Cruise News Daily Newsfile
April 26, 2010

Celebrity Eclipse Named at Southampton

Godmother Emma Pontin cuts the ribbon which releases the bottle of champagne against the side of the ship. In this case, it was a specially produced blue bottle blown in the Corning Museum of Glass aboard Celebrity Eclipse. She is assisted by Celebrity president Dan Hanrahan (left) and Royal Caribbean chairman Richard Fain. The pink ribbon signifies Celebrity's commitment to the fight against breast cancer. 
Celebrity's christenings are by remote control. They are held in the ship's main theater where everyone can be seated comfortably, and they can take advantage of the theater's special effects. The bottle is shown on a giant screen onstage. The godmother snipping the ribbon signals the bottle to be released to break against the ship's stack. 
The bottle breaking outside, and seen onscreen, signals the beginning of a full-scale celebration inside, complete with confetti, streamers, and special effects. Note the dancer at the upper right suspended near the balcony. The ability to fly performers over the audience is used in the ship's shows and is a signature element of the Solstice-class of ship. In the case of the naming ceremonies, the dancer flies-in the pink ribbon to the godmother onstage for the upper reaches of the balcony effortlessly spinning and doing summersaults through the air as she travels down across the room. 
Royal Caribbean chairman Richard Fain shown with Celebrity Eclipse's godmother, Emma Pontin in front of the vessel. 

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