Excel class | Wetravel2u's Weblog

Carnival Cruise Line’s new Carnival Celebration arrived at its PortMiami homeport and was christened by actress Cassidy Gifford Sunday evening.

“This naming ceremony of our new flagship Carnival Celebration is the perfect culmination of our 50th birthday as this spectacular ship honours our past and signifies the fun and growth ahead,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Carnival Celebration builds on the success of our incredible Mardi Gras and the many innovations we introduced with our Excel-class, including a top-deck roller coaster, and offers unique features all her own that give guests a truly incredible new cruise experience to have fun and make memories.”

Duffy spoke before an audience gathered for the ceremony in the ship’s three-deck-high atrium, Celebration Central. Carnival Celebration Godmother Cassidy Gifford christened the ship, with a traditional breaking of a champagne bottle, alongside Capt. Vincenzo Alcaras.

Gifford was also joined by her mother, Kathie Lee Gifford, who served as godmother of Carnival Celebration’s namesake, M/S Celebration, which was similarly christened in 1987.

Along with an impromptu performance by Kathie Lee, who sang the memorable tune to the now-legendary commercials that helped to popularize the Carnival brand in the 1980s, attendees were also treated to a preview of Carnival Celebration’s spectacular entertainment programming, the company said, including an aerialist performance. A concert by Kool & The Gang capped off the night, which included their dance classic, “Celebrate!”

Carnival Celebration’s first guests to board the ship from Miami will depart today on a special six-day Thanksgiving cruise, with visits to Grand Turk, Amber Cove and Nassau. On Nov. 27, the ship will begin a rotation of week-long Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings that depart every Sunday and visit popular destinations, such as the Dominican Republic and St. Thomas, as well as Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico. To see sailings offered on Carnival Celebration, visit Carnival.com.

P&O Cruises has revealed the name of its second LNG-powered Excel class ship. The ship, which will join the P&O Cruises UK six-ship fleet in December 2022, will be named Arvia.

According to a press release, the name means “from the seashore”

“The Arvia will join the Iona as an innovative and future-focused ship offering an outstanding, varied and contemporary holiday. The Arvia has been designed to travel to the sun year-round and to maximize views of the ocean and the seashore from everywhere on board, so it seemed a very fitting name and one which will reflect the experience for guests on board,” said P&O Cruises President Paul Ludlow.

“The seashore is known for its relaxing properties and tranquillity and a holiday on the Arvia will, indeed, celebrate this and have relaxation at its heart. The rejuvenating and restorative qualities of a walk on the beach and invigorating sea air will be reflected in the experiences both onboard and onshore as well as the vast space onboard which has enabled us to include a number of new and extraordinary features,” he added.

The name of the 5,200-passenger ship was unveiled through a video reveal made up of outlining the letters in the name in various different locations, all relating to the beach and the seashore.

Holidays on the Arvia will go on sale in March and further details of the ship, its design and experiences onboard will be released over the coming months, P&O Cruises said.