May 2013

On Saturday evening while sailing off the coast of Florida, Carnival Dream was alerted by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) that a small craft was experiencing mechanical issues and in need of assistance. Carnival Dream deviated course and lowered one of its lifeboats to bring two Bahamian mariners on board.  The two passengers from the small craft were provided food and water and evaluated by the Carnival Dream’s medical staff. Later that evening, Carnival Dream rendezvoused with a USCG cutter and transferred the two mariners near Miami. Carnival Dream, which is currently on a seven-day voyage that departed from Port Canaveral, Fla., on Saturday, continued on with its cruise and arrived in Cozumel, its first scheduled port of call,…

Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines and its parent company, Carnival Corporation & plc, presented a $248,000 check earlier this week to the Florida Pre-Paid College Foundation to provide scholarship opportunities to students currently attending the Miami HEAT Academy, an after-school program for at-risk youth sponsored by Carnival. This marks the 11th consecutive year that Carnival has funded the scholarships and during this time the company has purchased 165 scholarships with a total value of nearly $2 million. Following successful completion of the HEAT Academy, students’ grades are tracked through middle school and those who qualify are eligible to participate in Carnival’s innovative Scholarship & Mentoring Program held at the company’s Miami headquarters. The program matches nearly 100 high school students with…

Carnival Cruise Lines was presented with an Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System (AMVER) Award from the U.S. Coast Guard recognizing the cruise line’s role in aiding mariners in distress. The award was presented earlier this week at a reception held at the National Press Center in Washington, D.C. The AMVER System, sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard, is a computer-based voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by search and rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea. The AMVER Awards Program was inaugurated in 1971 to recognize those vessels which regularly participate in the AMVER System and assist others in distress at sea. Carnival’s Vice President of Nautical Safety and Operations Captain Gaetano Gigliotti (left)…

Nearly 2,800 fans of the New Kids on the Block are currently on board the Carnival Victory for four days of music and fun.  The chart-topping superstars – “NKOTB” to those in the know – are keeping audiences entertained with show-stopping musical performances while signing countless autographs and posing for dozens of photos. During the full-ship charter, put together by Rose Tours, NKOTB fans are checking out all the exciting features aboard the 102,000-ton “Fun Ship.”  During the sold-out four-day cruise, guests also have the opportunity to relax on the white-sand beaches at the private island of Half Moon Cay and explore the Bahamian capital of Nassau. The group is pictured here taking a break from the action with some…

Richard J. O’Hanlon, a former rear admiral in the U.S. Navy with nearly two decades of government and private sector executive experience in maritime operations, maintenance and logistics, has been named vice president – nautical and safety operations for Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines, the world’s largest cruise operator. O’Hanlon started May 20, reporting to Martin Landtman, Carnival’s senior vice president of marine operations. In this newly created position, O’Hanlon will be responsible for all aspects of nautical and safety functions across the line’s 24-vessel fleet, including bridge procedures and nautical operations, as well as firefighting and lifesaving systems.  Additionally, all shipboard deck and bridge personnel, including ship captains, will report to him. “We are privileged to have such a highly…

CARNIVAL SUNSHINE RETURNS FROM INAUGURAL 12-DAY VOYAGE FOLLOWING MASSIVE $155 MILLION MAKEOVER  Carnival Sunshine – which recently underwent a groundbreaking $155 million renovation that added a host of new features and facilities – arrived today in Barcelona, Spain, following its inaugural 12-day cruise from Venice, Italy. The unprecedented transformation added all of the line’s Fun Ship 2.0 dining, bar and entertainment features, along with a host of unique and exciting innovations and an additional 182 staterooms. Today’s voyage from Barcelona represents Carnival Sunshine’s first-ever departure from the Spanish port and continues the ship’s summer schedule of nine- and 12-day Mediterranean voyages that will run through October. Here’s a look at some of the many innovations added to the 3,006-passenger vessel…

Carnival Sunshine – which recently underwent a groundbreaking $155 million renovation that added a host of new features and facilities – arrived today in Barcelona, Spain, following its inaugural 12-day cruise from Venice, Italy. The unprecedented transformation added all of the line’s Fun Ship 2.0 dining, bar and entertainment features, along with a host of unique and exciting innovations and an additional 182 staterooms. Today’s voyage from Barcelona represents Carnival Sunshine’s first-ever departure from the Spanish port and continues the ship’s summer schedule of nine- and 12-day Mediterranean voyages that will run through October. Here’s a look at some of the many innovations added to the 3,006-passenger vessel during its comprehensive makeover: Delicious Dining Choices Ji Ji Asian Kitchen, a…

Carnival Cruise Lines has added two distinctly different five-day itineraries to Carnival Freedom’s year-round schedule from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., beginning in 2014. The new five-day itineraries include a western Caribbean route featuring Ocho Rios and Grand Cayman, and an eastern Caribbean/Bahamas option featuring Grand Turk, Nassau and the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay.  Departure dates for western Caribbean routes are June 30, Aug. 11 and Sept. 22, 2014, while the eastern Caribbean/Bahamas cruises depart May 19, June 9, July 21, Sept. 1 and Oct. 13, 2014. These new five-day itineraries complement Carnival Freedom’s popular year-round six- and eight-day voyages from Fort Lauderdale, providing consumers with a diverse array of destination and cruise duration choices from South Florida.

The final installment in the Carnival Sunshine video series is now live and available for viewing.  The video takes viewers through several of the ship’s exciting features including Havana Bar, Liquid Lounge, and Ji Ji Asian Kitchen. These are but a few of the many innovations incorporated during a massive $155 million dry dock. The unprecedented makeover added a variety of dining, bar and entertainment options that are part of the line’s groundbreaking Fun Ship 2.0 product enhancement initiative. Other innovations aboard the 3,006-passenger vessel include Carnival’s first three-deck-high Serenity adults-only retreat, the largest RedFrog Pub in the fleet, and guest favorite Guy’s Burger Joint developed by Food Network star Guy Fieri. Carnival Sunshine entered service last week and is…

Annette D’Mello, a 13-year veteran of Carnival Cruise Lines’ human resources and payroll department, has been named the company’s Volunteer of the Year, an annual award that recognizes outstanding dedication and commitment to community service. D’Mello was honored for her role in Carnival’s employee volunteer service group, the “Friends Uniting Neighbors (F.U.N.) Team,” donating her time to a variety of organizations, including Feeding South Florida, The Humane Society of Greater Miami, Salvation Army, March of Dimes, among others.  In addition to presenting D’Mello with a commemorative nautical-themed clock, Carnival is making a $1,000 donation to the charity of her choice. The award was presented at the company’s annual Volunteer Reception, which pays tribute to those employees who volunteer their time…