Celebrity Announce Solstice Godmother!

The Godmother of Celebrity Solstice has been announced today; Professor Sharon L. Smith, an ocean scientist. “We are genuinely privileged to have such a remarkable woman serve as Godmother of this remarkable ship,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman of Celebrity Cruises and Chairman and CEO of parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “Sharon Smith is exceptional in ways well beyond her academic achievements.”  

Professor Smith graduated from Colorado College, then earned her Ph.D in Zoology from Duke University. She holds two othr honorary doctorare degrees and a master’s degree from The University of Auckland. Smith has travelled the world as a biological oceanographer and overcame cancer in 1993 and again in 1996. “Women should not feel secure just because there is no family history of the disease,” said Smith. “You have to be your own best advocate and insist on what’s right for you, because you have to live with the possibility of the disease forever.” 

“If it is possible to eclipse our Godmother’s professional achievements, she has done it in a way that deeply inspires all who know her, as she has conquered cancer…twice,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Dan Hanrahan. “This is a disease that affects mothers and daughters, sisters and spouses, and has deep meaning to an unfortunately high percentage of Celebrity Cruises’ employees, guests and travel agent partners,” said Hanrahan.

“With our Celebrity brand devoted to offering an entirely genuine experience since its founding, we knew nothing less than someone authentic – a survivor and devoted, outspoken advocate of early detection and research – would do, and we found that in Sharon Smith.”