Carnival Cruise Lines hosted nearly 500 Seattle-area VIPs, community officials and travel agents yesterday aboard the Carnival Spirit during a reception and luncheon to commemorate the ship’s new summer schedule of seven-day Alaska cruises from Seattle —  the line’s first ever departures from that port.

The event was held in conjunction with the city’s Maritime Festival sponsored by the Seattle chapter of the Propeller Club, a national maritime organization.  Carnival underwrote all of the food, beverages and entertainment for this event, allowing the Propeller Club to donate attendees’ registration fees, totaling more than $20,000, to charity.

The festivities included a traditional maritime plaque exchange between Carnival and local officials.  Pictured here at the event are (from left):  Port of Seattle Port Commission President Bill Bryant; Carnival Spirit Captain Rocco Lubrano; Carnival’s Vice President of Sales – Western Region Vicki Tomasino; and Carnival Spirit Cruise Director Stuart Dunn.

Carnival Spirit will offer week-long Glacier Bay cruises to Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway, as well as visit Victoria and cruising Tracy Arm, from May 11 – Aug. 31, 2010, bringing 40,000 visitors to Seattle each year.  The ship will operate a similar schedule in 2011.