In addition to vendors selling local crafts and souvenirs, the facility also features such recognizable names as Margaritaville, Little Switzerland, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Bruno Fine Art, Goodmark Jewelers and the cruise center’s anchor retail tenant, duty-free giant, Dufry.

Officials at the Grand Turk Cruise Center expect more than 200 cruise ship calls accounting for 400,000 passengers in 2008, up from 180 calls and 380,000 passengers last year.

Located on 13 acres of pristine beachfront property on Grand Turk, in the Turks & Caicos Islands, the Grand Turk Cruise Center boasts more than 40 retail shops encompassing 40,000 square feet of retail space featuring many world-renowned brand names in watches, jewelry, and clothing.

Francisco Morales of A&G Grand Turk Ltd, which operates the Ron Jon Surf Shop and Piranha Joe’s at the Grand Turk Cruise Center, commented, “We are expecting a record-breaking year at our outlets within Grand Turk Cruise Center and are delighted that we will be able to offer visitors an even greater diversity of retail items.”               

Watch brands such as Rolex, Breitling and Movado, and jewelry by designers such as David Yurman, Robert Coin and Cabana are featured in selected stores. Clothing by Tommy Bahama, Quicksilver and Piranha Joe’s along with fine art by names such as Frank Meisler, David Gerstein, Abecassis, Miro, Picasso and others can also be found in the specialty shops at the cruise center.

For more information, visit www.Grandturkcc.com.

For press inquiries, please call Vance Gulliksen, Carnival Corporation Public Relations at 305-599-2600 ext 16000.

Continuing its growth in the rapidly expanding European cruise market, Carnival Cruise Lines will operate an unprecedented number of “Fun Ship” voyages within the region in 2009. 

The line’s 2009 European season will feature two of its newest 110,000-ton ships – Carnival Liberty, which will operate 12-day Northern European and Mediterranean cruises, and Carnival Freedom, sailing 12-day departures to the Mediterranean.

“A Carnival cruise is the ideal way to see Europe, offering consumers the opportunity to experience and explore a diversity of spectacular destinations and then return to the comfort, convenience and amenities of their magnificent ‘Fun Ship,’”  said Vicki Freed, Carnival’s senior vice president of sales and guest services.  “Plus, with the exciting itineraries and spectacular features of these two new ships, combined with today’s high euro/dollar exchange rate, it’s the absolute best way to see the grand sights in Europe,” she added.

Carnival Liberty 12-Day Northern Europe, Med Cruises

In response to outstanding advance bookings for its first-ever Northern Europe program next year aboard the Carnival Splendor, the company has announced that the Carnival Liberty will operate the program again in 2009 – with twice the number of voyages.

Carnival Liberty’s 12-day Northern Europe cruises will operate round-trip from London (Dover) from May 9 – Aug. 25, 2009.  Featured ports on these voyages include Copenhagen, Denmark; Warnemunde (Berlin), Germany; Helsinki, Finland; St. Petersburg, Russia (two-day call); Tallin, Estonia; and Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The ship will then operate a special one-time 12-day western Mediterranean voyage from London (Dover) to Rome (Civitavecchia) Sept. 6, 2009, after which it will operate two 12-day Grand Mediterranean voyages departing Sept. 19 and Oct. 25, 2009, and three 12-day Mediterranean & Greece cruises Oct. 1 and 13 and Nov. 6, 2009.              

Carnival Freedom 12-Day Cruises to the Med, Greece, Turkey

Carnival Freedom will offer the popular 12-day Grand Mediterranean and Mediterranean & Greece cruises from Rome (Civitavecchia) beginning in May 2009, following a highly successful inaugural season in Europe this year.

Carnival Freedom’s 12-day “Mediterranean & Greece” cruises include eight ports:  Naples, Italy; Rhodes, Greece; Izmir (Ephesus) and Istanbul, Turkey featuring scenic cruising of the Dardanelles; Athens (Piraeus) and Katakolon, Greece; and Livorno, Italy, as well as an overnight call in Rome (Civitavecchia).             Voyages depart May 9, Aug. 13, Sept. 18, 2009.

The 12-day “Grand Mediterranean” cruises visit seven ports: Naples, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Venice, Italy (two-day call); Messina, Sicily; Barcelona, Spain; Cannes, France; and Livorno, Italy.  Departure dates include May 21, June 2, 14 and 26, July 8 and 20, Aug. 1 and 25, Sept. 6 and 30 and Oct. 12 and 24, 2009.

Exciting ‘Fun Ship’ Amenities

Among Carnival’s newest “Fun Ships,” the Carnival Liberty and Carnival Freedom, each offer a diversity of dining, entertainment, and activity options, including 22 lounges and bars, four swimming pools, a 214-foot-long water slide, a 14,500-square-foot health and fitness center, an Internet café, with bow-to-stern Wi-Fi access, and Carnival’s Seaside Theatre, a 270-square-foot massive LED screen displaying movies, concerts and other programming. Cell phone service is available, as well.

The ships’ family friendly amenities include a 4,200-square-foot children’s play area – part of the top-rated “Camp Carnival” program – and a 1,800-square-foot “Club O2” teen facility featuring a dance floor, DJ and high-tech sound and lighting system.

Dining options include twin two-level restaurants with extensive menus and wine lists, a 1,200-seat casual eatery with 24-hour pizza and ice cream, and a reservations-only supper club featuring USDA prime aged beef and other gourmet cuisine.

Carnival Freedom and Carnival Liberty also offer a variety of comfortable and spacious accommodations including a wide selection of balcony staterooms and suites.  All feature the exclusive Carnival Comfort Bed sleep system with plush mattresses, luxurious duvets and high quality linens and pillows.

Reservations

Carnival will begin accepting reservations for the Carnival Freedom and Carnival Liberty’s 2009 European cruises on Monday, December 17, 2007.

Special rates for third and fourth guests staying in the same stateroom and pre- and post-cruise packages in and around London (Dover) and Rome (Civitavecchia) are also available.

For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, or visit carnival.com.

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 Carnival Cruise Lines, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:  CCL; NYSE:  CUK), is a proud member of the exclusive World’s Leading Cruise Lines.  Our exclusive alliance also includes Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, and The Yachts of Seabourn.  Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a commitment to quality and value, our member lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets.  Together, we offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world’s most desirable destinations.