By
Alex Smith |
Senior Royal Navy officer and former head of the Royal Navy Medical Service Commodore Inga Kennedy is to serve as godmother of Saga Cruises’ newest ship, Spirit of Adventure.
Kennedy will officially name Spirit of Adventure during a ceremony on 19 July in Portsmouth, UK, which will coincide with the currently scheduled end of Covid-19 restrictions in the country. She will offer a traditional blessing for safe sailing, which will include her smashing of a bottle of English sparkling wine from Kent-based Balfour Hush Heath Estate across the ship’s hull. The ceremony will be streamed on Facebook Live.
Having joined the Royal Navy Reserve in 1987, Kennedy undertook full-time reserve service between 1998 and 2000 as a senior midwife in the Royal Naval Hospital Gibraltar. In 2000, she joined the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service. After being promoted to commander in 2005, she served in Afghanistan in 2011 and was made captain in November of that year. She was promoted to commodore in 2015 and appointed head of the Royal Navy Medical Service in 2017.
“I was thrilled to be asked to become Spirit of Adventure’s godmother and feel I’m accepting this on behalf of the wider medical community who have worked so tirelessly throughout this pandemic and will continue to do so long after this crisis period fades,” said Kennedy. “I wish Spirit of Adventure, and all who sail on her, the very best voyages.”
Following her naming ceremony on 19 July, Spirit of Adventure will undertake her inaugural voyage around Britain on 26 July.
“We are delighted and proud that Commodore Kennedy has agreed to be godmother to our newest ship,” said Euan Sutherland, group CEO of Saga. “When considering our choice for godmother, we wanted to recognise this vital work and pay due respect to it. Commodore Kennedy has given a lifetime of service to nursing and our armed forces and it will be a privilege to watch her send Spirit of Adventure on her way.”