In a dual naming ceremony in Paris and Amsterdam, AAA Senior Vice President of Travel Services Brenda Hunsberger was one of eight women to participate in a naming ceremony for Viking’s newest fleet of ships.
A naming ceremony, a tradition in the maritime world, brings luck to a new ship and the crew that sails it. In the first large-scale event since the pandemic, the naming ceremony kicks off what is expected to be an encouraging year for the river cruising industry.
One of eight ship godmothers, Hunsberger was responsible for naming the Viking Hervor, a 190-passenger Longship. The godmothers represented a cross-section of women from around the globe, with backgrounds in the arts, music, government, education, and travel.
Each godmother, including Hunsberger, pressed a button releasing a mechanism attached to a bottle of aquavit, allowing it to descend into the side of each ship christened. While champagne is typically used in ship christenings, Viking opted for aquavit – a spirit made in Scandinavia, aligning with the river cruise line’s roots.
Brenda Hunsberger participates in naming ceremony for Viking River Cruises. Image courtesy of Brenda Hunsberger.
Hunsberger’s ship, Viking Hervor, is expected to sail throughout Europe on the Rhine. Three other new Viking ships are scheduled on the same rivers. Viking made an additional four new ships to navigate the Seine River specifically.
It’s been a busy year for Viking, as they celebrate their 25th anniversary. The line has added a total of 16 new ships during the pandemic and has worked to expand its offerings to rivers around the globe, including its first U.S.-based river ship, Viking Mississippi.
“This was an amazing event,” remarked Hunsberger. “It was an incredible honor to be with an amazing group of women.”
