Royal Caribbean has enlisted USA Today to help choose the names of their next two cruise ships, currently codenamed "Genesis I" and "Genesis II." Any everyday traveler is encouraged to now visit (http://www.namethatship.usatoday.com) to submit a name. The winner will attend the naming ceremony and be awarded with a week-long, first-class, expense-paid cruise on the ship he or she named. At 220,000 tons apiece, the 5,400-passenger ships will be the largest at sea when they debut in 2009 and 2010, respectively.
Royal Caribbean is calling the naming contest unprecedented and to help launch the contest, USA TODAY travel reporter, Gene Sloan, will take a look back at the history of ship namings.
The contest begins on Friday and will last six weeks (February 29 is the last day for entries). (DE)