CARRYING ON A PROUD TRADITION

[HostDave]

Most likely, you’ve planned at least one big party in your life. Probably more. It might be a wedding, a retirement party, a wedding anniversary, or a milestone birthday. If so, then you know the stress and pressure you felt. Now, take that party, elevate it 100-fold, invite the media and key dignitaries and you come a bit closer to understanding what’s been going on behind the scenes at the American Queen Steamboat Company this week as we prepare for the American Empress Christening Celebration this Saturday. Did we mention that while there are a variety of ways to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or wedding, the weight of thousands of years of maritime history is behind the christening of a river vessel? Man has been building ships for millennia and the tradition of naming each one is as revered as the ships and riverboats themselves.

From what we can tell, the tradition dates back at least as far as the ancient Babylonians. There is a description more than 5,000 years old that notes that oxen were sacrificed at the launching of a new ship and that bitumen, a sticky black petroleum-like liquid, was poured over the outside, ostensibly to seal any cracks rather than as a means of anointing the vessel. But such practical applications didn’t stop the Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans from going one step further and imploring the gods to bless their new vessel and protect both it and its crew and passengers as they traveled the seas or rivers. In the case of the Romans, they looked to Neptune to provide protection while the Greeks begged Poseidon for his blessings. As we all know from countless books and movies, the Greeks and the Romans did everything with ceremony so imploring the gods to protect their vessels became an elaborate ritual. We could make an argument that no one did it better than the Greeks. They wore headbands of olive branches, but they blessed the ship using water and then drank the wine. Today, of course, wine or champagne is usually broken across the vessel’s bow, although none of the participants at the American Empress naming will be drinking water – instead they will be previewing Willamette Valley Vineyards 2012 Bernau Block Pinot Noir which will not be publically released until May 3, 2014.

But back in the Greek and Roman heyday, the elaborate affairs were focused on ceremony with small shrines brought aboard for the blessings. This rather quaint touch lasted until the Middle Ages. As Christianity rose to prominence, most ship launchings incorporated prayers and blessings by religious leaders, asking the saints rather than the gods for their protection. In some cases holy water was substituted for wine. It’s said that in the Ottoman Empire, elaborate meals were served and sheep sacrificed in the name of Allah.

Naming a ship was as sacred as the naming or blessing of a child, one of the reasons that the term “christening ceremony” is still associated with vessel naming festivities even today. However, the purely religious nature of such ceremonies has been lost over the centuries. In the 1600s, the Royal Navy was one of the early institutions to make a naming ceremony a more straightforward event attended by admirals and local dignitaries rather than a parade of priests, bishops and cardinals. It was during this time that gilded cups were filled with wine and then tossed into the water as the vessel was named.

The high cost of gilded cups soon put an end to throwing them over the side and someone suggested a bottle might be more appropriate, anointing the ship as it was broken over the bow by the ship’s “godmother.” Over the ensuring years, the breaking of a bottle of bubbly over the bow became a widely-accepted practice and the role of the godmother paramount. Interestingly, it was considered bad luck for a man to perform the “godparent” role and break the bottle of wine over the bow. As an intriguing side note, vessels that sail the rivers and oceans are usually referred to as “she” yet the French still persist in giving ships a masculine pronoun if the ship’s name itself masculine.

You can see that Saturday’s Christening Ceremony for the American Empress has the weight of 5,000 years of history behind it. Former Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, longtime supporter of the U.S. maritime industry and champion of U.S. river cruising, will serve as keynote speaker. The riverboat’s Godmother Claudette Waggoner, wife of the line’s Chairman and CEO John Waggoner, will officially name the vessel as the highlight of the ceremony in downtown Portland, Ore. Additional participating dignitaries include the 13th Coast Guard District Commander Rear Admiral Richard T. Gromlich, Acting Maritime Administrator Paul “Chip” Jaenichen and Ray Gardner, Chairman of the Chinook Nation.

The American Empress’ maiden voyage will be a nine-day journey showing guests the majesty of the Columbia and Snake Rivers, departing from Vancouver, Wash. across the Columbia River from downtown Portland. Featured stops include Astoria, Ore.; Stevenson, Wash.; The Dalles, Ore.; Sacajawea State Park, Wash. and finally Clarkston, Wash. Just as is the case with all American Queen voyages in the Heartland, complimentary shore excursions will be available in every American Empress port. Guests with specific interests are encouraged to enjoy one of our Premium Experience Excursions such as the Walla Walla Wine Trail or a journey to the volcanic crater of Mount St. Helens.

As part of the American Empress’ inaugural season on the Columbia and Snake rivers, we’re announcing an extraordinary offer that is as exciting as these Pacific Northwest voyages. For a limited time, you can save 50% on our June American Empress departures*. Just make your reservations and pay-in-full for your June 7, 14, 21 or 28 sailing by June 20 and receive 50% off our regular cruise fares*.

* Offer expires June 20, 2014 and is valid on new, paid-in-full bookings only. Space cannot be held - full payment is required at time of booking to redeem this offer. This offer is based on cabin availability and only while inventory lasts. Offer of 50% savings applies to regular cruise fare only, regardless of cabin category, and is only valid on these 2014 American Empress voyage dates: 6/07, 6/14, 6/21 and 6/28. Offer valid on U.S. and Canada resident bookings only. Not valid on group bookings or existing reservations and cannot be combined with other offers, promotions or discounts. Cruise fare does not include taxes, port charges, insurance, gratuities, or airfare. Additional terms and conditions may apply - call for details.