MIAMI — Celebrity Cruises has welcomed a new gold medal-winning member to its team: Simone Biles, 19-time World Champion and seven-time Olympic Medalist.

The gymnastics champion, who won gold in the all-around competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics and is tied as the most decorated gymnast of all time, has been named godmother for Celebrity Cruises highly anticipated ship Celebrity Beyond, which recently debuted in Europe. In her role as godmother, Biles will name the ship at an official ceremony in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 4, 2022.

“Simone is truly the G.O.A.T. inside and outside of the gym, and I’m humbled and thrilled to welcome her as godmother of our newest ship, Celebrity Beyond,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises. “While I’ve marveled at her abilities and historic accomplishments as a gymnast, it’s Simone’s courage to speak out and her ability to help others be better in sport and in life that has impressed me the most. She has risen to the occasion and overcome challenges time and time again. She is an inspiration.”

Celebrity Beyond

For its groundbreaking Edge Series ships, Celebrity is selecting equally inspiring godmothers who are breaking barriers and championing change in their respective fields. Biles joins Nobel Peace prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai and Reshma  Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code and the Marshall Plan for Moms, who serve as godmothers of Beyond’s sister ships Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Apex, respectively.

Biles, who says she has a lot of “great memories” of cruising with her parents as a child, is excited to serve as godmother of the new ship. “I am honoured to join such a distinguished group of game-changing women and appreciate the important message this designation holds in recognizing our accomplishments, and hopefully inspiring the next generation of women.”

Celebrity Beyond began its inaugural season on April 27, 2022 with a 10-night sailing from Southampton, England to Barcelona, Spain. It will now spend the summer sailing nine- to 10-night itineraries in the Mediterranean. In November, the ship will make its way to Fort Lauderdale for the official naming ceremony and a winter season of five- to nine-night Caribbean sailings.

For more information go to www.celebritycruises.com/cruise-ships/celebrity-beyond.