Carnival Cruise Line christened the Mardi Gras in Port Canaveral, Florida, in a celebration befitting the world's most fun cruise ship, in the first ship christening ceremony held in the United States since the cruise industry restarted this summer.
Carnival's chief entertainment officer, Shaquille O'Neal, attended the festivities and cut the ribbon on the ship's first Big Chicken restaurant at sea, which debuted on Mardi Gras when it began operating on cruise ships on July 31. Kimberly Jiménez, Miss Universe from the Dominican Republic, served as the ship's godmother and officially named it, along with Andrea Meza, Miss Universe, and Asya Branch, Miss USA, who sang the national anthem. The event featured a "World of Nations" flag procession to highlight the diversity of Carnival's 120 crew members' nationalities and, of course, a Mardi Gras parade with a marching band.
“The christening ceremony of our flagship Mardi Gras, the first in the industry since we restarted operations, signifies excitement and optimism as we look to have our entire fleet back in service to guests in spring 2022,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “This ship has been incredible for guests during its pre-inaugural season, and celebrating with our director of entertainment Shaq, our godmother Kimberly, and so many special guests has been extremely rewarding and emotional.”
Godmother Jiménez blessed the ship in both English and her native Spanish and performed the traditional champagne bottle breaking, officially naming the vessel. To celebrate the ship's name, a special Mardi Gras parade, led by Duffy, Donald, and O'Neal, brought the festivities to a close.
The Mardi Gras is the first cruise ship in the Americas to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), an environmentally friendly fuel, and the first to feature a roller coaster. The 180,000-ton ship boasts six distinct themed areas with a wide variety of dining, beverage, and entertainment options, including the Lagasse, Fieri, O'Neal, and Rudi Sodamin restaurants. The Mardi Gras sails weekly from Port Canaveral on alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.
