Carnival Cruise Line today marked a half a century since its maiden voyage from PortMiami with a celebration aboard the Carnival Conquest.
Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy was joined by Carnival Corp. Chairman Micky Arison and Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald; U.S. Representatives Frederica Wilson and Vern Buchanan; Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava; Doral Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez; Miami industry and community leaders; as well as Carnival leadership.
Carnival said in a statement it had made cruising accessible and fun for more than 90 million passengers since its inception.
At the event, Carnival announced a $50,000 donation to World Central Kitchen to support Ukrainian relief efforts and in the name of its more than 300 team members from the country.
Duffy also presented a $50,000 donation to Carnival’s long-standing partner Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami. Mayor Levine Cava presented Duffy with a commemorative gift marking the occasion and Mayor Bermudez read a proclamation declaring March 11, 2022 as Carnival Cruise Line Day in Doral.
“On this very day, 50 years ago, history was made when the first Carnival Cruise Line ship, the TSS Mardi Gras, embarked on her maiden voyage from right here at PortMiami,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “For half a century, we have made cruising available to everyone and have provided millions of people with fun and memorable vacations. It’s an honor to be celebrating our five decades of sailing with so many of our partners. We look forward to what the next 50 years holds.”
According to a press release, Carnival’s 50-year collaboration with Miami-Dade County and PortMiami has resulted in significant economic development for the region, most recently the expansion of the state-of-the-art Terminal F at PortMiami. The Terminal F development team celebrated an important construction milestone today with the topping off of the building and eagerly anticipates the project’s completion and ribbon-cutting this fall.
The terminal will be among the first to be shore-power ready in 2023.
Terminal F will also serve as the homeport for Carnival Celebration, which will be unveiled later this year as part of the culmination of Carnival’s 50th birthday festivities. After Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration will be the second Excel-class ship to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and include a roller coaster at the top of the ship. A third Excel-class ship, Carnival Jubilee, will join the fleet in 2023 and homeport in Galveston.
Over the years, Carnival has maintained a strong commitment to supporting the communities in which it operates, including its hometown of Miami. In addition to a national partnership with St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and Operation Homefront, Carnival has hosted hundreds of Miami-Dade high school students at its headquarters as part of the Carnival Scholarship and Mentoring Program, and since 2007, has provided 195 scholarships valued at $4 million.
Carnival currently employs more than 40,000 team members from 120 nationalities.
In addition to today’s party in Miami, Carnival’s year-long 50th birthday celebrations included 17 commemorative Sailabrations cruises that featured at-sea ship meetups, special entertainment and programming.
