Princess Cruises' newest ship holds steady at its berth in Fort Lauderdale Wednesday as its staff prepares for Thursday's fairy-tale launch.
The Ruby Princess, heir to the line's "The Love Boat" television series connection, will be christened on Nov. 6 in Fort Lauderdale in a ceremony that will continue Princess Cruises' tradition of shipboard romance.
In a first, a California couple will exchange vows during the 5 p.m. ceremony. The Ruby Princess' godparents, Trista and Ryan Sutter, who married after meeting on the reality TV show "The Bachelorette," will serve as attendants, and former "Love Boat" captain, actor Gavin MacLeod, will give away the bride.
The bridal couple, Danielle Vurpillar and Kip Hickman from Dunsmuir, Calif, won their fairytale wedding in the "Romance on the Ruby" contest sponsored by the cruise line and USA Today. The newlyweds will then embark on the Ruby Princess' two-night inaugural cruise.
"A ship's naming is an exciting event in itself, so including an actual wedding in the ceremony will certainly make this a one-of-a-kind celebration," said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. "We aim to make this a fantastic romantic milestone for Danielle and Kip."
The wedding and entire Ruby Princess naming ceremony will be available for viewing online beginning Nov. 7.
During its inaugural season, the Ruby Princess will make seven-day weekly sailings from Fort Lauderdale to the western Caribbean. Next spring, the ship will move to Europe for 12-day sailings in the Mediterranean and Greek Islands.