This week’s statement from Kensington Palace that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s second baby is due in April must have been greeted by long faces at the headquarters of P&O Cruises.
Any hope that Kate could be godmother to Britain’s biggest cruise ship have finally been dashed.
Britannia is scheduled to set out on her maiden voyage on March 14.
The Duchess attracted worldwide television coverage when she launched cruise ship Royal Princess in Southampton on June 12, 2013.
It was her last solo public engagement before she withdrew to give birth to Prince George 37 days later.
Even if protocol were to be set aside and she could be persuaded to return to the quayside for a repeat performance, P&O would probably have to have a midwife on hand.
A P&O spokesperson said this week that no announcement of the name of Britannia’s godmother was imminent.
Gonzalo caused a bit of a stir at sea
The remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo caused havoc at sea.
One cruise ship was forced to abandon plans to cross the Irish Sea to Avonmouth, Bristol, and spent a day and a half sheltering off the coast of the Isle of Man before finally making it into Liverpool.
MV Funchal, on charter to Cruise & Maritime Voyages, was carrying 414 passengers home from a 15-night cruise to Norway’s North Cape.
Forecasts of high winds and heavy seas prompted CMV to cut the voyage short and end the cruise in the Mersey instead of the Bristol Channel.
But the weather even prevented a local pilot from boarding the 500ft vessel, and port authorities deemed it unsafe for it to dock on Tuesday.
The ship rode out the storm before berthing on Wednesday.