AmaWaterways revealed from the CruiseWorld stage that Jenn Lee, president of Vacation Planners, would serve as godmother for its new Portugal-bound ship, the AmaSintra.
During a presentation from AmaWaterways' senior vice president of sales, Alex Pinelo, with Lee onstage, queued up a video message from the line's co-founders Kristin Karst and Rudi Schreiner to announce the news.
"We at AmaWaterways and the travel industry at large hold you in such high regard, and we are truly honored you have embraced this distinguished role," Karst said in the message as audience members applauded.
The ceremony to christen the AmaSintra will be held on the Douro River on April 17.
"I knew they were going to do something at CruiseWorld, I just wasn't sure what," Lee said in an email.
"As a female executive in the travel industry, this is one of those honors you dream of," she added. "I told everyone that one day I hoped to be graced with this honor."
AmaWaterways and other river lines, such as Viking, have often selected travel advisors for godmother roles. Other AmaWaterways godmothers in attendance at CruiseWorld -- and who took the stage with Lee -- were Debbie Fiorino of Dream Vacations and Cruise One, Nexion's Jackie Friedman and Cruise Planners' Michelle Fee, who named the AmaSiena, AmaViola and AmaSerena, respectively.
"It was so nice to be standing next to Debbie, Jackie and Michelle," Lee said. "They were so warm and welcomed me to the godmother's sisterhood."
Lee in May began the job as president of Vacation Planners, a franchise arm of Travel Planners International, where she spent eight years in sales, marketing and engagement roles.
Lee will participate in a Dec. 4 Sip & Sail webinar aboard the AmaSintra, along with AMA co-founder Kristin Karst; Wade Korzan, Ama's director of cruise managers; and Samantha Brown, the TV host and godmother of the AmaMagna.
CORRECTED: This report was updated on Nov. 19 to say that Kristin Karst, Wade Kozan and Samantha Brown would join Lee in the Sip & Sail webinar. The original report said they would be participating in the naming ceremony with Lee.