Ambassador Cruise Line has named double Olympic sailing gold medallist Shirley Robertson OBE the godmother of its second vessel.
The line said the British sailor would bring “good luck and protection” to the ship Ambition in her role.
Robertson won gold medals at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, becoming the first British woman to secure gold at two consecutive Olympics.
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She is set to name Ambition at a ceremony in Newcastle on May 11 before travelling on the ship to her hometown of Dundee.
The 1,200-passenger ship will then continue its maiden 14-night Hidden Gems of France and Spain sailing after Robertson disembarks.
Following its maiden voyage from Newcastle, Ambition will depart from an additional six regional UK ports during its inaugural year including Tilbury, Dundee, Liverpool, Belfast, Bristol, and Falmouth.
Robertson was named world sailor of the year in 2000 by the International Sailing Federation.
In addition, she has previously fronted CNN’s dedicated sailing programme Mainsail as well as presented BBC’s Olympic sailing coverage.
Ambassador Cruise Line chief executive Christian Verhounig said: “As one of the most recognisable faces in sailing, there seemed no better fit for Ambition’s godmother than Shirley Robertson.
“As a trailblazer for women in the sport, not only is she passionate about all things nautical, but Shirley’s story is an inspiration to us all. What’s more, with the launch of our second ship we are also announcing cruise departures from seven regional UK ports, including Shirley’s hometown of Dundee.”
Robertson said: “I was drawn to Ambassador from the very first contact – I love their passion for quality service and their drive to look for sustainable options at every turn.
“I’m also a big fan of holidays that don’t involve the stress of airports and love the beauty and variety our very own coastline offers.”
She added: “Being at sea, and the excitement of arriving somewhere by sea, is very special. I’m very much looking forward to being a regular on Ambition and partnering with the dynamic team at Ambassador.”
Pictured (from left): Phil Gardner, chief commercial officer; Robertson; and Gordon Nardini, chief marketing officer