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.

            “We are very pleased to resume our previous itineraries to Mexico, one of the cruise industry’s most popular destinations, and we thank those guests who were impacted by the modified schedules in recent weeks for their understanding and patience,” said Gerry Cahill, president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines. 

          Cahill added, “The health and well being of our guests and crew is our highest priority and we are returning to Mexico after careful evaluation and consultation with the CDC.  It is important to note that the concentration of H1N1 flu cases in Mexico has been inland rather than in the coastal resort areas where our ships visit.”  

            Cahill also noted that the cruise industry works closely with U.S. public health officials in the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program in developing and complying with extensive policies and procedures that are effective in mitigating illness aboard cruise ships.  Carnival will continue to follow CDC guidelines for cruise ships which include pre-boarding health questionnaires for all guests and crew, along with secondary screening by shipboard medical professionals as necessary.  Additionally, all Carnival ships stock influenza test kits and anti-viral medications for treating type A influenzas.

            “Mexico has so many wonderful sites and attractions and feedback from our customers suggests that the majority support a resumption of port calls in Mexico. We know that they and our port destination partners are very much looking forward to our return,” he added.

            Carnival Cruise Lines, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:  CCL; NYSE:  CUK), is the largest and most popular cruise line in the world, with 22 “Fun Ships” operating voyages ranging from three to 16 days in length to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Panama Canal, Canada, New England, Europe and Bermuda.  The line currently has two new ships scheduled for delivery between now and 2011.  The first of those, the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream, is set to debut Sept. 21, 2009.

            For additional information or reservations on the “Fun Ship” vacation experience, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.

###

            The Carnival Pride recently launched the first year-round cruise schedule from Baltimore when the 2,124-passenger vessel set sail on its inaugural cruise from the South Locust Point Cruise Terminal on April 27. 

            Carnival Pride is showcased in a special two-minute video featuring Carnival’s Chief Marketing Officer Jim Berra who provides an insight into the facilities and features available on the 88,500-ton “Fun Ship,” as well as what year-round cruising means for the city of Baltimore.

            The Carnival Pride currently will offer six-, seven- and eight-day cruises through Sept. 6, 2009 then begins a year-round seven-day cruises departing every Sunday, alternating between an Exotic Eastern Caribbean itinerary and a Bahamas/Florida route.

            Carnival Pride will operate 50 sailings a year from Baltimore, carrying an estimated 115,000 passengers annually.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixA7elPYwK4

Nonetheless, we have decided to cancel calls at Mexican ports for all current sailings.  Additionally, we will cancel calls in Mexico for all voyages departing Thursday, April 30 through Monday, May 4.  In many cases, we will be able to substitute the cancelled call with an alternative port and are currently working on those itineraries. Full details will be available by 5 p.m. today.  Guests who do not wish to sail on a modified itinerary will be given the option to re-schedule their cruise for a later date.

Updates will be posted on our website at www.carnival.com.

Carnival enforces the highest of standards for cleaning and sanitation on all of our ships to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We have well trained medical staff and expansive reporting capabilities on board. Working with U.S. public health officials in the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program, we have extensive practices and procedures that are effective in mitigating illness aboard our ships.

For further information on swine influenza, visit the CDC’s web site at www.cdc.gov.

To mark the launch of Baltimore’s first year-round cruise program aboard the 2,124-passenger Carnival Pride, Carnival Cruise Lines held a special invitation-only reception aboard the vessel attended by more than 200 community leaders, travel agents and VIPs.   Carnival Pride will operate 50 voyages annually, carrying 115,000 passengers a year from Baltimore.

Carnival Pride arrived at the Port of Baltimore accompanied by, appropriately enough, The Pride of Baltimore II, a replica of a 19th century clipper topsail schooner, which sailed alongside the massive 88,500-ton “Fun Ship” as it made its way through Chesapeake Bay and under the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Pictured here with a model of the Pride of Baltimore II presented to Carnival on behalf of the State of Maryland and the Port of Baltimore are (from left):  U.S. Senator – Maryland Ben Cardin, Carnival’s Vice President – Worldwide Sales Joni Rein; U.S. Congressman – 7th District Maryland Elijah Cummings; Maryland Transportation Secretary John Porcari and Carnival Pride Captain Alessandro Galotto. (PHOTO 1)

Jan Miles, senior captain of the Pride of Baltimore II who sailed the vessel as it accompanied the Carnival Pride into the Port of Baltimore, presented Carnival Pride Captain Alessandro Galotto with a model of the sailing vessel at the reception. (PHOTO 2)

During the reception, Carnival Cruise Lines also presented Maryland Special Olympics with an oversized check for $20,000 representing monies that were raised during the cruise line’s Fun City: Baltimore event which featured a variety of free activities and  attractions throughout the city’s Inner Harbor.  Shown here are (from left) Carnival’s Vice President – Worldwide Sales Joni Rein and Business Development Manager for Maryland Tom Dougher and Maryland Special Olympics’ President and CEO Dr. Patricia Fegan and Board of Directors’ Chair Stacie Tobin.

Preparations are already underway for Carnival Cruise Lines’ Fun City: Baltimore event which takes place tomorrow in the city’s Inner Harbor.

Benefiting Maryland Special Olympics, the day-long event is free and open to the public and offers a variety of free activities and attractions, including the creation of a giant sand sculpture and 3-D chalk art (pictured above at left and right, respectively).  A world record giant beach ball, hip-hop dance performances, live entertainment, a “Camp Carnival” Kids’ Zone, karaoke and an appearance by Carnival’s mascot “Fun Ship” Freddy will be featured, as well.

Fun City: Baltimore is a celebration to mark the start-up of Baltimore’s first year-round cruise program aboard the 2,124-passenger Carnival Pride which kicks off Monday, April 27.  

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.