Saga Cruises has named Commodore Inga J. Kennedy as godmother Spirit of Adventure “in a mark of respect to the medical profession that has worked so hard over the last 18 months dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic”.
Commodore Kennedy CBE QHNS QARNNS is the former head of the Royal Navy Medical Service and non-executive director of Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust.
She follows in the footsteps of HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, who was godmother to sister ship Spirit of Discovery in 2019.
Commodore Kennedy will officially name Spirit of Adventure during a ceremony in Portsmouth on July 19, when coronavirus restrictions are scheduled to end.
Euan Sutherland, group chief executive of Saga, said: “We are delighted and proud that Commodore Kennedy has agreed to be godmother to our newest ship.
“Nothing could be more fitting: everyone in the nation has been through the most trying 18 months and it is thanks to the hard work of our medical and scientific communities that we are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.
“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.”
Commodore Kennedy said: “I 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.
“Personally, it is also a privilege to follow in the footsteps of Spirit of Discovery’s Godmother, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, given her role as commodore-in-chief of the Royal Navy Medical Service.”
Following her naming ceremony, Spirit of Adventure will undertake her inaugural voyage on July 26. Sister ship Spirit of Discovery will set sail on June 27.