The 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor – Carnival Cruise Lines’ largest ship – is shown here docked at Astoria, Oregon, one of the ports featured on its modified seven-day Canada/Pacific cruise schedule from Long Beach, Calif., which runs through June 14.  Other destinations on the three-port itinerary include Victoria and Vancouver.

 The oldest American settlement west of the Rockies, Astoria is a quaint seaside village offering a host of shopping and dining opportunities and a variety of historical sites and attractions.  

Carnival Splendor resumes its regular seven-day Mexican Riviera schedule with the departure of June 21.  Featured ports include Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.

Including Carnival Splendor, Carnival’s Four California-Based Ships Expected to Carry a Record 620,000 Passengers Annually, More Than Any Other Cruise Operator

Carnival Cruise Lines’ 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor – the line’s newest and largest ship offering a host of innovations – embarked yesterday on its inaugural seven-day Mexican Riviera cruise from Long Beach, Calif., building upon the company’s distinction as California’s number one cruise operator.

On its new schedule, Carnival Splendor departs the Long Beach Cruise Terminal every Sunday on weeklong voyages to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.

Including Carnival Splendor, the company operates four ships from the West Coast which collectively will carry a record 620,000 guests annually from California ports – more than any other cruise line.     

In anticipation of the Carnival Splendor’s arrival, the Long Beach Cruise Terminal, owned and operated by Carnival’s parent company Carnival Corporation & plc since 2003, has undergone an $8 million upgrade.

Based on information collected by the Office of Economic Research at California State University, Carnival Cruise Lines’ Long Beach operations have a significant impact on the local economy, with $82.4 million in direct expenditures generating an employment impact of 525 jobs with an annual payroll of $18.2 million.  The arrival of Carnival Splendor is expected to generate an additional $14 million in direct annual expenditures – this impact will be immediate.

“Carnival has earned its distinction as the West Coast’s number one cruise operator by offering fun, affordable vacations from two convenient homeports and Carnival Splendor – with its many innovations and features – provides guests with yet another exciting choice for Southern California cruising,” said Ruben Rodriguez, Carnival’s executive vice president of marketing and guest experience. “We are also very pleased with the renovations to the Long Beach Cruise Terminal, which provides our guests with a comfortable, state-of-the-art venue for embarking and debarking on their cruise,” he added.

Steve Goodling, president & CEO of the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, said, “The size, capacity and appeal of the Carnival Splendor will give us the opportunity to showcase the revitalization of Long Beach and our beautiful skyline to the many thousands of passengers who will set sail on this incredible ship.  We believe that this experience will generate repeat visits by many of these passengers.”

A new class of vessel for the line, the 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor offers a wide range of on-board facilities and features, highlighted by a two-level 21,000-square foot health spa – the largest in the fleet – featuring a thalassotherapy pool, an elaborate thermal suite and 17 private treatment rooms.  Adjacent to the facility are 68 spa staterooms and suites – a first for Carnival.

Carnival Splendor also offers the most elaborate children’s facilities of any “Fun Ship,” including a 5,500-square-foot children’s play area – the largest in the fleet – along with a water spray park and dedicated facilities for ’tweens and teens.  Also featured on Lido Deck is Carnival’s Seaside Theatre, a massive 270-square-foot LED screen displaying movies, concerts, and other programming.

Dining options include four restaurants – two two-level main dining rooms, a 1,400-seat casual poolside eatery featuring a 24-hour pizzeria, and an elegant reservations-only restaurant.  Rounding out the Carnival Splendor’s many diverse features are 22 lounges and bars, a duty-free shopping mall, full casino gambling, and ship-wide Internet access and cell phone service.

Reservations are currently being accepted for all of Carnival Cruise Lines’ West Coast departures.  For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.

In a nod to the Mexican Riviera itinerary of the new Carnival Splendor, a new burrito bar debuted during the ship’s two-day familiarization cruises in San Francisco and Los Angeles last week.

Located within the expansive poolside restaurant, The Lido, the venue allows guests the opportunity select a variety of meats, rice, vegetables and other ingredients and have a custom-made burrito created right before their eyes.

The burrito bar has garnered positive feedback from Carnival Splendor guests and the company is evaluating expanding the concept to other ships in the fleet.

           Carnival Cruise Lines, Sixthman and VH1 recently partnered to present “One Splendid Evening,” a special concert event to benefit VH1’s Save The Music Foundation. 

            The event took place on March 26, 2009, with proceeds going toward restoring instrumental music education in America’s public schools and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of children’s education. 

            “One Splendid Evening” was held on board the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor, the line’s newest and largest ship, while the vessel was docked in Los Angeles.  

            The evening included captivating performances by Grammy Award winner John Mayer, as well as Jordin Sparks, Gavin Rossdale, Sara Bareilles, O.A.R., Guster, Erin McCarley and DJ Logic. 

 (Special red carpet interviews and performance video added)

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Port of San Francisco Deputy Director – Maritime Peter Dailey (left) presents Carnival Splendor Captain Giorgio Pagano with a plaque during a reception commemorating the ship’s inaugural call at the port earlier this month. 

            The largest ship in Carnival Cruise Lines’ fleet, the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor sailed on special two-day cruises from San Francisco and Los Angeles before repositioning to Long Beach for year-round seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises that begin April 5.

            Representing a new class for the line, Carnival Splendor offers a host of innovations, including a 21,000-square-foot health and wellness center – the largest in the fleet — and the line’s most elaborate children’s facilities to date.  Other features include 22 lounges and bars, four swimming pools, and a massive LED screen on Lido Deck displaying movies, concerts, sporting events and other programming.

###

            The new 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor is shown here rounding Cape Horn in South America on its way to its permanent homeport of Long Beach, Calif., from where it will operate year-round seven-day Mexican Rivera cruises beginning April 5.  Carnival Splendor will be the largest “Fun Ship” ever deployed on the West Coast. 

            Too large to fit through the Panama Canal, the 113,300-ton SuperLiner embarked on a series of 14- to 18-day South America voyages which will serve to position the vessel on its new California-based program.

            Representing a new class of ship, Carnival Splendor offers a host of innovations, highlighted by a 21,000-square-foot Cloud 9 Spa – the line’s largest – featuring a thalassotherapy pool, elaborate thermal suite and 17 VIP treatment rooms.  Adjacent to the facility are 68 spa staterooms and suites – a first for Carnival.

            Other features include a 5,500-square-foot children’s play area – the largest in the “Fun Ship” fleet – a water spray park and a sliding sky dome over the mid-ship pool which also houses a massive LED screen displaying movies, concerts and other programming.

Carnival kicked off the second phase of its new brand advertising program with its “Fun Director” television campaign which began airing nationally Feb. 2.

            The “Fun Director” ads which were filmed aboard the line’s newest ship, the Carnival Splendor, feature improvisational comedian Matt Fisher taking a humorous look at the Carnival vacation experience.

            In the “Stateroom Steward” spot Fisher highlights Carnival’s popular towel animals, introducing viewers to the renowned skills of one of Modesto, a Carnival stateroom steward who Fisher dubs a “terrycloth Michaelangelo.” Another spot describes the experience of going down Carnival’s Twister water slide while the “New Ship Smell” spot features Fisher highlighting one of the line’s newest vessels.

            The new ads will run on national cable networks, including Food Network, The Learning Channel and the Travel Channel, and on major U.S. network primetime programming beginning Feb. 9 on such shows as CBS’s “Two and a Half Men” and “CSI,” and ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” and “Brothers and Sisters.”

Carnival Cruise Lines and Mayercraft Carrier 2 present “One Splendid Evening,” a special concert event to benefit the VH1 Save The Music Foundation.  The one night only event will take place the evening of March 26, 2009.  Proceeds will help restore instrumental music education in America’s public schools and raise awareness about the importance of music as part of a child’s complete education. 

One Splendid Evening will be held on board the new Carnival Splendor, Carnival’s largest and most innovative ship, while the vessel is docked at the Port of San Pedro in Los Angeles.  The evening will include performances by Grammy Award winner John Mayer, Jordin Sparks, Gavin Rossdale, Sara Bareilles, O.A.R., Guster, Erin McCarley and DJ Logic.  Guests will enjoy dinner, an open bar and additional live entertainment throughout the ship.  The next day, the ship sets sail on a special four-day music cruise – the “Mayercraft Carrier 2:  Even Crafter” voyage. 

“We are very excited that Carnival Cruise Lines and Mayercraft have chosen to support music education in our schools at a time when many programs are at risk of being cut,” said Paul Cothran, Executive Director, VH1 Save The Music Foundation.  “We are grateful to the performing artists for donating both their time and talent to our cause.”

One Splendid Evening will give guests an opportunity to explore the $640 million Carnival Splendor, the largest “Fun Ship” ever based year-round in Southern California.  The ship can accommodate more than 3,000 passengers and features a luxurious 21,000-square-foot spa, four swimming pools, a 270-square-foot outdoor movie screen and 22 bars and lounges. 

“Teaming up with the VH1 Save The Music Foundation and John Mayer and friends to raise money for music education programs in schools is a fantastic way to kick off the Carnival Splendor’s new West Coast cruises and introduce people to our one-of-a-kind vacation environment,” said Ruben Rodriguez, Carnival’s EVP of marketing and guest experience.

Atlanta-based Sixthman will produce both the dockside One Splendid Evening and the fully chartered Mayercraft Carrier 2: Even Craftier.  The second annual music cruise, hosted by John Mayer, will sail March 27-31, 2009 from Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. While onboard, music fans will enjoy concert performances by John Mayer, O.A.R., Guster and over a dozen other bands for a music festival at sea.   For more information, visit www.mayercraftcarrier.com.

Tickets for One Splendid Evening will go on sale February 11, 2009.  For more information about One Splendid Evening or to buy tickets, visit www.onesplendidevening.com.

The new 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor, which made its U.S. debut in late November, docked along side the 110,000-ton Carnival Freedom and Carnival Glory in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., earlier this week.  Collectively, the three ships carry 8,954 passengers on a double occupancy basis.

 Carnival Splendor will operate a winter schedule of seven-day Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., through January 31 before embarking on a series of South America voyages, which will position the vessel for year-round week-long Mexican Riviera sailings from Long Beach, Calif., beginning March 29.

Carnival Freedom began a year-round schedule of six- and eight-day Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale Nov. 30; Carnival Glory operates year-round Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, Fla.