Carnival Cruise Line to recognize Veterans Day in six homeports.

Written by Kristen Schmutz

Belden Communications News

In a heartfelt commemoration ahead of Veterans Day, Carnival Cruise Line, in collaboration with local offices of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is set to pay homage to numerous military heroes through a series of events across six different ships stationed at six homeports. The tributes are scheduled throughout the week leading up to Veterans Day, with the kickoff slated for November 5 in Miami and Tampa, followed by subsequent ceremonies in Galveston, Long Beach, New Orleans, and ending on Veterans Day in Port Canaveral.

Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, expressed the company's profound pride in hosting more active and retired military service members than any other cruise line. 

“We’re so proud to carry more active and retired military service members than any other cruise line, so we wanted to honor our hometown heroes in some of our port communities for Veterans Day this year,” she said. 

The scheduled tributes in each homeport will include special military ceremonies and luncheons specifically arranged for local veterans. The comprehensive schedule for the week-long event is as follows:

• Sunday, November 5: Miami – Carnival Horizon
• Sunday, November 5: Tampa – Carnival Paradise
• Monday, November 6: Galveston – Carnival Breeze
• Tuesday, November 7: Long Beach – Carnival Miracle
• Thursday, November 9: New Orleans – Carnival Valor
• Saturday, November 11: Port Canaveral – Mardi Gras

Beyond these heartfelt tributes, Carnival plans to donate passenger vans to each local VA office, intending to aid transportation for various VA programs and services, notably in healthcare.

Carnival Cruise Line has maintained a long-standing partnership with Operation Homefront, which supports military families, and since 2016, the company has organized Military Appreciation Gatherings on all their cruises. 

This year, the fleet will host over 1,500 such gatherings, drawing tens of thousands of guests. Recently, Carnival expanded these gatherings into a full Military Appreciation Day on all North American sailings. This expanded event incorporates flag-raising ceremonies in the ship's atrium and various moments of recognition throughout the day. Moreover, many ships within the fleet now feature the Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge, an ongoing homage to the sacrifices made by Armed Services personnel and their families.

For more information regarding Carnival Cruise Line, visit http://www.carnival.com.