Carnival Cruise Lines’ Fun City: Baltimore event took over the city’s Inner Harbor to celebrate and mark the start of Baltimore’s first year-round cruise program aboard the 2,124-passenger Carnival Pride, which kicks off April 27.

The day-long event, which benefitted the Maryland Special Olympics, was open to the public and offered a variety of free activities and attractions, including the creation of a giant sand sculpture and 3-D chalk art.  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 were also featured.

The Carnival Pride will operate a mix of six-, seven- and eight-day cruises from April 27 through September 6, 2009 then begin a year-round seven-day cruise program departing every Sunday. The ship will alternate weekly between an Exotic Eastern Caribbean itinerary calling at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands; and Half Moon Cay and Freeport, The Bahamas, and a Bahamas/Florida itinerary which visits Port Canaveral (near Orlando), Fla; and Nassau and Freeport, The Bahamas.  Each voyage also includes three days at sea.