Press Releases

Following a $200 million dry dock that is already generating raves from guests sailing on its first cruises out of Norfolk, the transformed Carnival Sunrise was officially named today by godmother Kelly Arison – daughter of Carnival Corporation & plc Chairman Micky Arison and his wife Madeleine – in an elegant and memorable ceremony at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in New York City. As a Carnival godmother, Kelly Arison carries on a family tradition – her mother, Madeleine was godmother to the ship when it first entered service in 1999, and her grandmother Lin Arison served as godmother to Carnival Sunrise’s sister ship, Carnival Sunshine, in 2013. “To be a part of Carnival Sunrise’s official naming is more than I…

Carnival Cruise Line’s #ChooseFun AirShip is heading east to celebrate the start of summer and the New York debut of the totally transformed Carnival Sunrise, kicking off its month-long tour with an appearance at the ship’s official naming ceremony at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal on May 23. Over the subsequent four weeks, the 128-foot-long AirShip will visit locations across all five New York boroughs, New Jersey and Philadelphia, flying over many popular landmarks and events. AirShip’s first week will include visits to Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn followed by classic summer vacation hot spots Fire Island, Coney Island and Staten Island for Memorial Day weekend, and a week in Long Island. AirShip will then spend the first week of June flying…

  Carnival Cruise Line announced today an exclusive partnership with the world-famous basketball team, the Harlem Globetrotters, serving as the group’s official cruise line sponsor worldwide. Combining the Harlem Globetrotters’ high-flying athleticism, theatrical stunts and comedic acts with Carnival’s role as the family cruise leader, the two ambassadors of fun will bring a new level of excitement to more than 150 of the team’s shows across the country. The Harlem Globetrotters’ always entertaining exhibition games will be enhanced by Carnival’s signature brand of fun through in-game integrations, giveaways and joint marketing efforts such as a designated Choose Fun Zone seating area with branded signage, playful décor, special player interactions and more. This partnership will also provide Carnival with traditional marketing…

Carnival Sunshine has launched a schedule of four- to 11-day voyages from the Port of Charleston, becoming the newest ship to operate year-round cruises from that port. Carnival Sunshine inaugural festivities on Saturday, May 18, included a luncheon for travel advisors, local officials and VIPs during which Carnival made a donation to One80 Place, a homeless assistance center supported by the cruise line for many years. Charleston-based ships have donated hundreds of mattresses, chairs, dishes and other items for use at the facility over the years. Carnival Sunshine’s schedule from Charleston includes four- and five-day sailings to the Bahamas, six- and seven-day voyages to Bermuda and the Caribbean, and the first-ever Cuba cruises from Charleston with a series of five-day sailings…

Following an extensive $200 million renovation that added a variety of food, beverage and entertainment innovations as well as stateroom upgrades, Carnival Sunrise is making her debut today at Norfolk’s Decker Half Moone Cruise Center. Carnival Sunrise is kicking off an exciting inaugural season of four- to 14-day voyages that visit destinations in the Caribbean, Bermuda, Bahamas, the Panama Canal, New England and Canada with the first four cruises from Norfolk. “The introduction of Carnival Sunrise brings an incredibly enhanced ship to our guests with all of the popular features from across our fleet,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.  “We couldn’t be more proud to introduce Carnival Sunrise in Norfolk.” “To be the first port in the…

Carnival Cruise Line expands its onboard youth programming with an exclusive partnership with Zumbini offering high-energy early childhood activities and classes that combine singing, dancing and playing. Created by Zumba and BabyFirst, Zumbini’s mixed-age music and movement curriculum features group sing-alongs, activities and musical instruments to keep children engaged and energized while learning. Led by Carnival’s trained youth staff and aimed at Carnival’s youngest cruisers, the fleetwide onboard Zumbini program, which will be free of charge, will encompass two class options taking place within the Camp Ocean children’s play areas and other lounges: All voyages: 30-minute drop-off class for Carnival Penguins age group (two-to-five years old); Voyages of six days or longer: 30-to-45-minute family class for children up to six…

Carnival Cruise Line today unveiled more details on the numerous accommodation choices guests will have on its highly-anticipated new ship, Mardi Gras, which will feature more than 180 suites across 11 styles, including the new premium category Carnival Excel suites with select amenities and access to a new resort-style, open-air enclave called Loft 19. Link to a video of the suites can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/KdQWBKZJNBg “As we continue to announce details on Mardi Gras, guests will see that this ship is going to have more choices to stay and more choices to play,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “All of our accommodations have been designed to exceed our guests’ expectations, and the suite offerings will kick…

Let’s play Family Feud Live!™ Carnival Cruise Line today announced it will debut the seagoing version of the iconic TV game show Family Feud™ as part of the entertainment lineup on the highly anticipated Mardi Gras, when it enters service in 2020. An exclusive partnership with Fremantle, Family Feud Live aboard Mardi Gras will feature the same format and signature set as the TV show. Two five-person teams will battle it out in rounds including Face Off and Fast Money by naming the most popular answers to survey questions for a chance to win a host of prizes in a high-energy gameplay. “Carnival Cruise Line is all about fun, family and friends just like Family Feud,” said Christine Duffy, president…

As Carnival Sunrise makes her debut following her $200 million transformation, Carnival Cruise Line announced today that Kelly Arison, daughter of Carnival Corporation Chairman Micky Arison and his wife Madeleine, will serve as godmother for the ship at an invitation-only ceremony in New York on May 23. In what is sure to be a touching moment, Kelly will step into the godmother role previously held by her mother when the ship first entered service as Carnival Triumph, in 1999. In an added stroke of family ties, Kelly’s grandmother Lin Arison served as godmother to Carnival Sunrise’s sister ship, Carnival Sunshine, in 2013. Carnival Sunrise’s naming ceremony will take place aboard the ship at the Manhattan Cruise Passenger Terminal and will…

At a space-themed ceremony today, the Canaveral Port Authority and longtime cruise partner Carnival Cruise Line officially broke ground for construction of Port Canaveral’s new Cruise Terminal 3 complex. The new terminal, dubbed the Launch Pad, will be the home of Mardi Gras, the cruise line’s newest and most innovative ship, beginning in 2020. Port Authority Commissioners and the Port’s leadership team joined Carnival Cruise Line executives for the ceremonial groundbreaking at the project site as NASA’s “Spaceman” planted a Carnival Cruise Line flag on a simulated lunar landscape. The event theme, “Go for Launch,” was a nod to the Port’s key role with the U.S. space program and the terminal’s futuristic design, which was inspired by nearby Kennedy Space…