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Just in time for football season, Carnival Vista’s Matt Mitcham and Whitney Mercilus of the Houston Texans participate in a “Fun Swap” where they switch jobs for a day with Whitney taking over as cruise director and Matt learning what it takes to be a gridiron star. Aboard Carnival Vista, Whitney got the fun started leading a line dance at the ever-popular sailaway party and interacting with guests giving out the “free hugs” that Matt is famous for. It was a different kind of football for the UK native as Matt was put through the paces as he participated in drills, hit the weight room and endured intense workouts with fellow Texans players. With Carnival the Official Cruise Line of…

ParchedPig Smoked Porter – brewed aboard the cruise ship Carnival Horizon – received the bronze medal at the U.S. Beer Competition, becoming the first shipboard brewery to win an award at the annual event, which attracted more than 7,000 entries from around the world. The beer is available at the brewery located within Carnival Horizon’s Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse|Brewhouse featuring smoked-on-board barbecue favorites created by Food Network star and longtime partner Guy Fieri. Developed by Carnival BrewMaster Colin Presby, ParchedPig Smoked Porter offers big, bold flavors and notes of molasses and hickory smoke.  Made with in-house smoked malt, the robust brew is the perfect complement to the delicious BBQ offerings at Smokehouse|Brewhouse. “We take a great deal of pride…

During port calls in Freeport, Bahamas, Carnival Liberty and Carnival Glory hosted more than 200 local teens from a summer camp sponsored by the Royal Bahamas Police Force in Grand Bahama. The visits gave the campers a glimpse of operations aboard Carnival Cruise Line ships. Participants enjoyed a day of fun that included a full-service lunch, a meet and greet with the ship’s captain and senior officers, a tour of the ship, and games and activities in the Club O2 teen facility. The collaboration is an extension of Carnival Corporation’s ongoing community engagement program for Grand Bahama. “We are so pleased that we had the opportunity to partner with the Royal Bahamas Police Force Summer Camp, offering a truly unique…

Carnival Cruise Line was named ‘Top Cruise Line in Hawaii’ in Cruise Critic’s annual Cruisers’ Choice Destination Awards, taking top honors in the large ship category for the second consecutive year. The awards are based on the site’s consumer ratings and reviews. Carnival offers a wide range of 10- to 16-day Hawaii sailings departing from homeports in Long Beach, San Diego, San Francisco, Honolulu and Vancouver. The cruises are part of Carnival Journeys, a collection of longer length seagoing adventures featuring specially-designed shipboard experiences that provide guests with insight into the island’s natural beauty and rich culture and heritage. The voyages, which take place on Carnival Miracle and Carnival Spirit, visit spectacular destinations throughout The Aloha State including Honolulu, Kauai,…

Following a first-of-its-kind procedure in which Carnival Vista was loaded onto the Boka Vanguard, a semi-submersible heavy transport vessel operated by Netherlands-based Boskalis, the cruise ship arrived at the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport this evening to begin repairs of its azipod propulsion system. The process began last night with Carnival Vista and Boka Vanguard rendezvousing off the coast of Freeport and took approximately 24 hours to complete. Carnival Vista will stay positioned within the “floating dry dock” at the Grand Bahama Shipyard while repairs are being made.  After being offloaded from the Boka Vanguard, Carnival Vista will depart Freeport later this month and resume its year-round Caribbean schedule from Galveston on July 27.

The Carnival Vista azipod repair is underway off the shore of Freeport, Bahamas. Carnival Vista has been loaded onto the Boka Vanguard and will be lifted and transported back to the Grand Bahama Shipyard Saturday evening for work to begin. (Video credit Carnival Cruise Line’s Rahim Akbar)  

The wine lists from all steakhouses aboard Carnival Cruise Line ships have been recognized with the coveted Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine, bestowed upon approximately 2,400 restaurants each year. Wine Spectator‘s Restaurant Awards recognize restaurants whose wine lists offer interesting selections, are appropriate to their cuisine and appeal to a wide range of wine lovers. Venues that earn the Award of Excellence typically offer at least 90 selections, feature a well-chosen assortment of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style. Whether compact or extensive, focused or diverse, these lists deliver sufficient choice to satisfy discerning wine lovers. The wine lists available at Carnival’s steakhouses represent some of the top wine…

Carnival Cruise Line shared some additional information today on the dry dock scheduled next month for Carnival Vista to complete a repair to the ship’s azipods.  As previously announced, Carnival Vista will be taken out of service on July 9, at which time it will transit to Freeport, Bahamas.  Carnival is working with ABB, the azipod manufacturer, to complete the repairs and return the ship to scheduled service on July 27.  Carnival is completing negotiations and planning with a shipping vessel operator on a protocol that will be a first-of-its-kind procedure to facilitate the repair, given the current lack of facilities at Grand Bahama Shipyard.  More information on that procedure will be forthcoming, but plans are in place to complete…

Carnival Cruise Line took home Best Budget Cruise honors in the first-ever Fodor’s Travel Awards. Determined by Fodor’s editorial team of travel experts, the awards are intended to be more fun and inclusive than other travel awards and highlight travel standouts that have made an impact within the industry across a variety of categories. Carnival was acknowledged for its wide range of free-of-charge onboard experiences including eateries like Guy’s Burger Joint and Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse developed with longtime partner and Food Network star Guy Fieri, BlueIguana Cantina, and 24/7 pizza and ice cream; the fleetwide Seuss at Sea program operated in partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises; entertainment options such as Playlist Productions shows and Punchliner Comedy Club…

A traditional maritime plaque exchange was held aboard Carnival Sunrise commemorating the ship’s inaugural call at Tortola, B.V.I., which is featured on the ship’s eight-day cruises from New York.  Captain Isidoro Renda is pictured with island officials during the ceremony held in the Carnival Sunrise’s Limelight Lounge.  Carnival Sunrise launched its inaugural season from New York last month following a $200 million dry dock that added all of the line’s popular food, beverage and entertainment options. Carnival Sunrise will operate a summer schedule of four-day Bermuda and eight-day Caribbean voyages from New York before repositioning to Fort Lauderdale for four- and five-day cruises beginning in October.