]

Just bad PR, guess it tells you what they think about paying guest on the ship coming into and leaving Fort Lauderdale.

[Mayflower1]

Thank you flyers for posting this Video of The Naming Ceremony. I too received the Silversea E mail relating to this very Low Key Event and whilst ii showed excerpts from the Ceremony there was very little actual sound from the Event, just generic background Music ?? - All in all very disappointing in the extreme.

[flyers]

Since no one really knows who Nina Compton is here is some more background to Nina Compton. She is the daughter of (now deceased) Sir John Compton, past Prime Minister of St. Lucía and Lady Janice Compton. 

Reportedly Sir John was very instrumental in not just St. Lucía but the Caribbean as a whole in preparing and welcoming the Cruise Ship Industry in the 70`s and 80`s when the industry was still in its infancy and there was much apprehension in the Hotel and traditional Tourism industry in the Islands that Cruise Ships with its hordes of passengers would be detrimental to the Industry.

Presumably this may have partly been what influenced Silverseas to choose her for the christening of the Silver Nova?https://archive.stlucia.gov.lc/primeminister/former_prime_ministers/john_g_m_compton/biography.htm

[dawntrdr]

I happened to be in New Orleans this week and went to one of Nina Compton's restaurants:  Bywater American Bistro.  It was excellent.   If she can bring that magic to Silver Nova, we are all in for a treat.  I took a photo of the menu: