Celebrity Cruises®, the award-winning premium cruise line, is thrilled to unveil the Godmothers for Celebrity Ascent, launching this December. Today, Celebrity Cruises announces that Captain Sandy Yawn, best known for her appearance on Bravo TV’s hit series, Below Deck, alongside her sister Michelle Dunham, founder of the Jacksonville School for Autism (JSA), have been selected as co-Godmothers of the upcoming ship. The sisters will now join the industry’s first brother Captains, Dimitrios and Tasos Kafetzis, who were announced earlier this year as the chosen duo to jointly take helm of the new vessel.

Captain Sandy and Michelle will now join an illustrious group of admired, purposeful and inspirational women who hold the role of Godmother for a Celebrity Cruises ship. Godmothers of the previous Edge® Series ships include Simone Biles, 19-time World Champion and seven-time Olympic Medallistwho christened the most recent ship, Celebrity Beyond, in 2022; Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of international nonprofit Girls Who Code who named Celebrity Apex in 2021; and Malala Yousafzai, Nobel laureate and activist, who introduced the revolutionary ship class when Edge launched in 2018.

“We are honoured to have Captain Sandy and her sister Michelle join the legacy of Celebrity’s Godmothers, as they are both inspirational women who have dedicated their lives to making a positive impact in the world,” says Laura Hodges Bethge, Celebrity Cruises’ President. “Captain Sandy’s life story is one of resilience, leadership and strength, as a pioneer in the maritime industry and as an inspirational role model for young women. Her sister Michelle is a tireless advocate for children with autism and shows us what is possible when you follow your vision for a better world. Both women live by Celebrity’s values, and we have no doubt they are the perfect choices for Ascent.”

One of the most time-honoured traditions at sea, the Godmother is the spiritual embodiment of a vessel – she is the woman who inspires, protects and positively impacts the lives of everyone who sails onboard. During Ascent’s official naming ceremony on 1st December, 2023, both sisters will bless and christen the ship, bringing good luck and protection for the crew and all passengers onboard.