Carnival Cruise Line honored America’s 250th anniversary with a patriotic celebration aboard the Carnival Radiance on June 30 at the Port of Long Beach, California.

The cruise line welcomed local community partners, veterans, business leaders and government officials to commemorate the occasion.

The event kicked off a series of America250 homeport community celebrations, the cruise line said in a press release.

“As America’s cruise line, we’re proud to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary in our homeport cities,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We’re bringing people together to honor our nation, celebrate the local community and thank those who protect our freedom.”

Guests were greeted with a 40-foot-tall inflatable red, white and blue star displayed on the top deck of the Carnival Radiance during the embarkation process.

The celebration included a dedicated military tribute recognizing active-duty service members, local veterans and first responders in attendance.

Each member of the military was presented with a specially designed, limited-edition America250 challenge coin.

A special appearance was made by Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat wearing a patriotic outfit to celebrate the anniversary. 

The Long Beach event is one of Carnival’s America250 patriotic events throughout the summer, which include celebrations in Baltimore, Tampa and Jacksonville.