Wonder of the Seas Named by Wonder Mom at Port Canaveral

Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas has been officially named in a celebration honoring a special mother from Pennsylvania.

Listen to this article

On December 9, 2022, cruise line Royal Caribbean International officially welcomed its megaship Wonder of the Seas into the family with a gala evening christening ceremony at Port Canaveral, Florida.

The traditional maritime naming ceremony honored the ship’s godmother, “Wonder Mom” Marie McCrea of Pennsylvania.

In this article hide

Wonder of the Seas’ naming ceremony

Wonder of the Seas’ new godmother

Wonder of the Seas

Wonder of the Seas’ naming ceremony

Royal Caribbean representatives, along with their families and friends, travel advisors and other cruise line partners came together on board the world’s largest cruise ship to celebrate the occasion in one of the ship’s entertainment venues, the AquaTheater.

In the time-honored role of cruise ship godmother, McCrea bestowed a blessing of safekeeping on Wonder, her crew, and the millions of families who will sail on the ship now and in years to come.

On stage with Marie were Royal Caribbean’s Group President and CEO Jason Liberty, RCI’s President and CEO Michael Bayley, and McCrea’s daughter, Allie. Allie nominated her mother for the role as part of a nationwide search started by Royal Caribbean.

*Wonder of the Seas* godmother Marie McCrea and her daughter Allie, along with Royal Caribbean executives, watch as the ship is christened with Champagne in a traditional naming ceremony (image courtesy of Royal Caribbean)

Wonder of the Seas’ new godmother

To find the godmother for Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean took to social media platform TikTok and launched the #SearchforWonderMom contest on Mother’s Day 2022. The popular contest saw 16,000 videos posted and 10.6 billion hashtag views.

The search was complete when the cruise line heard Marie’s story—one of a devoted mother, wife, and cancer survivor whose spirit inspired her family and those around her to set out on adventures and enjoy every moment together despite the hardships they faced.

“It was an honor to officially welcome Marie, and Wonder of the Seas, to the Royal Caribbean family,” Michael Bayley remarked after the naming ceremony.

“Marie’s story is one of incredible strength and family memories to last a lifetime, and those are the types of memories we’ve committed to creating with our guests and crew on every Royal Caribbean ship for more than 53 years,“ Bayley continued.

After the naming ceremony, McCrea and her family embarked on an invite-only celebration cruise that visits Royal Caribbean’s private island destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

As part of the prize, the family will also set sail on a 7-night Caribbean cruise, staying in Wonder of the Seas‘ Ultimate Family Suite. These luxe accommodations feature an in-suite slide, a cinema and karaoke room, game consoles, a private balcony and more. Plus, they’ll enjoy a five-star hotel stay, first-class flights, and spending money for the trip.

“Carrying out my role as godmother and a part of such an important moment for Royal Caribbean and Wonder of the Seas was such an honor,” said McCrea. “Having my family by my side to celebrate this incredible ship was yet another memory we’ve made together, and with our new Royal Caribbean family, that I’ll never forget.”

Wonder of the Seas

Royal Caribbean’s naming ceremony for Wonder of the Seas follows the vessel’s first arrival into Port Canaveral on November 13. The Florida port is now the ship’s year-round homeport.

The new ship is now sailing 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral to locations in the Caribbean including Perfect Day at CocoCay, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and Mexico.

“Wonder of the Seas exemplifies Royal Caribbean Group’s focus on unparalleled innovation, sustainable cruise ship design, and our commitment to delivering world-class, memorable vacations, responsibly,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. “This milestone represents the culmination of millions of hours of work, from the most innovative minds in the industry, to deliver the world’s latest wonder.”

The latest Oasis-class ship features new adventures as well as cruiser favorites throughout her eight unique neighborhoods.

Wonder‘s highlights include the Suite Neighborhood, an elevated experience for Royal Suite Class guests, and The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar, serving up Southern classics with a twist for brunch, dinner, and late-night, along with live country music.

Also aboard are more than forty restaurants, bars, and lounges, plus returning experiences like The Ultimate Abyss (the tallest waterslide at sea), the FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing walls, and newly-designed areas just for kids and teens.

Wonder of the Seas’ naming ceremony

Wonder of the Seas’ new godmother

Wonder of the Seas

Read more about Royal Caribbean

Related posts: