By
Elizabeth Robinson |
American talk show host and actress Oprah Winfrey will serve as godmother of Holland America Line’s newest vessel Nieuw Statendam, which is currently under construction at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy.
Nieuw Statendam, which will sail her maiden cruise in December 2018, will be officially named during a private christening ceremony in 2019. The date will be revealed soon.
Winfrey, who has been working with the cruise line as part of the O, The Oprah Magazine since 2017, will also board Nieuw Statendam for a ‘Girls’ Getaway cruise in January 2019. She will be joined by the magazine’s editor Gayle King and other members of the editorial staff.
“We are so excited to have Oprah set sail with us again for the ‘Girls’ Getaway’ cruise in partnership with O, The Oprah Magazine, and we’re deeply honoured that Oprah will serve as godmother of Nieuw Statendam,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “The time-honoured maritime tradition of choosing a godmother for a new vessel dates back more than 4,000 years and is revered as important in bringing good luck and protection to the ship and all who sail onboard, so it’s perfectly fitting that the ‘Girls’ Getaway’ cruise will take place onboard Nieuw Statendam.”
The January 2019 ‘Girls’ Getaway’ cruise will sail a roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale in Florida and spend a day at Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s private island in The Bahamas.
“The partnership with Holland America Line has been a dream come true,” said Jayne Jamison, senior vice president, publisher and chief revenue officer of O, The Oprah Magazine. “Our teams have worked seamlessly together to create unforgettable moments inspired by content in the magazine for the January 2019 sailing that reflect our core values and goals of helping people expand their horizons and live their best life.”
Guests will have the opportunity to attend ‘A Conversation with Oprah: Winfrey’ where Winfrey will share the highlights of her career and inspirational stories of women she has met over the years. Editorial staff from will also host special events, including editor-in-chief Lucy Kaylin, creative director Adam Glassman, beauty director Brian Underwood and books editor Leigh Haber.