Carnival to spend $500 million on new restaurants, entertainment

Carnival to spend $500 million on new restaurants, entertainment

By Donna Tunney
Guy Fieri restaurantCarnival Cruise Lines has launched Fun Ship 2.0, a $500 million multiyear project that will add dining venues, bars, lounges and entertainment options across most of its fleet.

Carnival’s new branded spaces will include the RedFrog Rum Bar, BlueIguana Tequila Bar and three other themed bars and lounges, as well as the BlueIguana Cantina casual restaurant.

The line has partnered with several celebrities for new entertainment and cuisine choices.

Entertainer George Lopez will become Carnival’s creative director for comedy and will enhance comedy clubs; Food Network star Guy Fieri will develop a burger venue called Guy’s Burger Joint; and video game manufacturer EA Sports will create the first EA Sports Bar at sea.

Additionally, Hasbro is partnering with Carnival on “larger-than-life game shows” featuring iconic games and brands. Miami’s DJ Irie was named Carnival’s official DJ.

The Carnival Liberty will be the first ship to feature many of the new restaurants and bars when it returns from a scheduled refurbishment later this month. Fourteen ships are scheduled to receive many of the Fun Ship 2.0 enhancements through 2015.

“Fun Ship 2.0 is the largest and most ambitious initiative that our company has ever undertaken and it will serve to significantly transform the Carnival vacation experience for our guests,” said Carnival CEO Gerry Cahill.

“Through breakthrough partnerships with some of today’s biggest talents and most popular entertainment brands, plus our very own new branded experiences and onboard destinations, Carnival fans and those new to our cruises are destined for an incredible vacation experience.”

Carnival Breeze floated out

Carnival Breeze floated out

By Donna Tunney
The Carnival Breeze was floated out Sept. 16 at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.

The 3,600-passenger ship was repositioned to another dock where it will undergo final interior work in preparation for its June 3 debut.

The Carnival Breeze, a sister ship to the Carnival Magic, will sail an inaugural 12-day cruise from Venice to Barcelona, positioning the vessel for a summer schedule of 12-day Mediterranean cruises.

Following its transatlantic crossing, the ship will launch year-round six- and eight-day Caribbean cruises from Miami on Nov. 24, 2012.

The Breeze will be the largest Carnival ship to ever sail from Miami.

QM2 going for a refit

Here’s a bit of good news regarding Cunard’s flagship.

Not only has she been given a clean bill of health by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (after failing miserably only six weeks ago!), but we’ve received news that she’ll be going into dry dock in November for a bit of a face-lift too.Cunard are yet to reveal the finer details, although they have said “all the cabins and most of the public rooms on the ship will be refurbished.”Rumour has it, the under-used Winter Garden might get converted into a coffee bar.