along with a host of innovative facilities
a warm send-off on her inaugural cruise
and features. As per industry policy, Car-
from the United Kingdom.
nival is sitting on those “secrets”, planning
to release them in the months to come.
British entertainer Myleene Klass presided over the rather casual outdoor ceremony that turned out to be one big sail-
FUN: THE NEXT LEVEL
away party.
All around Europe, the Fun Ship that has
At the beginning of the festivities,
been the talk of the town this summer is
Carnival Cruise Lines President and CEO
Carnival Splendor. The 113,000 gt, 3,006-
Gerry Cahill promised that the company
passenger Carnival Splendor has raised its
was going to try to keep the formalities
share of eyebrows during its brief stint up-
short, casual and fun. Those several hun-
on the waves.
dred invited guests standing around – with
The fun began in earnest on July 10,
as the Naming Ceremony of the Carni-
appropriately cheery drinks in hand – were
likely to agree.
val Splendor kicked into high gear. As the
The dress code for the day for Ca-
christening took place in Dover, England,
hill and other Carnival’s executives present
one would expect the momentous occa-
was ‘jacket-no-tie’ and Cahill’s speech –
sion to feature a modicum of British re-
short, as promised - also reflected the com-
serve. One would expect wrong.
pany’s ideology of laid-back fun and af-
It seemed that all the fun in the world
fordability.
hit Dover’s Prince of Wales Pier on a memorable sunny day. Dover Lions Club had in-
SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED
vited the local community to welcome the
The highlight of the festivities was, of
port’s newest cruise customers by party-
course, the breaking of the bottle. Not
ing along on the pier and giving the ship
wanting to settle for the same-old-same-
old, creative minds at Carnival had come
up with a scene that seemed to be straight
out of a James Bond movie.
The hero of the day was Petty Officer
Christian Rumming, 39, from Her Majesty’s
Royal Navy. While the excitement mounted
onboard, Rumming was underwater near
P&O Cruises’ Ventura responds to market expansion in Europe.
14
seatec 2/2008
the bow of the Carnival Splendor waiting